Zohran Mamdani Enlists ‘Survivor’ Contestants in Anti-Cuomo Campaign Ad: ‘Andrew, We’re Voting You Off the Island and Back to the Suburbs’
The tribe has spoken… and they’re voting Andrew Cuomo off the island. Several recent “ Survivor ” contestants — including Teeny Chirichillo (Season 47), Yam Yam Arocho (Season 44) and Katurah Topps (Season 45) — have returned to tribal council to advocate for Zohran Mamdani in a new campaign advertisement paid for by the New York City mayoral candidate. The spot, which aired during Wednesday night’s episode of “Survivor,” is one of several in a seven-figure ad buy to reach different demographics of the voting public. Mamdani’s campaign ran a “Bachelor”-inspired ad during a recent episode of “The Golden Bachelor.” “Andrew, New Yorkers want a mayor who will make groceries and childcare affordable, not sell us out to their billionaire donors,” Chirichillo says in the ad while holding up a piece of the show’s signature voting parchment with Cuomo’s name on it, as if voting him out of the race. In a spin on the confessionals shown during “Survivor” elimination ceremonies, Brandon Donlon (Season 45) pushes for “a mayor who will make buses fast and free,” while Arocho hopes to elect someone who will “not defund the MTA.” Before Cuomo’s fictional torch is snuffed out, Natalie Anderson (Season 29) makes a final plea: “We’re with assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. He’ll stand up to Trump, freeze the rent and deliver universal childcare.” Mamdani appears at the end of the spot to conclude: “We’re going to build a city where no one has to struggle to survive.” “Federal law required our New York station WCBS-TV to run this candidate ad despite there not being any relationship to either Survivor or WCBS-TV,” a CBS spokesperson said in a statement. WCBS ran a disclaimer before the ad to make sure this wasn’t seen as an endorsement by the brand: “The Following Message Is Not Associated with Either Survivor or CBS.” It’s understood that CBS and the “Survivor” producers weren’t consulted about the use of the “Survivor” concept or appearance by previous contestants. Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist and state assemblyman whose progressive economic platform has galvanized younger voters, won the Democratic primary in a stunning upset. He and his rivals — former Gov. Cuomo, running as an independent, and Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee — are expected to spend millions of advertising dollars ahead of the mayoral election on Nov. 4.
