“Last Week Tonight” Dives into Eric Adams’ Bizarre Scandals as Mayor

Last Week Tonight paid tribute to its home turf, New York City, as John Oliver reviewed the controversy-filled term of Eric Adams and introduced the new mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, to enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Oliver reflected on Mamdani’s victory speech, describing it as a “well-deserved victory lap” and “quite gratifying.” He addressed some criticisms, like those from CNN’s Van Jones, who labeled the speech as “pointed” and a “change of character.”

“The man just faced one of the most Islamophobic campaigns lately,” Oliver responded. “Saying ‘I wish Andrew Cuomo the best in his private life’ after he never once said your name right, that’s an almost supernatural level of kindness.”

Wrapping up his evening’s narrative — focusing on how America’s unique felony murder rules worsen mass incarceration — Oliver revisited his discussion about New York City, offering a kind of farewell to the outgoing administration of Adams, which is set to end on January 1.

Oliver described the buildup to the NYC mayoral election as “completely wild from beginning to end,” highlighted by a debate question about parades that went viral. He noted that a local news segment failed to find even one person who was upset about Adams withdrawing from the race.

“There was nobody! In a city of 8 million people. I’m certain I could find someone who would back a pigeon mating with a bagel in Central Park, yet no supporters for Eric Adams — that must sting,” he joked.

In a final nod to Eric Adams, Oliver said, “let’s take one last look at Eric Adams because he is quite an odd figure,” referencing Adams’s peculiar flag-raising events, where he often proclaimed New York as the [insert any foreign capital] of America.

Despite starting with a popularity over 60%, Adams saw his approval ratings plummet by more than 40% in two years. Oliver pointed out, “the real signature of the Adams administration was its continuous scandals,” listing a series of corruption, bribery, and conspiracy allegations against various officials.

“This is a fantastic city, but not because of you [Adams], and sometimes despite you,” Oliver concluded. “If I had to describe Eric Adams’s tenure in a single word, it would be: New York, because here, every day could bring anything from a plane crashing into our Trade Center, to a phony vegan, non-Alabamian leaving a haunted Gracie Mansion to preach about family, business, public safety, and yes, clitoral stimulation.”

While Oliver did cover the “soundbite fest” that was Republican Curtis Sliwa’s campaign — mentioning his past run-ins with organized crime and digs at Andrew Cuomo — he overlooked one notable moment from the Adams era: his widely mocked, strange anti-drug PSA video.