The Update with Brandon Julien

This week in the wild world of The Update, the internet caught a full-blown case of pneumonia after Cloudflare let out the tiniest sneeze — reminding us once again that our entire digital universe is apparently held together with bubble gum and hope. Meanwhile, the MTA promised a bold new era where rear-door boarding might finally become a thing… just as soon as OMNY stops behaving like a fussy toddler who refuses to get in the stroller. And to round it all out, we dive headfirst into the Great Gravy Debate — because if anything is going to hold Thanksgiving (and half our sanity) together, it's a good ladle of the brown stuff. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, a Democratic ex New Jersey mayor and current police sergeant was arrested for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a child he met online, officials announced.A judge has dismissed a Trump administration legal challenge to New York policies that block immigration officials from arresting people at state courthouses, saying the federal government can't force states to cooperate with those enforcement efforts.And in New Orleans, around 250 federal border agents are set to descend there in the coming weeks for a two-month immigration crackdown dubbed “Swamp Sweep” that aims to arrest roughly 5,000 people across southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press and three people familiar with the operation.

Tis The Season- For Unaffordability. This Thanksgiving will cost the average American almost $1,000, new research has revealed. That's according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults who celebrate Thanksgiving, split evenly by generation.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, an NYPD cop took a shotgun blast to the face after being ambushed in Brooklyn by a suspected killer — but got off the fatal shot that downed the crazed gunman, police and sources said.Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said that he hopes to meet with President Trump to find ways the political polar opposites can work together on the central focus of his winning campaign: affordability.And in Washington, the House is heading toward a vote on a bill to force the Justice Department to release the case files it has collected on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, pushing past a monthslong effort by President Trump and Republican leaders to stymie the effort.

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?

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?

Today's Update Journal is taking you on a rollercoaster — the kind where one minute you're debating childcare policy and the next you're suddenly emotional over cranberry sauce. Buckle up. First, we dive into The Childcare Question: the promise, the price tag, and the collective New York skepticism of “Okay… but can we actually do this, or are we all just pretending?” It's ambitious, it's inspiring, and it's giving very much “group project where only one person is doing all the work.” Then, we fully pivot — because that's how this show works — into the Thanksgiving memory I always come back to. You know the one. Parade balloons soaring overhead, me on video chat with Tommie while she's off in Delaware, and me trying not to burn anything in the kitchen because I was unsupervised. A true holiday classic.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, New York Jets cornerback and special teams standout Kris Boyd was critically injured in a shooting in midtown Manhattan, according to Mayor Adams' office.Two people have been killed, including a 10-year-old boy, and three others wounded in a mass shooting in Newark.And in Charlotte, North Carolina, a top Border Patrol commander touted dozens of arrests in North Carolina's largest city as Charlotte residents reported encounters with federal immigration agents near churches, apartment complexes and stores.

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?

Today's Update Journal delivers a full buffet of stories — and like any good buffet, you're not sure how these dishes ended up next to each other, but somehow it works. We kick things off with a genuine MTA miracle — yes, you read that right — as the Mamdani proposal inches from pipe dream to possible reality, proving that sometimes transit justice does show up fashionably late. Then we pivot to the funeral for America's last penny. It lived a long life, annoyed generations of cashiers, and bought absolutely nothing since 1968. Meanwhile, cable news has entered its “let's just try something new and hope the ratings gods are kind” era. MSNBC has officially rebranded itself as MS NOW — because apparently someone in corporate stood up during a meeting and said, “What if… hear me out… we change the name?” And finally, The Last Word reminds us that as we march toward Thanksgiving, the real stories aren't in the headlines — they're at the table. The kitchen table, the folding table, the “we never use this except for holidays” table — all of them. Because nothing brings people together like a feast, a good laugh, and a family member quietly judging the mashed potatoes.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, a man with a gun was killed in a shootout with the NYPD after he pointed his weapon at a man in an apartment building elevator and a deli worker and threatened to shoot up a hospital. A Long Island man who allegedly smashed up and slashed the tires of nearly a dozen police cruisers parked outside the NYPD's newest station house was busted after he nearly backed into cops on his tail –and then promptly cut loose in court, cops and prosecutors said.And in Chicago, The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who has been receiving around-the-clock care at home, has been hospitalized with a rare neurological disorder, according to his Chicago-based organization.

On today's Update Journal, we celebrate Day 44 of the government shutdown finally coming to a close — or at least going on winter break until January, where it will undoubtedly return like an unwelcome Netflix reboot. In the next Mamdani proposal, we dive into “The Public Option for Produce,” the latest idea that sounds promising, confusing, and slightly like a farmers' market run by the DMV. Meanwhile, NYC Ferry took one look at the one part of their system that was actually working and said, “Let's fix that immediately,” because nothing says progress like making riders choose between freezing for an hour or sprinting to the Staten Island Ferry like it's the last chopper out of Vietnam. And for our honorable mention: Coca-Cola has released its first limited-edition holiday soda in five years, which means we're all legally obligated to try it, love it, and then watch it disappear forever by Valentine's Day.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, the super of a Brooklyn apartment building was killed during a violent dispute with a man who was allegedly part of a crew that had been stealing packages from the building since the summer, according to police and sources.This new gadget is ready to pump the brakes on bad drivers. New “speed limiter” devices for cars are set to force reckless drivers with multiple violations to finally slow down, by linking to their ignitions and capping how fast their car can go with the help of GPS technology.And in Washington, President Trump signed a government funding bill, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks.

Day 43 of the government shutdown, and Congress swears they're almost there — though at this point, “almost” has been working harder than most members of Congress. Meanwhile, the post-election hangover continues as the last of the attack ads finally fade off our screens — leaving us with that eerie silence where you start to question if your own toaster is secretly endorsing a candidate. On a more somber note, Jimmy Kimmel faces a heavy loss with the passing of his longtime bandleader, a moment that reminds us even the funniest shows have their quiet heartbreaks. And speaking of heartbreak — in this week's Brandon's Take, we confront a national crisis: our collective lie that turkey is the star of Thanksgiving dinner. Deep down, we all know it's the stuffing and mac-and-cheese carrying the plate, while the turkey just sits there like an unseasoned group project member taking all the credit.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, New York City got its first snow of the season as a powerful polar vortex swept across the eastern half of the country, bringing frigid temperatures.Fallen FDNY firefighter Patrick Brady will receive a hero's farewell. The married 42-year-old fire department veteran, who died tragically in the line of duty over the weekend, will be mourned at a wake in Brooklyn on Friday and a funeral mass Saturday in his Queens neighborhood before being laid to rest, the FDNY announced.And in Washington, The Supreme Court extended an order blocking full SNAP payments, amid signals that the government shutdown could soon end and food aid payments resume.

Day 41 of the government shutdown — or as Congress calls it, “Sunday.” Senators gathered for a rare weekend session to “work things out,” which in D.C. language means grandstanding with snacks provided. Meanwhile, in Major League Baseball, the Cleveland Guardians are living up to their name by guarding their right to embarrass the sport. Two of their pitchers have been arrested for gambling, proving once again that MLB can't go more than a few months without hitting itself in the face with a Louisville Slugger. Back here in the Empire State, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani's plan for free buses has hit… well, traffic. Governor Hochul says she's not ready to move forward with the proposal — which is politician-speak for “We're gonna study this until everyone forgets.” And yet — somewhere between the shutdowns, scandals, and stalled buses — there's still something to be thankful for. Maybe it's the people we love. Maybe it's the tiny wins. Or maybe it's just that the ferry still runs on time. Either way, gratitude's the one thing not on backorder this year.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, a FDNY firefighter died Saturday after suffering a medical episode while battling a five-alarm fire at a Brooklyn apartment building, authorities said.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said that SNAP benefits went out to New Yorkers using federal funds after the longest-ever federal government shutdown cut off food stamp payments for the first time.And in Washington, President Trump's administration is demanding states “undo” full SNAP benefits paid out under judicial orders in recent days, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has stayed those rulings, marking the latest swing in a seesawing legal battle over the anti-hunger program used by 42 million Americans. Meanwhile, on the local level in Sacramento, Acorn squash, Spam and baby food lined the shelves on a recent day at a college food pantry in California's capital city, a resource that students receiving federal aid to purchase groceries may have to increasingly rely on because that assistance has been in limbo during the government shutdown.

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.

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?

If it feels like we've been here before—it's because we have. Day 38 of the government shutdown has Congress stuck in the political version of Groundhog Day, where everyone swears this time they'll fix it, only to hit “repeat” like a Netflix user who fell asleep on episode one. Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi is officially stepping off the stage—for real this time. It's the political equivalent of your favorite performer announcing their farewell tour… again. But this one might actually stick, since she's earned enough standing ovations to rival Broadway's finest. Back here in New York, the post-election mood feels like the confetti never showed up. “The Statue That Never Was” takes center stage for why Curtis Sliwa didn't drop out—a project that went from “visionary tribute” to “budget whoopsie” faster than you can say “city permit pending.” Over at City Hall, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is still workshopping his hit single, “Safety, But Make It Community.” Picture it: subway outreach teams, health workers in vacant storefronts, and a whole new agency devoted to making you feel warm and fuzzy on your morning commute—assuming the MTA cooperates and your train ever arrives. It's bold, it's ambitious, and it's one bad PowerPoint transition away from a TED Talk. Finally, as the credits roll on this week's political chaos, we close with something rare: gratitude. It doesn't trend, it doesn't go viral, and it definitely doesn't filibuster—but it still changes everything. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is expected to announce a run for New York governor, according to two people familiar with her plans.New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani made a triumphant trip to Puerto Rico for an annual summit that brings New York politicians and lobbyists to sunny San Juan for strategy meetings, workshops and boozy confabs.And in Washington, a former Justice Department employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump's law enforcement surge in Washington was found not guilty of assault in the latest legal rebuke of the federal intervention.

The drama is high, the patience is low, and the popcorn is absolutely necessary. First up, Frustration Airlines is still taxiing endlessly on the shutdown runway, offering complimentary stress and zero arrival updates as we hit day 37 of the government shutdown. Meanwhile, the Mamdani Transition Team is warming up backstage—not with a spotlight, but with a blowtorch—because nothing says “new administration” like controlled chaos in a broom closet labeled Do Not Enter. We're also going to start looking at Mamdani's proposals to see what got him elected , and if they're actually achievable. First up: finding out whether the mayor can actually put your lease on ice, or if this is just political HVAC: lots of noise, occasional heat, and absolutely no guarantee of comfort. In sports, Mets fans endured a Broadway-level betrayal as two of their own pirouetted straight from Queens to the Braves' dugout. There were boos, tears, and at least one dramatic soliloquy about loyalty, heartbreak, and why we can't have nice things. And for today's Honorable Mention: Kraft unveiled a Thanksgiving-themed mac & cheese flavor so baffling that fans nationwide are asking whether this is innovation, performance art, or a subtle form of psychological warfare. Spoiler: nobody's lining up for seconds.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, Seven firefighters were injured when a car exploded in the Bronx, sending a giant fireball into the sky.A deranged Bronx man fatally gunned down three members of his family — including his elderly, “Golden Girl” mother — inside a city housing project before shooting himself to death.And in Washington, The Federal Aviation Administration said that it was taking the extraordinary step of reducing air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets beginning Friday morning to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing government shutdown.

We've officially crossed it — that invisible threshold where logic, patience, and maybe democracy itself start to fray. On this edition, we're “Past the Point of No Return,” and the view isn't exactly scenic. Over in New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill pulled off the rarest of political feats — a clean Democratic handoff in the Governor's Mansion for the first time since the 1960s — proving that Garden State politics can still surprise you, even when the rest of us are too tired to. Meanwhile, across the Hudson, a new era begins in New York City as Zohran Mamdani officially takes the keys to City Hall — and hopefully, the city checkbook. His ambitious plans to freeze rents, make buses free, and fund it all without divine intervention might make even the angels ask for a budget hearing. We're all rooting for him… but also keeping one hand on the emergency brake. And if that weren't enough chaos, the government shutdown trudges into Day 36 — now officially the longest in U.S. history, which is really saying something in a country that measures dysfunction in days and dollars. Washington's still arguing over continuing resolutions like it's a group project no one wants to do, while millions wait to see if anyone remembers to turn the lights back on. Finally, in Brandon's Take, we let loose with “Random Rant: Minor Annoyances, Major Rage” — because sometimes, it's not the big crises that get you. It's the person who blocks the subway door. It's the coffee spill right after you put on a clean shirt. It's the guy in the crosswalk who moves slower than your Wi-Fi on a bad day. Somewhere between national politics and everyday madness, we're all just trying to keep our sanity — one deep sigh, one eye-roll, and one random rant at a time.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York, capping a stunning ascent for the 34-year-old, far-left state lawmaker, who promised to transform city government to restore power to the working class and fight back against a hostile Trump administration. Meanwhile in Uganda, the opposition leader in Uganda's Parliament sees Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York mayoral race as inspiring but somehow too distant. Across the river in New Jersey, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill was elected governor of New Jersey, raising hopes for Democrats and highlighting Republican vulnerabilities after there had been signs of a rightward shift in recent years in what has been a reliably blue state.Elsewhere, a Delta Airlines flight was evacuated at LaGuardia airport after crew reported a bomb threat – the second scare at a major US airport in a day, authorities said.And in Louisville, first responders prepared to resume looking for victims after a UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded in a massive fireball while taking off from the company's global aviation hub at the airport in Kentucky, killing at least seven people and injuring 11, authorities said.

It's Day 35 of the government shutdown- at this point, Washington is like that one friend who says they're “five minutes away” when they haven't even left the house. Meanwhile, It's Election Day in New York City — the calm before the political storm, where campaign volunteers are running on caffeine and hope, and voters are just trying to remember if their polling place is still the same deli they went to last year. The city waits, nervously, like a pitcher staring down the final batter in the ninth inning. Meanwhile, in Queens, the Mets are back to doing that thing they do best: convincing us it'll be different this time. But that might be a little bit harder as Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz have officially opted out of their contracts and are now free agents. The day before election day, President Trump seems to throw his support behind Andrew Cuomo, saying “Regardless of whether you like him or not, you must vote for Andrew Cuomo and hope that he does a good job.” And as ballots are prepped, curveballs are thrown, and coffee pots are refilled across the five boroughs, we're left with one simple question: who's getting the keys to City Hall? Whoever it is, I just hope they know how to fix a budget, a bullpen, and a broken MetroCard reader — in that order.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, we end our coverage of The Road To City Hall. On the last day of this long running campaign, New York City's voters are deciding the outcome of a generational and ideological divide that will resonate across the country as they choose the next mayor to run the nation's largest city.A driver who crashed his pickup truck into a July Fourth barbecue and killed four people was convicted of murder in the 2024 wreck in a New York City park.And in Washington, Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative who became one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history and a leading advocate for the invasion of Iraq, has died at age 84.

It's Day 34 of the government shutdown, and at this point, Congress has voted so many times they're probably eligible for frequent-flyer miles. The president's advice is to “keep voting,” which might work for senators, Mets fans clinging to hope, and anyone still counting calories after Halloween. Meanwhile, in baseball-land, the Dodgers are on top of the world again, the Blue Jays are stuck somewhere in a very cold Toronto winter, and MLB owners are already figuring out how to ruin the sport with another lockout. And here in New York City? We're on the eve of a new mayor — which means the campaign signs are coming down, the conspiracy theories are heating up, and someone's about to inherit a subway system that breaks down more than my Wi-Fi.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, we continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. On the day before Election Day, New York City's mayoral candidates are making a final push Monday to get voters to the polls, as the race to lead America's biggest city nears its finale.The New York City Marathon made history with a course record set in the women's competition and the closest race ever on the men's side, which was decided by a fraction of a second.And in Michigan, a defense lawyer is disputing FBI Director Kash Patel's allegations that his 20-year-old client and four other young suspects were planning to carry out a terror attack on Halloween weekend.

Thirty-one days into the government shutdown, and we've officially crossed from “temporary inconvenience” into “long-term relationship.” Congress is still arguing, the bills are still piling up, and at this point, even the interns are starting to grow beards. The glimmer of hope we saw earlier in the week has dimmed back down to a faint nightlight — the kind that flickers right before the ghost jumps out in a bad horror movie. And speaking of haunted things, we've got another big shakeup brewing in the media world. Gayle King — yes, that Gayle King — might be saying goodbye to CBS Mornings next year. It's being called “a sign of the changing times,” but let's be real — if Gayle leaves, that show's going to need more than a new coffee mug set to keep viewers awake. It's like if your favorite diner suddenly changed the cook. Sure, the eggs are still there, but they just don't taste the same. Then there's The Last Word: not everything goes the way you want on Halloween. You plan the perfect night, and suddenly it rains, your costume falls apart, and your candy bag rips open halfway down the block. Happens to the best of us. In my case, I'm still picking melted chocolate out of my jacket pocket from last year. Sometimes Halloween is more trick than treat, and you just have to laugh through it — preferably while eating someone else's candy.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, two people died in flooded New York City basements during a rainstorm that shut down roadways and caused airport delays, authorities said.We continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With 4 days to go until the general election, Younger New Yorkers are starting to make their mark at the ballot box — turning out at a higher clip over the past few days of early voting in the highly-watched mayoral race.And go ahead and roll your eyes. Shrug your shoulders. Or maybe just juggle your hands in the air. Dictionary.com's word of the year isn't even really a word. It's the viral term “6-7” that kids and teenagers can't stop repeating and laughing about and parents and teachers can't make any sense of.

Thirty days into the government shutdown, and for the first time in weeks, there's a faint glimmer of hope cutting through the fog in Washington — senators are actually talking again, which in itself feels like breaking news. But as D.C. tries to find its way out of the darkness, the rest of the country is feeling the changing times in more ways than one: from job cuts and media shakeups, to familiar faces suddenly “gone in a flash.” And speaking of flashes — according to new research, the average American spends more than a third of their paycheck within the first twelve hours of getting it. Twelve hours! Some people don't even finish celebrating payday before their bank account's already crying for help.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, we continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With 5 days to go until the general election, it's time for a brief history lesson. In 1977, at the tail end of another bruising battle for New York City mayor, Mario Cuomo publicly spoke up against bigoted remarks leveled at his opponent. Almost 50 years later, his son is taking a different approach. Meanwhile, Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber hit the brakes on mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani's key campaign promise to provide free buses across the Big Apple — criticizing the plan as half-baked and much more expensive than proposed.It's a Central Park-ing lot! A recreational trail in Central Park meant for joggers and horseback riders has been taken over by city workers using it as a parking lot — with and without official government placards.And in New Orleans, Immigration authorities did not receive word of a court order blocking the removal of a man living in Alabama until after he had been deported to Laos, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security say, dismissing claims that officials violated the order.

It's Day 29 of the government shutdown — and Congress is now on what's being called their thirteenth try at reopening the country. If this were baseball, they'd have struck out weeks ago. The lights are still dim on Capitol Hill, the bills are still unpaid, and hope is hanging by a thread thinner than a fun-sized Twizzler. But speaking of Halloween, not all the scary stuff this week is happening in Washington. As kids prepare for their annual sugar-fueled night of chaos, there's another debate brewing across America — the one over which candies should never see the inside of a trick-or-treat bag. In Brandon's Take, we're diving into the “worst treats” list — those so-called goodies that feel more like a trick. From the infamous circus peanuts and hard butterscotch candies that seem to have survived since 1978, to the dreaded toothbrush handouts and the candy corn wars that divide households, it's time to expose the real Halloween villains.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, have you seen these men? A trio of brazen burglars sporting construction vests busted into a Queens home in broad daylight and made off with $3.2 million — with cops hoping surveillance footage can help nab the crooks.President Trump is seeking to reverse the historic Manhattan hush money conviction that branded him a felon as he campaigned for a second White House term last year.And in the Caribbean, heavy floodwaters swept across southwestern Jamaica, winds tore roofs off buildings and boulders tumbled onto roads as Hurricane Melissa pummeled the Caribbean island as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record.

Is that something sweet a trick or a treat? Halloween is just a few days away, and children are about to be running door to door in search of candies and chocolates — the annual sugar marathon where pillowcases turn into bank vaults and parents suddenly rediscover their “inspection tax.” But while the kids are getting ready to collect their loot, one scientist is warning parents about the dangers of allowing their kids to indulge in certain treats this spooky, candy-driven holiday. Meanwhile, in Washington, the grown-ups aren't doing much better. Twenty-eight days into the government shutdown, Congress continues to prove that you can't spell “trick” without “politic.” Federal workers are missing paychecks, federal agencies are running on fumes, and the only thing getting handed out in D.C. are excuses.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, we continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With 7 days to go until the general election, New York City's mayoral race is turning from a blowout into a competitive race – with ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo cutting front-runner Zohran Mamdani's lead in half from a month ago, a new poll found. Meanwhile, in early voting, voters 50 and up accounted for nearly 60% of ballots cast during the first two days of early voting in the city's mayoral election, data shows.A lawsuit that was filed seeks to redraw the boundaries of the only congressional district in New York City represented by a Republican, arguing that its current configuration unconstitutionally dilutes the power of Black and Latino voters.And in the American West, the 22-year-old Utah man charged with killing Charlie Kirk can appear in court wearing street clothes but must be physically restrained due to security concerns, a judge ruled.

You ever notice that every year around Halloween, someone forgets to turn off the spooky music in Washington? Because right now, 27 days into the government shutdown, it feels less like politics and more like a haunted house no one wants to tour. The halls of Congress are full of cobwebs, everyone's pointing at ghosts that aren't there, and the only thing scarier than the budget impasse might be the cafeteria food still sitting uneaten in the Senate dining room. Meanwhile, here in The Update studio, things couldn't look more alive. We've turned this place into a Halloween wonderland—cobwebs (the decorative kind), fake spiders, a skeleton that looks suspiciously like one of my old producers, and a fog machine that has set off the fire alarm twice already. The place is decked out like the world's weirdest mix between “Meet the Press” and “Monster Mash.”In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, we continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With 8 days to go until the general election, New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani rallied supporters with heavyweight support from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as the race enters its final stretch, telling a raucous crowd that his campaign is a “movement of the masses.” Meanwhile, polling places opened Saturday for the start of in-person voting for two of the year's most closely watched elections: the New York City mayor's race and the contest to pick New Jersey's next governor.We learned that Nick Mangold, a two-time All-Pro center who helped lead the Jets to the AFC championship game twice, has died, the team announced Sunday. He was 41.And in Washington, The U.S. Department of Agriculture has posted a notice on its website saying federal food aid will not go out Nov. 1, raising the stakes for families nationwide as the government shutdown drags on.

The fallout from the final debate on the Road to City Hall had everything you could want from a political drama: sharp jabs, witty comebacks, and at least one moment where you had to wonder if the moderators needed a referee whistle. Meanwhile, in Washington, the government shutdown hit Day 23 — and while some people measure endurance by marathons, Senator Jeff Merkley apparently decided to test his by giving a speech so long it could've qualified for syndication. And then there's today's “honorable mention” — a now-closed Italian restaurant that took its final bow by roasting the locals on the way out the door. It's not often you see a farewell note that reads like a Yelp review written by Gordon Ramsay after losing a bet, but hey, when in Rome… or in this case, London.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, we continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With 12 days to go until the general election, Zohran Mamdani was attacked over his thin resume, Republican Curtis Sliwa strove to prove his seriousness as a candidate and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo was pressed on the sexual harassment allegations that drove him from office in a contentious final debate in New York City's mayoral race.The mother of a newborn girl who was abandoned at a busy midtown Manhattan subway station with her umbilical cord still attached was arrested early Wednesday, city police said.And in Washington, in the midst of a federal government shutdown, the U.S. government's gross national debt surpassed $38 trillion, a record number that highlights the accelerating accumulation of debt on America's balance sheet.

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?

As we count down to Election Day, the drama at City Hall has hit that stage where the debates feel less like political forums and more like reality TV — minus the commercial breaks and with slightly better lighting. Washington isn't doing much better either — we've reached Day 22 of the government shutdown, which means federal workers are running out of patience, and the rest of us are running out of new ways to say “still no deal.” Then, just when you thought the week couldn't get any stranger, the internet decided to take a sick day. Planes were grounded, banks froze up, and for a few terrifying hours, people actually had to talk to each other. It was like a mass social experiment no one signed up for. And through all this chaos, we somehow found time to argue about Halloween — specifically, whether trick-or-treating with pillowcases and carving lopsided pumpkins was better than today's LED-lit, algorithm-approved version. Spoiler alert: back then, our biggest outage was running out of candy.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, an immigration enforcement sweep targeting vendors on Manhattan's famed Canal Street turned chaotic after droves of angry New Yorkers surrounded federal agents and attempted to block them from driving off, prompting arrests and fierce standoffs along a bustling downtown corridor.We continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With 13 days to go until the general election, New York City's mayoral candidates are set to meet for their final debate, with Democrat Zohran Mamdani looking to stay in control of a race increasingly seen as his to win while former Gov. Andrew Cuomo amps up the pressure on Republican Curtis Sliwa to drop out.And OpenAI introduced its own web browser, Atlas, putting the ChatGPT maker in direct competition with Google as more internet users rely on artificial intelligence to answer their questions.

Between Halloween creeping closer, Tommie's recovery still weighing on my mind, and the final two weeks of the City Hall race tightening up, it feels like the city and my life are running on the same kind of caffeine-fueled chaos. The government shutdown hits Day 21 with no end in sight, the Dodgers and Blue Jays set up a USA-vs-Canada World Series for the ages, and even our Halloween shoot turned into a full-blown comedy — fake fog, flying props, and Tommie laughing so hard we couldn't finish the take. It's a week of wild turns, good stories, and a reminder that even in the madness, there's always something to smile about.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, at least eight pedestrians were injured, one critically, when the driver of a box truck collided with a parked van that hopped a curb in Chelsea, according to authorities.An infant girl was discovered abandoned on the stairs leading to a New York City subway stop in midtown Manhattan during the busy morning commute.And Amazon says a massive outage of its cloud computing service has been resolved, after a problem disrupted internet use around the world, taking down a broad range of online services, including social media, gaming, food delivery, streaming and financial platforms.

On another off day in town, get comfy with some random thoughts inside The Update Journal.

On another weekend in town, get comfy with some random thoughts inside The Update Journal.

From humiliation to almost interesting — the Yankees somehow managed to turn a 13–7 loss into a moral victory, even if it still counts as an “L” in the scorebook. Meanwhile, in Washington, it's Day 6 of the Government Shutdown, and absolutely nobody's blinking. And finally — the Great Recess Return. For the first time since May, the schoolyard is alive again with shouts, sneakers, and a few “Coach Brandon!” moments. We'll talk about the chaos, the nostalgia, and that feeling when it all starts again.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, NYPD officers fatally shot an armed man after a brief foot chase in Brooklyn.A worker at a Brooklyn discount store tried to foil a would-be shoplifter — only to get stabbed. The 30-year-old victim, who was not identified, was working at a Family Dollar store on Flatlands Avenue in East New York around 11:48 a.m. when she was slashed by the thief, police and sources said.And in Washington, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying any National Guard units to Oregon at all, after a legal whirlwind that began hours earlier when the president mobilized California troops for Portland after the same judge blocked him from using Oregon's National Guard the day before.

While the government shutdown continues, come enjoy a little laugh inside The Update Journal.

Today, we're diving headfirst into October baseball — starting with the ALDS preview between the Yankees and Blue Jays. One team's got the momentum, the other's got the maple syrup. Meanwhile, back in Queens, the Mets purge under Carlos Mendoza continues. Players are being shipped out faster than the 7 train leaves Times Square, and it's starting to feel less like a rebuild and more like a reality show: Extreme Roster Makeover – Citi Field Edition. On Day 4 of the Government Shutdown, things aren't looking any better. Lawmakers are still pointing fingers, staffers are still furloughed, and the Capitol cafeteria's probably running out of coffee — which explains a lot. And finally, a programming note: we're changing the formula for The Update on off days. Don't worry — it's not a total overhaul. Think of it like a diet soda with a little more flavor, not New Coke, where everyone rioted until they brought the old one back. This one still tastes like The Update… just with fewer calories and more laughs.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Saturday, Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to four years and two months in prison for transporting people across state lines for sexual encounters, capping a sordid federal case that featured harrowing testimony and ended in a forceful reckoning for one of the most influential figures in hip-hop.Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was left off the Toronto Blue Jays' roster for their AL Division Series against the New York Yankees along with injured shortstop Bo Bichette and right-hander Chris Bassitt.And in Washington, hopes for a quick end to the government shutdown faded as Democrats refused to budge in a Senate vote and President Trump readied plans to unleash layoffs and cuts across the federal government.

From baseball to bureaucracy to bizarre beverages — today's lineup in The Update Journal is one for the books. First up: Game 2 of the Yankees–Red Sox Wild Card series. The Yankees pulled off the comeback win to keep their season alive, which means fans can breathe again… at least until tomorrow. Then, it's Day 2 of the Government Shutdown — or as Washington likes to call it, “Take Your Blame Game to Work Day.” And finally, our Chocolate Egg Cream Soda review — a drink that nobody asked for, but Arizona made anyway. It's chocolate, it's creamy, it's carbonated… and it's confused. It's like drinking a dessert that's also having an identity crisis.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, a massive brick chimney running 20 stories up the side of a New York City apartment building in the Bronx collapsed after an explosion, sending tons of debris plummeting to the ground.President Trump's administration, citing the government shutdown, said it was putting a hold on roughly $18 billion to fund a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River between New York City and New Jersey and an extension of the city's Second Avenue subway.And overseas, an assailant drove a car at people outside a synagogue in northern England and then began stabbing people, killing two and wounding three in an attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year, police 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 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?

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 The Update Journal, it's Politics, Pennants, and Pumpkins. It's a Monday packed with drama both political and personal. First, the race to City Hall takes a sharp detour as Mayor Adams suddenly exits the stage, shaking up what was already a crowded field. Then, the Mets' season of promise ends in heartbreak, capping off one of the most disappointing collapses in team history. Over in the American League, the AL Central finishes in pure chaos, with the Guardians completing one of baseball's most improbable comebacks. And finally — to lighten things up — what you didn't see behind the camera on our Halloween prep was… well, let's just say there were props, pumpkins, and one mad professor who forgot where he left the fog machine.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, we continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With just 36 days to go until the general election, we're going to guarantee ourselves a new mayor. Mayor Adams ended his struggling reelection campaign, an acknowledgment that he was no longer a credible contender after a year of scandal and political turmoil. Also, we'll talk about from recalling his “shorty” in Queens to making heart hands with a robot, some of Adams' most ridiculous moments.Thousands of runners retraced a fallen New York City firefighter's desperate race to the twin towers Sunday to honor the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks – and raise over $1 million for survivors and their families. And in Michigan, an ex-Marine smashed a pickup into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church, opened fire and set the building ablaze during a crowded Sunday service and then was fatally shot by police. At least four people were killed and eight wounded, and authorities were searching the building ruins for more victims.

We're closing out the week inside The Update Journal. Former FBI Director James Comey's now the one facing questions — and this time, he's not the one asking them. We'll break down the charges and the irony behind them. Then, in Episode 3 of the Mets Playoff Chase Diary, the Amazins' season continues to hang by a thread — and that thread's starting to fray. And in The Last Word, as the leaves fall and the air turns crisp, a reminder that change doesn't have to be loud to be beautiful — though try telling that to a New Yorker with a leaf blower.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, The 13-year-old boy gunned down outside a Queens Dunkin' Donuts this week was slain over a gang beef, police claimed— as they identified a fellow teenager as the suspected killer.Grand Central Terminal experienced a brief blackout that left some MTA workers trapped in an elevator and thousands of others left to navigate the cavernous halls with the glow of their cellphones.And in Washington, James Comey was charged with lying to Congress in a criminal case filed days after President Trump appeared to urge his attorney general to prosecute the former FBI director and other perceived political enemies.

There's a load of extras in The Update Journal. In Episode 2 of the Mets Playoff Diary, the Amazins crash back to Earth in a 10–3 loss to the Cubs, squandering a golden chance to pad their lead on the Reds. Meanwhile, over in the AL Central, the Guardians have pulled off the baseball equivalent of climbing Mount Everest in flip-flops—coming all the way back from 15 and a half games down to now hold a one-game lead on the Tigers with just four to play. Two collapses, two storylines, and enough comedy to make you wonder if anyone in baseball actually wants to win. Also, The eyes have it. Gen Z daters prefer their prospective partners look, don't touch while flirting, per eye-popping new data. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, an off-duty NYPD officer shot a man who allegedly tried to rob her and her husband in Penn Station.A woman visiting the Big Apple from Germany with her husband was killed and nearly decapitated when a hit-and-run minivan driver plowed into the couple in Midtown. And in Texas, a shooter with a rifle opened fire from a nearby roof onto a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement location in Dallas, killing one detainee and wounding two others in a transport van before taking his own life, authorities said.

On this off day, catch up with some funny things inside The Update Journal.

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?

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 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?