November 25, 2021

"I’ve done 43 Thanksgivings, and the best one was probably in 1997, when I was 19 and getting sober at Hazelden in Center City, Minnesota."

"I’m here to tell you Thanksgiving is terrible, and if you at least spend the time trying to deprogram your niece, you won’t be bored or depressed (though you might be enraged that Fox News or Infowars has convinced her Trump can 'save America' from Joe Biden’s radical agenda of giving people hearing aids and free pre-K). Maybe it won’t work. Maybe you’ll leave Thanksgiving dinner as divided as you were when you sat down at the table five hours and 4,000 calories ago. Or maybe you’ll plant the seed, sow just a little doubt about whatever Tucker Carlson is saying now. Maybe you’ll even change a heart or a mind. Maybe you’ll bring the temperature down just a tiny bit. Or maybe you’ll need to report a relative to the FBI! Either way, it’s something to do besides just eat."

Writes Molly Jong-Fast in "Deprogram your relatives this Thanksgiving/Maybe you’ll change a heart or a mind. Or not! Either way, it’s something to do besides just eat" (The Atlantic).

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, by the way. I'm only putting this up because it represents a form of writing on the occasion of Thanksgiving that I've seen every year I've blogged — and I've blogged 18 Thanksgivings — but I've noticed there's way less of this theme this year. Maybe something about the lockdown and finally getting out of it convinced editors that hating one's family isn't really where it's at. Not this year anyway. 

So good for Molly Jong-Fast, keeping the stupid old tradition alive. Somebody had to do it, just like somebody has to make turducken.

Speaking of family, not only is her mother Erica Jong, her grandfather is Howard Fast, the author of "Spartacus." Picture them at Thanksgiving, would you? What offensive things might they say? Not passing along bullshit from Fox News, but something else. I'd prefer if Ms. Jong-Fast would dish on her own family, not what's happening at the table of imagined deplorables.

60 comments:

BillieBob Thorton said...

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Maynard said...

Somebody had to do it, just like somebody has to make turducken.

I would recommend Chef K Paul in NOLA but I think it has closed. I had turducken there in 1990 and it was a revelation.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Try to avoid political arguments at the dinner table today.

Mark said...

What offensive things might they say?

Check your privilege white girl.

rehajm said...

The lefties of the family have all left us in some way or another, so the day has become rather blissful…

Happy Thanksgiving to all…

Kai Akker said...

--- Writes Molly Jong-Fast

Oh, no. Not on Thanksgiving! Sayonara and best wishes to all!

narciso said...

her grandfather was a commie, and well momma jong, need we elaborate on her,

The Vault Dweller said...

Happy Thanksgiving to all. I'm always expecting these perennial advice columns, that perennially give the same bad advice. Thanksgiving is supposed to be about being thankful for the things you have, one of which should be having a family to go to Thanksgiving with. Don't pick political fights at Thanksgiving. You never change someone's mind. It is ok to talk politics at Thanksgiving, but only with relatives or friends that you know you will already agree with. If you think there is a likelihood you will disagree with a person on politics don't talk politics with that person.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

I fight the good fight every Thanksgiving to have a capon instead of a turkey and I always lose.

They tell me that St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes which seems to me to be a pretty good idea.

I cried because I had no capon until I met a man who had no cranberry sauce.

Conrad said...

It's not really about hating one's own family. It's about hating families in general, hating the entire concept of family. Any set of relationships or values that potentially interferes with government's control over the individual is to be mocked and reviled.

mikee said...

Spatchcocking the turkey this year, because nobody's watching me cook the turkey and I've wanted to try it for years now.

MikeR said...

No point in amplifying the voices of sick pathetic people.

rhhardin said...

I'm anti-ceremony. They generally turn into a curse, starting at their first anniversary. They must be planned by women. The belief is that something nice can be repeated.

Just go on to something else nice.

Perhaps Tibetan prayer wheels could be adapted for all ceremonies. Just spin them and leave.

Paul Kramer said...

her father in law was Howard Fast. not grandfather

MikeR said...

Actually pretty sad. There are so many people in America who don't know what love is, what family is. They're in battle armor at all times.

GatorNavy said...

May you all have a great Thanksgiving.

Ceciliahere said...

Why would I listen to anything this very unhappy, screwed up person has to say? Too bad she is so angry and can’t break out of her self-imposed misery and all around toxicity. Have a drumstick and lighten up. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Danno said...

How would a coastie progtard elite even know what is discussed at a family Thanksgiving meal other than the generalized drivel passed on by the lamestream media?

Big Mike said...

If anyone wants to start a political argument at our table, I hope they remember that I am the one holding that big ol’ carving knife.

I’m thankful for my good neighbors. I’m thankful for Glenn Youngkin, Winsome Sears, and Jason Miyares. I’m thankful for the woman who married me almost 47 years ago. I’m thankful that my sons turned out so well, and that they could join us with their beautiful, intelligent wives for this holiday. I’m thankful that the Rittenhouse jurors reached the right verdict despite open threats against them should they do so. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Meade said...

No need for turducken. Roast a turkey, roast a duck and roast a chicken. Serve yourself. Be happy. Thank you. You’re welcome.
Oh and keep making America great again and again with liberty and peace and justice for all.

Ice Nine said...

Maybe they'll discuss which sounds more stupid: "turducken" or "Jong-Fast."

Yancey Ward said...

Are you really seeing less of this, or are you just not looking for it any longer?

Ann Althouse said...

"... keep making America great again..."

Make America gravy again.

"No need for turducken. Roast a turkey, roast a duck and roast a chicken."

The American way is individuality, not collectivism. So roast the birds separately. The skin is the best part, but it has to be crispy. The collectivism of turducken results in flabby, blobby, ruined skin.

Yancey Ward said...

Ms. Jong-Fast is about as much fun at Thanksgiving as an e coli infection.

Lurker21 said...

Speaking of family, not only is her mother Erica Jong, her grandfather is Howard Fast, the author of "Spartacus."

Cross-breeding those two strains sounds like the plot of a Michael Crichton sci-horror thriller.

Molly Jong-Fast wrote the recent Atlantic article "Biden Needs An Enemy."

Yes, I suppose Joe Biden could learn a thing or two from Joe Stalin and Howard Fast's granddaughter is just the person to impart the lesson.

But anyway, Happy Thanksgiving and a Molly Jong-Fast to all.

gspencer said...

"just like somebody has to make turducken"

Just like someone has to deep roast the turkey the right way,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP3qh6Qym40

Yancey Ward said...

It would be hilarious if one of her relatives stood up and said, "I am a Trump voter," followed by one after another.

Iman said...

Glib, empty-headed BS… one can see why she wrote for teh Bullwart.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

MikeR said...

Read someone sane instead: https://taibbi.substack.com/p/thanksgiving-is-awesome

Quaestor said...

... you might be enraged that Fox News or Infowars has convinced her Trump can 'save America' from Joe Biden’s radical agenda of giving people hearing aids and free pre-K.

Mentally impaired old Joe might as well give out free hearing aids. At least then when an elderly person complains that she can't afford hotdogs on Thanksgiving let alone turducken she will at least be able to hear Molly Jong-Fast, Jen Psaki, or some other Demo-zombie yell at her that she's rich as Croesus thanks to that $1,400 stimulus check.

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone and remember to bless your turducken or Ball Parks with America's great communal prayer: Let's Go, Brandon! Amen.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

...19 and getting sober...

Why would I listen to anything this idiot has to say?

Quaestor said...

Lurker21 writes, "Molly Jong-Fast wrote the recent Atlantic article "Biden Needs An Enemy."

What? Another one? One would think Mr. Amyloid Plaques is quite sufficient.

Yancey Ward said...

When is it ever appropriate to delete Laslo?

NCMoss said...

Our guests were happy with "turkey sliders" and a reduced calorie meal this year.
-
Thanks and forgiveness
And reconciliation
Please don't forget that

Michael K said...

It sounds as though her experience at "getting sober" did not succeed.

Amadeus 48 said...

Howard Fast also wrote "April Morning", a coming-of-age novel about Lexington and Concord. Excellent.

Lucien said...

This Thanksgiving, why not set deprogramming aside and focus on explaining the significance of crossing state lines to your niece?

Lucien said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BG said...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It's been a rough year but blessings still shine through.

Ann Althouse said...

"her father in law was Howard Fast. not grandfather "

No. You're thinking of Erica Jong. Per Wikipedia: "Jong-Fast is the daughter of Erica Jong and Jonathan Fast, and the granddaughter of Howard Fast."

narciso said...

mind you, miss powell is xi's (redacted) who publishes this tripe, yes more expensive food and fuel, an army of unvetted afghans, shortages of basic staples we've never seen in this country,

Wince said...

Hey... not so Fast.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Updated version:

"I’m here to tell you Thanksgiving is terrible, and if you at least spend the time trying to deprogram your old white indoctrinated auntie who supports even the most corrupt of democrats, you won’t be bored or depressed (though you might be enraged that MSNBC or CNN has convinced her Trump is a Russian agent, it's illegal to cross state lines, the poor sweet man who ran-over innocent people at a parade is just mis-understood, and rioting and arson in the name of Antifa is all fine). Maybe it won’t work. Maybe you’ll leave Thanksgiving dinner as divided as you were when you sat down at the table five hours and 4,000 calories ago. Or maybe you’ll plant the seed, sow just a little doubt about whatever Rachel Maddow and Chris Cuomo are selling now. Maybe you’ll even change a heart or a mind. Maybe you’ll bring the temperature down just a tiny bit. Or maybe you’ll get reported by your lefty auntie to the FBI! Either way, it’s something to do besides just eat."

RoseAnne said...

Actually Biden is responsible for a much calmer (politics wise) Thanksgiving meal. None of my relatives inclined to vote with the Democratic party supported him the primary but fell in line when he became the nominee. As things have gone badly under President Biden, they are less inclined to say anything at all. The comments yesterday were all about the typical targets (Koch brothers, etc), but where a year ago it was 90+% now I would say it was less than 10%.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Amen, Meade.

narciso said...

Howard Fast wanted the communists to win, and was all in on the molotov ribbentrop pact,

Skeptical Voter said...

I saw the comment re a spatchcocked turkey. Woo hah--now that's a sort of diversity everyone can love. My family's traditional meal is a traditionally roasted turkey--and whether it's my wife or one of our two daughters, they do it pretty well. I have some friends who deep fry a turkey and I say more power to them.

Years ago I read a pleasant Thanksgiving piece (no politics intruded) where the writer claimed that "traditional meals" like Thanksgiving or Christmas are distinctly regional. If you gave her your family's full menu for Thanksgiving she could determine your geographic location within ten miles. There are regional preferences for goose, turkey, duck, prime rib, ham etc--and an analysis of the various sides and desserts led to precision. Who knew that in certain Texas counties it was chocolate cream pie--versus two counties over banana cream pie ruled. (And as a devout pecan pie lover---I'll just roll my eyes at those choices!).

In any case, whatever you're eating today, and whoever you're eating with, Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Kevin said...

An in your face Thanksgiving political conversation is like a bus, when Joe Biden is doubling the price of gas and leaving Americans behind in Afghanistan, you step off.

JaimeRoberto said...

Articles like this make me think the media is full of miserable people who want us to be as miserable as they are.

walter said...

I don't care how she sugar coats it. I'm pissed about those free hearing aids. They're listening devices, FFS!
"Or maybe you’ll need to report a relative to the FBI"
She might add, In the words of cranberry jelly brain Biden: "I'm not joking!"

mikee said... Spatchcocking the turkey this year, because nobody's watching me
LCK: You're doing it wrong

Joe Smith said...

Lefties are sick fuckers...everything is politics. Everything is bad because of Trump (and Bush before him).

I would be thankful if idiots like hyphenated whats-her-name would jump off a very tall bridge...

mikee said...

walter: Spatchcocked turkey came out wonderful, after only half the cooking time of a stuffed bird. And sliced for serving, tasted just like a bird cooked whole. I'd normally say nyah, nyah, nyah to you, but instead as it is a holiday I'll just wish you and yours a fantastic day, no matter how you cooked or dined.

Omaha1 said...

People who write things like this are evil. " for most of us a five-hour meal with relatives you see once a year is no one’s idea of a great time." So you see them once a year for five hours, and that is an appropriate time to bring up everything you dislike about them? How about just some hugs and keeping your mouth shut?

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

The Koch brothers? Oy yey. Yes - those evil men who fund science shows on PBS.
the horrors!

Kirk Parker said...

Just NO to turducken.

Life's too short to eat plain old turducken -- if it's not triple-bacon-wrapped turducken, count me out.

Iman said...

One thing to guard against this Thanksgiving: don’t let your turkey go off all spatchcocked.

Ambrose said...

Maybe the niece will deprogram Molly.

rehajm said...

Something something lobsters first Thanksgiving.

So that’s what we’re having….

gpm said...

>>Molly Jong-Fast wrote the recent Atlantic article "Biden Needs An Enemy."

When I initially saw that reference, my first thought was "you mean, like Emmanual Goldstein?"

--gpm

Rollo said...

I am reminded of the headlines before Joe's colonoscopy last week: "Biden Needs An Enema."

If Reader's Digest is still in business and hasn't changed, I look forward to reading "I Am Joe's Brain" witn special enthusiasm.

Bilwick said...

Sounds like what Ms. Jong-Fest need is a good spatchcocking.