Michael Rapaport Discusses Crime and Safety in NYC
Actor Michael Rapaport shared on Monday that his wife experienced harassment in Times Square while discussing crime in New York City.
“I want people to feel safe in New York City. You know, I want my wife to feel safe, too. My wife has a tough personality, but she doesn’t feel safe in midtown Manhattan, even during the day,” he explained. He described a series of distressing incidents his wife faced, noting that she has been groped, had shoes thrown at her, been called derogatory names, and even received a marriage proposal from a homeless person on a train.
Rapaport made these comments during a conversation with comedian Bill Maher on the “Club Random” podcast. He expressed frustration, saying, “It’s unacceptable for a woman to feel uncomfortable in broad daylight in the greatest city on earth. And touching a police officer from another country? That’s not right. It’s like giving a photographer the middle finger,” he added.
Rapaport also touched on the subway system in New York City, reflecting on his upbringing. “I grew up on the subways in New York City. It’s important to be cautious. This isn’t Disneyland; it shouldn’t feel like a horror show,” he said.
As the mayoral race in New York heats up, with less than three weeks until election day, Democratic Socialist candidate Zoran Mamdani currently leads the pack, while former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa follow close behind.
During his chat with Maher, Rapaport critiqued Mamdani, particularly regarding his stance on Hamas, expressing disbelief that Mamdani is now the frontrunner for mayor. “I can’t believe he’s now the front-runner to be mayor of New York,” Rapaport remarked. He suggested that Sliwa should step down and implied he feels a certain “energy” behind Cuomo.
Initially, Rapaport criticized Mamdani for his reluctance to call for Hamas to disarm and step down from leadership. However, during a subsequent debate, Mamdani did declare that Hamas should be disarmed, which shifted the conversation a bit.
In a somewhat colorful expression of his feelings, Rapaport remarked on the current political climate, saying, “It’s disconcerting how we got to this point, but this is where we are.”
