Monday Morning Podcast – “Thanksgiving, Inventory, Public Schools” (11-24-25)
Overview
In this Thanksgiving week episode (November 24, 2025), Bill Burr delivers his signature blend of rants, reminiscence, and off-the-cuff comedy. He jumps from gratitude for holiday traditions to biting sports commentary, skeptical takes on capitalism and the Illuminati, childhood memories of Bruins hockey, and reflections on public schools and self-worth. Throughout, Bill’s tone ranges from cynical and sharp to unexpectedly sincere, giving listeners both laughs and uniquely honest observations on family, culture, and personal growth.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Thanksgiving: The Unspoiled Holiday
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Thanksgiving Appreciation: Bill expresses genuine fondness for Thanksgiving, calling it “arguably the best holiday out there” because there’s “no costumes, no pressure to buy a bunch of shit—just show up, hang out with people you love, you watch football” ([00:05–03:20]).
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Effort and Credit: He salutes those who do all the actual cooking, comparing guests who just bring wine to friends who “show up to the boat with a 12-pack and let you handle the barnacles.”
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Capitalism’s Failure to Commercialize Thanksgiving: Bill marvels at how capitalism hasn’t figured out how to squeeze more money from Thanksgiving:
“I am kind of amazed that capitalism hasn’t figured out a way to make you spend way more money on Thanksgiving. It’s a tough one if you really put on your capitalist hat.” ([03:15]) -
Thanksgiving’s Branding Problem: He riffs on the unglamorous turkey, the “browns and oranges” of the season, and compares Thanksgiving’s authenticity to Christmas having “sold out” via capitalism and Santa Claus:
“Thanksgiving never sold out. Christmas sold out…that’s the birthday of Jesus Christ, and all of a sudden, who comes in to steal the thunder? ‘It’s the holiday season…dooby dooby doo’” ([04:50])
2. Holiday Shopping, Sports Betting, and Vegas
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Early Holiday Shopping Completion: Bill boasts about finishing his holiday shopping early and revels in the rare feeling of being ahead of the curve.
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Sports Gambling Frustrations: He details a recent losing streak in his sports picks:
“It’s the stupidest thing ever, trying to win that…you’re going up against the corporation that runs sports gambling” ([11:00])
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Vegas's Genius: He’s awed by how sports betting corporations always seem to win:
“Now you have these geniuses that actually have computers…that actually have analytics and probabilities…it’s gotta be—sports gambling, is it Bill?” ([13:00])
3. Movie and Music Recommendations
- Recent Watches: Bill raves about the “Carlos” series starring Edgar Ramirez, praising the commitment of the filmmakers, and mentions starting “Death by Hanging.”
- Underrated Talent: He notes the massive, often overlooked talent in international cinema and plans to keep recommending unique finds ([17:30]).
4. Reminiscing on Bruins Hockey & Boston Sports Culture
- Nostalgic Night at the Game: Bill recounts going to a Bruins–Kings game with Jackie Flynn, reminiscing about over 30 years of friendship ([19:00]).
- Old Boston Garden vs. Modern Arenas: He nostalgically contrasts the raw energy and simplicity of old Boston Garden—no video screens, just “the score was in red, the time left was in white lights”—with today’s entertainment-heavy experience ([31:15]).
- Public Schools and French Exchange Stories: Hilariously, he shares a memory of attending a Bruins–Canadiens game as a teen, surrounded by French exchange students in enemy gear, and fearing for their safety in “the Boston Garden,” highlighting cultural differences and Boston’s diehard fandom ([23:45–27:50]).
- Fights and Mayhem: He recalls bench-clearing brawls, Boston cops “grabbing a guy by the side of the neck,” and the unfiltered, sometimes violent spectacle of old-school hockey games ([28:50–32:00]).
5. Cynicism & Curiosity About Consumerism
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Inventory Rant: Bill expresses skepticism about online stores claiming to be “sold out,” theorizing it’s a gimmick to create artificial scarcity and push less-desired products ([38:10]):
“You shouldn’t be sold out…like, how does that happen? I just think they just say that they’re sold out—when they find the most popular thing…so they can move less popular stuff so they don’t have to throw it in the ocean and it ends up floating up on the shores of Africa.” ([39:00])
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E-Commerce Response: A listener from Australia with e-commerce experience writes in to counter, arguing companies will discount, not fake sellouts, and shares a story about a greedy manager who oversold stock to disastrous results ([42:00]).
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Environmental Concerns: Bill rails against the “insanity” of global consumerism:
“This consumerism is fucking insane. It’s so out of control. Like most things, it’s…oh my God.”
6. World Cup & the Power of Sports Fandom
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Soccer & the 2026 World Cup: A listener asks if the upcoming US-hosted World Cup has reignited Bill’s soccer interest. Bill admits he enjoys soccer with his kids but can’t break his lifelong bonds to “American sports”—yet is moved by passionate international crowds ([49:00–51:30]).
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Sports Euphoria: After watching a Scottish national team highlight reel, Bill is blown away by the passion of Scottish fans:
“If I watch a soccer game over there with crowds with that level of passion and singing…I can get into it. Over here, the only time it seems to get like that is if the Mexican team is playing in LA…” ([54:15])
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On Switching Loyalties: He muses on how hard it is to switch sports allegiances after years of emotional investment:
“It always fascinates me, people that can change allegiances. I did get into MotoGP…maybe that’s one thing.”
7. Personal Reflections: Public Education and Self-Belief
- Critique of Public Schools: Bill ties the inadequacies of the system to his own former lack of confidence as a learner:
“The public school system gives you all these ideas about yourself—most of them negative, most of them limited.” ([01:13:30])
- Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: He credits stand-up success with changing his self-image—realizing he could “get a pilot’s license,” “go on stage,” and learn another language, despite what school led him to believe ([01:14:15]).
- Learning French: Bill discusses his journey learning French and addresses a listener asking for tips on learning “table French” for work. He encourages immersing oneself by talking to native speakers, reading newspapers, listening to radio ([01:17:40]).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Thanksgiving freeloaders:
“Some people are in the game, driving the fucking team down the field, and other people, the place kicker…they make the people that actually do the work look better.” ([01:15]) -
On the commercialization of tragedy:
“Very quickly it gets like, you know, ‘in remembrance’ and blah blah blah…and it’s like you’re kind of making—what are you doing with that money?” ([04:25]) -
On capitalism and Christmas:
“Who comes in to steal the thunder? It’s the holiday season…dooby dooby doo. The Santa Claus comes in…You’d think mall Santas would get way more. This isn’t about you, man. Jesus never made you buy anything.” ([05:10]) -
On learning French as an adult:
“The younger me never would have thought I’d be able to learn French, get through ground school, get a pilot’s license…But I met a few people…that made me believe in myself.” ([01:14:15]) -
On reading Beowulf in school:
“What the f*** am I reading this for? I thought it sucked. Took me nine hours to read it…And then I get tested and I flunk it…like I’m gonna go out into the world and have a job interview where the guy’s talking like William Shakespeare.” ([01:15:55]) -
On Scottish fans:
“Scottish people are fucking hilarious. And they’re not even trying to be…It’s effortless.” ([01:01:30])
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:05 – Thanksgiving musings, holiday hierarchy, capitalism critique
- 11:00 – Sports betting woes and Vegas odds
- 17:30 – Movie/series recommendations (“Carlos,” “Death by Hanging”)
- 19:00 – Bruins–Kings game recap, old Boston Garden memories
- 23:45 – Bruins–Canadiens, public school and French exchange students
- 31:15 – Fights at the Garden, the wild 1980s hockey scene
- 38:10 – Online shopping “sold out” theories
- 42:00 – Listener email: e-commerce reality check
- 49:00 – World Cup, soccer’s global fandom vs. American sports tradition
- 54:15 – Reaction to Scottish soccer qualification, sports passion
- 01:13:30 – Critique of public school experience, impact on self-image
- 01:14:15 – Overcoming limiting beliefs, language learning
- 01:17:40 – Language learning tips, embracing mistakes
- 01:21:15 – Final thoughts, gratitude for listeners, Thanksgiving sign-off
Final Thoughts & Closing Note
Bill closes with thanks—“I’m thankful for all you guys for listening to this podcast…for coming out to my shows and listening”—and a sign-off impossibly true to his brand:
“With that, go fuck yourselves. Have a great Thanksgiving, and I’ll check in on you on Thursday, I guess, on Thanksgiving…when I go outside, walking past people hugging each other, crying or whatever the fuck they’re doing.” ([01:22:45])