Trevor Noah hosted an extended episode of his What Now? podcast with New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani this week, touching on politics, migration and the realities of governing one of the world’s most complex cities — while also bringing in Mamdani’s childhood in Cape Town, his love for South African music and their shared African roots.
Tuesday’s roundtable chat also included Pretoria-born comedian and actor Eugene Khoza, as well as Ugandan-born South African comedian David Kibuuka and producer Ryan Harduth.
The conversation repeatedly returned to the pair’s shared cultural connections. “How many tie-ins do we have in our lives, right?” said Johannesburg-born Noah. “Born in Africa. Then [you being] born in Uganda. Then I was like, ‘Do you know how many Ugandans I have in my life?’ In my head, I thought to myself, I was like, ‘I collect Ugandans.’ And I was like, ‘But you can’t say that. Don’t say it like that’,” he joked. “I have a lot of Ugandan friends.”
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, and lived in Cape Town for three years from the age of five, while his father, Mahmood Mamdani, was a professor at the University of Cape Town. When he was seven, his family moved to the US and settled in New York City.
“We built a campaign around three policy commitments — freezing the rent for tenants, making the slowest buses in America fast and free and delivering universal childcare,” the 34-year-old politician said on the podcast. “Every day I wake up pushing these three things forward. There are things you will try, and you will fail.
“I think what frustrates so many is that there are so many things where it looks like someone is not even trying. Yeah, they are just admitting defeat from the beginning. You know, they are describing something as unrealistic or impossible. Madiba said it always seems impossible until it’s done.”
Their chat ended with Mamdani’s love for South African music. “I want to talk about Cape Town, Cassper Nyovest, Kwesta,” he added. “I want to talk about Riky Rick. This guy. Rest in peace, man. Boss Zonke. Yeah, I love that song. Major League DJz on Spotify. I’ve listened to Slyza Tsotsi on YouTube.”
Noah laughed. “This guy. We’re going to do a trilogy. This was just the policy stuff. In part two, we’re going to do Zohran’s life stuff. You must come back on the show.”
The former host of The Daily Show has continued to expand his work as a producer. In addition to his years of experience hosting and producing the Grammys and his global tours, the 41-year-old Emmy winner is turning to film, where he is among the executive producers of The Incomer, a comedy movie set to have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22 2026.
Starring Domhnall Gleeson and Gayle Rankin, the film has brought on UK-based sales and production company Charades, with musician Moby also serving as an executive producer.
The movie, directed by UK-based Louis Paxton, is set on a remote Scottish isle, where two siblings hunt birds and talk to mythical beings while fighting off outsiders. Their lives are upended when a council official arrives to relocate them from their homeland.
The Incomer draws the audience into its eclectic vision through sublime deadpan humour, a sprinkling of animation, and the charm of its oddball characters — bringing forth fresh and funny interactions along with social satire.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.