Is TMZ rage baiting Washington DC? What to know after viral posts
Is TMZ rage baiting Washington DC? What to know after viral posts
Mike Stunson, USA TODAYWed, April 22, 2026 at 2:45 PM UTC
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A seemingly innocent social media post about a bagel sandwich — which sparked a flurry of responses in Washington DC — may not be so innocent after all.
The social media outcry began April 18 when Jacob Wasserman, a TMZ reporter who is among the website's new contingency in Washington DC, made a post on X about a breakfast delight he had apparently discovered.
"DC people — there's a place called Call Your Mother that makes an incredible bacon, egg and cheese. That is all," Wasserman posted.
The problem? Call Your Mother is a popular DC deli with six locations in the district and eight more in Virginia and Maryland. They've even expanded into Colorado, where they have seven locations, with Illinois and Pennsylvania also set to get their first stops.
DC locals poked fun at the post, suggesting Wasserman is years late in discovering the popular bagel shop. Others joked that he should check out other hidden gems — like McDonald's.
But there may be more to Wasserman's post than meets the eye.
Is TMZ rage baiting Washington DC?
Wasserman followed up his Call Your Mother post with another one Monday, recommending a coffee shop DC locals are already very familiar with.
"DC people — if you're looking to start off your day the right way, I highly recommend Tatte Bakery & Cafe," Wasserman said. "Pretty great way to celebrate one week in The District."
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Tatte, like Call Your Mother, is well known in DC and just as divisive. Tatte has 12 locations in DC and dozens more throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
So perhaps Wasserman is trolling DC, and locals are now picking up on it.
"This is one of the greatest trolls the city has seen in a long time," one person said on X. "It took me a second for me to pick this up, but truly a lost art. The art of the troll is strong here."
"If nothing else, the DC pseudo-insider attitude has a lot of comedic potential," another user said.
Where else should Jacob Wasserman go?
Plenty of people have joined in on the fun, letting Wasserman know of other "hidden gems" he should check out.
"There's this small out of the way and pretty unknown place you should try next called Old Ebbitt Grill," one commenter told Wasserman of the popular 150-year-old DC restaurant.
"Just wait until you find out about Georgetown Cupcake," a social media user said of the dessert shop that spawned a TV series. "Such a hidden gem!"
Others suggested he check out the National Mall, adding to the tounge-in-cheek list of "undiscovered" DC staples.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DMZ reporter trolls Washington DC in posts about hidden-gem eateries
Source: “AOL Breaking”
