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Is It Possible to Eat So Much on Thanksgiving, Your Stomach Explodes?

It’s the annual battle between your willpower and your waistband. Every Thanksgiving, Americans load up on stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes, pie, and more… and then go back for seconds.

With the average person scarfing down 3,000 calories and a stick of butter in one meal, you might start to wonder: could you actually eat so much your stomach explodes?

Short answer? Yes… technically. Long answer? You’re probably safe, unless you’re also snacking on forks.

“Gastrointestinal perforation”

A gastrointestinal perforation (the fancy medical term for a “burst gut”) is a real and very serious thing. But according to experts, it almost never happens just from overeating. More common culprits are things like swallowing sharp objects, ingesting harmful chemicals, or certain serious illnesses.

Your stomach is tougher than you think

Your stomach is built to take a beating. Its muscular walls are thick and stretchable, and the human body has a few built-in safety features that kick in when you’ve pushed things too far. Chief among them: vomiting. Basically, if your stomach’s too full to handle another bite, it’ll usually toss in the towel and toss everything else out with it.

What’s more likely to happen

So if you go too hard on the pumpkin pie, you’re far more likely to end up with indigestion, heartburn, or a case of the food sweats than an actual internal explosion. Still, good reasons to pace yourself.

So this Thanksgiving, enjoy the meal and even seconds. Just maybe leave a little room for your dignity. And pie. Always pie.

The Ultimate “Stranger Things” Playlist to Get You Ready for the Final Season

If you’ve been counting down the days until “Stranger Things” returns, you’re definitely not alone.

With the final season dropping, fans everywhere are rewatching old episodes, brushing up on the Upside Down lore, and of course, putting together the perfect “Stranger Things” playlist. After all, the show’s music has basically become its own character. Think Kate Bush blasting while Max runs for her life, or Eddie shredding Metallica in one of the most metal moments in TV history.

If you’re hosting a watch party or just want to feel like you’re biking through Hawkins with the crew, here are the essential songs you’ll want on repeat. These tracks have all appeared in the series over the years, and they nail that nostalgic, eerie, synthy, monster-fighting vibe fans love.

Let’s begin with the biggest one. Yes, that one.

Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” is practically synonymous with the series at this point. Then there’s Metallica’s “Master of Puppets”, forever tied to Eddie Munson’s heroic guitar solo. Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” captures the show’s emotional punch, and Bon Jovi’s “Runaway” fits the rebellious energy of Season 2.

The list only gets more fun from there. The Cars’ “Moving in Stereo”, The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go”, and Toto’s “Africa” bring back some of the most memorable early-season moments. No explanation needed. If you know, you know.

Here’s a list of must-have tracks featured on the series so far:

  1. “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)”, Kate Bush
  2. “Master of Puppets”, Metallica
  3. “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”, Journey
  4. “Runaway”, Bon Jovi
  5. “Never Ending Story”, Limahl
  6. “Rock You Like a Hurricane”, Scorpions
  7. “Moving in Stereo”, The Cars
  8. “Should I Stay or Should I Go”, The Clash
  9. “Every Breath You Take”, The Police
  10. “Tarzan Boy”, Baltimora
  11. “Psycho Killer”, Talking Heads
  12. “Africa”, Toto
  13. “Islands in the Stream”, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
  14. “Just Another Day”, Oingo Boingo
  15. “Hazy Shade of Winter”, The Bangles
  16. “Time After Time”, Cyndi Lauper
  17. “Pass the Dutchie”, Musical Youth
  18. “Sunglasses at Night”, Corey Hart
  19. “Whip It”, DEVO
  20. “Girls on Film”, Duran Duran

If you’re still hungry for more Hawkins nostalgia, there are over 160 additional songs here, and Spotify even has an official playlist ready to go.

So crank up the volume, grab your Eggos, and get ready. This soundtrack will have you feeling like you’re right there in the Upside Down.

47% Would Sit at the Kids’ Table to Avoid the Adults

Thanksgiving is supposed to be about gratitude, family, and stretchy pants. But if you’ve ever survived one of those dinners that goes from cranberry sauce to crisis in 20 minutes flat, you already know: it’s not the turkey that gets roasted the hardest.

A poll commissioned by St. Francis Winery revealed that nearly half of Americans (47%) would be open to sitting at the kids’ table to avoid enduring another grown-up food fight over hot topics.

Millennials were especially eager to dodge the drama, with 62% saying they’d happily swap chairs with the juice-box crowd.

So, what exactly are we all trying to avoid this year? According to the survey, here are the top 10 conversation landmines that can turn your gravy boat into a sinking ship:

  1. Politics: No surprise here. Nothing like a heated debate about the Electoral College to ruin the mashed potatoes.
  2. Money: “So, how much are you making now?” is not the vibe.
  3. Appearance or Weight: Don’t be the person who says, “Oh, more stuffing, huh?” (Looking at you, Grandma.)
  4. Religion: Keep the faith talk light or off the table altogether.
  5. Exes: Wondering why your nephew’s girlfriend didn’t come this year? Maybe don’t bring it up unless you want to see him cry.
  6. Mental Health: Important, yes. But on Thanksgiving, nothing’s more important than stuffing and pie.
  7. Career Woes: Let them enjoy their sweet potatoes in peace. No need to remind them they just got laid off.
  8. Personal Struggles: Same goes for any tough life updates. Thanksgiving isn’t a therapy session.
  9. Relationship Status: Wanna make things uncomfortable? Just ask that couple who’ve been dating for eight years, “So, when are you getting married?”
  10. Absent Family Members: Talking smack about relatives who aren’t there is a fast track to arguments and awkward silences.

There’s plenty of other stuff to talk about without making things cringe. So pour the wine, pass the rolls, and stick to safe topics like football, pie, or how wild it is that cranberry sauce still comes in a can.

So, maybe take a cue from the kids’ table this year. Sure, the four-year-old is eating with her hands… but at least she didn’t bring up inflation.

Pumpkin Pie on Thanksgiving? Maybe Not for Long

Thanksgiving menus are usually locked in tighter than Grandma’s grip on the gravy boat. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, repeat. The only variations tend to happen when your health-nut cousin swaps butter for… whatever they use. But according to a new poll, the real action this year is happening at the dessert table.

Pumpkin pie is still #1

More than 7,000 Americans were asked which pie they want most on Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie still sits on the throne at 30%, followed by apple at 20%, pecan at 15%, and sweet potato at 9%. Basically, all the classics you expect right after you swear you cannot eat another bite and then immediately eat another bite.

But older Americans are keeping it at the top

Here’s where things get interesting. Pumpkin and pecan pies are basically being carried by Boomers and Gen X. Millennials and Gen Z are leaning hard toward apple and, shockingly, chocolate pie. Yes, chocolate. That means we might be only a generation or two away from pumpkin pie going the way of DVDs and landlines.

And if you think the pumpkin pie crisis stops there, buckle up. 10% of Gen Z says they do not want any pie on Thanksgiving. None. Zero. This is compared to just 4% of Boomers, who are spiritually powered by pie and view pumpkin spice as a survival tool.

What each state is googling

Meanwhile, Google Trends dropped a map of which pies each state is searching for the most, and the results are a beautiful, chaotic dessert map. Pumpkin pie is number one in big states like California and New York, plus places like North Dakota and New Mexico. Apple dominates the Northeast and large parts of the Midwest, which feels very on brand for people who treat autumn like a personality.

Shoofly pie, tamale pie, and Frito chili pie

And then, there are the curveballs. Pennsylvania picked shoofly pie, Oregon wants tamale pie, and Kansas is the only state whose top choice is Frito chili pie. Which, to be fair, does sound delicious, but calling it a “pie” feels like someone is bending the rules just to justify eating it for dessert.

So this Thanksgiving, if the pumpkin pie is suddenly replaced by a chocolate silk monstrosity sprinkled with crushed Oreos, just know this is not a mistake. It is a generational shift.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 23-29

Reese’s Poop, crotchless “Golden Girls” undies, and Kobe Bryant retires. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Do Reese’s “Christmas Trees” Look Like Poop?

Reese’s Christmas Trees went viral on social media after someone (correctly) pointed out that the definition wasn’t always there… so they often looked more like festive little turds. Reese’s had been selling them since 1993, so it wasn’t exactly a new issue. But the internet roasted the chocolate blobs so hard, you could almost smell the peanut butter. 💩

Kobe Bryant announces retirement in a poem

Kobe didn’t just say goodbye—he rhymed it. The Black Mamba announced his retirement with a heartfelt poem that made fans cry, teammates cheer, and English teachers proud. It was part farewell, part Shakespeare. Kobe retired at the end of the 2015-2016 season. He was tragically killed four years later in a helicopter crash just north of L.A., along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.

“Gremlins 3” rumors take off

Zach Galligan – who played Billy Peltzer in “Gremlins” and “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” – said the long-awaited third installment would not be a remake. There had been reports a year earlier that the movie was being “fast-tracked.” But a decade later, we’re still waiting. It’s now slated to hit theaters in 2027.

Ringo Starr’s personal copy of “The White Album” goes up for auction

It was stamped with “No.0000001” and was expected to sell for up to $60,000. It instead sold for a whopping $790,000. That’s a lot of money for something you can also stream for free. Peace, love, and deep pockets.

“Golden Girls” lingerie line includes crotchless Blanche panties

Because 2015 was wild: someone released Golden Girls underwear. An Etsy shop started selling granny underwear with images of the “Golden Girls” on the front. The ones with Dorothy’s face on the front were low rise… Sophia’s were high-waisted… Rose’s were sheer… and Blanche’s were crotchless. Eap pair cost $45 and were the perfect way to say, “Thank you for being a freaky friend.”

Police get called to domestic disturbance, but it’s just a man afraid of spiders

Police in Australia responded to reports of a woman screaming and a guy yelling, “I’m going to kill you.” But it turned out he was alone and had just seen a big spider. He was screaming while chasing it around to kill it.

Santa steals a helicopter in Brazil

Ho-ho-holy crap! A man in Brazil dressed as Santa hijacked a helicopter and vanished. Forget the sleigh and reindeer – this Kris Kringle apparently wanted his own whirlybird. Somewhere, the Grinch was impressed.

Woman’s murder plot foiled by bad spelling

A woman in London poisoned her husband with antifreeze and forged a note saying he didn’t want to be resuscitated. She was caught because she misspelled the word “dignity” as “dignerty.” Cops matched the misspelling to other samples of the woman’s writing. She got 15 years in jail for attempted murder. Her husband survived.

Darth Vader robs convenience store

A guy dressed as Darth Vader tried to rob a convenience store in Florida but was taken down by an unexpected weapon: blue cheese dressing. The clerk hurled it at him, and that was enough to scare off the Dark Lord.

Adele breaks NSYNC’s single-week sales record

Her album “25” sold 2.43 million copies in the U.S. in just four days, breaking the boy band’s single-week sales record of 2.41 million for “No Strings Attached” in 2000. She’d eventually hit 3.38 million sold, aided (in a big way) by the fact that her album was withheld from streaming services for the first 7 months after it was released. Her record stood for a decade until Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” hit 3.48 million in 2025.

“Stranger Things”: Gearing Up for “One Last Ride” in L.A.

Getting ready for the “Stranger Things” One Last Ride event in L.A. this weekend. Had to get this baby all shined up. 🧇🔦🚲📺

@thetopicalfruit

Can’t wait for Sunday’s Stranger Things One Last Ride fan event in Los Angeles! 🚲 Here’s a close-up of my Mike Wheeler replica bike from Schwinn. See you there! @Stranger Things @CicLAvia #strangerthings #schwinn #losangeles #netflix

♬ 80s, Synthwave, Retro Pop(1151104) – Gloveity

Update:

@thetopicalfruit

My day at the “Stranger Things” One Last Ride event. I loved seeing all the fans’ costumes. Less than 24 hours until the Season 5 premiere! 🚲🙃 @CicLAvia @Stranger Things #upsidedown #strangerthings #netflix #losangeles #ciclavia

♬ 80s Retro Synth Pop – MetamixMusic

Four Ways to Cut Calories on Thanksgiving Without Making It Sad and Weird

If you’re trying to keep Thanksgiving a little lighter this year (and not just the gravy), you can cut some calories without turning the meal into a health food hostage situation.

No one’s asking you to swap the turkey for a lentil loaf or serve mashed cauliflower with a side of tears. These tips will let you shave off calories while still keeping the “Thanks” and “giving” in Thanksgiving.

Here are four easy swaps to lighten up your Thanksgiving plate — and no, you don’t have to eat anything that jiggles unless you want to.

Pick white meat, skip the skin.

If you’re a turkey traditionalist, this one’s easy. White meat has about 50 fewer calories per serving than dark meat, especially if you skip the skin. Buying a whole turkey breast instead of a full bird is another smart move, but fair warning — some folks need their dark meat or they’ll riot. Maybe do a quick family poll before going full white-meat-only.

Stuff your stuffing with less fat.

You can still make stuffing from scratch and have it taste amazing. Try fat-free buttermilk instead of whole milk, and only use half the butter you normally would. It’ll still have that cozy, carb-loaded flavor — just with 90 fewer calories per scoop. Bonus: you might feel slightly less guilty going back for seconds.

Green beans over green bean casserole.

We get it, the crispy onion topping is half the reason people even look at green bean casserole. But if you skip the cream-of-something soup and make sautéed green beans with just butter and those same fried onions on top, you’re looking at about 150 fewer calories per serving. It’s still crunchy, still delicious, just… less beige.

Pick pumpkin over pecan.

Dessert is where Thanksgiving calories really go to party. A slice of pecan pie can hit around 800 calories, thanks to its sugary, buttery filling. Pumpkin pie, by comparison, clocks in at about 270. That’s a 500+ calorie difference per slice. So if you want to indulge but not go into a sugar coma, pumpkin’s the smarter pick.

Look, it’s Thanksgiving — no one expects it to be a diet day. But if you make just a couple of these swaps, your belt (and your future self) might thank you. And if you still end up eating like it’s your last meal, well… there’s always January.

William Shatner Once Shat His Pants on Stage

William Shatner has always been a great storyteller, but this one might be his most unforgettable.

During a recent chat, the 94-year-old legend admitted he once had a full-on bathroom emergency right in the middle of his 2012 Broadway run of Shatner’s World: We Just Live in It. And yes, it happened on opening night. If you’re searching for William Shatner story, Shatner Broadway, or embarrassing celebrity moments, you’ve come to the right place.

Shatner explained that he’d been dealing with stomach issues that day, and the second he stepped onstage, things took a turn.

As he put it, “All of a sudden, I have to go. In fact, I’m going to use the past tense. I had gone.”

That’s… not the kind of dramatic reveal Broadway usually aims for.

He didn’t try to power through it either. Shatner told the audience there had been a “technical difficulty,” then ducked offstage to deal with the crisis. He later joked that “things were coming out of me I didn’t know existed,” which is both horrifying and impressively honest.

But in true showbiz fashion, he got himself cleaned up, walked back onstage, and finished the performance like nothing happened.

According to him, the show ended up being “very successful,” which feels like an understatement considering what he endured.

It’s one of those celebrity confessions that instantly becomes internet gold, partly because Shatner tells it with a kind of dramatic flair no one else can quite pull off. And honestly, it’s kind of refreshing. Most stars pretend they’re not human. Shatner shares a story that proves he absolutely is, even if the universe decided to humble him at the worst possible moment.

If nothing else, it’s a comforting reminder that even Captain Kirk has had a humiliating day at work. And he still got a standing ovation.

Half of Us Have “Revenge Quit” a Job

If you’ve ever fantasized about telling your boss to shove it and walking out mid-shift, you’re not alone – and many of us have actually done it.

According to a new poll from Monster, revenge quitting – quitting without notice as an act of frustration or vengeance – is surprisingly common.

Almost half of us have done it before

47% of workers say they’ve done it at some point in their life. And it’s not just a personal rebellion; 57% say they’ve witnessed a coworker do it too.

Why we “revenge quit”

The top reason people gave for going full scorched-earth on their job? A toxic work environment. Poor management and feeling undervalued were also high on the list. Basically, if your office feels like a daily test of patience, you’re more likely to bail without a heads-up. (aka, no two-weeks notice)

Bad bosses partly to blame

Interestingly, nearly half (46%) of those who revenge quit said they might have stuck it out if they’d had a different boss. So yes, a good boss really can make or break a workplace.

But while revenge quitting might sound like something out of a workplace comedy, it’s often more calculated than it seems. Over half of the people surveyed admitted they mentally checked out at least six months before making their exit. One in five people said they’d fantasized about quitting for over two years before they finally pulled the plug.

In contrast to rage quitting, which is often an in-the-moment emotional explosion, revenge quitting can simmer in the background for months (or years) before someone finally walks out.

Either way, flipping the bird on your way out the door sure sounds fun, right?

An illustration of group of business people towards giant exit word

Ocean Spray Filled Cranberry Sauce Cans with Something Way Less Delicious

The folks at Ocean Spray say they’re looking into reports that some cans of cranberry sauce purchased for Thanksgiving were inexplicably filled with water instead.

Several videos are going around social media, including the one below. But honestly, all I really have to say to this lady is, “DEAR GOD, BUY A CAN OPENER!!”

@jasmine_hun

My Bestfriend opened up cans full of water instead of cranberry sauce 🤣🤣 #oceanspray @Ocean Spray Inc. What’s going on??? #thanksgiving #Funny

♬ original sound – Jasmine
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