Truth in the Barrel – Thanksgiving Mailbag Episode
Podcast: Truth in the Barrel
Hosts: Amy McGrath (with guest host/producer Bill Sheehy in Denver’s absence)
Date: November 25, 2025
Theme: Thanksgiving traditions, memories, and listener mailbag questions
Episode Overview
This special pre-Thanksgiving episode offers a warm, personal, and occasionally humorous look at Thanksgiving traditions through the eyes of Amy McGrath and guest host Bill Sheehy. With Denver Riggleman out, Bill leads a cozy “mailbag” session, highlighting listener questions about Amy’s family rituals, military experiences, media favorites, and life wisdom. In a touching twist, Amy’s mother “Dr. McGrath” surprises her with family stories about holidays past. The conversation is light-hearted and candid, blending nostalgia, gratitude, and laughter alongside American history and whiskey appreciation.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Thanksgiving Traditions: Then and Now
- Rotating Thanksgiving Locations (03:33)
- Amy alternates between her family in Kentucky and her husband’s family in western Maryland each year.
- Logistics are carefully planned, with everyone contributing a dish, but Amy’s mother remains singularly in charge of the turkey:
“My mother is very, very good and very particular, shall I say, with the turkey. She wants a certain turkey, a certain size from a certain location. An actual turkey farm...The one from the grocery store is not going to work.” (03:54, Amy)
- Role at Thanksgiving (06:08)
- Amy admits she takes kitchen orders from her mother rather than having a signature dish:
“I’m really making whatever mom tells me to make. So whether that’s sweet potatoes or regular potatoes or whatever...” (06:08, Amy)
- Amy admits she takes kitchen orders from her mother rather than having a signature dish:
Memorable Thanksgiving Stories
- Childhood & Family Gatherings (07:40)
- Recalled spending Thanksgiving with another close family in the woods, full of games and nature, no TV.
- Turkey Trot & Traditions (08:17)
- Shared memories of the annual six-mile Turkey Trot run across the Kentucky-Cincinnati bridge when she was young and in top shape, gradually evolving from a run to a jog to a walk (08:44).
- Playing Family Football Outside (06:54), or indoor games if weather’s bad.
- Thanksgiving in the Military: Deployed Thanksgiving (19:35)
- Recalls her “Westpac” deployment:
“We did Thanksgiving in Okinawa, and we were in an air base called Kadena...you have your Marine Corps family...the USO...bring in the turkeys...try to enjoy Thanksgiving as much as you can” (19:47, Amy)
- She embraced the sense of camaraderie and simple celebrations, with the USO and local culture shaping the meal.
- Recalls her “Westpac” deployment:
Family Surprise: Dr. McGrath Calls In
- Tradition of Naming the Turkey (10:54)
- The youngest kids name the turkey each year before helping stuff and butter it:
“If they want to help me stuff the turkey, but they have to name it first, and then we have to splatter it all with butter—which no little kid doesn’t love to do.” (11:07, Dr. McGrath)
- The youngest kids name the turkey each year before helping stuff and butter it:
- Joy of Welcoming Amy Home from the Naval Academy (16:30)
- Family treks to the airport to greet Amy in uniform.
- Amy forgets her “cover” (Navy hat) and the family must turn back, risking missing the plane:
“I forgot my cover! ...I would have gotten yelled at and my life would have been miserable. I would have rather just missed the plane.” (17:23, Amy)
- Games Tradition: Playing “Hearts” and Trivial Pursuit on the living room floor, a favorite with her father (18:16).
Bourbon Tasting (02:01, 14:03)
- Amy’s choice: Green River Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.
- Bill’s choice: Eagle Rare 10.
- Dr. McGrath prefers Colonel Taylor (14:00):
“We parcel it out at special times, there’s no doubt.” (14:06, Dr. McGrath)
Listener Mailbag Q&A
Deployed Thanksgivings & Food Abroad
- Okinawa Thanksgiving & Japanese Food (22:03)
- Amy tried many local dishes, some “phenomenal,” some “a little fishy, a little too squishy.”
- Non-fan of octopus/squid, loves Japanese sushi but warns:
“If you go to Japan, and you don’t like wasabi, you have to tell them, because in Japan, they don’t put it on the side. They put it inside the sushi rolls.” (22:54, Amy)
- Australian Crocodile: Chewy and “really not good” (23:36).
Favorite Books (24:54)
- Recently read Blind Man’s Bluff (about Cold War submarine operations).
- Reads multiple books at once, admits to being a “nerd” for history.
Stories for Tough Times (26:05)
- Holds historical stories dear, especially American history:
“What some Americans went through and sacrificed for us—for posterity, for the future—really matters.” (26:21, Amy)
- Cites the current Ken Burns documentary on the American Revolution.
“We tend to think the stuff just happened...but the reality is, at the time, that wasn’t the case. We have to stand up...” (27:41, Amy)
Top Gun Accuracy (29:09)
- The “Top Gun” school is real, but movie volleyball? Not so much.
- Cool call signs are more of an Air Force/Navy thing; Marine call signs “usually a joke, mostly making fun of you.” (29:22)
Comfort Movies (31:54)
- The Princess Bride, The Sound of Music, Raiders of the Lost Ark:
“If it comes on TV, you don’t turn it off...that, to me, is the definition.” (32:20, Amy)
- Star Wars: Loves originals, especially Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (33:08).
Music & Pump-Up Songs (34:09)
- Listens to her kids’ playlists: Pink, Lady Gaga (“Rain on Me” is a favorite family singalong, 35:06).
- Favorite concert: Alison Krauss (40:17).
Favorite Presidents (35:19)
- Lincoln (“for obvious reasons”), Theodore Roosevelt (for strengthening the Navy), Eisenhower (for his vision of national and global security), FDR (for the Depression and WWII, but not a fan of a four-term presidency).
Advice to Young People (37:39)
- Stay engaged in politics:
“Politics is all about people, and if you care about people, you got to care about politics... If you’re open and you understand what’s going on, you must stay engaged.” (38:07, Amy)
The Colbert Questionnaire Segment (39:50)
A rapid-fire, lighthearted close, including:
- Best Sandwich: “Cold cut combo, Subway.” (40:01)
- First Concert: Alison Krauss; first movie: Herbie Goes Bananas (40:31)
- Scariest Animal: “I am not a fan of snakes...big, nasty snakes...” (40:53)
- Apples or Oranges: “Apples.” (41:17)
- Ever ask for an autograph? Baseball players as a kid, “Johnny Bench or Pete Rose.” (41:23)
- Favorite Action Movie: Raiders of the Lost Ark (41:57)
- Favorite Smell: “Fire in the fireplace on a really cold winter night...with my husband or my dogs...” (42:20)
- Least Favorite Smell: Her dog Oscar getting sprayed by a skunk—multiple times—worst smell ever (43:09).
- One Song for Life: Alison Krauss’ “When You Say Nothing at All,” danced to with her father at her wedding.
“He wasn’t able to talk as much, but he said everything through his love and through his hugs, and we communicated in other ways.” (45:11, Amy)
- What Are You Thankful For?
“Number one, my family... I’m thankful also for the country that we live in. And it has a lot of faults, there’s no doubt. But I’ve been all around the world and there is no better place that I would love to be and have been fortunate enough to grow up in and want to continue to work for than this country.” (46:24)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “If they want to help me stuff the turkey, but they have to name it first, and then we have to splatter it all with butter. And of course, there’s no little kid who doesn’t love to do that.” — Dr. McGrath (11:07)
- On missing her hat before a flight back to the Academy: “I would’ve rather just missed the plane than” return without it. — Amy (17:41)
- On politics and engagement:
“Politics is all about people, and if you care about people, you got to care about politics. You can’t check out. You have to stay engaged.” — Amy (38:07) - On favorite song:
“My father wasn’t able to talk as much, but he said everything through his love and through his hugs, and we communicated in other ways.” (45:11)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:33 — Thanksgiving traditions & turkey logistics
- 07:40 — Childhood Thanksgiving memories
- 10:12 — Dr. McGrath’s surprise appearance & family stories
- 19:35 — Deployed Thanksgivings (Okinawa, USO support)
- 24:54 — Favorite book of the year
- 26:05 — Stories for hard times & the meaning of American history
- 29:09 — How accurate is Top Gun?
- 31:54 — Comfort movies & Star Wars preferences
- 34:09 — Current music & pump-up songs
- 35:19 — Favorite presidents
- 37:39 — Advice to young people on politics
- 39:50 — Colbert Questionnaire rapid-fire segment
- 46:24 — On gratitude: family & country
Tone & Takeaways
The tone is heartfelt, candid, and familial, with plenty of self-deprecating humor and a sense of reverence for American traditions. Amy’s gratitude, love of country, and personal warmth shine throughout, especially during her mom’s surprise call. Bourbon, family rituals, and the realities of military service are honored alongside a steady embrace of historical perspective and civic engagement.
Perfect for listeners seeking:
- Behind-the-scenes looks at Thanksgiving (military and civilian)
- Uplifting and nostalgic family stories
- Honest advice for staying civically engaged
- Lighthearted media and pop culture chatter
- A sense of connection, gratitude, and tradition