Good morning. Foggy early, then partly sunny with a high around 82. Rain likely overnight, with a low near 66. The Nats play the Braves again this afternoon. You can find me on Bluesky, I’m @abeaujon.87 on Signal, and there’s a link to my email address below.
This roundup is available as a morning email newsletter. Sign up here.
I can’t stop listening to:
Los Tigres Del Norte, “La Jaula De Oro (Live At Folsom Prison).” Here’s a taste from a good documentary on Netflix about these norteño legends’ trip to Folsom on the 50th anniversary of Johnny Cash‘s famous show there. They will play Eagle Bank Arena Friday.
Take Washingtonian Today with you! I’ve made a playlist on Spotify and on Apple Music of my daily music recommendations this year.
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
He’s back: Jimmy Kimmel returned to the US airwaves Tuesday night, almost a week after Disney, which owns his network ABC, yielded to pressure from the Trump administration, whose members were upset about remarks Kimmel made following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, suspended the comedian’s late-night show. DC-area viewers had to improvise last night to watch Kimmel’s return, because our local ABC station refused to show it. You can watch his return here. Some recaps: Kimmel “told the audience that it was never his intention ‘to make light of the murder of a young man'” and criticized the administration “for threatening comedians and the press.” (WSJ) Kimmel “also praised Erika Kirk, Mr. Kirk’s widow, who at a public memorial on Sunday said that she forgave the person accused of murdering her husband,” saying, “If there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that, and not this.” (NYT) Displaying a photo of a gaudy Cybertruck emblazoned with Trump’s name, Kimmel called FCC chair Brendan Carr “the most embarrassing car Republicans have embraced since this one.” (Washington Post)
Reactions: MAGA commentators raged, painting Disney’s decision to yank Kimmel’s show as based on market forces, rather than from Trump’s administration putting the squeeze on ABC. That doesn’t really add up. (The New Republic) That point was also diluted quickly by Trump, who fumed online and threatened to investigate the network for what he characterized as illegal campaign contributions. (Deadline) The broadcast giant Nexstar said its decision to continue to preempt Kimmel has nothing to do with a proposed merger before Carr’s FCC. Both it and Sinclair, which owns DC’s ABC affiliate WJLA, are battling a viewer exodus to platforms like YouTube and agreements with the networks. In those matters, there’s “little precedent for a group boycotting a program for a sustained period.” (NYT) Democratic lawmakers sent letters to both corporations seeking answers about their decisions. (NBC News) Meanwhile: Apple TV+ postponed the debut a Jessica Chastain-led series about a woman who “infiltrates extremist forums and works to stop violent threats before they happen.” (Vulture)
That escalated weirdly: Trump visited the UN yesterday to give an address where he called climate science “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” said Christianity is “the most persecuted religion on the planet today,” and said countries that don’t share his views on immigration are “going to hell.” He claimed he’s “accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country” and said environmentalists want to “kill all the cows.” (Washington Post) Perhaps the newsiest part of the speech, however, was his pronouncement that “All I got from the United Nations was an escalator on the way up that stopped right in the middle.” (You can watch the incident here.) The White House called for an investigation. (NYT) The UN said Trump’s videographer triggered a safety mechanism. (United Nations)
Also in international affairs: Trump unexpectedly changed his tune on the war in Ukraine after a meeting with its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, saying the country could “fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.” (NYT) The U-turn thrilled hawks. (Axios) Zelensky expressed some surprise over the move. (CBS News) European officials were cautiously optimistic, though one noted Trump is “always one Putin call away from doing something not great.” (Politico)
Administration perambulation: In a temporary setback for Trump’s campaign to get himself a Nobel Peace Prize, an overwhelming majority of Americans say he doesn’t deserve it. (Washington Post) US Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana asked the Department of Health and Human Services to produce evidence that Tylenol use could be tied to autism following a bizarre Trump press conference Monday. (CNN) Via social media, Trump canceled a meeting with top Democrats, increasing the chances of a shutdown. (NBC News) Ryan Routh tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen after a jury in Florida found him guilty of attempting to assassinate Trump last year. (CNN) The GSA has asked hundreds of federal employees purged by Elon Musk‘s DOGE project to return to work. (AP) The FBI says it found “documents marked as classified” in its search of John Bolton‘s residence. (Politico) Peter Strzok lost “a long-running lawsuit claiming he was illegally fired during Donald Trump’s first term.” (Politico) Yet another temporary statue of Trump appeared on the National Mall. This one depicts him cavorting with former pal Jeffrey Epstein. (Washington Post)
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• Kennedy Center staffers had to call security after members of DC’s Log Cabin Republicans chapter disrupted a performance by the Alexandria guitarist Yasmin Williams, whom they consider “a vocal opponent of President Trump.” Center president Ric Grenell‘s office reserved passes for the men and welcomed them as they arrived.
• You have the right to choose your own title company when you buy a property. Here’s how to exercise it.
• Nationals Park will transform into a winter wonderland this coming November, with snow tubing, curling, and even a train.
• Glam, romantic, cozy: These bridal pajama sets will get you ready for your wedding.
Local news links:
• Gary “Zeek” Dziekan, the DC firefighter who got shot during a robbery, said he “ended up calling his own unit for help after he could not connect to an operator for three minutes when calling 911.” (WTOP) Flashback: Here’s the story Ike Allen and I wrote last year about the District’s dysfunctional 911 system. (Washingtonian)
• US Marshals told DC resident Khisha Harris that they would “take your address off the list” after they searched her home for the third time, looking for someone who moved out more than a year ago. (ABC7 News)
• Montgomery County Public Schools says police didn’t use pepper balls to disperse a fight last Friday—officers employed “what is called a pepper ball device” to “make a sound — what they’re calling ‘air pops.'” (NBC4 Washington)
• The Washington Commanders have committed to saving some heritage trees on the RFK campus. (WCP)
• Alex Ovechkin visited a local Giant to promote his new cereal, which Washingtonian Today can report from personal experience tastes like damp cardboard. Sorry! (Washingtonian via Instagram)
• Dulles’s people movers will probably be in use for decades to come. (FFX Now)
• Please enjoy this photo of a pay phone at the Library of Congress. (PoPville)
• Washingtonian Today alma mater Wakefield High School has won three football games in a row, the first such streak since 2021. This newsletter will continue to aggressively kind-of cover Wakefield’s football results, despite the fact that Washingtonian Today’s children both attended rival Alexandria City High School. (ARLnow)
• It’s pawpaw season. Here’s where to find your hillbilly mangoes. (Axios D.C.)
Wednesday’s event picks:
• “The Heart Sellers“ opens at Studio Theatre.
• “Wade in the Waters,” an exhibition of works by DC artist Rik Freeman, opens at Phillips@THEARC.
See more picks from Briana Thomas, who writes our Things to Do newsletter.
Noms, Noms, Noms: Know a local hero? Nominate them to join our next class of Washingtonians of the Year. We’re looking for anyone who makes our area a better place. Nominations are due by September 30. We’re also seeking nominations for our 500 Most Influential People list. Those are due by December 5.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
