New York City Mayor Eric Adams is under fire for comments he made about a reporter’s physical appearance during a press conference, with some saying they were inappropriate.
The comment came in response to a question about pro-Palestinian protests from Pete Cuddihy, a college intern at Fox News.
“You look like you’ve been working out, man,” Adams said. “You’ve got that summer body going.”
The reporter told the New York Times that he “felt his comments towards me were friendly, and I did not feel uncomfortable.” The mayor’s office also denies he made the reporter feel uncomfortable.
“The mayor would never intentionally make someone feel uncomfortable,” a City Hall spokesperson told the Washington Examiner. “He’s a warm and engaging person who talks to New Yorkers the way any regular New Yorker speaks to one another.”
However, Adams’s comments about Cuddihy weren’t the first time he’s talked about the physical attributes of reporters in public.
Adams previously commented on the reporter’s appearance before, saying he liked his turtleneck and wanted to “rock” one himself. In another press conference, a woman said she was doing “fine,” to which the mayor replied, “I didn’t say how you look.”
Last year, when Adams announced the city was making outdoor dining permanent, he said: “You may drive by and you may see eye candy sitting down somewhere. You may want to park and come and slip them your number.”
Criticism of Adams’s comments comes after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in the wake of reports that he facilitated a “sexually hostile work environment,” including unwanted comments and preferential treatment toward some employees based on how they look.
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Some accused Adams of violating the city’s own sexual harassment policies with his recent comments, which defines the offense as “unwelcome verbal or physical behavior based on a person’s gender and can include … offensive and suggestive gestures.”
