Comedy Central’s The Daily Show is so desperate to prove that New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is not a communist that it sent Desi Lydic to interview Communist Party USA co-chair Joe Sims to insist that Mamdani is not, in fact, one of them. Of course, Sims had to propagandize as well as he lamented his movement’s “bad reputation” and that communism is actually all about freedom to do what you wish, which might have been the funniest moment on the comedy shows all year.
After a montage of clips of people calling Mamdani a communist, Sims asked, “You’re saying Mamdani’s a communist?”
Lydic insisted, “I'm not saying that. People are saying that,” which led Sims to again wonder, “Really? How come nobody told me? I'm the co-chair of the Communist Party.”
After Sims insisted Mamdani is merely a democratic socialist, Lydic invited him to “explain the difference to me between the Communist Party and the democratic socialists.”
Sims explained that, “Well, the Communist Party believes that capitalism needs to be replaced fundamentally.”
None of this is to say Lydic herself is a communist. Pulling out a Dunkin’ coffee cup, she wondered, “Joe, what's so distasteful about capitalism anyway?”
After Sims said “Everything,” Lydic brought out more props from McDonald’s and Amazon, “Really? I disagree. Ooh, my package is here. I’ve been waiting for this. Ugh, it’s the wrong color. What were you saying?”
Sims continued, “Anyway. Socialists in this country generally believe that capitalism can be reformed. But also, socialists believe that they can function within the framework of the Democratic Party. But we don't believe that the Democratic Party can be reformed.
Lydic mourned, “Well, I agree with you there. Oh, god, does that make me a communist?”
In a voiceover, Lydic then shifted away from Mamdani and towards a conversation about communism more generally as she added, “All my life, I thought communism was about military parades, dictatorships, and using the full apparatus of the state to train one single boxer.”
Sims then did that thing where communists insist that true communism has never been tried, “We've gotten a bad name over the years, bad reputation, I should say. People believe that communism and socialism means government control. But that's not true... Socialism, communism, and democracy are not opposites and one of the great things is that you should be able to choose what you do. Perhaps you would like to run a food co-op and if you don't want to run a food co-op, maybe you would like to run a farm, and if you don't want to run a farm, maybe you would like to run a theater company.”
And what if the theater company that I run, but presumably do not own, puts on a production that offends Sims’s Leninist sensibilities? If I can’t make a profit from “my” farm, then why should I waste my time working my tail off while someone else plays dress-up at the theater? Meanwhile, The Daily Show would never interview an actual Nazi to insist that a Republican is not one of them because late night is desperate to get Mamdani over the finish line.
Here is a transcript for the October 21 show:
Comedy Central The Daily Show
10/21/2025
11:18 PM ET
JOE SIMS: You’re saying Mamdani’s a communist?
DESI LYDIC: I'm not saying that. People are saying that.
SIMS: Really? How come nobody told me? I'm the co-chair of the Communist Party.
LYDIC: Co-chair?
SIMS: Co-chair.
LYDIC: Wow. They really make you share everything don’t they?
SIMS: Well, it’s better. Cooperation is the name of the game.
LYDIC: According to Joe Sims, co-chair of the Communist Party, we’re using the C-word all wrong.
So you’re saying he's not a communist?
SIMS: Not at all. No. He's a democratic socialist.
LYDIC: Okay, so explain the difference to me between the Communist Party and the democratic socialists.
SIMS: Well, the Communist Party believes that capitalism needs to be replaced fundamentally.
LYDIC: Joe, what's so distasteful about capitalism anyway?
SIMS: Everything.
LYDIC: Really? I disagree. Ooh, my package is here. I’ve been waiting for this. Ugh, it’s the wrong color. What were you saying?
SIMS: Anyway. Socialists in this country generally believe that capitalism can be reformed. But also, socialists believe that they can function within the framework of the Democratic Party. But we don't believe that the Democratic Party can be reformed.
LYDIC: Well, I agree with you there. Oh, god, does that make me a communist?
All my life, I thought communism was about military parades, dictatorships, and using the full apparatus of the state to train one single boxer.
IVAN DRAGO: I must break you.
LYDIC: Oh, mama.
SIMS: We've gotten a bad name over the years, bad reputation, I should say. People believe that communism and socialism means government control. But that's not true.
LYDIC: No?
SIMS: No, not at all. Socialism, communism, and democracy are not opposites and one of the great things is that you should be able to choose what you do. Perhaps you would like to run a food co-op and if you don't want to run a food co-op, maybe you would like to run a farm, and if you don't want to run a farm, maybe you would like to run a theater company.
LYDIC: I don't think so.
