Debra Messing and Michael Rapaport Criticize NYC Officials After Snowstorm
Debra Messing and Michael Rapaport have expressed their frustration over the state of New York City’s streets following a significant snowstorm last weekend.
The celebrities did not hold back in their criticism of Mayor Zoran Mamdani for not adequately clearing the streets nearly a week after the snowfall. Rapaport took to Instagram, sharing photos that highlighted the accumulation of snow and litter on the city’s roads. He pointed out the large mounds of snow that had not melted, alongside unsightly trash still left unattended.
In one of his posts, he remarked, “A week after the snowstorm, this is Zoron the Shoebill! Dirty black snow, garbage soup, skating rinks on every corner, cars buried like fossils.”
Rapaport went on to draw attention to unsafe conditions, stating, “No one slips, no one breaks an ankle, no one shovels snow, no one soaks in salt, no one does… well, whatever.” He emphasized, “This is New York City—you’re just minutes from the Mayor’s house. Start spreading the news… this is a dirty dump covered in snow. Clean it up, you damn mayor!”
Messing also shared her experiences, recounting an incident where a trip that should have taken 20 minutes stretched to over an hour due to gridlock. “The streets are a disaster,” she posted. She added, “It hasn’t snowed in five days and the roads still haven’t been plowed. The poor ambulance is basically sitting there with sirens blaring.”
Reflecting on her time in New York, she continued, “I’ve lived here for 15 years and never seen anything like this before. Snowplows usually work around the clock to keep things moving. What happened?”
In a press conference on Monday, Mayor Mamdani acknowledged the impact of the severe weather. He noted, “Typically, warmer temperatures help clear away snow. But we’re all experiencing colder weather than usual.” He insisted that city officials were doing a good job under the circumstances, stating, “We currently have 2,500 sanitation workers on 12-hour shifts and are adding another 1,500 from other agencies to help out, particularly with bus stops and crosswalks.” He expressed hope that the cleaning pace would continue to improve across the city.
This recent storm, which hit on January 25, led to significant disruptions and has raised concerns about the safety of vulnerable residents. At least 10 lives were lost, with many of the deceased reported to be homeless, raising questions about whether more proactive measures could have been taken to safeguard them.
