Eric Adams smashes city’s rats at annual NYC Inner Circle charity show

April 23, 2023

Mayor Eric Adams took his fight against the city’s vermin on stage Saturday night, smashing “rats” with a hammer in a comedy sketch during the annual Inner Circle charity show in Manhattan.

Hizzoner took to the stage at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Midtown and put on a painter’s suit and glasses — spoofing the late comedian John Gallagher who famously smashed watermelons during his act.

“I have enlisted a new rat czar,” Adams told to the crowd, referencing his recent appointment of Department of Education rodent fighter Kathleen Corradi to the unique city title.

Jeannette Bayardelle, a Tony-nominated Broadway actress from “Girl from the North Country,” then crept onto the stage wearing a rat costume with a long tail.

“These rats make Eliot Spitzer look like Mother Theresa,” Bayardelle quipped.

The Mayor said that he had a “new technique” for dealing with the rats and revealed a massive hammer aptly named BAH — or “big ass hammer.”

The two then bashed the “rats” — which appeared to be actually eggs — with the mallet onstage.

There was plenty of sexual innuendo during the Mayor’s skit.

During the event, Adams was joined onstage by Broadway actress Jeannette Bayardelle in a rat costume.

Adams was joined onstage by Broadway actress Jeannette Bayardelle in a rat costume. — Adams revealed during the comedy sketch that his new idea for dealing with the cities alarming rat problem was to smash them with a hammer.

“I like the way you’re wearing that tail,” Adams teased at one point.

The annual Inner Circle charity roast, a major NYC event that brings the city’s media and political worlds together for a night of comedy and sketches, celebrated its 100th year this year.

The mayor ripped the Inner Circle Saturday as “a bunch of “failed theater kids.”

This was the 100 year of the Inner Circle Charity show, with this years theme being "Ratman forever." — This was the 100 year of the Inner Circle Charity show, with this year’s theme being “Ratman Forever.”

Adams took the stage in a priest outfit to poke fun at himself after putting himself in some hot water last week for commenting about church and state.

This year’s theme for the event was “Ratman Forever.”

Adams came on stage wearing a pastor’s robes and holding a big cross — making light of his controversial “church and state” comments he made in February. The comments prompted some public outrage and he was later forced to walk back.

Hizzoner also riffed on New York City’s new “We love NYC” campaign that was widely mocked on social media, sharing the “meanest tweets” the city received.

The mayor departed the stage shortly before midnight.

“Goodnight, get something to drink and remember cannabis is legal,” he said before walking off.