For many of us, Thanksgiving isn’t just a day to spend giving thanks for all that we have to be grateful for; it’s also about dodging the minefield of drama that spending an afternoon around the dinner table with our extended families brings with it. Whether it’s arguing about impeachment proceedings, lifestyle choices, or any of the other hot-button topics that are sure to get your crazy uncle and rebellious cousin shouting at each other, most of us would rather be force-fed turkey through our eye sockets than be expected to pick a side in our homemade Thanksgiving edition of The Family Feud. That’s why I recommend finding something productive to do when the eating’s through, and popping your headphones in while you do it.

After all, nobody can blame you for tapping out of a conversation about universal basic income when there are dishes to be done! So, if you’re anything like me, and would rather do hard labor than spend the afternoon correcting your family members as they read Facebook memes out loud as though they’re reliable news sources, these are the podcasts I recommend seeking refuge in.

 

The Last Podcast on the Left

The three hosts of The Last Podcast on the Left (LPOTL) have spent the last ten years recording weekly episodes that delve into everything from true crime horror stories to crackpot alien conspiracies, all delivered through their unique combination of host perspectives. Marcus Parks handles the heavy research, ensuring that each episode is as informative as possible, while comedian and actor Henry Zabrowski (who you may have seen in movies like “The Wolf of Wall Street”) riffs on the episode’s concept and players, and host Ben Kissel (who you may recognize as one of the hosts of Fox News Radio) tries his best to keep the whole thing on the rails.

This podcast series is genuinely hilarious, informative, and entertaining — but what’s even better is that they’ve got a massive backlog of content for you to peruse while your family starts digging foxholes in their mashed potatoes.