I’ve recently started revisiting HBO’s hit comedy series, Veep. This show features a fictional female vice president whose self-centered nature, unchecked ambition, and numerous cringeworthy blunders present a stark contrast to Kamala Harris’s composed demeanor. Remarkably, the series maintains a timeless quality as it cycles through familiar political themes such as “filibuster reform” and the challenge of encouraging children to swap their video games for exercise.
The humor in Veep is compelling (though a word of caution, it often ventures into crude territory). By steering clear of naming any political parties, the show takes a refreshingly equal opportunity approach to lampooning the entire political landscape.
One episode captures a particularly hilarious moment when the vice president, amid her presidential campaign, stops by a pig-pickin’ event in North Carolina. Although hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, she instinctively adopts a Southern drawl while interacting with attendees—a testament to her chameleon-like political tactics, saying whatever is necessary to win a vote.
Doesn’t this ring a bell when you think of modern-day politicians? Many seamlessly adjust their accents based on their audience and location, leaving an impression of insincerity—a hallmark trait of political figures today.
This brings us to the intriguing case of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his accent. In his recent interviews, Mamdani carries the unmistakable tone of a true New Yorker. Despite being born in Uganda, his consistent residence in the US since 1998 suggests a natural adoption of a New York-American accent.
At our city-owned grocery stores, staples like eggs and bread will actually be affordable.
And we’re going to do it the right way, without cutting workers’ pay or dignity.
Because in the wealthiest city in this country, buying groceries shouldn’t be an unsolvable equation.It… pic.twitter.com/lQFKfx0sVD
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) April 25, 2026
However, a video surfaced on social media Friday that showed a younger Mamdani and an entirely different accent. He was helping to promote one of his mother’s films and, well, this is not the Mamdani we’re used to hearing.
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is setting off an online frenzy after a nearly decade-old interview resurfaced showing him speaking with a noticeably different accent while discussing his Ugandan roots.
The 2016 clip features Mamdani talking about life in Kampala while promoting his… pic.twitter.com/KcQP6KilQd
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 7, 2026
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is setting off an online frenzy after a nearly decade-old interview resurfaced showing him speaking with a noticeably different accent while discussing his Ugandan roots.
The 2016 clip features Mamdani talking about life in Kampala while promoting his mother Mira Nair’s Disney film, ‘Queen of Katwe,’ for a South African radio station.
Okay, fine. He’s talking with a South African radio station about his childhood in Uganda, so maybe a little “code-switching” was going on. It happens.
It’s still weird, though. There have been other video clips of young Mamdani floating around over the years and he doesn’t sound anything like he does in that video. Taken together, they raise an amusing question: Just how many versions of the Mamdani accent are there? And who is the real Zohran Mamdani?