The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Episode: "Hot Ice Cream and Cold Politics"
Date: October 30, 2025
Hosts: Andrew Gruel, Lauren Gruel
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts
Overview
In this wide-ranging, energetic episode, Andrew and Lauren Gruel serve up a lively mix of political commentary, food industry analysis, and hilarious personal anecdotes—perfect for listeners who enjoy thoughtful debate and light-hearted banter. The episode’s main through-line is the intersection of food trends and political shifts, centering on the New York City mayoral race and its potential impact on restaurants and grocery stores. Along the way, the hosts dive into Halloween candy forecasts, discuss the oddities of "hot ice cream," lament and laugh about kid birthday parties, and much more.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. New York City Politics and the Food Industry
Timestamps: 03:22 – 13:34
- NYC Mayoral Race Impact:
- Andrew shares concerns about a leading candidate ("Mom Donamy / Zoharan") proposing city-owned public grocery stores and aggressive increases to the minimum wage.
- Insight: Policies like rent freezes and a $25/hr minimum wage could decimate NYC’s restaurant industry, forcing out small businesses and favoring "larger multi-unit operations."
- Both hosts agree that voter engagement seems shallow, with citizens supporting candidates without understanding policies:
- Quote: Lauren: "They say Mom Donnie, and they're like, well, why? What's one policy you agree with? And they literally can't answer." (05:50)
- Andrew reflects on broader trends of socialism/communism in left-wing circles becoming "cool and chic" (05:43) and draws comparisons to failed public grocery initiatives in other cities.
- They warn about consequences: rising taxes, loss of private food retailers, and a "downward spiral" similar to other mismanaged cities.
2. Minimum Wage, Restaurant Tipping, & Industry Challenges
Timestamps: 06:03 – 10:02
- Andrew argues the real resistance to eliminating tipping comes from workers, not owners:
- Quote: "When we opened our restaurant... [workers] were like, we won’t work here. We want the tips." (08:00)
- They break down why minimum wage jumps drive restaurant closures, and why public grocery models are “insane” from both logistical and economic standpoints.
3. Halloween Candy Trends
Timestamps: 13:50 – 14:38
- Shift predicted: for the first time, non-chocolate (gummy) candies may edge out chocolate for Halloween.
- Quote: Andrew: "Last year it was like 52% of Halloween candy was chocolate-based… this year it's gonna be the opposite." (14:00)
- Reflections on candy preferences and playful ribbing about “real chocolate.”
4. Parenting, Social Life, and Awkwardness
Timestamps: 15:02 – 16:56
- The Gruels narrate their challenges making "parent friends" and a funny story about being "broken up with" after a seemingly successful playground meetup.
- Lauren and Andrew joke about being each other's best friends and Andrew's resistance to declaring it.
5. Foodie Fun: Tortilla Types and Traditions
Timestamps: 17:06 – 19:37
- Discussion of Texas Tech's ban on the tortilla-throwing football tradition, with playful speculation about whether this is over "mess or racism."
- Segue into tortilla preferences: hybrid (flour + corn) tortillas get high praise for taste and structural integrity.
- Quote: Lauren: "I like a good hybrid… holds up well like a corn tortilla… but it was soft." (18:29)
6. Lawsuits Over Food: Smuckers vs. Trader Joe's
Timestamps: 20:00 – 21:47
- Andrew and Lauren poke fun at Smucker’s lawsuit against Trader Joe’s for "Uncrustables"-style PB&J sandwiches.
- Quote: Andrew: "First of all, how can you trademark something so basic?" (20:24)
- They riff about family food traditions and Andrew’s mom’s "marinated broccoli" and Italian roots.
7. Hot Ice Cream: WTF Food Story
Timestamps: 23:10 – 25:37
- Big curiosity: Tyra Banks' "hot ice cream" (ice cream that’s warm yet scoopable). The hosts speculate about food science and the proprietary nature of the recipe.
- Quote: Lauren: "What is hot ice cream?"
Andrew: "Exactly. Ice cream…but hot." (23:10)
- Quote: Lauren: "What is hot ice cream?"
- Andrew confesses to nightly "ice cream rituals"—including a (joking) claim of only eating ice cream in a Speedo.
8. 86'ing Food Trends and Parenting Realities
Timestamps: 26:58 – 29:26
- Lauren wants to "86" home-based kid birthday parties (preferring venues like Chuck E. Cheese), relishing the lack of hassle and cleanup.
- Quote: Lauren: "I went to 86 kid birthday parties at home... and it was glorious." (27:14)
- Andrew raves about the new Chuck E. Cheese pizza and critiques over-the-top Dorito flavors:
- Quote: "I just want to get rid of the flavored Doritos… Just stick with what you know." (29:30)
- More jokes about Dorito flavors (“gingerbread Doritos — who eats that?”).
9. Quick Cooking Tip: Sear & Slide
Timestamps: 30:16 – 31:47
- Andrew explains his "sear and slide" technique for perfectly crispy fish or chicken skin:
- Hot pan + sear; slide into the oven skin-side down, flip after ~5 mins, add liquid after flipping for moistness; pan juices for sauce.
10. Food Facts That’ll Blow Your Biscuit
Timestamps: 31:47 – 33:20
- Fun food trivia:
- Ketchup used to be prescribed as medicine in the 1830s for indigestion.
- Medieval nobles used butter as hair gel.
- Garlic literally “sweats” from your pores, which prompts marital jokes about post-salsa garlic breath.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On uninformed voting:
Lauren: "I feel like a lot of them…they vote for the person they're told to vote for." (05:06) - On NYC restaurant policy proposals:
Andrew: "Opening a restaurant in New York City is not a move to make money…It's a billboard." (08:45) - On personal friendship woes:
Andrew: "We got broken up with…they said it was nice meeting you, but we don't think we can be friends with you." (15:34) - On the tortilla debate:
Andrew: "Nobody wants an unsauced taco. That’s for communists. That's for New York City." (19:20) - On food lawsuits:
Andrew: "How can you trademark something so basic?" (20:24) - On birthday party planning:
Lauren: "It was so good not having to clean, not having to cook…It was glorious." (27:14) - On Dorito flavors:
Andrew: "I don't need gingerbread flavored Doritos. Or cigarette flavored Doritos. Just give me the basic…That's it." (29:30) - On food facts:
Andrew: "Ketchup used to be medicine…imagine walking into CVS and the pharmacist hands you a bottle of Heinz ketchup." (32:01)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Topic | Start Time | |-------|------------| | NYC politics & food industry | 03:22 | | Restaurant policies & minimum wage | 06:03 | | Halloween candy trends | 13:50 | | Parenting & social awkwardness | 15:02 | | Tortilla talk | 17:06 | | Smuckers lawsuit | 20:00 | | Hot ice cream | 23:10 | | 86'ing food/kid trends | 26:58 | | Cooking tip: Sear & Slide | 30:16 | | Food facts | 31:47 |
Episode Tone
Conversational, quick-witted, and candid—Andrew and Lauren invite listeners into their kitchen table banter, combining serious critique of policies with relatable slices of family life, culinary experiments, and plenty of laughs.
For Next Time
- The effect of political leadership changes on food businesses (tracking the NYC story)
- More Halloween reflections and tortilla debates
- Send in your opinions: hosted parties at home vs. outside venues, and favorite tortilla types
Listeners leave with laughs, a little policy skepticism, new dinner conversation starters, and maybe a craving for ice cream (hot or cold).