'Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast

Episode 2: "British Bah Humbug! with Jameela Jamil"

Release Date: November 17, 2025
Host: The Grinch
Guest: Jameela Jamil
Producer/Recurring Characters: Cindy Lou Who, Max the Dog, Dudley Wormhoo

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode brings The Grinch’s signature anti-holiday spirit into focus with British actress and activist Jameela Jamil as the guest. Together, they bond over mutual disdain for Christmas and discuss rebel holiday traditions, people-pleasing fatigue, and the chaotic realities behind festive celebrations. Comedic banter, tongue-in-cheek "holiday facts," and a subplot about the Grinch’s over-the-top festival, Grinchapalooza, set a hilariously irreverent tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Not-So-Merry Christmas Spirit

• The Grinch kicks off with a tirade about the pain of Christmas tree shopping, poking fun at traditional customs, waste, and holiday consumerism.
  • "Chopping a whole tree down?... So some family can watch it slowly die in their living room over the next month." (04:25)
• He shares a rapid-fire, satirical set of "holiday fun facts," lampooning everything from eggnog ("Did you know that most eggnog is actually just pasteurized rhinoceros mucus?" 06:57) to stockings and caroling.

2. Meet Jameela Jamil: Self-Professed Christmas Skeptic

• The Grinch introduces Jameela with a typically backhanded flourish, referencing her career and joking about the indignity of being featured in in-flight magazines (12:12).
• Their rapport centers on mutual food pilfering on set, and general skepticism toward Hollywood glamour.
  • Jameela: "My top photo shoot tip is to bring Tupperware with me to steal as many snacks as possible." (13:13)

3. The Art of Not People-Pleasing – British vs Whoville Grinchiness

• They connect over their “low desire to please” (14:42), with Jameela detailing her British roots as the source:
  • "We are very polite indeed, but that politeness is holding in pure venom, rage, and toxicity, I would say." (15:11)
• A witty exchange follows about the quirks of British vs. American spelling and holidays.
  • Grinch: "I like how you guys just kind of play around with the spellings of words...” (15:58)

4. Jameela’s Unlikely Showbiz Story

• Jameela reveals her entry into television began in teaching, and pivoted to TV through an accidental audition after an argument in a pub.
  • "Because I was so relaxed...they mistook that for competence and confidence. And then they gave me the biggest job on youth television almost in England's history." (18:11)
• On her Hollywood career: "I have a story that has exactly zero struggle in it." (19:08)

5. Holiday Rebels: Christmas and Hanks-giving Instead

• Jameela out-Grinches the Grinch as she explains her avoidance of Christmas and creation of a Tom Hanks-themed holiday:
  • "I have started my own separate holiday...where we watch Tom Hanks movies and we eat Indian food together and we talk about the things around the table that we love about Tom Hanks. And it’s my own separate thing." (21:03)
• Both share a disdain for typical holiday music—with a mutual soft spot for Mariah Carey (20:34).

6. Holiday Mishaps & Chaos

• Jameela shares a story about nearly choking on a chickpea, highlighting the absurdity and near-tragedy of having to sit through a mandatory YouTube ad for the Heimlich maneuver while choking (21:43).
  • "It’s a 60-second ad for the Heimlich maneuver, which you only ever would YouTube when you are choking..." (22:32)

7. Jameela’s Christmas Movie Role – Not So Merry After All

• Jameela describes how her latest Christmas movie, "A Merry Little Xmas," is actually about festive disasters, family tension, and chaos—something the Grinch enthusiastically approves.
  • "I play an instigator of even more chaos to make Christmas even worse. So you’d love my character." (24:01)

8. The Battle of the Festivals: Grinchapalooza vs. Whoville Tree Lighting

• The subplot progresses as the Grinch attempts to plan “Grinchapalooza” with shady British impresario Dudley Wormhoo – only to be scammed out of his cash in delightfully cartoonish fashion.
  • Grinch: "Did we just get swindled? Well, Grinchapalooza’s still on... but now we gotta do it on a budget of exactly $0.” (28:43)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Highlight | |-----------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:25 | The Grinch | "Let’s go pick out a tree that was mercilessly chopped down... just to watch it slowly die in their living room." | | 06:59 | The Grinch | "Did you know that most eggnog is actually just pasteurized rhinoceros mucus?" | | 13:13 | Jameela Jamil | "My top photo shoot tip is to bring Tupperware...to steal as many snacks as possible." | | 15:11 | Jameela Jamil | "We are very polite indeed, but that politeness is holding in pure venom, rage, and toxicity..." | | 18:11 | Jameela Jamil | "They mistook that for competence and confidence. And then they gave me the biggest job on youth television..." | | 21:03 | Jameela Jamil | "I have started my own separate holiday...it’s my own separate thing." | | 22:32 | Jameela Jamil | "It’s a 60-second ad for the Heimlich maneuver, which you only ever would YouTube when you are choking..." | | 24:01 | Jameela Jamil | "I play an instigator of even more chaos to make Christmas even worse. So you’d love my character." | | 28:43 | The Grinch | "Did we just get swindled? Well, Grinchapalooza’s still on, not gonna let this defeat us..." |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:22-04:05: Grinch’s comedic setup and opening holiday rant
• 06:59: Holiday “fun facts” segment
• 11:49-13:46: Introduction of Jameela Jamil and mutual “food stealing” confessions
• 14:42-16:33: The art of not people-pleasing, Britishness, and spelling jokes
• 17:02-19:08: Jameela’s unconventional path from teacher to TV star
• 20:03-21:40: Disdain for Christmas and Tom Hanks alternative holiday
• 21:43-22:32: Jameela’s “almost died choking” story
• 23:32-24:14: Discussion of “A Merry Little Xmas” and family holiday chaos
• 24:30-28:43: Grinch’s festival planning, Dudley Wormhoo’s scam, and blowout subplot

Tone & Style

The episode is irreverent, satirical, and full of holiday mischief. The Grinch’s grouchy, quick-witted banter is matched by Jameela’s dry British humor and self-deprecation. They both poke fun at tradition, poke holes in holiday myths, and bond over their refusal to people-please or conform.

Overall Takeaway

This episode is a festive treat for Grinch fans, anti-Christmas rebels, and lovers of British wit. It’s a comedic, offbeat examination of why the holiday season can be annoying, with smart asides about cultural differences and the pleasures of defying expectations. The showdown between Whoville Christmas and the Grinch’s Grinchapalooza sets up the season arc, promising more mischief to come.

For fans who cherish holiday chaos as much as holiday cheer, this episode offers a hearty dose of both—served with a wink and a scowl.