New Rory & MAL – Episode 427 | "Thanksvegan Dinner"

Release Date: November 27, 2025
Hosts: Rory, Mal, Damaris

Episode Overview

In this pre-Thanksgiving episode, the crew hosts a "Thanksvegan" dinner—a Friendsgiving featuring an assortment of vegan dishes. The conversation swings from hilarious taste-test reactions and hot takes on vegan food to personal family Thanksgiving traditions, relationship stories, and reflections on what they're thankful for in music this year. As always, the banter is irreverent, candid, and filled with memorable side tangents.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Is "Thanksvegan"? – Setting the Scene

• [03:30] The hosts gather for a Friendsgiving dinner, trying out vegan dishes none of them (besides Damaris) have eaten before.
• Mal jokes about having "invented" Friendsgiving, and the group cheers to sharing a meal together.

2. Vegan Dinner Taste Test & Reactions

• [04:39] – [12:25] The main focus at the top is trying the various vegan dishes, which leads to a rapid-fire series of reactions:
  • Vegan Mac and Cheese is deemed passable, but "unseasoned Hamburger Helper."
    • “It’s not good, but it is.” – Rory [09:30]
  • Jerk Mac and Cheese gets roasted.
    • “That white sauce might be the worst white sauce I’ve ever had in my life.” – Mall [11:48]
    • “You described that perfectly. Yes. Oh my God, that's so bad.” – Rory [33:45], reacting to the second bite.
  • Vegan Wings (Tofu): They poke fun at the attempt to mimic meat, leading into a classic comparison about vegans and meat substitutes.
    • “Listen, man. Some animals should die. That’s all I’m saying.” – Mall [13:14]
    • “Why do vegans try to make this shit... Why y'all trying to make it even look like chicken?” – Mall [13:46]
  • Damaris stands by the dishes, but Mal and Rory stay skeptical.
  • The group teases each other about their vegan commitment and food preferences.

3. Family, Thanksgiving Traditions & Awkward Relatives

• [16:08] Holiday traditions come to the fore—stories about family members at Thanksgiving, leftovers, cooking roles, and awkward family guests.
  • Rory reminisces about "One Beer Charlie," a problematic uncle.
    • “...That’s all it takes for him to start talking about the Jews.” – Mall [16:24]
  • They joke about bringing plates to relatives who live in campers, family dynamics, and parents' romantic lives.
  • Thanksgiving with both sides of Mal’s family was chaotic, but “incredible.”
  • Everyone debates Turkey leftovers, the “white” vs. “Black” Thanksgiving staples (mac & cheese vs. mashed potatoes), and building the perfect leftover sandwich.
    • “Throw a little mash in the sandwich. Starch on starch.” – Mall [20:41]

4. Favorite Animals, Childhood, & More Banter

• [14:20] Lighter moments include sharing favorite animals (elephants, cheetahs, pandas, otters), with quips about cheetahs vs. cheaters, and why everyone seems to love green beans.
  • “What's your favorite animal?” – Mall [14:09]
  • “Cheetah. And panda. Cheetahs and panda bears.” – Rory [14:38]
• Koalas enter the chat, leading to a running joke about chlamydia and who gave it to whom.

5. Relationship Talk & Parental TMI

• [24:21] They reflect on bringing partners to Thanksgiving and the first time both families mix.
• Candid conversations about their parents’ relationships, privacy, and “intimacy” take a wild turn.
  • “There was definitely times in high school where I was like, I just wish my mom would smoke some weed and get some dick.” – Mall [26:42]
  • “Hate is a very intimate emotion.” – Rory [26:22]

6. Cooking Dynamics: Who Handles Thanksgiving Duties?

• [33:21] The crew outlines their household responsibilities for holiday meals:
  • Damaris is “always in charge of the Mac,” her mother still makes the dressing and pound cake.
  • Mal boasts of his southern green beans with bacon.
  • Stories of family members dodging kitchen duties and praise (or lack thereof).
    • “Feeding people is very...I love feeding the people that I love.” – Rory [34:44]

7. Music: What Are You Thankful For?

• [46:41] They each reflect on moments in music that stood out in 2025:
  • Damaris highlights the "Mass Appeal Legend series" for its attention to detail and quality.
  • [47:42] Rory and Mal discuss Drake’s Iceman livestream as an inventive, risky move by a superstar, even if it fizzled.
    • “It was just something that was different.” – Damaris [47:54]
  • Mal is grateful for a new Clipse album, calling them one of his favorite groups ever.

8. Vegan Journey & Dietary Changes

• [42:11] – [44:36] Damaris shares how she quit red meat in 2005, transitioned to pescatarian in 2018, and later embraced veganism after meeting a West Indian vegan chef.
  • “Every time I bit into chicken, my mouth would start watering like spring water. Like, I feel like I had to throw up...” – Damaris [42:37]

9. Pizza Debates & Bronx/East Village Food Talk

• [45:10] – [46:32] The crew goes local, discussing the best slices of pizza in NYC, with special mentions of the Bronx, Dyckman, and East Village pizzerias.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On vegan food fails: "That white sauce might be the worst white sauce I've ever had in my life." – Mall [11:48]
• On why vegans imitate meat: "Because people miss chicken. Duh." – Rory [13:52]
• Thanksgiving leftovers innovation: “Throw a little mash in the sandwich. Starch on starch.” – Mall [20:41]
• Parents and intimacy: “Hate is a very intimate emotion.” – Rory [26:22]
• On cooking for family: “Feeding people is very...I love feeding the people that I love.” – Rory [34:44]
• On dietary change: “Cheese is harder to give up than heroin.” – Damaris [44:14]
• Reflecting on music: “The attention to detail they gave it...I think we got incredible albums from all of the artists.” – Damaris on Mass Appeal Legend Series [47:03]

Important Timestamps & Segments

• [03:30] – Intro to "Thanksvegan" and vegan dinner plans
• [04:39 – 12:25] – Tasting and reviewing vegan food, escalating reactions
• [14:09] – Favorite animal segues
• [16:08] – Family Thanksgiving stories
• [20:41] – Thanksgiving leftover sandwich inventions
• [24:21] – Partner/family merge Thanksgiving stories
• [33:21] – Who cooks what for Thanksgiving
• [42:11] – [44:36] – Damaris's vegan/diet journey
• [45:10] – NYC pizza hot takes
• [46:41] – Reflections on music this year

Tone & Style

The episode is loose, comedic, and peppered with signature tangents. The hosts mix light roasting, candid oversharing, and genuinely heartfelt moments, all punctuated with irreverent humor and unfiltered opinions.

Final Thoughts

This "Thanksvegan Dinner" is classic New Rory & MAL: a motley mix of chaotic group meal, honest friendship, food reviews, and casual therapy session. Whether they're groaning over bad vegan jerk sauce, reflecting on changing family roles, or reminiscing about the Bronx, the show's off-the-cuff energy makes the listener feel like they're right at the table.

For the rest of the vegan dinner, subscribe to their Patreon!

Happy Thanksgiving!