NYC Mayor Mamdani Launches 'Talk with the People' on Twitch — First Recurring Livestream Show by a Sitting US Official
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani debuted a new recurring livestream series on Twitch on May 21, 2026 at 4:10 PM ET — making him the first sitting US elected official to host a regularly scheduled show on the platform. The series is called 'Talk with the People' and lets viewers ask the mayor questions live in chat.
“With the launch of 'Talk with the People,' we're bringing City Hall directly to the platforms where New Yorkers already spend their time. By hosting the country's first recurring cross-platform stream led by an elected official, where New Yorkers can ask questions live on Twitch, we're opening up a new conversation between government and the people it serves, especially younger generations who have too often been ignored.”
Watch Live
The show airs on Twitch as the primary platform and is simulcast on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Watch on Twitch — twitch.tv/nyc_mayorFirst episode
May 21, 2026
Start time
4:10 PM ET
Primary platform
Twitch
Also on
YouTube, Instagram, TikTok
Channel
nyc_mayor
Format
Recurring live Q&A
Inspired by LaGuardia's 1942 Radio Show
The show's title is a deliberate nod to 'Talk to the People', a Sunday radio broadcast hosted by NYC Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia from January 1942 to December 1945. Mamdani's office framed LaGuardia as a mayor who used “the most cutting-edge technology of his era to break through traditional gatekeepers and connect with working people across the city.”
Mamdani's rise to City Hall was itself driven by a strong digital media strategy. Twitch, while historically associated with gaming, has become an increasingly prominent home for political commentary — most notably through streamer Hasan Piker, who built a large progressive audience on the platform.
Cross-Platform from Day One
While Twitch is the primary home for live interaction — where chat questions are taken in real time — the show is simultaneously distributed on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. This makes it one of the most broadly distributed government livestream formats in US history.
Mamdani teased the premiere on X with a split image: himself seated in front of microphones bearing the logos of major social platforms alongside a photo of Roosevelt delivering one of his famous fireside chats.
View original post on XFrequently Asked Questions
What is 'Talk with the People' on Twitch?
'Talk with the People' is a recurring livestream series launched by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on May 21, 2026. Viewers can ask the mayor questions live on Twitch. The show also streams on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Where can I watch NYC Mayor Mamdani on Twitch?
You can watch Mayor Mamdani's Twitch streams at twitch.tv/nyc_mayor. The show is also simulcast on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Is this the first time a US politician has streamed on Twitch?
Politicians have appeared on Twitch before — most notably Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 2020 Among Us stream — but 'Talk with the People' is billed as the first recurring, regularly scheduled livestream series hosted by a sitting US elected official.
What inspired the show's name?
'Talk with the People' is inspired by 'Talk to the People,' a Sunday radio broadcast hosted by New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia that ran from January 1942 to December 1945. Mamdani's office cited LaGuardia as an example of a mayor using cutting-edge technology to bypass traditional gatekeepers.
Why did Mamdani choose Twitch?
Twitch is the primary platform for the show because it supports live audience interaction through chat and was described by Mamdani's office as a platform 'where New Yorkers already spend their time.' The show is cross-posted to YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to reach a wider audience.
When did the first episode air?
The first episode of 'Talk with the People' went live on May 21, 2026 at 4:10 PM Eastern Time on twitch.tv/nyc_mayor.