The Update with Brandon Julien

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

We've done a lot of episodes throughout our many years of #TheUpdate, but some of them are my personal favorites. Every month, we're going to go into The Update vault and play one episode from my personal list of favorite episodes. I hope you enjoy them as much as i did hosting it.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

We're officially trying to get the holidays right this year — which means planning early, budgeting responsibly, and pretending we've learned from past mistakes. (We have not. But we're trying.) From Halloween ambitions to Christmas logistics, this is the year we swear we'll nail the vibes and the execution. Then, a full-blown beverage industry confession: Sparkling Ice keeps dropping collaborations nobody asked for and everybody immediately buys. Starburst walked so this could sprint, and at this point we're not even resisting anymore — just take the money and leave us with a receipt and a mild sugar rush. And finally, Brandon's Take on a news cycle that simply refuses to clock out. No slow days, no off switch, no respect for weekends, holidays, or our collective mental health. Even when the world should take a breather, the headlines keep coming — and somehow, we're still expected to keep up. Buckle in.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, welcome to the Frozen Apple. Temperatures in New York City have remained below freezing since Friday — and they're expected to stay that way until at least early next week as arctic air has settled into the region. At least 10, as of Tuesday — have died after being exposed to the bitter cold that has persisted in New York City since late last Friday. Meanwhile, NYC Ferry has suspended its service, and warned it may be closed “for several days” due to thick layers of ice floating on the rivers.Dozens of protesters were arrested Tuesday after they occupied the lobby of a Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan, accusing the hotel of housing federal immigration officers.And in Minneapolis, a man sprayed an unknown substance on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and was tackled to the ground Tuesday during a town hall, where tensions over federal immigration enforcement have come to a head after agents fatally shot an intensive care nurse and a mother of three this month.

Some days in this city are genuinely serious. Some days are tragic. And some days… we argue about building lights like it's a five-alarm emergency. Today's Update Journal covers another tale of deadly women, where the facts are grim, the story is unsettling, and the reminder is once again that real life is often stranger — and darker — than anything on television. And then, because this is New York, we immediately pivot to the Empire State Building lighting up in rival colors, triggering what might be the city's most unnecessary crisis since “Should the subway seats face forward?” Opinions were strong. Emotions were high. Actual impact on daily life: zero. Finally, in today's Honorable Mention, DoorDash somehow looked at a snowstorm and said, “You know what this needs? A joke about being snowed in with a hookup.” The internet responded accordingly, and DoorDash learned — once again — that sometimes silence is the best notification.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, Big Apple public school kids will be back for in-person learning, one day after the snowy mess left by Winter Storm Fern forced classroom closures, Mayor Mamdani announced.Striking nurses said they've reached an agreement to keep their health benefits as negotiations continue with Big Apple hospitals and a union work stoppage hits a third week.And in Minneapolis, Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino is expected to leave, according to a person familiar with the matter, as the Trump administration reshuffles leadership of its immigration enforcement operation and scales back the federal presence after a second fatal shooting by federal officers.

We'll get you caught up on the aftermath of the big snowstorm.

From the great Whole Milk Debate (spoiler: kids still aren't drinking it) to the mysterious journey of the carton nobody ever opens, we start this entry exactly where common sense goes to die. Then—because of course—we officially arrive at the Miraculous era of The Update Journal. Yes, we've finally crossed that line. Buckle up, because this is not the first time we've unpacked how a TV-Y7 show casually turned into a full-blown psychological thriller… and it absolutely will not be the last. If you're new here, welcome. If you've been here before, you already know how this goes. And to close things out, Valentine's Day is in the air—or at least in stores, aisles, and checkout lines—whether you're emotionally ready for it or not.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, New York City nurses on strike headed back to the bargaining table on day 12 of the strike with hospital administrators to try to bring an end to the city's biggest walkout of its kind in decades.A reality TV series meant to spotlight the New York Police Department has spawned a real-life legal drama involving the city and the show's producer, Jordan McGraw — the son of TV's “Dr. Phil” McGraw.And across the country, thousands of power line workers were on standby, flights were canceled and bottled water flew off the shelves as a huge winter storm that could bring catastrophic damage, widespread power outages and bitterly cold weather barreled toward the eastern two-thirds of the U.S.

A snowstorm is rolling into the city and suddenly Zohran Mamdani is facing his first real mayoral stress test: do you give New York City a real, old-school snow day… or do you hit the big red “REMOTE LEARNING” button and let chaos unfold on Wi-Fi? We'll break down why this decision is harder than it sounds, how shockingly rare a true NYC snow day actually is, and why the words “log in” strike more fear than sleet ever could. Then, a reminder that cash is a budget with an expiration date—because once it's gone, it's gone, and your debit card does not feel shame the way folded bills do. And finally, today's Honorable Mention takes a hard left across the Atlantic, where historic love letters—written by royals, rogues, and romantics who somehow survived without read receipts—are going on display at The National Archives. Proof that long before texting ruined romance, people were pouring their hearts out with ink, paper, and absolutely no autocorrect.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, striking Big Apple nurses and the major hospital systems they're battling are expected to return to the bargaining table, the staffers' union revealed as the work stoppage reached its 10th day.A judge threw out the boundaries of the only congressional district in New York City represented by a Republican, ordering the state to redraw its borders because its current composition unconstitutionally dilutes the votes of Black and Hispanic residents.And in the world of weather, warm Arctic waters and cold continental land are combining to stretch the dreaded polar vortex in a way that will send much of the United States a devastating dose of winter weather later this week with swaths of painful subzero temperatures, heavy snow and powerline-toppling ice.

In today's Update Journal, we attempt to solve three problems that absolutely did not need to coexist in the same episode—but here we are anyway. First up: Who's Right Here? A completely normal New York City bus ride somehow turns into a symposium on stroller rules, priority seating, and the lost art of how you say something without making it worse. Spoiler: the rules are clear, the tone is not. Then, we head to daytime television school with The Maury Method, where we remind everyone that Maury wasn't just vibes, shock value, and dramatic envelopes—it was a newsroom doing real work, with real research, and results that somehow still managed to traumatize daytime audiences for decades. Journalism… but make it unforgettable. And finally, Brandon's Take: “The Longest Week of the Year.” Regents Week arrives, the kids are gone, the staff is minimal, recess feels suspiciously quiet, and suddenly soda doesn't seem like an overreaction. It's a week that tests patience, staffing models, and the very definition of “we've got this.”In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied with nurses in Manhattan during the ninth day of the largest strike of its kind that the city has seen in decades.They brrr-aved Arctic conditions to make a buck. Vendors, dog walkers and pedicab drivers battled below-freezing weather Tuesday but said it's all in a day's work in the Big Apple.And in Minnesota, federal prosecutors served grand jury subpoenas to officials as part of an investigation into whether they obstructed or impeded law enforcement during a sweeping immigration operation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, a person familiar with the matter said.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

We've done a lot of episodes throughout our many years of #TheUpdate, but some of them are my personal favorites. Every month, we're going to go into The Update vault and play one episode from my personal list of favorite episodes. I hope you enjoy them as much as i did hosting it.

This edition of The Update Journal asks the hard questions—like why television now ghosts us after six episodes, why we're still emotionally recovering from Tony & Ziva, and who decided “two years between seasons” was acceptable behavior. We spiral into a full streaming rant, question whether TV is broken or just tired, and mourn the era when shows had filler episodes and character development. Then we switch tracks—literally—into subway signals, train foamers, and the rare, mythical phenomenon known as wrong-railing (spoken of in hushed tones, like a unicorn sighting with third-rail power). And finally, Brandon's Take tackles the ultimate January mystery: why the calendar insists this month is 87 days long, emotionally sponsored by darkness, cold air, and unfinished New Year's resolutions.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul used her annual State of the State address to unveil a reelection year agenda aimed at bridging divides in the Democratic Party — moving to harness liberal anger at President Donald Trump and excitement over Mayor Zohran Mamdani, while also tending to moderates anxious about public safety and antisemitism.Hospital officials and union leaders traded barbs, but failed to return to the bargaining table on the second day of New York City's biggest nursing strike in decades.And in Washington, President Trump said that starting Feb. 1 he will deny federal funding to any states that are home to local governments resisting his administration's immigration policies, expanding on previous threats to cut off resources to the so-called sanctuary cities themselves.

Today in The Update Journal, we examine the great mystery of modern life: what exactly are we paying for anymore? First up, the S40 bus suffers what can only be described as a public medical episode, forcing everyone to abandon ship and board another bus… only for that same S40 to later cruise by like nothing ever happened. No warning lights. No shame. Just vibes. Then, a casual walk past Sugar Factory turns into a financial stress test. One look at the menu and suddenly dessert feels like a luxury item reserved for people with offshore accounts. A sugar rush is temporary, but that receipt? Emotional damage. And in today's honorable mention, a mom casually defeats impossible plastic packaging with a simple hack—proving once again that the strongest force on Earth isn't duct tape or scissors, it's parental frustration.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, a New York City Council staffer was hauled away by ICE officials when he showed up to a routine court check-in at a Long Island immigration center, Big Apple leaders said as feds labeled the employee a “criminal” in the US illegally.Officials at a major New York City hospital accused the nurses' union of attempting to protect members who come to work drunk or stoned — as thousands of medical caregivers went on strike.And Minnesota and its two largest cities sued the Trump administration to try to stop an immigration enforcement surge that led to the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by a federal officer and evoked outrage and protests across the country.

This week's Update Journal is a three-part emotional rollercoaster featuring false goodbyes, television betrayal, and a body that clearly did not read the New Year memo. First, a miracle: five dollars—long presumed dead and buried—returns to my life like an ex who “just wants to talk,” forcing me to re-evaluate everything I thought I knew about economic stability. Then, a media mystery: MythBusters is still on TV… allegedly. The name remains, the explosions remain, but the people? Absolute strangers. I don't know who they are, I don't know how they got there, and I'm fairly certain they haven't watched their own episodes either. And finally, the seasonal grand finale: seasonal depression teams up with flu season in a crossover nobody asked for, proving once again that winter is not a vibe—it's a hostile environment. Consider this episode part reflection, part rant, and part public service announcement reminding everyone to wash their hands and stop rebooting things that didn't need saving.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.And in Minneapolis, federal agents carrying out immigration arrests in Minnesota's Twin Cities region already shaken by the fatal shooting of a woman rammed the door of one home and pushed their way inside, part of what the Department of Homeland Security has called its largest enforcement operation ever.

The ferry docks, the doors open, and suddenly you're forced to make a life-altering decision at the ramp: bus, train, or accept your fate and wander Staten Island like a confused tourist with a MetroCard. We relive the nightly chaos of shoulder-to-shoulder exits, disappearing buses, and the unspoken Olympic sport of walking aggressively with purpose. Then, in what might be the best bargain in New York City history, we unpack how nine whole dollars somehow became a meaningful step toward City Hall—proving once again that in local politics, the price of admission is lower than a combo meal, but the paperwork is somehow worse. And finally, we close with The Last Word, a group therapy session disguised as a podcast segment—checking in after the first full week of the new year, when resolutions are already wobbling, alarms feel personal, and everyone's pretending they're “back in the groove” while clearly lying.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, the NYPD fatally shot a man wielding a sharp object who barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room.The summertime shooting of an off-duty federal border patrol agent at a Manhattan park by a pair of scooter-riding immigrants sparked a massive roundup of Big Apple gangbangers, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced at a Lower Manhattan press conference.And as anger and outrage spilled out onto Minneapolis' streets over the fatal shooting of a woman the day before by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, a new shooting by federal officers in Oregon left two people wounded and elicited more scrutiny of enforcement operations across the U.S. Meanwhile, in the American west in Portland, Federal immigration agents shot and wounded two people in a vehicle outside a hospital in Portland, a day after an officer fatally shot a woman in Minnesota, authorities said.

Some days, New York doesn't gently inconvenience you — it kicks you directly in the ankles. In this entry, my boots make an executive decision to retire mid-task, leaving me duct-taped, humbled, and questioning every life choice that led me outdoors. Then we check in on the express bus, which now costs so much that even thinking about tapping OMNY feels financially irresponsible. “Express Bus? In this economy?” is no longer a joke — it's a lifestyle. And for today's honorable mention: a lawyer reveals the five phrases liars love to use, including a beautifully polished, professionally crafted tagline of pure, weaponized BS — proof that if you're going to lie, at least be consistent about it.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a Minneapolis driver during the Trump administration's latest immigration crackdown on a major American city — a shooting that federal officials said was an act of self-defense but that the mayor described as reckless and unnecessary.New York City parents may soon have access to free child care for their 2-year-olds, under a plan set to be unveiled by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.And in Washington, Americans should eat more whole foods and protein, fewer highly processed foods and less added sugar, according to the latest edition of federal nutrition advice released by the Trump administration.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

The Mamdani era is officially underway, which means New York is doing what it does best: observing closely, judging quietly, and preparing a spreadsheet of side-eye. We check in on the early vibes, the symbolism, and whether this feels like the start of something new—or just the first episode before the tone shift. Meanwhile, children continue to expose the fact that adults are not in charge of anything. Between fake iPhones, elaborate loopholes, and behavior that suggests long-term strategic planning, we ask the important question: are kids secret geniuses… or have we simply underestimated how clever boredom can make them? And finally, Brandon's Take turns its attention to New Year's resolutions—the annual tradition where confidence is high, accountability is low, and January 7th already feels like a soft deadline. Gym memberships are ignored, salads are abandoned, and “this is my year” quietly becomes “I'll try again in February.”In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, one of the New York City area's most notorious serial killers has confessed to another killing.Nicolás Maduro's first court hearing in the U.S. — a spectacle where he proclaimed he is still Venezuela's president — was merely the beginning of a legal odyssey that could keep him locked up and out of power for years, maybe even the rest of his life.And in Washington, President Trump's administration said that it is withholding funding for programs that support needy families with children in five Democratic-led states over concerns about fraud.

Today's Update Journal is a study in loss, confusion, and national priorities. We say a proper goodbye to the $6 Dunkin' Deal—a brief but meaningful chapter in American history where coffee, breakfast, and hope briefly aligned. It was affordable. It was customizable. It got us through inflation, seasonal depression, and mornings we absolutely did not consent to. Gone now, but never forgotten. We will speak of it in hushed tones, like elders recalling a better time. Then we turn to Tony Dokoupil's debut on the CBS Evening News, which featured awkward pauses, unsettling silence, and the unmistakable energy of a network that hasn't quite figured out what it wants to be when it grows up. Was it technical issues? Was it a creative choice? Was someone supposed to talk and simply… didn't? We may never know. But dead air is still air, and CBS sure filled a lot of it. And finally, in today's honorable mention, we cleanse the palate with something that actually makes sense: Buffalo, New York, setting a chicken wing world record. No identity crisis. No silence. Just sauce, confidence, and a city fully committed to its brand. Cheap coffee fades. Broadcasts stumble. But wings? Wings endure.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, a machete-wielding maniac was shot and killed in a chaotic confrontation with police at a New Jersey home— before cops discovered three dead victims inside the residence, according to authorities and reports.A defiant Nicolás Maduro declared himself “the president of my country” as he protested his capture and pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges that the Trump administration used to justify removing him from power in Venezuela.And in Washington, the U.S. took the unprecedented step of cutting the number of vaccines it recommends for every child — a move that leading medical groups said would undermine protections against a half-dozen diseases.

While I was on vacation doing absolutely nothing productive, New York City decided to enter a brand-new mayoral era, set a cabinet in motion, declare a snow day a “baby-making day” on live television, and remind us all that New Year's resolutions are a work of fiction written entirely in pencil. In this Update Journal, we catch up on the first few days of the Mamdani era, including cabinet picks that did not take a holiday, a comment that absolutely did not need to be said out loud (but was), and the annual tradition of pretending this is the year we'll go to the gym, save money, and “drink more water.” I was off. The city was not. The nonsense was fully staffed.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, when deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro makes his first appearance in a New York courtroom today to face U.S. drug charges, he will likely follow the path taken by another Latin American strongman toppled by U.S. forces: Panama's Manuel Noriega.It's just not fare! The MTA's latest rate hike went into effect Sunday — and exasperated penny-pinching straphangers forced to fork over even the 10 more cents per ride were shaking their heads at the extra expense.And in Washington, Former Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell was one of the officers who defended the central West Front entrance to the Capitol that day as Congress was certifying Democrat Joe Biden's victory and hundreds of Trump's supporters broke into the building, echoing his false claims of a stolen election. Five years since the siege, Gonell and some of the other police officers who fought off the rioters are still coming to terms with what happened, especially after Trump was decisively elected to a second term last year and granted those pardons.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

When the MTA tells you “real-time information is unavailable,” that's not an update — that's a warning label. Plans are canceled, vibes are ruined, and suddenly you're standing at a bus stop like it's 1997, guessing. From there, we somehow end up deep in Dr. Seuss lore, trying to decode what a Sloo-Slunker is, why the Grinch has been angry for 53 years straight, and whether Roast Beast is a food or a threat. Then, because no year would be complete without it, we close the book — finally — on the Eric Adams era: the accomplishments, the controversies, the headlines, the side-quests, and the moments that made us all collectively squint at the news and say, “Wait… what?” Consider this part history lesson, part comedy special, part exit interview nobody requested but everyone survived. And before we step away for winter break, we pause — just briefly — because it's been a crazy year. From the tragedies of the helicopter crashes in the Hudson and in D.C., to the wild blue yonder. The news we've covered, the people we've met, the laughs we've had, and the stories we've shared. Your stories. My gratitude to all of you on this last episode before a much-needed break.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, five people – including two firefighters – were hurt when a massive blaze ripped through a Brooklyn home, officials say. Four years ago, Mayor Eric Adams swept into office with swaggering confidence, pledging to lead a government unlike any other in history and declaring himself the “future of the Democratic Party.” On the first promise, the mayor more than delivered. But as his tumultuous term comes to an end, Adams, 65, finds himself in the political wilderness, his one-time aspirations as a party leader now a distant memory.And an internal CBS News battle over a “60 Minutes” story critical of the Trump administration has exploded publicly, with a correspondent charging it was kept off the air for political reasons and news chief Bari Weiss saying the story did not “advance the ball.”

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

In this edition of The Update Journal, we solve three great holiday mysteries. First: yes, Freeform does exist on Spectrum — it's just hiding like it's in witness protection and apparently moved sometime during the Obama administration. We eventually found it, felt victorious for about six seconds, and immediately forgot the channel number again. Then, we take a moment of silence for the MetroCard. The little yellow-and-blue rectangle that survived decades of bent corners, demagnetized swipes, and frantic “why isn't this working?” panic at the turnstile is officially on its way out. OMNY may be sleek and modern, but it will never understand the emotional bond between a New Yorker and a card that says “Insufficient Fare” in public. And finally, the holiday wish list from retail workers everywhere: not joy, not cheer, not another version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” — just silence. No screaming kids, no “can I speak to a manager,” and no customers discovering on December 23rd that stores close at a certain time on purpose. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, an NYPD officer shot and killed a boxcutter-wielding maniac in front of his parents after he charged at her, according to cops.A New Jersey police chief is facing domestic violence charges in Massachusetts after prosecutors accused him of assaulting a woman at a hotel earlier this year.And in Florida, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Justice Department's decision to release just a fraction of the Jeffrey Epstein files by the congressionally mandated deadline as necessary to protect survivors of sexual abuse by the disgraced financier.

What started as a perfectly innocent trip down mid-2000s Nickelodeon memory lane somehow turned into a reminder of why my producers no longer trust me with Google. We revisit Danny Phantom, arguably one of the greatest eras of kids' TV, and give Ember McLain the respect she deserves as an iconic, name-chanting, power-ballad-fueling villain who absolutely did not need to be searched with SafeSearch turned off. Also in this episode: confused producers, immediate browser-history deletion, and a brief lesson in what not to type into a work computer. And because it's the end of a very long year, we close things out with The Last Word—finding gratitude, perspective, and maybe even a little peace after everything this year threw at us… including our own poor decision-making.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, one of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani 's appointees has resigned over social media posts she made more than a decade ago that featured antisemitic tropes, Mamdani's office said.New York City prosecutors asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate a murder conviction in the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz.And in New Hampshire, A frantic search for the suspect in last weekend's mass shooting at Brown University ended at a storage facility where authorities discovered the man dead inside and then revealed he also was suspected of killing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor.

Today, I attempt to understand Dandy's World, a sentence I never thought I'd say out loud, and immediately regret every life choice that led me to that moment. While the kids confidently explain it like it's common knowledge, the rest of us are left staring into the void, wondering when cartoons started feeling like a group chat we weren't invited to. Meanwhile, adults across America have reached a rare moment of unity, agreeing that cash is not only an acceptable holiday gift—but the safest one. Because at this point, it's easier to hand someone an envelope than pretend we know what they're into, what size they are, or whether Dandy is a character, a lifestyle, or a legally binding contract.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, he's letting Jesus take the wheel. Timothy Cardinal Dolan's 16-year tenure as Archbishop of New York came to an end, with a bishop from Pope Leo XIV's native Windy City set to assume the holy throne.New York is set to become the latest state to legalize medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill under a deal reached between the governor and state legislative leaders announced.And in Washington, President Trump delivered a politically charged speech carried live in prime time on network television, seeking to pin the blame for economic challenges on Democrats while announcing he is sending a $1,776 bonus check to U.S. troops for Christmas.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

This week in The Update Journal, I officially accepted that I am no longer the target demographic for… well, anything. First, we begin with kid trends—specifically Ice Spice, Big Guy, and a SpongeBob movie song that had an entire cafeteria dancing while I stood there wondering when exactly my youth filed a missing persons report. Then, part two of The Last Week Wait: a trip to Target for Bane's supplies that should've taken five minutes, but instead featured lines so long they required emotional preparation, snacks, and possibly a camping permit. Faced with the choice between waiting or preserving my sanity, I chose neither—and simply walked out. And finally, Brandon's Take: the cost of Christmas in 2025, where Santa is apparently charging surge pricing, gift-giving requires a small loan, and every receipt ends with me staring into the distance asking, “Was it always this expensive… or am I just awake now?”In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, authorities have asked the public for any footage they might have of the gunman who fatally shot two students and wounded nine others at Brown University, even as they released a new video timeline and a slightly clearer image of a possible suspect.An off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer fired his gun several times during a confrontation with another motorist on an access road for New York's Kennedy Airport, police say.And in Brookline, Massachusetts, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was fatally shot at his home near Boston, and authorities said they had launched a homicide investigation.

Today, we reopen the Home Alone case files and ask the hard-hitting questions Hollywood never wanted answered—like why Mr. and Mrs. MacAllister were allowed to keep custody after losing their child not once, but twice, across international borders. TSA? Fine. CPS? Nowhere to be found. Then, at the same time, a very modern mystery: why can I find 400 channels I've never heard of, three versions of the same cooking show, and a channel exclusively dedicated to reruns from 2009—but not Freeform, the network currently holding Christmas hostage. Apparently, in order to watch holiday movies in 2025, you must either subscribe to yet another streaming service or be born in 1996 with cable that still respected you. And in today's Honorable Mention: flying cars are officially in production. Yes, the future has arrived. No, you cannot afford it. With a price tag soaring higher than the vehicle itself, the world's first airborne automobile is here to solve traffic… for people who already don't sit in it. For the rest of us, we'll continue commuting the traditional way—on trains, in traffic, and in disbelief.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, a packed Bronx MTA bus slammed into several vehicles — injuring at least 7 people and sending passengers into a full-blown panic.UPS stole tens of millions of dollars in pay from seasonal workers who help the shipping giant deliver packages during the busy holiday season, forcing some to clock in well after their shifts started and deducting pay for lunch breaks they never took, New York Attorney General Letitia James alleges in a lawsuit.And in Rhode Island, authorities knocked on doors and scoured yards in search of any video or other evidence that might lead them to the Brown University gunman, whose face was covered or not visible in footage captured before and after the weekend attack that killed two students and wounded nine others.

In this edition of The Update Journal, I issue what can generously be described as a retraction regarding the St. George Ferry route—though in reality, it's less an apology and more an admission that I simply did not read the schedule. At all. Turns out the boat does go where it says it goes… when you look. Meanwhile, it's the final week before Christmas, which means every Target, Five Below, and vaguely festive retail space has been transformed into a real-life obstacle course. Everyone has collectively decided now is the time to shop, creating a citywide panic fueled by procrastination, blinking lights, and people blocking aisles while “just browsing.” And finally, we ask the most important question of the season: how much would the 12 Days of Christmas actually cost today? Spoiler alert: the answer involves inflation, regret, and the realization that true love may need a payment plan.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, six teenagers were wounded in a mass shooting at a Brooklyn “Sweet 16” birthday bash– with a pair of gunmen still on the loose, according to police.A weekend storm sent temperatures plunging well below zero in the Midwest and dumped heavy snow on parts of the Northeast, creating many airport delays and slick roads as the Pacific Northwest braced for more rain after days of flooding and mudslides.And it was a day of crisis around the world:In Los Angeles, Director-actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were the two people found dead at a Los Angeles home owned by Reiner, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. Overseas, Two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi beach, killing 15 people, including a child, officials said Monday, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called an act of antisemitic terrorism that struck at the heart of the nation. The shooters were father and son. And In Rhode Island, a person of interest detained after a Brown University shooting that killed two students and injured nine will be released after law enforcement authorities determined there was no basis to keep the individual in custody.

Today's Update Journal starts where all modern NYC problems begin: the turnstile. OMNY promised a sleek, futuristic transit experience, but forgot one crucial feature—the emotional honesty of the MetroCard telling you immediately that you're broke. Now you tap, walk, and find out later via email that you owe the MTA fifteen cents and your dignity. Then we revisit Home Alone—the original film where a child commits multiple OSHA violations, violates every building code known to man, and somehow walks away while two grown adults absorb injuries that would end a Marvel movie. We're talking head trauma, third-degree burns, and a staircase nail that would have most of us lying still, reevaluating every life choice. And finally, we slam on the brakes, turn down the chaos, and land somewhere warm. In The Last Word, we talk about what it really means to build Christmas traditions with someone you love—the quiet moments, the routines that sneak up on you, and how the smallest things end up meaning the most.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, a tourist was repeatedly stabbed by a crazed homeless woman inside Macy's Herald Square amid the packed holiday shopping rush, according to cops and law enforcement sources.A grand jury declined for a second time in a week to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James in another major blow to the Justice Department's efforts to prosecute the president's political opponents.And in Pennsylvania, Kilmar Abrego Garcia was freed from immigration detention on a judge's order while he fights to stay in the U.S., handing a major victory to the immigrant whose wrongful deportation to a notorious prison in El Salvador made him a flashpoint of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

In today's Update Journal, we unpack the 48-hour period where being a Mets fan felt like getting hit by a city bus, backed over by an MTA supervisor, and then charged an extra fare because you “didn't tap.” Edwin Díaz packed his trumpets for Hollywood, Pete Alonso sailed off to Baltimore like he's auditioning for a reboot of The Wire, and In-N-Out removed “67” from the menu for reasons no living human understands. Meanwhile, holiday shoppers continue their annual tradition of forgetting other people exist, walking through Target like NPCs trying to glitch through walls. Buckle up — it's a wild one.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, Brad Lander, the chief fiscal officer of New York City, announced that he is challenging U.S. Rep Dan Goldman in a Democratic primary for a liberal district covering lower Manhattan and parts of brownstone Brooklyn.“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” actress who was struck and killed by a taxi while crossing a Midtown street was a Customs and Border Protection officer who had been looking forward to retiring — and was cherished for her warm greetings, her devastated neighbors say.And out in the American West, tens of thousands of residents in western Washington could face evacuation orders when another round of heavy rain drops on the region, threatening to bring catastrophic flooding as rivers near historic levels.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

We've done a lot of episodes throughout our many years of #TheUpdate, but some of them are my personal favorites. Every month, we're going to go into The Update vault and play one episode from my personal list of favorite episodes. I hope you enjoy them as much as i did hosting it.