Comedian Bill Maher used his HBO program «Real Time» to criticize New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over a statement marking the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, calling the mayor's pivot to criticism of Israel «tone deaf.»
Mamdani's statement described the anniversary as «profoundly painful for so many New Yorkers» and said the city grieves «alongside our many friends and neighbors who still carry that unthinkable loss.» But the mayor then condemned Israel's military campaign in Gaza, writing that «the suffering did not begin nor end that day» and that it «continued through the Israeli government's devastating, ongoing genocide in Gaza, in which it has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians—including more than 21,000 children.»
Maher acknowledged that Mamdani «did make some nice remarks» about the anniversary but argued the mayor immediately shifted blame. «But then he pivoted right to, 'but Israel made them do it,'» Maher said, offering his interpretation of the statement. The comedian also mocked Mamdani's past career as a rapper, during which he performed under the stage names «Young Cardamom» and «Mr. Cardamom.» «You know, he used to be a rapper. His rap name was 'Tone Deaf,'» Maher quipped.
The mayor's statement went further, asserting that «even since the so-called ceasefire, more than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed» and that «many New Yorkers are reckoning with this unbearable grief, and we mourn alongside them—all while knowing that our tax dollars fund these war crimes.» Mamdani added that «three years later, we must refuse to accept a world in which occupation and apartheid continue, where war crimes are met with impunity, and our federal government continues its complicity with every arms shipment.» He concluded by saying that to honor the dead, «we must fight for a world in which every person can live with freedom, safety, and dignity.»
The statement drew additional scrutiny after Mamdani dined Wednesday at Ayat Hinds Hall, a Palestinian restaurant whose sister location faced criticism in 2023 over menu language that critics described as antisemitic. The sister restaurant's menu front page featured the phrase «Down with the occupation» in English, Arabic and Hebrew, according to the Times of Israel. Owner Abdul Elenani previously said the language appeared on the menu before Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Democratic strategist Kaivan Shroff suggested that Maher's criticism could ultimately benefit Mamdani politically. «At first glance it could appear Mamdani missed the mark with his statement or is being 'tone-deaf' as Maher puts it — but I'd argue it was actually a page from the Trump playbook,» Shroff told Fox News Digital.
Shroff explained that Mamdani's base had been criticizing him for having the NYPD protect Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, keeping Commissioner Tisch in place, arresting protesters, and not following through on a promise to disband the Strategic Response Group. «And a tweet or statement that plays to what his base wants to hear, ruffles feathers, grabs headlines and earns some backlash is a way to try and placate his supporters and seem like a fighter on key campaign issues that he has actually backed away from,» Shroff said.
Shroff argued that Maher's criticism is actually helping Mamdani solidify support from those who questioned his commitment to campaign promises surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict. «To that end, Maher is actually helping him in responding like this,» Shroff said. «For some Mamdani fans the fact that he has enraged folks like Maher is a sign that he is still the same candidate they voted for.»
The mayor also faced criticism from other quarters. Earlier in the week, anti-Israel protesters labeled Mamdani a «traitor» and accused him of «genocide» outside an Oct. 7 vigil. The Israeli ambassador to the United States also criticized Mamdani's post, comparing it to «turning September 11 into a day of mourning for Al-Qaeda.»
Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani administration for comment but did not receive an immediate response.