A memo issued to staff at the Washington Post confirms the newsroom in their Washington, D.C., headquarters was infested with cockroaches.
“We have a growing pest problem,” said director of newsroom operations Jillian S. Jarrett in an office memo. “We’ve gotten several reports of cockroaches in the newsroom.”
The report of the insect infestation at the Washington Post closely mirrors a bedbug infestation at the New York Times. An internal memo sent to New York Times newsroom staff on Monday confirmed the presence of bedbugs. “During an extermination sweep of the newsroom over the weekend, we discovered evidence of bedbugs in a wellness room … on the second floor, a couch on the third floor and a booth on the fourth floor.” The memo informed staff the areas would be thoroughly cleaned.
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens deleted his Twitter account after a George Washington University professor jokingly called him a “bedbug” in light of the infestation. Stephens said he was deeply offended by the “dehumanizing rhetoric.”
Jarrett went on to say the cockroaches in the Washington Post seemed to be confined only to the newsroom and suggested staff be more tidy with food. “There are Clorox wipes in the copy aide station. We have on-call cleaning services, if you need a vacuum or mop, please let me know,” Jarrett said.
An email reply to Jarrett’s memo from the newsroom praised the cockroach fighting skills of reporter Taylor Telford and included photos of her flushing the insects down the toilet.
Other Washington Post newsroom staff tweeted harrowing incidents of roach encounters from this summer. “When you slide in early to claim a corner ‘office’ in the @washingtonpost kitchen to get some serious revisioning done and see a COCKROACH skittering by your foot!” tweeted reporter Tracy Jan. “Lucky for me, @taylormtelford is on the morning GA shift and responded to my screams. Calm, cool and collected, this girl’s my hero!”
[Read: Trump jokes bedbugs at New York Times brought in by columnist Bret Stephens]
Lucky for me, @taylormtelford is on the morning GA shift and responded to my screams. Calm, cool and collected, this girl’s my hero! pic.twitter.com/qYwukjHmPX
— Tracy Jan (@TracyJan) August 2, 2019
Or… we could get a thick book, like this one, and attempt to escort it to the bathroom. pic.twitter.com/fLDZfgzwhn
— Tracy Jan (@TracyJan) August 2, 2019
Colleagues heaped praise on Telford’s bravery and complimented her ability to stay fashionable under pressure. “I thought there was a wild beast in the kitchen from your screams!! Major props to @taylormtelford for not only restoring calm but rockin a very chic jumpsuit,” said reporter Rachel Leah Siegel.
“It’s her roach murdering jumpsuit!” Jan exclaimed.
I thought there was a wild beast in the kitchen from your screams!! Major props to @taylormtelford for not only restoring calm but rockin a very chic jumpsuit
— Rachel Leah Siegel (@rachsieg) August 2, 2019
