The Leftist Tilt of 'Mamdani Night Live'

Tim Graham on Sep 30, 2026

The People's Republic of Late-Night Comedy will do its part to boost Democrats during the midterm election season. See the season debut of NBC's "Saturday Night Live." Zohran Mamdani is not on the ballot, but these comedians are deeply in love with the radical leftist Muslim, so they feel compelled to transfer their giddy feelings to their Fake Trump.

In the opening skit, the Mamdani character is told he has a visitor during harsh weather. He wonders "what reckless lunatic" would come to see me now? The Trump character enters, gushing: "Your best friend!"

"I missed my Day One, Zohran Mamdani -- because for some reason that no one can figure out, I really, really like you," "SNL"'s Trump said. "Day One" is slang for they were pals since Day One.

A few lines later, Fake Trump repeats: "I just love hanging out with you. We're like one of those unlikely animal friendships, like when a tiger gets together with a baby goat. When I see stuff like that, I want to text it to you and say, this could be us!" We even get this fake gush: "You're in most of my dreams. I call you Mam-dreamy. Pick me, choose me, love me!"

It had everything but kissing.

Then, since Team NBC is pushing romantic tension, they send in Trump's disheveled, rain-soaked aide Natalie Harp, so Fake Trump can point out how Fake Harp's dangerously obsessed with him. "She's like the girl from (the horror movie) 'Obsession,' but blonde." The Harp character frantically insists she's "totally normal," then says to the mayor: "If you hurt him, I will end you!"

It's easy to imagine these comedy writers creating these skits to amuse themselves and their fellow Mamdani-loving New Yorkers. Do they wonder how this is received in rural red states? Do they care? Or do they just presume everyone wanting to be "cool" will eagerly accept their woke leftist spin?

Then came the political "humor" in their fake-news "Weekend Update" segment. There were three jokes mocking Israel.

Fake anchor Michael Che went first: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed an almost empty chamber at the U.N. after delegates walked out in protest over Israel's war in Gaza. I guess wherever Netanyahu shows up, there's gonna be some relocating."

Later, his partner Colin Jost added: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video attacking Zohran Mamdani, calling him the antisemitic mayor of New York. Worst subway take ever!" That's not a fact check. It's just fanboy talk.

Che also made fun of a desperate white rapper. "Macklemore, who was dropped as the opening act for Ed Sheeran, announced he is launching a Free Palestine Tour." This spurred raucous cheers and applause from the studio audience. Then he added: "But haven't the Palestinian people been through enough?"

Back in March, Che uncorked the Zionist-conspiracy fakery: "Detractors on CNN are saying that Trump had no authorization for this war. But he actually did. Netanyahu said it was OK."

In April, Che repeated it: "There's growing confusion whether Israel being allowed to continue bombing Lebanon was part of the ceasefire with Iran. Ultimately that decision comes down to the man controlling our military: Benjamin Netanyahu."

Perhaps no one enjoys these anti-Bibi gibes more than Mamdani, who has made it clear that he considers Netanyahu a war criminal who should be arrested and sent for criminal trial in The Hague.

"Saturday Night Live" isn't merging politics and comedy. The laughs are never the point. They feel the urgent need to use their brand as a "comedy" platform to side with their "Day One" hero "Mam-dreamy."

Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org. To find out more about Tim Graham and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.