New York City democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani showed up on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" to crack a quick five-second joke, but he was met with nearly 30 seconds of rousing adulation.
"Jimmy, let me try one," Mamdani said, joining Fallon on the stage during the monologue that featured "it's so cold in New York City" wisecracks.
A smiling Mamdani was interrupted by a standing ovation before he was able to deliver the quip.
"It's so cold in New York City, the rent froze itself," Mamdani continued. "Good night, everybody."
Mamdani waved and left, but the rent-control issue is no laughing matter for New Yorkers fearing a spike in property taxes for homeowners and landlords, the New York Post reported.
Also, the cold was no joke for at least eight New Yorkers who have died outside in the city since Saturday, according to the report.
The New York City storm this weekend dumped 11 inches of snow, but Mamdani was under fire for not permitting the schoolchildren a snow day, instead opting for a day of remote learning.
That plan was criticized when technical glitches caused issues for students, parents, and teachers.
Mamdani, notably, avoided a joke about Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which he has gone on record as saying, "I am in support of abolishing" amid President Donald Trump's crackdown on Democrat-run sanctuary cities like New York City.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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