Zohran Mamdani brings City Hall business to Jimmy Kimmel’s couch
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took a seat on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to chit chat “Parents’ Night Out,” city-run grocery stores, fresh public bathrooms, the BQE, his dealings with President Donald Trump — and, yes, the people climbing down into New York’s sewers.
The September 28 conversation stayed mostly on the nuts and bolts of city government, with Kimmel bouncing from child care and grocery prices to bathrooms and infrastructure while Mamdani explained what his administration says it is trying to build.
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Mamdani Takes City Hall to Late Night
The New York mayor sits with Jimmy Kimmel to talk Parents’ Night Out, city-run grocery stores, public bathrooms, the BQE and his working relationship with President Trump.
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Parents’ Night Out Gives Families a Few Hours Back
Kimmel first asked about Parents’ Night Out, the free NYC Parks drop-off program launched this summer across recreation centers in all five boroughs. Mamdani framed the idea around giving parents back two things he says are in short supply: time and money.
The first event drew nearly 300 children, according to the city. Mamdani told Kimmel about six-year-old Wyatt, who arrived upset about being dropped off and ended the night not wanting to leave. Kimmel naturally asked whether every parent actually came back for their child. Mamdani assured him: they are all home now.
Five City-Run Grocery Stores Are Still Part of the Plan
The interview then moved to Mamdani’s proposal for five city-run grocery stores, one in each borough. Mamdani told Kimmel the goal is to reduce the cost of essential groceries for working-class New Yorkers and said his administration is targeting roughly a 30 percent discount on basic healthy-food items.
He pointed to discounted grocery systems used for military service members as one model for the broader idea. The proposal remains one of the administration’s more closely watched affordability initiatives, and Mamdani used the late-night stop to make the case for it in plain kitchen-table terms: people have to eat, and grocery prices have risen sharply since the pandemic.
Public Bathrooms, a Ten-Minute Clock and a Madonna Reference
Then came the bathrooms. New York recently began installing 17 modular public restrooms in high-traffic locations across the five boroughs as part of a $4 million pilot. The units are free to use and are scheduled to operate daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Kimmel’s concern was less policy-heavy: the bathrooms automatically open after ten minutes. He joked about the pressure of knowing the clock is ticking. Mamdani’s response went straight to pop culture: if four minutes were enough for Madonna to save the world, he said, ten minutes should be enough to handle your business.
And Yes, They Talked About the People Going Into the Sewers
Kimmel also brought up reports and footage of people entering New York City sewers in protective gear. Mamdani said he was aware of it and turned the moment into a joke about his own use of the phrase “sewer socialism.”
His message, political joke aside, was fairly straightforward: please do not go into the sewer. Kimmel then floated the idea of deputizing the sewer explorers to fix potholes from below. Mamdani had not considered that one.
Mamdani Also Addressed His Working Relationship With President Trump
Kimmel then asked about Mamdani’s relationship with President Donald Trump. Mamdani said the two have many disagreements but described their conversations as focused on issues affecting New Yorkers rather than on their personal politics.
One subject he highlighted was Sunnyside Yard, the long-discussed proposal to build a platform over the Queens rail yard and create housing above it. Mamdani said recent conversations with the president have included the possibility of roughly 12,000 homes and 30,000 jobs connected to that project.
He also said he has raised the status of Haitian New Yorkers whose federal protected status has been affected, describing that discussion with the White House as ongoing. When Kimmel asked whether the two text, Mamdani said they communicate from time to time, largely about city business.
Pete Davidson Had One Question: What Is Going on With the BQE?
The final bit of city business came courtesy of fellow guest Pete Davidson, who wanted to know what exactly was happening with the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
Mamdani said the city is moving ahead with a multi-billion-dollar repair plan for the city-owned portion of the BQE, with work expected to stretch across roughly the next decade. The stated goal, he said, is to address safety without diverting traffic into surrounding neighborhoods.
Watch Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Mamdani’s September 28 interview covers Parents’ Night Out, city-run grocery stores, modular public bathrooms, sewer explorers, Sunnyside Yard, the BQE and his conversations with President Trump.
Sources: Jimmy Kimmel Live! / ABC / YouTube; Office of the Mayor of New York City.
