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WNYC’s BRIAN LEHRER SHOW LAUNCHES “ASK THE MAYOR” WITH ZOHRAN MAMDANI

The new quarterly interview segment will allow New Yorkers to connect directly with their new mayor

First appearance is slated for Tuesday, June 2 at 10am

NEW YORK, NY – MAY 19, 2026 –  New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will join WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show for “Ask the Mayor,” a regular quarterly interview segment with “beloved New York icon” (Rolling Stone) Brian Lehrer. As part of “Ask the Mayor,” the show will take questions from listeners via call and text, connecting New Yorkers directly with the new mayor.

“The Brian Lehrer Show was created to give listeners of different backgrounds and political views a voice in the public square, a place to listen to each other in good faith and consider the knowledge of experts, and a chance to interact directly with their elected officials,” said Lehrer. “We’re extremely happy that Mayor Mamdani accepted our invitation to give listeners that access on a regularly scheduled basis.”

“Ask the Mayor” became a staple of The Brian Lehrer Show in 2016, during the first term of former Mayor Bill de Blasio, and continued until he left office. Mayor Eric Adams declined to participate.

Mayor Mamdani first appeared on The Brian Lehrer Show in March 2023, and appeared several times during his tenure as a state assemblymember. Shortly after announcing his run for mayor in fall 2024, he joined the show as an unannounced caller during a segment on American socialism. Lehrer also conducted Mamdani’s first broadcast interview after he defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a stunning upset in the Democratic mayoral primary.

“Ask the Mayor” will take place on the first Tuesday of every quarter. The segments remain available on-demand on wnyc.org and as a podcast.

WNYC welcomes listener questions for “Ask The Mayor.” Listeners can call or text questions to 212-433-WNYC (9692) during the broadcast.

The Brian Lehrer Show is WNYC’s Peabody Award-winning weekday public affairs call-in show. The show features interviews with newsmakers, journalists, and local, state, and national elected officials, allowing New Yorkers to connect directly with their representatives and ask the questions on issues that impact their lives. The Brian Lehrer Show airs weekdays at 10am ET on WNYC 93.9 FM, AM 820 and online at wnyc.org.

ABOUT WNYC

With an urban vibrancy and a global perspective, WNYC is New York’s public radio station, broadcasting and streaming award-winning journalism, groundbreaking audio programming, and essential talk radio to the city and beyond. WNYC offers its listeners a unique range of local, national, and international programming, including programming from NPR, American Public Media, and the BBC World Service, along with a roster of WNYC-produced local programs that champion the stories and spirit of New York City and the surrounding region, including The Brian Lehrer Show and All Of It. From its state-of-the-art studios, WNYC is reshaping audio for a new generation of listeners, producing some of the most beloved nationally-syndicated public radio programs including Radiolab, On the Media, and The New Yorker Radio Hour. WNYC broadcasts on 93.9 FM and AM 820 to listeners in New York and the tri-state area, and is available to audiences everywhere at WNYC.org, the WNYC app, and through major digital radio services, all made possible through the generous support of our members, donors, and sponsors.