Jimmy Kimmel has spent a week in Brooklyn, and on Wednesday night he brought Mayor Zohran Mamdani onto his couch. The mayor was there to talk about his relationship with President Trump — and about why he refused to text the president a selfie with Kimmel.
The episode came from the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where Kimmel has taped his show seven times before. This trip brought a lineup of guests including Howard Stern, Billy Crystal, Paul McCartney and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT). The show received over 150,000 ticket requests, according to Kimmel, and opened with a musical performance by TV on the Radio, marking the 20th anniversary of their album “Return to Cookie Mountain.”
Kimmel’s Opening Question
Kimmel began the interview by noting that Mamdani’s relationship with Trump is unusual for a New York politician. He framed it as a question about tactics.
“Another thing that is very unexpected is this relationship that you have with President Trump, which seems to be a very friendly relationship,” Kimmel said. “Did you guys hit it off immediately or is it something that you really went into thinking, ‘OK, I need to have a relationship with the president of the United States, and I think the best way to do it is to charm him.’ How did you do that, and can you help me?”
Mamdani laughed and replied, “Sorry brother.” He explained that while he and Trump disagree on many things, they share a love for New York City.
“The president and I have many disagreements. One thing we do agree on is this city, how much we love this city, so from that first meeting in November of last year, I was just thinking of how we can make this meeting not about us, but about New Yorkers. How can we spend that time talking about the things that can make life in the city a little bit easier.”
The Gracie Mansion Video
Kimmel then showed a clip of Mamdani standing next to Trump at Gracie Mansion as the president gave a rambling speech. The camera pressed in on Mamdani as he stood stone-faced.
“I mean, it is remarkable,” Kimmel offered. “I watch that, and I go, ‘OK, this is not a guy I’d want to play poker with.'”
Mamdani said that during the speech, he was focused solely on getting federal approval for his proposed Sunnyside Yard project. The Queens development would feature an estimated 12,000 new homes and create approximately 30,000 jobs.
“You text with the president, I’ve read?” Kimmel pressed.
“From time to time we’re in communication, and it’s about Sunnyside Yard, and it’s about how we can deliver for the city,” replied Mamdani. He also noted that Trump had raised the issue of Haitian New Yorkers, whose Temporary Protected Status had been ended.
“One of the other things the president mentioned that we spoke about, that I care very deeply about, is Haitian New Yorkers. They’ve had their Protected Status ended, and I really believe we need to do whatever we can so they have stability. They’re part of the fabric of this city.”
The Selfie Request
Kimmel then made his pitch. He wanted a photo.
“Can we text Trump a selfie of us right now?” he asked.
Mamdani demurred. His response was blunt.
“Jimmy, I love you, but I love housing more.”
The Night’s Other Guests
The Brooklyn week also featured appearances from Pete Davidson, who promoted his Netflix video podcast “The Pete Davidson Show” and his upcoming film “How to Rob a Bank.” The show also included a cameo from Matt Damon, who heckled Kimmel in a Boston Red Sox cap on the eve of the Yankees/Red Sox AL Wild Card Series. Damon was joined by Kimmel’s mother and sister, and Jon Hamm, dressed as an angry New York City construction worker.
Kimmel prefaced Mamdani’s arrival with a montage of Fox News talking heads predicting that New York City would become “terrifying” under Mamdani and that crime would go “through the roof.” Murders and shootings in the city hit record lows in Mamdani’s first seven months in office.
The Exchange’s Key Facts
- Guests: Howard Stern, Billy Crystal, Paul McCartney, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT)
- Ticket requests: Over 150,000, per Kimmel
- TV on the Radio: Celebrated the 20th anniversary of “Return to Cookie Mountain”
- Sunnyside Yard: Estimated 12,000 new homes, approximately 30,000 jobs
- Haitian New Yorkers: Lost their Protected Status
The Moment That Stood Out
The exchange between Kimmel and Mamdani was a light moment, but it carried weight. Kimmel framed the question as a joke — “How did you do that, and can you help me?” — but Mamdani answered with a straight face. He described the relationship as genuine but transactional, rooted in shared interests rather than personal chemistry.
The selfie request was the climax of the segment. It was a moment designed to be funny, and it was. Mamdani’s refusal was also a statement.
“Jimmy, I love you, but I love housing more.”
That line is the headline. It is a delightful moment, and it is a statement of principle. It is also a refusal — a refusal to turn a policy conversation into a photo op.
The episode covered a wide range of guests and topics. For now, the most memorable moment is the one where the mayor said no.
See the video the story is built around at Variety.
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