‘This is New York City?’ Michael Rapaport, Debra Messing lead celebrity backlash against Mayor Zohran Mamdani over delayed post-storm cleanup

New York City prides itself on resilience, but after last week’s brutal snowstorm, some of its most vocal residents say the city has fallen embarrassingly short. As filthy snowbanks lingered and pavements turned treacherous, actor Michael Rapaport did not mince his words, launching a blistering public attack on Mayor Zohran Mamdani over what he described as a painfully slow cleanup effort.

Rapaport took to social media to document the aftermath across his neighbourhood, filming streets still lined with blackened snow, uncollected rubbish and icy corners days after the storm hit. In one sharply worded post, he described the city as a “dirty snow covered dump”, accusing officials of leaving residents to navigate unsafe conditions long after the snowfall had ended. His video quickly gained traction, striking a chord with frustrated New Yorkers who echoed his complaints in the comments.



The actor’s anger was rooted not just in aesthetics but safety. He pointed to pedestrians slipping, untreated crossings and vehicles half-buried under frozen piles pushed aside during initial ploughing. For Rapaport, the issue was simple. This was New York City, not an ill-prepared town caught off guard.



Rapaport was not alone. Actress Debra Messing also voiced her exasperation, sharing her own ordeal on social media after what should have been a brief drive spiralled into more than an hour of gridlocked traffic. According to Messing, major roads remained barely passable five days after the storm, with emergency vehicles struggling to move freely.



Her concerns extended beyond inconvenience. Messing expressed alarm at seeing ambulances stuck amid congestion, raising fears about delayed emergency responses. Having lived in the city for years, she noted that this level of disruption was unprecedented in her experience, questioning why established snow-clearing systems appeared to have faltered.

Together, the celebrity complaints highlighted a broader mood of disbelief across the city. Residents questioned how one of the world’s most resource-rich urban centres could leave streets in such a state nearly a week after snowfall, particularly when temperatures remained well below freezing.

Mayor Mamdani addressed the criticism during a press briefing, citing prolonged cold as a major obstacle. He explained that unlike previous storms, warmer temperatures had not followed to help melt residual snow. Instead, the responsibility fell entirely on sanitation workers, whose efforts he praised as both extensive and ongoing.





According to the mayor, thousands of sanitation staff were working extended shifts, supported by additional workers from other city departments. He acknowledged the scale of the task and insisted progress was accelerating across all five boroughs.

Still, the backlash has reignited wider questions about preparedness and accountability, particularly as reports confirmed at least ten storm-related deaths in the city. Many of the victims were believed to be homeless, fuelling debate over whether vulnerable populations received adequate protection during the extreme weather.



As New York slowly digs itself out, the anger voiced by figures like Rapaport and Messing reflects more than celebrity outrage. It underscores a city grappling with expectations, trust and the reality that resilience must be matched by results when conditions turn deadly.