Word on the Hill: Cousins Bernie and Larry

By Alex Gangitano

Posted October 5, 2017 at 5:00am

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and comedian Larry David, who portrayed him on “Saturday Night Live” last season, are reportedly distant cousins.

The two found out on PBS’ “Finding Your Roots,” which released a preview of its Season 4 premiere, People reported. In the preview, David is told researchers matched his DNA against others who have appeared on the show, turning up a cousin.

“What the hell?” David said when presented with a photograph of Sanders. “That is so funny. That is really funny. That is amazing.”

Sanders had a similar reaction.

“You’re kidding, oh my God,” Sanders said when he learns that David is his cousin. “That is unbelievable. It’s true?”

“Okay, cousin Bernie,” David joked.

D.C. seeing Airbnb surge

The Washington Nationals had a good season, so Airbnb guest arrivals in D.C. have surged. The D.C. baseball team is starting its 2017 postseason tomorrow, and arrivals to the area have jumped by 24 percent ahead of the weekend, Airbnb said in a news release. Nearly 13,200 guests are estimated to arrive this weekend. That’s up 2,500 guests from the Nationals’ playoff games in 2016.

The whole city is making money from the playoffs. Airbnb predicts that this weekend will bring “$6.8 million in economic activity to the district, including $5.4 million in guest spending at D.C. restaurants, cafes and retail shops.”

Pet Night results

Pickles the hedgehog won cutest exotic pet. (Courtesy — Pickles won cutest exotic pet. (Courtesy Animal Health Institute)

The 2017 winners of the annual Cutest Pet on Capitol Hill Contest, hosted by the Animal Health Institute, were announced as part of Pet Night on Wednesday.

Congratulations to Pickles the hedgehog, pet of Mary Sobczak from Rep. Peter Roskam’s office, R-Ill., who won cutest exotic pet. Lilly the cat, pet of Terra Davis from Rep. Tom Rice’s office, R-S.C., won cutest cat, and Ellie the dog, pet of Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., won cutest dog.

There were 200 entries for the competition and more than 16,000 votes cast to decide the winners.

Eating Disorder Group on the Hill

Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action is having its fall 2017 advocacy day on Capitol Hill. The day will run from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and the group plans on meeting with offices about urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to include eating disorder questions on their surveillance surveys and to advocate for Congress to recognize a National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.