Host Bill Maher commented on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the opening monologue of Friday’s HBO Real Time. Maher noted the third anniversary of the October 7 attack in Israel and portrayed the mayor as showing limited compassion for that occasion.

Maher stated that Mamdani delivered some positive remarks opposing the attack before shifting to the idea that Israel caused the perpetrators to act. Maher also joked that Mamdani formerly rapped under a name suggesting he lacked proper sensitivity.