Pete Davidson Questions Staten Island Connection of NYC Mayor

Pete Davidson, the comedian from “Saturday Night Live,” recently questioned the connection of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to Staten Island, Davidson’s hometown. During an interview with Variety, Davidson expressed doubt about Mamdani’s ties to the borough.

Davidson stated, “I don’t think he’s from Staten Island,” while discussing Mamdani’s affiliation with the area. He continued by saying that he doesn’t have an issue with Mamdani but doesn’t believe he represents Staten Island’s values. Davidson emphasized that Staten Island is a predominantly conservative area within New York.

Davidson, 32, noted that most of his family leans to the right politically. He described the borough as having a traditional atmosphere, stating, “You are not a real Staten Island politician unless you have a secret family and know one mobster.”

Recently, Davidson expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” While discussing public infrastructure issues, Davidson called for improvements to the highway, which has long faced criticism for traffic congestion and deteriorating conditions.

The studio audience responded enthusiastically to Davidson’s plea. He remarked on the long-standing construction problems, observing workers standing idle or engaging in unrelated activities.

“So I don’t know what mob front or whatever, who’s getting money from whatever, but just fix it, please,” Davidson urged.

During the same show, Kimmel relayed Davidson’s concern to Mayor Mamdani, who responded by discussing his office’s initiative. The BQE Central Project, a $4 billion plan, aims to rehabilitate the highway section owned by the city. Construction is expected to start in 2030.

“We’re going to be putting a multibillion-dollar plan to actually repair the part the city owns,” Mamdani said, highlighting the project’s importance for public safety and traffic management.

Kimmel jokingly suggested that the BQE issues might persist into the future, drawing laughter from the audience.