The Update with Brandon Julien

In this edition of The Update Journal, I try to solve a mystery even Scooby-Doo might struggle with: what exactly was The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, and why does it feel like a fever dream from 1985? Then the tone shifts—just a little—as we look back six years to the day the world basically pressed the pause button, when sports stopped, travel bans began, and suddenly everyone became an amateur epidemiologist. And finally, in Brandon's Take, we'll tackle the great generational divide: snow days. For students, it's a magical winter holiday. For staff? It's “working from home,” which mostly means answering a couple emails while standing in front of the fridge wondering if this technically counts as productivity. Expect nostalgia, mild existential reflection, and the realization that adulthood has completely ruined snow days. ❄️In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, Two former NYPD officers who prosecutors say stole a brothel key and then robbed and groped a sex worker are now facing federal charges after their initial state charges were dismissed on a technicality.A Honduran migrant was arrested for randomly shoving two strangers — including an 83-year-old man — onto Upper East Side subway tracks over the weekend, according to authorities.And major storms whipped up tornadoes in parts of Illinois and Indiana that leveled homes, killing at least two people and injuring others, and another round of rain, hail and strong winds made its way through the region, authorities say.

In today's Update Journal, we revisit the cinematic nightmare that united an entire generation: the THX sound. Not the movie. Not the trailers. Just the sound. That deep, metallic “BWAAAAAAAAAA” that shook theater walls, rattled your bones, and made every kid in the audience think the speakers were about to explode. For many of us, it was our first experience with surround sound… and mild emotional trauma.Then we move to The Weakest Link, where a contestant commits what can only be described as a breakfast felony—confusing butterscotch Munchkins and a strawberry Coolatta with Starbucks. Starbucks! That's like walking into Yankee Stadium and asking where the Mets bullpen is. Somewhere, a Dunkin' employee felt a disturbance in the force.And finally, in today's honorable mention, Harry Styles reveals his chaotic “boy dinner” habit—basically a collection of random food items that looks less like a meal and more like what you'd eat at 11:45 p.m. while staring into the fridge with the light on. Naturally, a fast-food chain saw this and said, “Perfect. Let's monetize that.” Because nothing says culinary innovation quite like a celebrity's questionable late-night eating decisions.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, investigators are trying to learn more about two Pennsylvania men accused of bringing homemade bombs to a protest outside the home of Mayor Mamdani.Luxury real estate agents Tal and Oren Alexander and their brother Alon were convicted of sex trafficking for using their vast wealth to drug and rape numerous women they lured into their twisted orbit.And overseas, the widening Iran war has upended oil production and shipping across the Middle East, straining energy supplies worldwide.

In this edition of The Update Journal, we begin with a man who quietly built a media empire while the rest of us were still trying to figure out how to program the VCR. Byron Allen has more channels, production credits, and executive producer tags than a CVS receipt, and if you blink during the credits you might miss the part where he basically owns the entire network.Then we move to one of those late-night TV moments that only happens when you're awake at 2 A.M. watching American Greed, wondering where your life choices went wrong. The episode features a mayor who apparently believed that holding public office meant never having to pay for dinner. Because nothing says “public servant” quite like walking out of a restaurant and sticking the taxpayers—or the waiter—with the bill.And finally, we discuss the Monday after Spring Daylight Saving Time, the one day of the year where the entire country collectively wakes up angry. We lose an hour of sleep, gain an attitude, and suddenly every minor inconvenience feels like a federal offense. Coffee isn't strong enough, alarms feel like personal attacks, and everyone at work looks like they're operating on about three percent battery life.In other words: media empires, midnight scandals, and a nation running on one less hour of sleep. What could possibly go wrong?In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, a device thrown by a counterprotester at an anti-Islam demonstration in New York City on Saturday was confirmed to be an improvised explosive, according to a preliminary police analysis. As the investigation continued, the NYPD said they were looking into a second suspicious device found in the same area of Manhattan's Upper East Side.Four people were shot during a Brooklyn bar brawl, as an eyewitness said one of the victims had his foot blown off.And overseas, Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's late supreme leader, has been named as the Islamic Republic's next ruler, authorities announced, as Tehran widened its attacks across the Mideast to strike oil and water facilities crucial to its desert sheikdoms.

Somewhere between a 1940s household manual telling wives to always smile and never contradict their husbands, a completely unnecessary on-air confession about childhood cartoon crushes, and the simple fact that we somehow survived weather that felt like living inside a freezer, today's Update Journal went in… several directions.We examine the baffling rules of post-war marriage advice (spoiler: if you tried that today, someone would absolutely get punched), I make an administrative admission that probably should have stayed off the record, and we close things out celebrating the small miracle that we all made it through the tundra outside.In other words: history, humiliation, and hypothermia — all in one episode.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, a 4-year-old Brooklyn boy who dashed away from his mom was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver, just steps away from a local hospital, police and sources said.A jury in Manhattan federal court started deliberating in a case that could put twins Oren and Alon, 38, and Tal, 39, in prison for the rest of their lives.And in Washington, President Trump fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, after mounting criticism over her leadership of the department, including the handling of the administration's immigration crackdown and disaster response.

In today's Update Journal, we begin with a Weakest Link moment that raises serious questions about the state of breakfast knowledge in America—because apparently not everyone knows where to get a Rootie Tootie Fresh 'N Fruity. (Hint: it's not an ice cream shop.) From there, we travel back to 2008 to investigate Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue, a show so strange that many of us are still unsure whether it actually aired or if Cartoon Network collectively hallucinated it. And finally, United Airlines introduces a tough new rule aimed at stopping one of the most blood-boiling passenger habits known to mankind—because nothing brings society together quite like mutual irritation at the airport. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, a brazen duo – including one career criminal with dozens of prior arrests – was arrested for allegedly setting a sleeping man on fire inside Penn Station this week, authorities said.A high-ranking Jersey City official running to be a town mayor has been reassigned after humiliating footage showed him using his position to try to get out of a drunk-driving arrest — and admitting to cheating on his wife.And in Rhode Island, Catholic priests preyed on hundreds of children for decades, and were protected by bishops more concerned with the church's reputation than the victims, according to a new report on clergy sexual abuse that echoes findings elsewhere.

In today's Update Journal, a contestant on The Weakest Link proves that sometimes confidence and knowledge are two very different things after naming Big Bird as the U.S. Secretary of State. Somewhere on Sesame Street, Big Bird is now preparing a foreign policy briefing with Cookie Monster handling snacks and Oscar the Grouch in charge of negotiations.Meanwhile, I've discovered a new snack that has him questioning my willpower, my diet, and possibly my life choices. What started as “just trying something new” has quickly turned into the kind of snack obsession where the bag mysteriously empties itself while you're not looking.And in Brandon's Take, we brace for the spring side of Daylight Saving Time—the one where we all lose an hour of sleep and spend the next week wondering why we feel like we got hit by a bus. The clocks jump forward, our patience jumps backward, and coffee suddenly becomes a required life support system.So today: questionable game show answers, questionable snack discipline, and the annual tradition of arguing with the clock. Just another completely normal day around here.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, a federal judge has blocked President Trump's administration's efforts to halt New York's first-in-the-nation congestion fee meant to reduce traffic and pump revenue into the region's aging transit system.The NYPD were searching for two suspects believed to have been involved in an attack near Manhattan's Penn Station when a 37-year-old man was set on fire as he slept.And in Washington, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended her department's immigration enforcement tactics in front of a Senate committee and pushed back against criticism from Democrats who say she wrongly disparaged two protesters killed by federal officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.

In today's episode of “Who Approved This?” — we begin at 8AM, when apparently the only people awake are journalists, my parents flipping through every news channel, and someone standing at a podium choosing absolute violence before breakfast. Because nothing says “good morning” like a press conference before your coffee has even been processed.Meanwhile, in the culinary crime division… Applebee's has unveiled something so aggressively cheesy it should come with a cardiologist on standby. I watched the commercial and could physically hear my arteries filing a complaint with HR. There are things that look fancy… and then there are things that look like they're one melted layer away from requiring a waiver.And just when you think society has peaked? Enter the Great Wolf Lodge Ranch Milkshake — topped with carrots, whipped cream, and crispy chicken. Yes. Ranch. In milkshake form. With poultry garnish. Somewhere, a blender is questioning its life choices.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, the Supreme Court sided with Republicans in ruling that the boundaries of the only GOP-held congressional district in New York City do not not need to be redrawn for the 2026 elections, despite a court ruling that the district is unfair to Black and Hispanic residents.A man who repeatedly drove his car into the Chabad Lubavitch world headquarters in New York City earlier this year pleaded not guilty to federal charges of intentionally damaging religious property.And in Texas, the gunman who opened fire outside a crowded bar and killed three people in an attack that wounded more than a dozen had not been on the radar of authorities, federal and local investigators said.

On this edition of The Update Journal, we explore what happens when one major news story eats the entire broadcast like it skipped lunch — and the rest of the world just quietly waits its turn. Weather? Sports? Local chaos? Never heard of her.Then we pivot to TNT's Rich & Shameless, featuring the “Joe Francis Was A Walking Red Flag” episode — because nothing says cultural reflection quite like revisiting the era when late-night cable ads felt like a fever dream and everyone collectively decided, “Sure, this seems fine.”And finally, the sun comes out… and common sense clocks out. The second temperatures flirt with 70 degrees, jackets disappear, decision-making declines, and the city transforms into a real-time sociology experiment. It's not summer — it's just a preview — but you'd never know that from the way people act.Breaking news, shameless behavior, and the annual 70-degree personality shift. Spring is trying to arrive… and apparently so is chaos.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack by Israel and the United States, Iranian state media confirmed, throwing the future of the Islamic Republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability. Meanwhile, here locally, Law enforcement was on high alert for terror attacks at sensitive sites in and around New York City Saturday following a series of US/Israel missile strikes on Iran overnight.In other news, the city is bizarrely using massive potted plants in Queens to prevent illegal parking in front of fire hydrants — only to thwart FDNY trucks and Bravest during emergencies, according to fuming pols and locals.And in Texas, a gunman wearing clothes with an Iranian flag design and the words “Property of Allah” killed two people and wounded 14 early Sunday at a Texas bar, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The FBI is investigating the shooting, which erupted a day after the U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Iran, as a potential act of terrorism.

In this episode of The Update Journal, we begin in a place that proudly calls itself “New York's Very Own”… while quietly shipping out actual New Yorkers like it's a clearance sale at a Midtown Duane Reade. Nothing says hometown pride quite like looking around and going, “Wait… who are you people?”Then we pivot to The Weakest Link, where $1 million is technically on the line… in the same way that I am technically in shape. It exists. In theory. Yet somehow, after an hour of dramatic lighting, aggressive British-adjacent sass, and contestants sweating through basic multiplication, we walk away with a grand total of $80,000. Out of a million. That's not a jackpot — that's a modest group project stipend. At this rate, the money isn't being won. It's being gently escorted back to the network vault.And finally, The Last Word — as we begin Year 9 together. Nine years. I started this show as a 19-year-old with a microphone and delusions of grandeur. Now I'm older, slightly wiser, and still yelling about trivia show banking strategies like it's a congressional hearing. We'll reflect, we'll laugh, we'll question our life choices — and we'll keep going.Because if we've learned anything over these eight years, it's this: the money may not bank, the New Yorkers may relocate, but this show? Oh, we're still cashing in.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, a social media content creator was arrested after the NYPD said he was one of a number of people who pelted officers with snow and ice during a massive snowball fight in Washington Square Park this week.A woman on probation for stowing away on an international flight has been arrested again after sneaking onto a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Milan, Italy, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter.And in Washington, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told members of Congress that she had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein's or Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes, starting off two days of depositions that will also include former President Bill Clinton.

In today's episode of “How Did We Get Here?” we discover that extra crispy chicken outranks an entire starship, thanks to a trivia question on The Weakest Link that sent my producers into a full-blown fact-checking spiral. Apparently, Captain Jean-Luc Picard may command the Enterprise, but Colonel Harland Sanders technically outranks him. Yes. Fried chicken beat Starfleet.Meanwhile, over at Target, the Favorite Day Meyer Lemon Rolled Wafers are back for Easter season, and I am once again asking for accountability. I'm not saying they're addictive. I'm just saying if you see me in the snack aisle whispering “just one more,” mind your business.And as Year 8 of the show quietly packs up its things and prepares to hand the keys to Year 9, we reflect on what we've learned: Never underestimate trivia writers. Never trust seasonal snacks. And never assume this show would've stopped when logic suggested it probably should have.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, a massive post-blizzard snowball fight in New York that ended in police officers being pelted is creating a frosty dispute between Mayor Mamdani and his own police department.Hunter College placed a professor on leave days after she sparked massive backlash for making “abhorrent” comments about black students on a hot mic during a virtual meeting.And in Washington, the Justice Department said that it was looking into whether it had improperly withheld documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files after several news organizations reported that some records involving uncorroborated accusations made by a woman against President Trump were not among those released to the public.

In this edition of The Update Journal, we begin with a simple Sunday night question: What exactly is “Roar,” and why does it sound like a network invented by someone who lost a bet? From there, we stumble into The Weakest Link, where trivia dreams go to die and former mayors are apparently rebranded as billionaires.Then comes the Diamond Deck from Wildcard Kitchen—a collection of cards so diabolical it feels less like cooking and more like a culinary hostage situation. “Use an ingredient that starts with Y.” Y? Y what? Yams and yelling are the only acceptable answers. And letting one chef pick another chef's protein while chaos reigns? That's not a twist. That's violence with garnish.And finally, Brandon's Take: why I keep doing this show after nine years, countless blizzards, studio floods, transit meltdowns, and relatives asking if I've considered a “real job.” Logic says I could've stopped. Common sense says I probably should've. But when you love telling stories, roasting television executives, and turning civic dysfunction into content, quitting just doesn't feel right.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, millions across the northeast contended with treks to school and work as they dug out from a major — and in some areas record-breaking — storm that blanketed the region with snow, canceled flights, disrupted transit and killed at least one person. The NYPD are investigating after officers were pelted with snowballs while responding to a massive snowball fight at Washington Square Park in Manhattan. And the city's commuter chaos continued with subway-line suspensions and delays — the day after MTA chief Janno Lieber assured New Yorkers that the agency “is here for you'' and “the system is running.''CUNY's chancellor slammed the “clearly offensive and abhorrent” hot mic comments Hunter professor Allyson Friedman made about black students — but said she was still teaching.And in Washington, President Trump declared during a marathon State of the Union that “we're winning so much” — insisting he'd sparked an economic boom at home and imposed a new world order abroad in hopes it can counter his sliding approval ratings.

As we continue to dig out from the blizzard, we're remote for one more day. So we have some more laughs inside The Update Journal.

In our first episode after the blizzard, we know what the big story is. So instead, laugh with some episodes in The Update Journal.

In this week's completely unhinged yet somehow heartfelt edition of The Update Journal, we begin where all responsible adults do in February: convincing ourselves that this is the year. Spring Training is back, Mets and Yankees fans are stretching like it's emotional yoga, and I am once again refilling my Optimism Cup like it's bottomless brunch in Port St. Lucie. Will there be a parade? Probably not. Will we talk ourselves into one anyway? Absolutely.Then—because I have a college degree and apparently refuse to use it responsibly—we pivot into a conversation I never expected to have on a show that once covered transit budgets and mayoral press conferences: the sociology, psychology, and complete chaos theory of “trash dick vs. quality dick.” At some point during this segment, I paused mid-rant and asked myself, What happened to my life? My producers considered cutting my mic. Tommie texted me, “Are you okay?” I am not.And finally, before we head into President's Week and gear up for the march toward our 9th anniversary, we land the plane with The Last Word—a Valentine's note to Tommie. Because after baseball delusion and academic disgrace, the only thing that makes sense is love. Sweet, sincere, “please don't judge what I said earlier in this episode” love.It's optimism, existential crisis, and romance—all in one episode. Just another calm, normal week on The Update.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, a 40-year-old panhandler was shot dead inside a Midtown 7-Eleven after he held the door open for the gunman and asked him for money, cops and sources said.New York politicians defiantly raised a rainbow flag at the Stonewall National Monument amid a boisterous, cheering crowd, rebuking the Trump administration for removing the well-known symbol of pride from the LGBTQ+ landmark.And in Minneapolis, the Trump administration is ending a massive immigration crackdown that swept across the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and other Minnesota communities, border czar Tom Homan said, concluding an operation that led to thousands of arrests, angry mass protests and the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens.

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?

A week where the universe briefly chose kindness—payday landed just before Valentine's Day, which immediately raised suspicion—and then promptly reminded us not to get comfortable. The boiler at home base tapped out like it had hit its retirement age, forcing everyone to layer up indoors and question why heat is apparently a seasonal luxury. Macy's, meanwhile, stayed committed to its brand: charging luxury-tax prices for items powered entirely by nostalgia and vibes. Robes cost three figures, memories cost extra, and somehow the sale sign still felt disrespectful. Outside, New York City entered a full emotional spiral over a 1–3 inch snow forecast, triggering flashbacks, group chats, and pre-emptive panic shopping as if the forecast personally threatened our peace. Schools braced, commutes overreacted, and everyone acted like we were one inch away from total societal collapse.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, hundreds of Brooklyn residents had no power or heat as temperatures plunged into the single digits following a devastating outage that started late Saturday.New York state was ranked second-worst in the US for its costly, stringent rules on child care centers, a new analysis claimed.And out in the American West, the urgent investigation into the apparent kidnapping of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie continued, a week after the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie was reported missing in Arizona.

The Olympics are back for the again-est time, somehow louder than before, and demanding our full attention while we pretend we definitely remember the rules to curling. Meanwhile, Miraculous Season 6, Episode 7 decides it's the perfect moment to casually drop emotional landmines, secret letters, and “if this information were shared the show would immediately end” logic—so naturally, it isn't. And then there's the Super Bowl, an event technically centered on football but primarily used as a backdrop for commercials, snacks, halftime debates, and people yelling “this used to be better” from their couches. Three massive cultural events, zero chill, and a reminder that none of this is actually about what it claims to be about. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, New York City is poised to endure its longest deep freeze in 65 years if the frigid forecasts hold through next weekend, according to experts. Meanwhile, frustrated New Yorkers are raising a stink over mountains of trash piling up on city streets as “limited” collection drags on a week after a massive winter storm dumped more than a foot of snow.The union representing 15,000 striking city nurses will meet with officials from three major hospital systems to try to finally end the longest Big Apple nursing walkout in history.And in Texas, five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas, were released following a judge's order and returned to Minnesota, according to Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro.

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?

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?