D.C.'s Most Influential People
Just this week, GQ published their annual "50 Most Powerful People in D.C." list. Populated by the likes of Condoleezza Rice, Nancy Pelosi, Karl Rove and Tim Russert, the list better describes the movers and shakers in "Washington", but not the District. And since we're snobs about local news and happenings, we threw together a little list of the people who really exercise influence in or over the lives of people who live and work in D.C. There isn't any particular order, and we welcome further suggestions in the comments. And no, saying "me!" doesn't count.
Marion Barry: Love him or hate him, our scandal-ridden former mayor is still a political player east of the river. And not only has he stayed out of jail even though he's been booked for pretty much everything, he's managed to secure himself a wax likeness in the meantime.
Dorothy Brizill: Every city has one, and every city's residents are thankful that they do. Brizill is the consummate civic activist, using her perch at DCWatch and her ability to sit through every press conference and regulatory meeting the city can throw at her to hold elected leaders accountable.
Adrian Fenty: It goes without saying that the city's mayor should make the cut, right? But beyond simply harnessing the power of controlling the District's massive bureacracy, Fenty's crushing victory in last year's election and his never-ending mayoral stamina have made him a well-liked and respected leader. Now he only needs three more terms and a criminal conviction and he'll have his own wax statue.
Mother Nature: Should anyone doubt the weather's influence on District happenings, just remind yourself of what happened the last time Bob Ryan or Sue Palka uttered the words "wintry mix."
Joe Englert: Have a favorite bar? Chances are that Englert might own it. And if he opens one more on H Street in Northeast, the city should just go ahead and call it "Englertville."
College Students: If you're a former president of an area university, there's a good chance you were driven out by protesting students. If only the real president could be forced to resign this easily.
Douglas Jemal: A real estate baron to call our own, Jemal has been responsible for a good chunk of the District's development boom. And like any good real estate baron, he was recently accused of bribing city officials, though he was later found to be innocent.
Matthew Lesko: Just having stayed in business as long as he has is reason enough to put Lesko -- the infamous question-mark-suit-wearing infomercial king -- on this list.
Scott and Arianne Bennett: Sure, there are plenty of high-powered chefs and restaurateurs out there, but these two tapped into one of the District's best markets -- late-night food in Adams Morgan that doesn't suck. Both Amsterdam Falafelshop and M'Dawg Haute Dogs are much-needed alternatives to the infamous jumbo slice, and thankfully so.
Blelvis: The District's own Black Elvis is apparently influential enough to merit not only repeated coverage by the City Paper, but a piece in the Post too. How far behind can The New Yorker be?
Gilbert Arenas: Agent Zero has made us proud to be fans of the Washington Wizards.
Jim Graham: If someone gets shot, stabbed or simply slapped upside the head, we can always count on Ward 1's councilmember to step in and shut down every bar, restaurant and food cart in a three-block radius.
The Zone System: Pretty much everyone hates the District's antiquated taxicab zone system, yet it remains stubbornly opposed to being replaced. And as long as it exists, residents and tourists will find themselves fighting the sometimes-creative interpretations of the zones' boundaries with cabbies.
Dante Ferrando: The owner of the Black Cat has the power to single-handedly make the dreams of every punk band from the suburbs come true when he lets them play the midnight slot on Wednesday at the Backstage. Oh, and then there's the surprise Dave Grohl acoustic performances and Dismemberment Plan reuinion shows.
Kojo Nnamdi: We're not sure if it's his name or his soothing voice, but Nnamdi's noon-time show on WAMU is a must-listen for anyone stuck in traffic or with a radio in their cubicle.
John Catoe: The man we stole away from Los Angeles is responsible for one of the country's biggest transit systems, not to mention handling the persistent gripes of the millions of area residents that rely on it. And should be choose to limit late-night service on weekends, Catoe might also count himself as the first Metro chief to be chased out of D.C. by hordes of incensed hipsters.
Eleanor Holmes Norton: The District's delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives may not have a vote, but she has enough passion and a loud enough voice to put any Republican in their place.
Rep. Louie Gohmert: Duh.
Michelle Rhee: She makes more than the mayor does, and it's easy to see why -- being stuck with the responsibility of improving the District's public schools is not a task anyone would be envious of.
Judge Roy Pearson: In his never-ending and often confusing quest to bring justice to his favorite pair of pants, Pearson has once again given tort reformers a reason to fight. Best for them, he's not nearly done.
Robert Levy: This name might not ring a bell now, but if the U.S. Supreme Court knocks down the District's gun laws, you'll surely come to know Levy as the man who kickstarted the process.
Tourists: These migratory animals descend on the District in the summertime, clogging the Metro, buying FBI t-shirts and keeping the Hard Rock Cafe in business. But jokes aside, they do provide a lot of money for the local economy and for that we are grateful. But for God's sake, stand on the right.
Some noteworthy mentions include Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, Verizon Center builder Abe Pollin, District CFO Natwar Gandhi, Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner, Pierre L'Enfant, City Administrator Dan Tangherlini, the Post's Marc Fisher and WTOP's Mark Plotkin. Who else should be added?