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Maher defends capitalism as better than 'reverse,' calls out Mamdani's socialist beliefs
By Hanna Panreck
Published March 30, 2026
Comedian Bill Maher called out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his "Club Random" podcast Monday, saying that capitalism was "still better than the reverse," pointing to the mayor's democratic socialist beliefs.
"I mean, you know, Jack Welch famously was the head of RCA for the longest time, and he’s known as 'Chainsaw Jack,' I think," Maher said, speaking to actor Rob Riggle about capitalism. "He would every year fire the bottom 10% performing in the company. That was the mantra. You know, that was the operating procedure."
"And so, even if you didn't do a terrible job, you know, it was always a game of musical chairs," Maher continued. "And there was nine seats and 10 people every year. I mean, that's — you wonder why people have heart attacks at 59. I mean, that's why."
Welch was the CEO of General Electric (GE), which ultimately acquired RCA in the 1980s.
Bill Maher at the SiriusXM Studios on May 20, 2024, in New York City. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks at a "Rental Ripoff" hearing at Fordham University in the Bronx borough of New York on March 11, 2026, in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images; Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Maher went on to say that capitalism was "terrible," but still better than the reverse.
"Because that's what capitalism is. And I'm sure, you know, Mamdani is watching this right now, as he always does, I'm sure, and saying, 'Exactly, Bill, that's my point. Capitalism's terrible.' Yeah, it's terrible, except it's still better than the reverse," he said.
Riggle agreed with Maher and explained that his girlfriend was born into communism.
"My girlfriend is Polish. She was born into communism, she lived under it for a little while and she, she shakes her head, she just, she's like, 'They don't know what they're asking for. They don't know what they're talking about,'" Riggle said.
He continued, detailing his girlfriend's grocery card experience in Poland and how much each family in the country was allotted for food.
"And you were allowed — your family of four — you get X amount of milk, X amount of liters of milk per week. You get X amount of eggs per week. You get X, and then you take that card to the store, which sometimes didn't have any of the stuff on your card. Sometimes they just had — 'We're long on toilet paper today! So take some toilet paper, but come back tomorrow, and maybe we'll have what's on your list,'" Riggle explained.
SOCIALIST NYC MAYOR MAMDANI CLASHES WITH HOCHUL OVER TAX HIKES AS SOME CRITICS WARN OF CATASTROPHE
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks to reporters during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, was elected mayor in November.
Maher called Mamdani a "straight-up communist" in January, and warned Democrats that they will lose elections if they try to deny it.
Maher said that "Democrats seem to be having this debate" over whether Mamdani is a socialist or a democratic socialist, and offered to end the debate for them once and for all.
"Let me settle it: He's a straight-up communist," he declared.
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According to Maher, he knows this to be true by "reading between the lines" after one of the mayor's advisers, Cea Weaver, said to "elect more communists."
"Which is fine. It's fine. It's a belief system. He's allowed to believe it, and people are allowed to vote for it," Maher continued. "But if liberals deny it, like he's just going through a goth phase, they're going to lose more elections. This is not a communist country."
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Mamdani's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/maher-defends-capitalism-better-than-reverse-calls-out-mamdanis-socialist-beliefs