A fiery on-air exchange between outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Fox 5 anchor Curt Menefee went viral following a tense post-election interview on *Good Day New York*. The segment, meant to discuss the transition of power to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, quickly turned confrontational when the topic turned to the future of NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Adams bristled when Menefee pressed him on whether Tisch would remain in her role after Mamdani’s inauguration. “I can’t play this game with him,” Adams said sharply, referring to Mamdani’s comments about retaining Tisch. As the back-and-forth grew heated, Adams accused Menefee of being “rude and disrespectful” and threatened to end the interview early.

The exchange escalated when Menefee tried to de-escalate by suggesting Adams “take a breath,” referencing the mayor’s well-known daily meditation routine. Adams shot back, defending his composure while criticizing the host’s tone. “Don’t tell me to breathe — I do that every day,” he said, visibly frustrated.

The segment ended abruptly after Adams appeared to stand up and remove his microphone, though he ultimately stayed seated long enough to make brief closing remarks. The clip quickly circulated online, sparking widespread commentary on social media, where viewers were split between those who sympathized with Adams’ irritation and those who accused him of overreacting to standard journalistic questioning.

The exchange centered on Commissioner Tisch’s potential continuation under Mamdani, who had publicly praised her for “delivering accountability, rooting out corruption, and reducing crime across the five boroughs.” While Adams has been largely supportive of Tisch’s performance, he declined to give a clear answer on whether he supported Mamdani’s plan to keep her in office.

Political analysts noted that the viral clash underscored the growing tension between the outgoing and incoming administrations, as well as Adams’ sensitivity to post-election criticism following a contentious campaign season. For Menefee, the moment added to his reputation for direct, no-nonsense interviewing — while for Adams, it became yet another test of composure in the final days of his mayoralty.