Pete Davidson Criticizes NYC Mayor Over Staten Island and Highway Issues

Pete Davidson recently voiced doubts about Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s connection to Staten Island during an interview with Variety. Davidson, who hails from the area, questioned if Mamdani truly understood the borough, saying, “I don’t think he’s from Staten Island.” He further commented on the mayor’s authenticity, noting, “I don’t think he’s Staten Island at all. Staten Island’s the only red place in New York, and it’s violently red.”

The comedian shared that his family mostly leans conservative, describing it as, “not that, like, storm the capital vibe. It’s more just like, ‘[Trump is] funny.” Davidson elaborated, “You are not a real Staten Island politician unless you have a secret family and know one mobster.”

During an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, Davidson addressed issues with the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE), a highway criticized for congestion and outdated infrastructure. Davidson urged Mamdani to address these issues, leading Kimmel to remark on the enthusiastic audience response, “That’s the loudest response I’ve ever gotten.”

Davidson’s complaint centered around the BQE’s prolonged construction, “The BQE has been under construction since before I was born.” He expressed frustration at the apparent lack of progress, “They’re never doing anything. Someone’s just standing there eating a sandwich or on the phone, and there’s all these cones around.”

Mayor Mamdani later responded to Davidson’s remarks, detailing his $4 billion BQE Central Project. This initiative aims to rehabilitate the city-owned section of the expressway with work beginning in 2030. Mamdani assured, “We’re going to be putting a multibillion-dollar plan to actually repair the part the city owns.”

In the exchange with Kimmel, Davidson’s concern led to a humorous moment with the host joking, “So you’re saying Pete’s daughter will also be complaining about this,” referring to the extended timeline of the construction work.