John Kelly

Washington, D.C.

Local columnist

Education: University of Maryland, BA in English

John Kelly writes John Kelly's Washington, a daily look at Washington's less-famous side. Born in Washington, John started at The Post in 1989 as deputy editor in the Weekend section. Since then, he has edited Weekend, founded KidsPost and been a general assignment reporter in Metro, and he has done journalism fellowships at Harvard and Oxford.
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Latest from John Kelly

Marching along in dogged pursuit of more celebrity encounters

Memorable encounters with MLK, LBJ and the Invisible Man himself, Claude Rains.

July 12, 2023

When Dietrich went to the dentist: More stories of the famous

Actress Marlene Dietrich had a special request when she visited wartime Paris.

July 11, 2023

Profiles in Kennedy: Readers remember their encounters with JFK

Meeting John F. Kennedy in a taxi cab — and a church.

July 10, 2023

For a little dog, Merlin sure has a big personality

He makes a lot of demands, but he's pretty irresistible.

July 9, 2023

A public road in Annandale is called Private Lane. Why?

And was there a meetinghouse on Piney Meetinghouse Road?

July 8, 2023

Burt Reynolds changed my tire and other tales of fleeting fame

If you ever bump into someone famous then you will probably remember it forever.

July 5, 2023

Would you pay $110 for a work poster you could print for free?

The letter looked official. Lots of scam mailings do these days.

July 4, 2023

With a bang: Remembering how Washingtonians have celebrated July Fourth

John Adams called for "pomp, shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations."

July 3, 2023

Every family has had a brush with celebrity. What’s yours?

Stories of the famous, told around the dinner table. Plus: an apostrophe catastrophe.

July 2, 2023

A moment of life and death in a Washington restaurant

Her heart stopped as time seemed balanced on an invisible pivot between two futures.

June 21, 2023