New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D.) joked that Jews don't have "rhythm" while speaking at a church in Harlem on Sunday.
Cuomo had been invited to speak to the Mount Neboh Baptist Church, a predominantly black church, where his joke fell flat, the New York Post reports.
"I want you to know as a matter of full disclosure, I am a Catholic. Catholics basically believe the same teachings that Baptists believe," Cuomo said. "We just do it without the rhythm. But we try. We are not as without rhythm as some of our Jewish brothers and sisters."
Cuomo went on to single out Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf, a former campaign adviser who is Jewish, who was sitting in the front row wearing a yarmulke.
"I was watching Mr. Sheinkopf here in the front row moving to the music," Cuomo said.
"It was ugly, I’ll tell you the truth," he added.
Sheinkopf — who said he was at the church because he works for its pastor, the Rev. Johnnie Green, and his Mobilizing Preachers and Communities advocacy group — thought Cuomo’s joke fell flat.
"There weren’t many people laughing, but I didn’t feel humiliated," he told The Post.
Sheinkopf also noted sarcastically: "He’s the governor. He’s now in charge of American dancing."
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State Sen. Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn), an Orthodox Jew, also gave Cuomo’s attempt at humor a thumbs-down.
"I don’t think it was that good a joke," Felder said. "I can write better material."
Cuomo spokesperson Dani Lever defended the governor by claiming that he was making fun of himself.
"He was clearly poking fun at himself and one long time friend who was in the audience," Lever said.
The purpose of Cuomo's speech was to talk about New York's public housing, which is a central issue in his reelection campaign against actress Cynthia Nixon, a Democratic challenger supported by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.