Podcast Summary: American Gravy – Food Lawsuits, Fake FBI Raids & Japan’s Tiramisu Upset

Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (American Gravy Episode)
Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Lauren Grohl & Andrew Grull
Theme: Exploring the quirks of the American food industry through lawsuits, food facts, culinary upsets, and personal stories with humor and sharp commentary.

Episode Overview

Lauren and Andrew Grohl serve up a lively discussion blending “food, family, and freedom,” focusing on outrageous food lawsuits, the shockwave of Japan’s tiramisu win in Italy, government food meddling, weird food facts, and their signature segments: “Blow Your Biscuit” (amazing food trivia) and “86 It” (things they’d like to do away with). The hosts bring a mix of culinary expertise and witty banter to current events and personal food journeys.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Intro & Episode Roadmap

[03:03–03:25]

• The duo kicks off recounting their intent to “cover a lot of stories”—from tiramisu championships and Thanksgiving talk to mind-blowing food facts and items to “86” (banish).

2. WTF (What the Fork) – Wild Food Lawsuits

[03:25–11:13] Lauren and Andrew dissect the craziest lawsuits in fast food and restaurant history, connecting them to recent and pending food policies, especially in California.

a. Allergen Law & Lawsuit Culture

[03:25–04:59]

• Andrew critiques California laws mandating allergen disclosure:

  “This opens up a cottage industry for lawsuits…always going to be a bevy of lawyers…trying to take down restaurants.” — Andrew Grull [03:40]

b. Notable Lawsuits

• Starbucks Iced Beverage Lawsuit (2016):
  [04:59–05:43]

  • Alexander S. sued over Starbucks using too much ice.
  • Andrew: “Every time I say light ice, they don’t go with light ice.” [05:26]

• Subway Footlong Lawsuit (2013–2017):
  [05:54–06:37]

  • Customers received sandwiches shorter than 12 inches; Subway settled for $520,000 (mostly to lawyers).
  • Lauren: “You didn’t get that extra inch you thought you were getting.” [06:37]

• Starbucks Dress Code Lawsuit (2025):
  [06:57–08:01]

  • Employees sued when required to purchase specific clothing without company reimbursement. Andrew and Lauren agree companies should help cover uniform costs.
  • Andrew: “If they mandate what you have to wear, they should have some sort of a stipend…” [07:52]

• McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case (1992):
  [08:10–09:09]

  • Stella Lieback, a 79-year-old, won $2.7 million after suffering burns due to excessively hot coffee.
  • Andrew reflects on his coffee habits and shares strong opinions about hot coffee.

• Wendy’s Chili “Finger” Scandal (2005):
  [09:41–10:47]

  • A fraudulent claim involving a human finger in chili led to lawsuits and criminal convictions.
  • Lauren: “She just a pathological liar, I guess. So she can’t help herself.” [10:31]
  • Andrew draws parallels with habitual 'scammy' customers in restaurants.

3. World Tiramisu Championship Upset – Japan’s Victory in Italy

[11:16–13:44]

• Japan beats Italy at its own dessert.
• Andrew credits Japan's culinary precision:

  “Nobody on earth obsesses over precision like the Japanese…They measure flour with the discipline of a Navy SEAL disarming a bomb.” [11:33]

• Lauren: “The layers looked like something you’d find in a geological exhibit in the Smithsonian.” [12:14]
• Andrew sees this as the beauty of food globalization:

  “Food isn’t static…it gets better when more talented people from other traditions say, ‘Yeah, I can do that, but I can do it better.’” [12:24]

4. Food Facts to Blow Your Biscuit

[13:46–18:01] Fun, surprising tidbits:

• Ban on Sliced Bread (1943): [13:46–14:29]

  • Government ban reversed after public outcry.
  • Andrew: “Leave it to the government to come up with something incredibly asinine…” [14:21]

• Red Dye & Bugs: [15:50–17:11]

  • Original red dye made from 70,000 cochineal bugs per pound used in foods (“bug-powered” snacks for kids).
  • Lauren: “That’s disgusting.” [16:30]
  • Andrew muses about the irony of modern food crusades (“Don’t make us eat the bugs!”) [16:50]

• Raspberry Structure: [17:11–17:41]

  • Each raspberry is composed of “hundreds of tiny fruits” (drupelets).
  • Andrew: “I’m gonna start using that as an insult…your brain is made of drupal.” [17:42]

5. Personal & Family Food Tidbits (“Family & Freedom”)

[14:37–15:47]

• Toast, homemade bread, kids devouring loaves—the Grohl family kitchen in action, filled with warmth and chaos.

6. Wendy's Frosty Day and Flavors

[18:40–21:13]

• New flavors like Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Frosty; nostalgia for “Orange Julius” at the mall.
• Andrew: “My technique was to let the Frosty melt…a quasi custardy milkshake. It made me really angry. And since then, I’ve never eaten a Frosty.” [19:44]

7. Mall Food Memories

[21:13–22:04]

• Reminiscence of growing up in malls—their food courts, iconic brands (Roly Bolly, Hot Dog on a Stick), and disappearing community spaces.

8. Quick Cooking Tips

[22:04–24:34]

• Use Pasta Water: “If you’re making a sauce, you can just put a ladle full of that pasta water back in…restaurants do this…for a rich, creamy, buttery sauce.” — Andrew [22:19]
• Season Throughout Cooking: Don’t wait for the end—season in layers and let spices ‘bloom’ for depth of flavor.

9. “86 It” Segment

[24:38–27:22]

• Andrew’s 86: Onion Rings and Bloomin’ Onion

  • “I’m sick of onion rings…I never liked them.” [24:48]
  • Dissects the food cost/markup of Outback’s Bloomin’ Onion.
  • “[Bloomin’ Onion] is a deconstructed onion ring…I like the sauce…the blooming. But now it’s, like, $15.” [25:55]

• Lauren’s 86: Subscription Everything

  • Curses the prevalence of mandatory subscriptions and difficult/unjustified app sign-ups.
  • “Everything needs a freaking subscription now!” [27:27]
  • “Last night I tried…teleprompt app…only option was a yearly subscription. They say you can cancel in three days, but then you forget…” — Andrew [27:53]

10. Food Influencer Gimmicks & Recipe Frustrations

[28:15–29:16]

• Lauren rants about Instagram reels that require convoluted steps to access recipes, only to get subscribed to mailing lists.

11. Eggs: How to Choose, What Matters

[29:30–36:10] A deep-dive into egg labeling, egg color myths, and animal welfare:

• Egg Color Myths:

  • White vs. Brown eggs—color is just about hen’s earlobe color, not nutrition or flavor.

• Label Definitions:

  • “Cage-free” ≠ happy chickens; “Pasture-raised” is best for welfare and taste.
  • “Organic” refers to chicken feed, not necessarily better living conditions.

• Best Choices:

  “In a perfect world, you’re going with, like, the organic, pasture-raised.” — Andrew [32:34]

• Julian Date for Freshness:

  • Ignore the sell-by, look for the three-digit “Julian date” to know when eggs were packed.

• Family anecdotes:

  • $12.99 “Easter Egger” eggs were “really gamey…almost tasted fishy.” [34:25]

• Lauren: “That’s horrible, like, how they’re doing this. But…does it make a difference nutritionally?” [33:47]

  • Andrew: Pasture-raised eggs are nutritionally better and more ethical. [33:55]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Nobody on earth obsesses over precision like the Japanese…they measure flour with the discipline of a Navy SEAL disarming a bomb.”
  — Andrew on Japan’s victory in the Tiramisu championship [11:33]

• “Leave it to the government to come up with something incredibly asinine…”
  — Andrew on WWII sliced bread ban [14:21]

• “The natural way to consume your red food is through the bugs. The plot thickens.”
  — Andrew on red dye origins and modern aversions to “eating bugs” [16:50]

• “Everything needs a freaking subscription now!”
  — Lauren, on tech and recipe access frustrations [27:27]

• “My technique was to let the Frosty melt a little bit, and then you had, like, a quasi custardy milkshake. It made me really angry. And since then, I’ve never eaten a Frosty.”
  — Andrew on Wendy’s Frosty [19:43]

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------|-------------| | WTF Food Lawsuits | 03:25–11:13 | | Tiramisu World Upset (Japan Wins) | 11:16–13:44 | | Food Facts “Blow Your Biscuit” | 13:46–18:01 | | Family Toast/Bread Anecdotes | 14:37–15:47 | | Wendy’s Frosty Talk & Mall Memories | 18:40–22:04 | | Cooking Tips | 22:04–24:34 | | “86 It” Segment (Onion Rings & Subscriptions) | 24:38–27:22 | | Recipe Gimmicks Frustration | 28:15–29:16 | | All About Eggs (Labeling & Buying Tips) | 29:30–36:10 |

Tone & Style

Conversational, candid, sometimes sarcastic, with a blend of culinary expertise and lighthearted family storytelling. The co-hosts play off each other with gentle ribbing and honesty, making even food policy engaging and accessible.

For New Listeners

This episode is perfect for anyone who enjoys:

• Scandals and oddities in the food industry
• Practical kitchen tips and ingredient insights
• Debates on food marketing and regulation
• Lighthearted banter and family stories
• The intersection of cultural globalization and traditional cuisine

In summary:
Lauren and Andrew serve up thoughtful takes on everything from food policy and lawsuits to personal preferences and family chaos, all garnished with culinary wisdom and lots of laughs. If you want informed foodie conversation that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this is your dish.