The Update with Brandon Julien

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of Year 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

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're doing something a little bit different- a compilation of the best of Year 2 of the show. Having been in the anchor chair for a full year now, the amount of events just continued to pick up. Nikolas Cruz opening fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Bill Cosby convicted on all three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, and Brett Kavanaugh being confirmed to the Supreme Court just to name a few. But despite all the heaviness of the news, me (and occasionally Cris too) found a way to have some fun doing 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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

Today in The Update Journal, we begin with The Last Day Hostage Situation, because apparently the final day of school is now a full-day commitment, and somewhere Bill de Blasio’s name has been added to the “things we are still mad about” clipboard — right under snow days, above printer toner shortages, and directly next to “why are we still doing regular dismissal on a day where everyone’s brain has already left the building?” Then, we head into The Vampire Lestat, Episode 1: “Detroit,” because one Anne Rice series clearly wasn’t enough emotional damage for the summer. We’re now running Interview With the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat at the same time, partly for scheduling reasons, partly because stretching this into October would turn the watchlist into a government infrastructure project with delays, hearings, and one guy in a vest saying, “We’re looking at completion by 2029.” And yes, this episode comes with an emotional body slam, so please stretch first, hydrate, and keep the remote far away from any windows. And finally, The Last Word closes things out with Everyone Deserves to Be Seen, a Pride Month reflection about visibility, acceptance, and making sure people know they matter — even when the world sometimes acts like basic human decency is an optional software update. Because whether it’s school chaos, vampire trauma, or real life, sometimes the most important thing you can say to somebody is simple: you are here, you are valid, and you deserve more than being treated like background furniture in somebody else’s story. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, Venezuelans searched for survivors beneath collapsed buildings, and rescue teams raced to northern areas rocked by a pair of powerful earthquakes that officials say killed at least 188 people and left more than 200 trapped. Mayor Mamdani ran on a campaign pledge: “As your next mayor, I will freeze your rent.” A board he controls made good on that signature pledge. The city’s Rent Guidelines Board, an independent panel of mayoral appointees, approved a rent freeze covering both one-year and two-year leases for people living in about 1 million rent-stabilized apartments. Hours earlier, a landlord rep on the city’s Rent Guidelines Board resigned leading up to the group’s scheduled vote – arguing the board was stacked to turn Mayor Mamdani’s campaign pledge into a reality. And in Washington, The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disaster in Haiti and Syria, exposing hundreds of thousands more people to potential deportation. Also, they sided with the maker of Roundup weedkiller in a ruling expected to block thousands of lawsuits alleging it failed to warn people the product could cause cancer.

Today in The Update Journal, we ask the important questions: have the Mets hit rock bottom, or did Citi Field secretly install a basement just for emotional damage? After getting swept in a doubleheader by the Cubs at home, the Mets have officially entered the “somebody check the warranty on this team” phase of the season. At this point, the fan base isn’t even asking for a winning streak — just basic baseball functions, like catching the ball, throwing the ball, and not turning every inning into a group therapy session. Then, on the summer watchlist, Interview With the Vampire finally brings Claudia into the picture, and my blood pressure immediately files a complaint with HR. She’s here, she’s terrifying, she’s fascinating, and someone should probably keep a doctor on standby because this child vampire does not enter a story quietly. She kicks the door open, changes the emotional temperature of the whole series, and reminds everyone that sometimes the most dangerous person in the room is the one who just got here. And finally, school is out, summer camp is moving in, and the building has gone from “final week chaos” to “field trip clipboard season” in record time. The pencils are down, the permission slips are up, and somewhere, a staff member is already trying to figure out how we went from graduation tears to camp schedules, water days, and organized summer madness before we even finished cleaning out the last classroom. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, Pride Month celebrations peaked with big parades in New York, San Francisco and some other cities on the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall uprising, which accelerated and transformed the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. A long and dangerous heat wave will blast a large swath of the central and eastern United States this week, the National Weather Service said, with temperatures rising ahead of the July Fourth holiday and feeling even hotter because of the high humidity that’s arriving with it. And about 3 million fewer people in the United States had Affordable Care Act health insurance plans in February compared with the same time last year, according to new federal data.

Today in The Update Journal, we’re unpacking a crisis of culture, commerce, and Costco bakery temptation. First, music used to have soul, heartbreak, and somebody singing like the rent was due, the lights were about to get cut off, and their ex had just walked back into the room. Now half the industry looks like it was assembled in front of a ring light with an eight-count dance routine, a brand partnership pending, and lyrics that sound like they were written during a TikTok break. Then, we head to Target, the magical place where you walk in for toothpaste and somehow leave with storage bins, snacks, a candle, a shirt you did not need, and emotional damage from there only being two cashiers in a store the size of an airport terminal. Why does Target have 47 aisles, 300 red carts, and exactly two humans available to help you check out? At some point, this stops being retail and starts becoming a social experiment with price scanners. And today’s Honorable Mention goes to Costco shoppers losing their minds over a hot new bakery item, because apparently the phrase “Give me 30” is no longer a joke — it’s a bulk-buying battle cry. Costco already had people leaving with enough paper towels to survive a natural disaster, and now the bakery section is creating emotional dependency. Pray for the sample tables. Pray for the shopping carts. And most importantly, pray for anyone standing between a Costco member and fresh baked goods. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, a suffocating heat dome will roast the Big Apple this week, with stifling humidity making it feel like 110 degrees — and electricity demands expected to hit near-record levels. Luigi Mangione’s federal trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson will now begin in January instead of the fall, a judge said at a hearing that started late because Mangione got stuck in a courthouse elevator. And out in the American west, three firefighters killed over the weekend in a wildfire along the Colorado-Utah border were trying to shield themselves from flames by deploying tent-like shelters when they were overcome, authorities said.

Today in The Update Journal, we are spinning through workplace tension, vampire confusion, and weather conditions that should absolutely require a court appearance. First, The Chair That Keeps Spinning takes a look at one of those situations where you do not want to create drama, you do not want to make things awkward, and you definitely do not want to start throwing furniture — but emotionally? A couple of darts have already been sharpened, labeled, and placed neatly on the table. Then, the long-awaited Claudia Special finally arrives as part of our Interview With the Vampire summer watchlist with “Claudia, Confusion, and the Vampire HR Department.” Because at some point, somebody has to ask: who was in charge of onboarding this child into immortality? Was there a handbook? A benefits package? A complaint form? Because Claudia’s file is already three inches thick, written in red ink, and probably locked in a cabinet labeled “Do Not Open Unless Emotionally Prepared.” And in Brandon’s Take, we address the true villain of summer: humidity. Not heat. Not sunshine. Humidity. That invisible wet blanket that turns New York City into a crockpot with subway delays. Frankly, humidity should be illegal, fined, and forced to apologize to everyone who walked outside and immediately felt like a rotisserie chicken with student loans. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, a wave of thunderstorms and hail could hammer the Big Apple on the Fourth of July as a vicious five-day heat dome cooks revelers in nearly 100-degree swelter – making the holiday the hottest in nearly 20 years. Mayor Mamdani’s inaugural, record-breaking nearly $126 billion budget passed — growing city spending by more than $10 billion from last year despite his past dire warnings about the Big Apple’s financial situation. And in Washington, a divided Supreme Court upheld a broad conception of birthright citizenship, rejecting President Trump’s executive order declaring that children born to people who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

Today in The Update Journal, love is apparently in the air — but so is panic, confusion, and at least one NYPD officer standing by the elevator wondering how this became their shift. We’re starting with the Empire State Building situation, where romance, daredevil behavior, and citywide trauma all met at the top of one of the most recognizable buildings on Earth. Because nothing says “big gesture” quite like making an entire city look up, freeze, and collectively ask, “Are we doing this today?” Then, we’re taking one last look back at Season 19: the season that needed a fan, a MetroCard memorial, and possibly a licensed emotional support counselor. From heat warnings and humidity crimes to transit betrayal, school-year chaos, summer watchlists, vampire feelings, and enough personal commentary to fill a group therapy session, Season 19 really put us through it. It laughed, it ranted, it sweated through its shirt, and at some point, it probably asked ConEd for mercy. And finally, The Last Word closes things out with “America at 250: Fireworks, Freedom, and One Last Word Before Season 20.” We’re saluting the country’s big birthday with fireworks, history, summer chaos, and the kind of patriotic reflection that comes right before a long holiday weekend. America has made it to 250 years old, which means it deserves celebration, cake, and maybe a quick wellness check. So before Season 20 comes charging in with new drama, new segments, and fresh reasons to yell into the microphone, we’re giving Season 19 the sendoff it deserves: loud, funny, slightly sweaty, and deeply exhausted. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, two people got to the top of the Empire State Building’s antenna and unfurled a banner about “the power of love” at midday, before descending, embracing, taking selfies and ultimately being arrested. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will celebrate their wedding at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the security plans. And in Mississippi, a family whose 1-year-old child was killed when police fired into a moving car offered evidence that they say challenges the officers’ account that they were in danger when one opened fire.

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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.

In today's edition of The Update Journal, we ask the question nobody expected to take seriously: why does the Cheaters theme song go so hard? A show built entirely around emotional betrayal somehow came with a theme that sounds like heartbreak put on a leather jacket, walked into a recording studio, and said, “Give me something with pain, drama, and a bassline.” Then, our Interview With the Vampire summer watchlist continues with Episode 3, “Is My Very Nature That of the Devil,” where Louis is spiraling, Lestat is being Lestat, and the emotional foundation of this show starts cracking like a sidewalk in August heat. And with Claudia getting dangerously close to entering the chat, my blood pressure, emotional stability, and ability to watch this show like a normal person are all officially on notice. And in Brandon’s Take, summer mode is loading… please wait. Because summer may be here on the calendar, but mentally, physically, and spiritually, some of us are still buffering at 37% while trying to survive heat, work, schedules, and whatever chaos New York decides to throw at us next. The season says “relax,” but the city says, “Here’s humidity, subway delays, random thunderstorms, and one more reason to question your life choices before lunch.” In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, a city-hired veterinarian uncovered concerning conditions inside Central Park’s stables, including cramped quarters, skin lesions and swollen limbs, a report revealed— as the fleet of carriage horses returned to work. “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie made an emotional appeal to viewers to come forward with any information about her missing mother, a day after news organizations said a ransom note received months ago had indicated that she was dead. And out in the American west, the 18-year-old suspect in a shooting at a Northern California library did a walkthrough of the building, then went to his vehicle, got a shotgun and fatally shot a man at the main door and another inside, law enforcement said.

In today's edition of The Update Journal, we ask the question nobody saw coming in 2026: do we… gotta go back to Mo’s? Modell’s is reportedly plotting a comeback, but online first — because apparently even nostalgia has to clear the digital checkout line before it can reopen a storefront. Still, if this is the first step toward hearing “Gotta Go to Mo’s” again in public, then yes, I am emotionally prepared to pretend I didn’t miss a sporting goods store this much. Then, Boar’s Head has entered the Thanksgiving group chat with a deep fried turkey breast, which sounds delicious, dangerous, and like something that would get the fire department called if we tried making it ourselves. It’s Thanksgiving energy with deli counter access — the kind of thing that makes you wonder if someone at Boar’s Head looked at a holiday dinner and said, “What if this came sliced, seasoned, and with fewer relatives asking about your life choices?” And in today’s honorable mention, California cities are dominating the national catfish rankings, proving once again that the West Coast can’t just have sunshine, beaches, and traffic — it also needs emotional fraud with a profile picture from 2017. Apparently, some people are out here getting lured in by fake profiles, fake promises, and dating bios that have more fiction than a CW reboot. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, A former chief of staff to ex Mayor Adams was arrested in a federal bribery case about a lucrative migrant shelter contract, the latest sign that prosecutors continue to scrutinize Adams’ inner circle months after the scandal-bruised Democrat left office. Mayor Mamdani’s slate of fiery progressives swept establishment-backed Democrats in the state’s congressional primaries, ousting two sitting congressmen in a resounding show of force for the democratic socialist leader of America’s largest city, who is fighting to reshape the Democratic Party in New York and beyond. And in Texas, Camp Mystic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, nearly a year after catastrophic floods killed 25 campers and two teenage counselors at the Christian camp for girls along the Guadalupe River.

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 5 of The Update. When we first started this then-show at WKRB in 2017, the first year had a lot of things going on. Donald Trump's first year in office, mass shootings worldwide, and the Great American Solar Eclipse to name just a few. In Year 5, it was more of the same. There was the Russian war in Ukraine, more mass shootings in America, and the overturning of Roe V. Wade to name just a few that we'll mention. But also, after more than two years out on the road, we made our way to a new studio at UD Team in the summer of 2022. Oh, and one last thing- be on the lookout for some WKRB highlights as we looked back on five years of memories.