Entrepreneur Andrew Yang stepped into the national spotlight with his 2020 presidential run. While Yang dropped out of the race early, his policies such as implementing universal basic income earned him a fervent fan base known as the “Yang Gang.”
Yang’s newfound fame also led to a gig at CNN, a podcast, and a drive to enter other races for which he may not be entirely qualified. Case in point: The 2021 New York City mayoral race. The millionaire politician officially entered the NYC mayoral race with an Upper Manhattan rally and a sparkly ad directed by Darren Aronofsky.
There are already several dings in Yang’s run, however. For one, he moved to the city 24 years ago but has never voted for mayor, according to Board of Elections records obtained by City and State.
For another, he doesn’t seem to know what a bodega is.
On Friday, Yang tweeted out a video of him grabbing green tea and bananas from a “bodega” that is too well-lit and spacious to be deemed a bodega:
New York City loves its bodegas! The 14,000 bodegas are vital to our city – let’s support them and keep them open. 👍❤️🗽 pic.twitter.com/pGb24IerGz
— Andrew Yang🧢🗽🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) January 15, 2021
What is this? A natural food store? A market? A deli? Because it sure isn’t a bodega. There’s not even a cat in sight! Predictably, New Yorkers on the timeline were quick to tell Yang as such:
This is like the whole foods of bodegas where the hell is this
At my bodega you got a cat, a guy at the register, and the flat top grill in the back for the bacon egg and cheese on a roll that’s about it https://t.co/zrWzyGbGwo
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) January 15, 2021
In just a few days, Yang has managed to annoy his would-be constituents not once but twice. On Monday, Yang came under fire for his response to the New York Times asking why he’s not currently in New York City full-time: “We live in a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. And so, like, can you imagine trying to have two kids on virtual school in a two-bedroom apartment, and then trying to do work yourself?”
Why yes, many people can imagine living in two-bedroom apartments (or smaller) during this trying time.
Let’s recap: Yang has never voted for the position he’s running for; he doesn’t seem to understand the living standards of those below the wealth class; and he doesn’t know a bodega from a deli from a…whatever that store is. And he thinks he can be mayor? Fuggedaboutit.