Kennedy Saves the World

Episode: I'll Have Another: A Very Carley Christmas

Host: Kennedy
Guest: Carley Shimkus
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This festive episode of "Kennedy Saves the World" is a joyful celebration of holiday traditions, personal connections, and the importance of creating new memories. Host Kennedy is joined by her Fox News colleague Carley Shimkus for a lively, laughter-filled holiday happy hour. The conversation is a blend of Christmas mocktails, cherished family rituals, cooking mishaps, motherhood milestones, and heartfelt reflection on friendship and gratitude.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Holiday Mocktails: A Toast to Friendship

• [00:54 - 02:35] Kennedy and Carley begin with a “mocktail” toast, sipping a festive drink concocted with Amarula (a South African liqueur), root beer, whipped cream, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

  • Kennedy shares the backstory of Amarula and its versatility in holiday drinks.

  Memorable Quote:

  “If you get a straw full of cinnamon and whipped cream... it’s just a little bit of cinnamon. Because, you know, why not?”
  — Kennedy ([01:25])

2. Christmas Movie Traditions

• [03:03 - 04:39] Carley confesses her love for "It’s a Wonderful Life" and her plan to spike holiday drinks with peppermint schnapps, teasing that Kennedy has only ever watched the depressing part of the classic film.

  Notable Exchange:

  “I’ve only seen the end of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ which is not wonderful...”
  — Kennedy ([03:08])

  “But then we get to the wonderful after!”
  — Carley ([03:19])

• Discussion of personal Christmas movie favorites and the evolving nature of traditions, with Kennedy revealing "The Sound of Music" fills her home with holiday spirit.

3. Creating and Honoring Family Traditions

• [04:45 - 05:53] The conversation shifts to the excitement of passing down and inventing new family rituals, especially with young children.

  • Kennedy describes her family’s Christmas breakfast of cinnamon rolls and egg soufflé, and her brother’s household tradition of donuts and orange juice in bed before presents.

  Memorable Quote:

  “You can bring it back. Anything you want that you’ve done in the past, bring it back. It’s officially a tradition.”
  — Kennedy ([04:14])

4. Holiday Foods: Cinnamon Rolls & Macaroni and Cheese

• [05:55 - 08:51] The duo takes a culinary detour, gushing over homemade cinnamon rolls (with a debate about cream cheese frosting and heavy cream) and the universal appeal of macaroni and cheese.

  Cooking Mishaps & Tips:

  • Kennedy struggles with gluten-free baking and jokes that cursing while baking makes everything taste better.
  • Her nephew’s chef tip: use crushed salt and vinegar kettle chips as a gluten-free crunchy topping for mac and cheese.

  Memorable Quote:

  “Cream cheese frosting could solve a lot of problems. Really could. Like, you do a couple world leaders around a table solving an issue, just fire some cream cheese frosting at it—everyone’s like, you know what? We all agree on this.”
  — Carley ([06:30])

5. Kitchens in New York & The Joy of Communal Cooking

• [09:15 - 10:39] Both lament the “galley kitchen” life common in New York apartments and celebrate the dream of open, social kitchens. Kennedy calls her kitchen the “happiest place” when she can cook, bake, and chat with family.

  Memorable Moment:

  “The more I swear, the tastier it will be.”
  — Kennedy ([10:32])

6. More Traditions: Baking, Mulled Wine, and Scented Memories

• [10:55 - 11:24] The hosts discuss the power of sensory memories around the holidays—baking with Christmas music, mulled cider simmering, and Carley’s family mulled wine tradition.

7. Parenting Moments: Fox Christmas & The Future of Men

• [11:32 - 13:21] Lighthearted recounting of the Fox News Christmas tree lighting, where Lawrence Jones lifts Carley’s sizable toddler, Brock.

  • Kennedy jokes about the need for “strapping, fun dudes” in the next generation and assigns Brock the role of “savior of humanity.”

  Notable Quote:

  “We need some men, strapping, fun dudes to come back and make everything better.”
  — Kennedy ([12:40])

8. Candid Encounters: Kennedy versus Alvin Bragg

• [13:23 - 14:08] Kennedy recounts confronting Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg in public, telling him, “You are single handedly ruining the city,” and giving him a "Romanian glare." Carley praises Kennedy’s candor.

9. Gratitude & Giving Credit

• [14:08 - 15:30] Carley expresses deep gratitude to Kennedy for helping launch her TV career, sharing a story about their first meeting in an elevator and Kennedy’s early support.

  • Discussion reflects on the nurturing culture at Fox and the importance of mentorship and recognizing talent.

  Memorable Exchange:

  “You are the kindest person, but you’re also such a straight shooter... You are like a black and white cookie. It’s like you get all of it.”
  — Carley ([15:02])

10. Final Toast: To Friendship, Tradition, and New Memories

• [16:25 - 16:48] The episode closes with a warm toast to Christmas, enduring friendships, yummy food, and watching "It’s a Wonderful Life" all the way through—promising to make it a new tradition.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “If you get a straw full of cinnamon and whipped cream... it’s just a little bit of cinnamon. Because, you know, why not?”
  — Kennedy ([01:25])

• “I’ve only seen the end of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ which is not wonderful...”
  — Kennedy ([03:08])

• “But then we get to the wonderful after!”
  — Carley ([03:19])

• “You can bring it back. Anything you want that you’ve done in the past, bring it back. It’s officially a tradition.”
  — Kennedy ([04:14])

• “Cream cheese frosting could solve a lot of problems. Really could...”
  — Carley ([06:30])

• “The more I swear, the tastier it will be.”
  — Kennedy ([10:32])

• “We need some men, strapping, fun dudes to come back and make everything better.”
  — Kennedy ([12:40])

• “You are the kindest person, but you’re also such a straight shooter... You are like a black and white cookie.”
  — Carley ([15:02])

Episode Structure / Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 00:37 | Festive drinks & toast | | 02:35 | Christmas movies & traditions | | 04:45 | Evolving/founding family rituals | | 05:55 | Holiday baking and mac & cheese | | 09:15 | Life in NY kitchens | | 10:55 | Sensory Christmas traditions | | 11:32 | Parenting: Fox tree lighting & Brock anecdotes | | 13:23 | Kennedy’s Alvin Bragg confrontation | | 14:08 | Mentorship & career gratitude | | 16:25 | Final cheers and wrapping up |

Tone & Style

• Upbeat, candid, humorous, and heartfelt.
• Kennedy and Carley keep the conversation light and lively, with warmth and mutual respect.
• Lots of laughter, friendly teasing, and supportive anecdotes.

Conclusion

This episode offers a delightful blend of holiday cheer, candid confessions, kitchen stories, and genuine appreciation between colleagues and friends. Whether discussing Christmas movies, culinary mishaps, or the importance of having each other's backs, Kennedy and Carley exemplify the spirit of the season—love, gratitude, and tradition, both old and newly made.