Pete Davidson Criticizes NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Over BQE Construction

Pete Davidson recently delivered a straightforward message to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The 32-year-old comedian addressed the issues surrounding the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) and its prolonged construction.

While on the show, host Jimmy Kimmel informed Davidson that Mamdani would be his next guest and, recognizing Davidson’s New York roots, asked if he had any questions for the mayor. In response, Davidson queried, “Yes, could he fix the ‘f—–g BQE, please?'” This prompt resonated with the studio audience, who responded with loud applause.

The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is a vital highway connecting Brooklyn and Queens. It’s notorious for traffic congestion and outdated infrastructure. Davidson expressed his frustration with the ongoing construction, noting that it’s seemingly endless, with little progress visible. “The BQE has been under construction since before I was born,” Davidson remarked. He described frequent scenes of inactivity, with workers “just standing there eating a sandwich or on the phone.”

During the same episode, Kimmel relayed Davidson’s concerns to Mayor Mamdani. In response, Mamdani highlighted his office’s efforts with the BQE Central Project. This $4 billion initiative aims to rehabilitate the BQE section between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street, with construction slated to start in 2030. “We’re gonna be putting a multi-billion dollar plan to actually repair the part the city owns,” Mamdani stated, promising no traffic diversion into local neighborhoods.

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, won the New York City mayoral race in November, largely due to his grassroots campaigning and social media presence. He began his tenure as mayor on January 1.

Davidson, known for his comedic take on political matters, has previously been critical of former President Donald Trump and supported Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential race. After Clinton’s loss, he expressed his support through an angry pro-Clinton message and later got a tattoo of her, calling her his “hero.”

In a conversation with Variety, Davidson revealed he is in the process of removing almost all of his nearly 200 tattoos, citing poor quality and convenience as reasons. However, he plans to keep his tattoo of Clinton in a power suit. “I love Hillary, man. She’s awesome and a good friend,” Davidson commented.