Bill Maher clashed with fellow comedian David Cross over the radical politics of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), with Maher branding the mayor a straight up communist during the latest episode of Club Random released Monday.
The exchange unfolded as the two comics sparred over the increasingly blurred line between democratic socialism and outright communism, according to Mediaite. Maher, who has grown more openly critical of the hard left even as he remains a man of the entertainment world, zeroed in on Mamdanis ideological allies as evidence that the mayors politics go far beyond traditional liberalism.
When Maher declared Mamdani a straight up communist, Cross immediately pushed back, exclaiming, No hes not! No hes not, Bill! and punctuating his objection with a nervous laugh. He is, Maher replied flatly, refusing to retreat from his assessment.
The dispute began when Cross volunteered that he considered himself a democratic socialist, prompting Maher to argue that the label is little more than a softer marketing term for the same old collectivist project. The longtime host then laid out his case that Mamdani, who also calls himself a democratic socialist, is in practice aligned with open communists.
Maher pointed to Cea Weaver, who serves as the Director of the NYC Mayors Office to Protect Tenants, as a key example of the mayors ideological orbit. Cross admitted he had never heard of her, a confession Maher seized on as proof that his guest was living in a political bubble.
Maher then elaborated on Weavers record and rhetoric, tying it directly to Mamdanis rise. Shes the head of like, Were going to fix housing. This is like what got him elected. He has not disavowed her and I could show you all her tweets that shes put out over the last few years and quotes, and one of them is elect more communists. I dont think you have to read between the lines if somebody he stands with and by is saying that. And also, her other quotes are like, All home ownership is racist.
Confronted with those statements, Cross conceded the extremism of Weavers views, responding, Well thats ridiculous. He promised to look up more information on Weaver, yet insisted he remained a fan of Mamdani despite the troubling associations.
Maher tried to lighten the mood by offering Cross some pot, which Cross declined, saying his brain doesnt work well on it. Maher shot back, Well sure, you just said you liked Mamdani, a jab Cross accepted with good humor.
Cross, who said he has lived in New York City for 25 years, reiterated that he wants to give this guy a chance. He argued Mamdani looks relatively good compared to past Democratic mayors such as Eric Adams, whom he called absolutely corrupt, and feckless Bill de Blasio.
Maher agreed that Mamdani should be given a chance in office, but he quickly returned to his broader point that there is little daylight between democratic socialists and communists once one reads what they actually advocate. For many conservatives, that distinction without a difference has long been a concern, especially as left-wing activists push policies that undermine property rights, demonize home ownership, and expand government control over private life.
Those ideological stakes are not merely academic in a city now grappling with a massive fiscal crisis. As NBCs Kristen Welker recently pressed Mamdani on whether he still embraced his democratic socialist ideals in the face of a $5.4 billion budget shortfall, the mayor doubled down: I believe in it even more than I did the day before, Mamdani said. And thats because of the fact its focused on the needs of working people, and working people need that focus, that fight from politicians, more than ever.
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