Podcast Summary: "Stuffing Is Wet Bread & Other Hot Takes"

Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness
Release Date: November 25, 2025

Overview

In this Thanksgiving-themed episode, Kim and Penn Holderness dive into their spicy "hot takes" on classic holiday traditions, food controversies, and aging—plus, they bring in listener call-ins, tackle the stigma around perimenopause, and suggest conversation starters for tricky family gatherings. Peppered with songs, satire, and candid confessions, the episode is a mix of humor, warmth, and relatable middle-aged angst.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Age of Unfiltered Hot Takes

• Kim’s Feistiness: Kim attributes her boldness and loss of filter to perimenopause, which sets the tone for her unapologetic hot takes throughout the episode.
  • “My estrogen has left me, so I’m feeling a little feisty. So we have some hot takes on Thanksgiving. We have some hot takes on perimenopause.” (06:21)
• Penn’s Thanksgiving Fandom: Penn ranks Thanksgiving as his favorite holiday, even above Christmas and birthdays.
  • “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s my number one in my power rankings.” (06:46)

2. Uniforms, Mail Carriers, and Listener Call-ins

Listener Andy (Mail Carrier) Responds:

• Andy, a USPS carrier, laughs along with their previous commentary about unattractive postal uniforms, calling for a "rebranding" and sharing her experience on the job.
  • “You’re so right. We need a revolution. We need a rebranding for USPS letter carriers. They are the dorkiest, most uncomfortable uniforms you’ve ever seen.” (08:43)
  • Notable Moment: Andy has only ever seen one man “pull it off”—causing everyone in the studio to cackle.
• Kim and Penn riff on making postal uniforms trendy, joking about Ralph Lauren redesigns and a hypothetical action movie about a heroic mailman.
  • "What if that company volunteered to rebrand the USPS and...pay for it later. Okay. American way, right?" (10:48)\
  • "You go to an 18-year-old girl who's getting dressed up for Halloween. They'll make anything hot." (11:25)

Listener Kat’s Tech Tip:

• Kat calls in with a festive Alexa Christmas tree lighting routine: "Our Christmas tree lights come on when we say, 'Alexa, Merry Christmas,' and they turn off when we say, 'Alexa, Bah humbug.'" (13:36)
• This triggers a reflection on aging, with Kim realizing they've entered the demographic for “old people tech podcasts.” (14:23)

3. Thanksgiving Music Shortage & Penn's "Thanksgiving Banger"

• Kim’s Complaint: There’s no classic Thanksgiving music, so she plays Christmas music in November.
  • "There are no Thanksgiving bangers. If I had some good Thanksgiving music, I would listen to it." (15:00)
• Penn Attempts a Thanksgiving Song: After being “assigned” by Kim, Penn humorously presents ideas for Thanksgiving songs that play off the anatomy of a turkey and family traditions.
  • "Are you a breast guy or a leg guy? Do you like it from the oven or the deep fry? ... Got cranberry sauce straight out the can in a tub of macaroni. And somebody always gets in some sort of football injury. Thanksgiving's far from perfect. It's perfect for me." (19:47–20:38)
  • Kim pre-records three possible reactions to the song, ranging from sentimental to satirical, emphasizing their playful dynamic.

4. Thanksgiving Food Hot Takes (24:55–29:16)

• “Stuffing is just wet bread and lies.”
  • Kim’s most incendiary take, met with immediate debate from Penn.
• Penn’s Stovetop Preference: Prefers boxed stuffing over the in-bird variety.
• Turkey as Gravy Vehicle: “You don’t actually like turkey. You like the gravy delivery system.” (25:55)
  • Debate on the necessity of side dishes outweighing the turkey itself.
• Other Controversial Food Takes:
  • Canned cranberry sauce beats homemade
  • Mashed potatoes = excuse for butter
  • No one really likes pumpkin pie—it's just a conveyance for Cool Whip
  • Green bean casserole only exists because of fried onions

5. Perimenopause: The Freedom of Aging Unfiltered (29:16–36:02)

• Benefits of Reduced Estrogen: Kim shares that losing her filter has made her life better: setting boundaries, being honest, and focusing on things that “spark joy.”
  • "When the estrogen leaves your body, it is actually very freeing. And honestly, this gets us into my next hot takes." (29:18)
  • “I think I'm actually being kinder because I'm getting to the truth faster. And I think that’s an expression of kindness.” (30:54)
• Penn’s Perspective: Observes how couples often save their “worst selves” for each other due to unconditional love, and how Kim’s new honesty now applies to everyone.
• “Gas-lighting” Incident: Penn and Kim recount a utility mishap that left them without heat, using it as a metaphor for Kim’s newfound assertiveness and Penn’s pun:
  • “We were literally being gaslit-ing me. ‘Cause they were like, ‘No, you weren’t there to get the gaslight lit!’" (36:02)

6. The Need for Menopause Partners—and a Sneak Preview

• Shoutout to Jesse: Next week features a TikTok creator helping men support women in menopause, spotlighting the need for conversations that reach beyond “the echo chamber.”
  • "If there are a billion people right now with perimenopause, that means there’s probably over a billion people living with people who have perimenopause..." (37:02)

7. Conversation Starters for Thanksgiving & Family Dinners (41:48–51:39)

• Kim’s List: To help keep the Thanksgiving table lively (and avoid controversy!), Kim suggests thought-provoking, easy questions:
  • Example: “What is a lesson you’ve learned the hard way this year?” (42:37)
  • “If you started a rock band, what would the name of that band be?” (44:11)
  • “Did you ever want to change your first name?” (44:45)
  • “What was your worst haircut or hairstyle of all time?” (49:07)
  • “What’s your favorite charity to donate your time or money to?” (51:00)
• Family Traditions: Kim connects this tradition to her daughter's request for question lists and her own upbringing.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kim: “Stuffing is just wet bread and lies. Stuffing is just wet bread.” (25:02)
• Penn (on being a “thigh guy”): “I'm a thigh guy. I love a good dark meat on my turkey.” (24:54)
• Kim (on perimenopause): “It is so nice to be able to say—Thanksgiving’s gonna be a doozy—whatever. I want it.” (29:58)
• Listener Andy: “We need a revolution. We need a rebranding for USPS letter carriers. They are the dorkiest, most uncomfortable uniforms you’ve ever seen.” (08:43)
• Kim (on green bean casserole): "Without the fried onions, nobody would eat it." (27:53)
• Penn (pun): “We were literally being gasliting me. Because they were like, ‘No, you weren’t there to get the gaslight lit!’" (36:02)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Laugh Line Listener Voicemails: 08:43–13:23
• Hot Takes: Thanksgiving Music & Food: 14:59–29:16
• Perimenopause & Aging Discussion: 29:16–37:02
• Conversation Starters for Table Talk: 41:48–51:39

Tone & Style

• Playful, Candid, Energetic. Kim and Penn blend tongue-in-cheek humor with honest, sometimes vulnerable moments about aging and family life.
• Self-deprecating & Satirical: Frequent digs at themselves, their own creations, and middle age malaise.

Final Notes

• If you use any of Kim’s conversation starters at Thanksgiving, send her your feedback!
• Next week: Special episode on how men can best support women through menopause, featuring TikTok creator Jesse.
• Submit your own call-ins or stories for future episodes via voicemail or email (details at the end of the episode).