The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Hour 3: Fabulous Turkey History

Date: November 26, 2025
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts
Hosts: Clay Travis & Buck Sexton
Guest: Miranda Devine, New York Post columnist and host of Pod Force One

Episode Overview

In this lively pre-Thanksgiving episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton deliver a spirited hour packed with political commentary, cultural observations, and a deep dive into the quirky historical backstory of the Thanksgiving turkey. The hosts are joined by Miranda Devine of the New York Post, who shares sharp insights on criminal justice reform, the Trump administration, immigration, and the ongoing Hunter Biden saga. Wrapping up, Clay and Buck riff on Thanksgiving traditions, airport grievances, and the fascinating etymology of "turkey," all in their signature humorous, combative, and occasionally irreverent tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Thanksgiving Scene (02:05–04:05)

• Buck checks in from New York City, noting high energy – and even higher prices – just before Thanksgiving.
• Clay jokes about being in the "Panama Canal" rather than the Florida panhandle, beginning a running bit about his global exploits.

2. Crime, Justice & Judicial Accountability with Miranda Devine (04:05–07:46)

• High-profile Violent Crime & Judiciary Lapses
  • Buck introduces the topic of recent shockingly violent crimes (in North Carolina and Chicago), emphasizing a lack of judicial accountability.
  • Miranda Devine argues judges are endangering public safety by routinely releasing repeat violent offenders.
    • Quote: "They [judges] need to be held accountable. Everyone else is held accountable—cops, doctors, every other professional... Judges just have some sort of immunity that I think needs to be punctured." (05:28)
  • She shares details about the Bethany McGee Chicago case, a victim burned and disfigured despite her attacker’s 72 prior arrests.
  • The group agrees: “Ankle monitors are utterly useless.” (05:28)

3. Reflecting on "Trump Year One" & Policy Priorities (07:46–12:39)

• Trump Administration Performance
  • Clay: What’s been successful, and what next?
  • Miranda: Praises Trump’s focus on affordability and immigration enforcement.
    • "I think his first year has been incredibly successful and dynamic, especially when you compare it to his first term." (07:46)
    • Key priorities: Lowering inflation, pressuring the Federal Reserve on interest rates, and doubling down on deportations despite Democrat pushback.
  • Buck underscores the importance of continuing tough deportation measures and notes a rise in self-deportations, arguing visible enforcement is a deterrent.

4. Lawfare, Biden Legal Troubles, and Hunter Biden (12:39–15:44)

• Hunter Biden & Lawfare
  • Clay & Miranda discuss the "end stage" for ongoing legal battles against the Bidens.
  • Miranda: Foresees a grand jury case possibly implicating Joe Biden, Obama, Hillary Clinton, etc., but notes Hunter is "as much a victim of his father as anything else."
    • Notable: "There could be a real possibility of a Hunter Biden running for president." (13:27)

5. Thanksgiving Traditions at Home and Abroad (15:44–16:46)

• Buck playfully asks why Australia doesn’t have Thanksgiving.
• Miranda (who is Australian): "Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of all... Americans are at their absolute best. The food is delicious. Everyone's in a great mood... I hope everyone has a wonderful day and a stress-free, happy day with lots of delicious gobble gobble turkey." (15:44)

Listener Participation & Lighter Moments

6. Seat Reclining on Airplanes – Listener "Talkbacks" (22:24–23:59)

• Tammy from Utah: Champions seat recliners' rights, calls non-recliners "terrorists."
  • Clay’s Retort: “Tammy does not have the right, in my opinion, to just basically recline and sit in my lap. Now if I were Santa and she had paid, she could come sit in my lap.” (23:03)
• Buck & Clay riff on viral Santa Claus TV bloopers.

7. College Football Coaching Hot Takes (24:02–24:23)

• Danny from Charleston: Rails against James Franklin as a head coach, sparking playful debate.

8. Airport Rants: The Best and Worst in America (37:01–39:09)

• Clay and Buck rating airports:
  • Clay: "The worst airport in America is Dulles. Dulles is in Washington, D.C. – the worst airport in America... No one has ever wanted to go to Dulles in their entire life." (38:31)

Feature Segment: The Fabulous History of the Turkey (28:05–33:20)

Buck dedicates a section to the etymology behind the word "turkey":

• 16th-century Ottoman traders imported the African guinea fowl to Europe; Europeans called these "turkey cocks/hens" because the birds arrived through Turkey.
• When Spanish conquistadors brought the American turkey species to Europe, its resemblance to the guinea fowl caused Europeans to give the new bird the same name.
  • Quote: "The name turkey comes from the African guinea fowl that was transported by Ottoman traders to Europe, who then confused when the conquistadors brought back from the New World the domesticated bird that looked like the guinea fowl... and they started calling the new bird a turkey." (30:35–32:26)
• Clay draws a parallel to misnaming Native Americans as "Indians."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Judges just have some sort of immunity that I think needs to be punctured.” — Miranda Devine (05:28)
• “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of all. Americans are at their absolute best.” — Miranda Devine (15:44)
• "Boom. Now everybody has a turkey story to share at their Thanksgiving." — Clay Travis (32:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:05] Crime & Judiciary Discussion with Miranda Devine
• [07:46] Trump Year One: Reviewing Administration Achievements
• [12:39] Lawfare, Hunter Biden, and Legal Battles
• [15:44] Thanksgiving & American Hospitality with Miranda
• [22:24] Listener Talkbacks (Seat Recline, College Football)
• [28:05] The History of the Turkey Etymology
• [33:20] Holiday Music, Flying, and Road Etiquette Talkbacks
• [37:01] Airport Rankings and Holiday Travel Woes

Final Thoughts and Farewell (45:11–48:25)

• Clay and Buck express gratitude to listeners, wish the audience safe travels, and encourage everyone to check out their podcast feed for special holiday programming.
• They reflect on five years of Thanksgiving shows, Buck preparing for his first Thanksgiving as a father, and remind everyone to practice safe (touch!) football over the holiday.

Summary Takeaways

• The hour blends serious political analysis (crime, courts, Trump’s first year), Miranda Devine’s commentary, and lighter holiday fare (turkey history, airports, seat reclining wars).
• The now-mythic "turkey" bird’s name is fully explained, priming listeners with a fun fact for their own Thanksgiving tables.
• The original humorous, quick-paced tone from Clay and Buck anchors the episode, balancing weighty politics with comic relief and listener engagement.

For anyone who missed the episode – you’re caught up and ready for both political debate and Thanksgiving trivia!