New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented a different persona Saturday night when he joined the Inner Circle show.
The event is an annual charity gala hosted by an elite group of journalists. The name “Inner Circle” originated from a group of reporters who historically had insider access to City Hall. It is known for its satirical “roast” format, where reporters and politicians poke fun at each other, major news stories and the city’s leadership.
According to Hell Gate, public figures perform musical skits about the mayor, the City Council and the ruling party. As a next-generation leader, Mamdani stood out by using Auto-Tune in his rebuttal, addressing key issues with a playful twist before a large crowd.
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According to the New York Post, Mamdani took witty jabs at the media, referencing his early days in office and the start of his political career. The city’s youngest and first Muslim mayor also addressed how residents are struggling with rising prices for essential goods, along with soaring rent and housing costs.
According to sources, about 1.4 million people — roughly 15% of the city’s population — struggle with food insecurity and high child care costs, among the highest in the country. CNN reports that average monthly rents in Manhattan have surpassed $5,400, forcing thousands to rely on homeless shelters.
As mayor, Mamdani has proposed policies including free city bus service, a rent freeze on rent-stabilized housing and the creation of five city-run grocery stores — one in each borough — to help lower food prices.
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During his Inner Circle address, Mamdani said, “We will place a cap on prices that everyday New Yorkers deal with — oh my God, say ‘prices,’” as the crowd cheered. He also joked, “We will ban The New York Times from making every recipe creamy, garlicky and crispy, and then stop them from using passive voice in their headlines,” playfully teasing the outlet.
For those unfamiliar, The New York Times — particularly its cooking section — is known for rich recipes often described as creamy, buttery and smooth. Online readers frequently joke that many of its dishes feel indulgent or follow similar flavor profiles. Passive voice is often criticized in journalistic standards for making sentences overly complex and less direct. Mamdani suggested some outlets use it to soften accountability or make stories sound more serious than they are.
Mamdani also took aim at the competitive media landscape, saying,
“Thank you to the real press corps of New York City — Instagram creators with 33,000 followers. If you lose a few hundred followers, you’ll still have more readers than the Daily News.”
The latter part of the show featured humorous portrayals of former Mayor Eric Adams, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, radio personality John Catsimatidis and Curtis Sliwa, performed by reporters as they let off steam.
