Best Existential Humour Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 147, ‘Creator or Cosmos’ with Tim Mawson and Asha Lancaster-Thomas (Part I - The Debate) 40:11

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9d ago40:11

40:11

Across the world, belief in God continues to be widespread and, among philosophers, has long been considered one solution to the problems of the world’s origin, fine-tuned nature, and purpose. However, in the West, very few people have considered alternative concepts of God credible. That, though, may be beginning to change. One such alternative – …

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Episode 10: Herb Baumeister 1:16:41

12d ago1:16:41

1:16:41

We’ve got a proper bumper episode for you lot today – kettle on, this one’s a ride. First off, we’re diving straight into the Drake vs Kendrick Lamar beef 🔥 – from Like That to Not Like Us, breaking down every bar, every diss, and who’s actually winning this war of words. Then we’re having a natter about Taylor Swift’s wedding news 💍 – because come…

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Episode 9: The Death of Zigmund Adamski 1:08:46

16d ago1:08:46

1:08:46

Alright – Sean here! This week’s episode is a bit of a mad one. Dissertation’s finally done, brain’s just about functioning again, so we’re back to regular spooky business. We kick things off by completely ruining your childhood with some of the wildest Shrek conspiracies floating about online. Apparently Donkey might be a cursed human, and Shrek’s…

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Episode 146, The Philosophy of Comedy (Part III - Further Analysis and Discussion) 59:15

23d ago59:15

59:15

In 2021, Netflix released His Dark Material, a Christmas stand-up special by Irish–British comedian Jimmy Carr. The show sparked international outrage. Toward the end of the set, Carr delivered what he called a ‘career ender’ – a joke about the Holocaust, in which he described the Nazis’ murder of thousands of ‘Gypsies’ as a ‘positive’. The Holocau…

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Episode 8: Belle Plaine Murder House 54:04

27d ago54:04

54:04

This week’s episode starts with something close to home – a Zillennial rant about the state of education. From Blair’s “education, education, education” promise to the endless conveyor belt of degrees, debt, and dashed hopes, Sean reflects on what it means to be a student today – hopping between universities, writing a dissertation on sociopolitica…

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2 Dead Dogs and a Crushed Hat 14:45

28d ago14:45

14:45

2 Dead Dogs and a Crushed Hat There's a punchline at the end of life that makes it all funny? Right? Come on, indulge me! What a year. I'm laughing now. But then. Ouch. THIS IS A TRUE STORY OF LOSS AND OTHER BAD JOKES THE UNIVERSE TELLS US. Dirty Stupid Wisdom is a podcast written and read by Ben Keaton – actor, writer, Olivier Award-winner. Short,…

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Episode 7: Westhoughton Poltergeist 58:22

1M ago58:22

58:22

In 1993, a quiet home in Westhoughton, Greater Manchester, became the centre of one of Britain’s most unsettling paranormal cases. What started as small disturbances soon escalated into chaotic activity—flying objects, furniture moving on its own, oil spills, and witnesses left shaken to their core. But was this really the work of a restless spirit…

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I Yam what I Yam - Tattoo Crazy 15:09

1M ago15:09

15:09

I Yam what I Yam – Tattoo’s Crazy Popeye, the spinach eating cartoon sailor of the 1930s and 40s said it best. He knew who he was and had the tattoos to prove it. Identity emerges. Some know day one and can’t wait to get going. This is one of those days. THIS IS A TRUE STORY INKED ON SKIN AND MEMORY. Dirty Stupid Wisdom is a podcast written and rea…

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BCB Dario 8 // BBC Radio 2 📻 1:12:26

1M ago1:12:26

1:12:26

Send me ____________ through my E-mail at the footy(footer // bri'ish) You could call me comp’s mentis, if you’re aware of me telling jokes. I’ll honestly be insulted if you don’t get them. Especially if you expect I don’t get them. Like I DON’T FUCKING KNOW WHAT I’M DOING?!?!?! FUUUUUCK YOUUUUU!??!??? -oh. What? …No…? Forget all the harsh words th…

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Episode 146, The Philosophy of Comedy (Part II - The Ethics of Humour) 37:44

1M ago37:44

37:44

In 2021, Netflix released His Dark Material, a Christmas stand-up special by Irish–British comedian Jimmy Carr. The show sparked international outrage. Toward the end of the set, Carr delivered what he called a ‘career ender’ – a joke about the Holocaust, in which he described the Nazis’ murder of thousands of ‘Gypsies’ as a ‘positive’. The Holocau…

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Episode 6: Tartan Abductions 50:32

1M ago50:32

50:32

Scotland’s night skies aren’t just home to clouds and stars — they’ve played host to two of the UK’s most baffling UFO encounters. In this eerie episode of The Zillennial Spooks, Sean dives into the infamous A70 abduction and the unsettling Dechmont Law incident. Back in 1992, two mates driving near Edinburgh were swallowed by a blinding light and …

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If I Were Me 15:52

1M ago15:52

15:52

Those self-help gurus must live perfect lives, right? So why do they look like they just came out of rehab? Knowing the right thing to do and doing it are not the same thing at all. That’s why bakeries sell out by 2pm. THIS IS THE STORY OF HUMANITY Vs COMMON SENSE Dirty Stupid Wisdom is a podcast written and read by Ben Keaton – actor, writer, Oliv…

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Set of Bollocks #2 1:30:07

1M ago1:30:07

1:30:07

Send me ____________ through my E-mail at the footy(footer // bri'ish) So sooooooooo meeeeeeee ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "I never thought to say this originally, because I wouldn't like to lose myself in a Social-Vacuum-Esque Hellscape. Purely if you think I have some…

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Episode 5: The Sallie House 51:23

2M ago51:23

51:23

Atchison, Kansas, might look like small-town America — but on one quiet street sits a house with a reputation that chills even seasoned ghost hunters. In this spine-tingling episode, host Sean steps inside the infamous Sallie House, where the line between haunting and horror is razor-thin. What began as a supposed visit from a child spirit named Sa…

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Episode 4: The Rochdale Poltergeist 45:19

2M ago45:19

45:19

Rochdale isn’t just another Northern mill town — it’s a place where history’s shadows seem a little darker, and whispers in the night carry a little further. In this unnerving episode, host Sean lifts the veil on one of Britain’s strangest and most unsettling hauntings: the Rochdale Poltergeist. We dive into the chilling events of the late 1990s, w…

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Watching Not Drowning 15:05

2M ago15:05

15:05

Acting is a mad business. You get to do things you’d run from in the real world. 'You’ll be naked in this scene.' 'I feckin won’t!' 'So will she.' 'Oh. Ok then.' Some roles get under your skin. Others swallow you whole. The thrill is intoxicating, the comedown brutal. Somewhere along the way you may forget where the character ends and you begin. TH…

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Episode 146, The Philosophy of Comedy (Part I - The Nature of Humour) 54:18

2M ago54:18

54:18

In 2021, Netflix released His Dark Material, a Christmas stand-up special by Irish–British comedian Jimmy Carr. The show sparked international outrage. Toward the end of the set, Carr delivered what he called a ‘career ender’ – a joke about the Holocaust, in which he described the Nazis’ murder of thousands of ‘Gypsies’ as a ‘positive’. The Holocau…

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Episode 3: The East Lancs Ripper 43:17

2M ago43:17

43:17

Between 1988 and 1994, a quiet corridor of the North West — the East Lancashire Road — became a dumping ground for the dead. Four women, each killed in brutal, methodical ways. Stabbed. Strangled. Dismembered. Was it the work of a single sadistic killer? Or a coincidence hiding in plain sight? In this episode, we dive into the chilling cases of Lin…

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Episode 2: Spookniks - Russian Spooks 55:28

2M ago55:28

55:28

Russia isn’t just a land of cold winters and iron history — it’s a landscape soaked in myth, mystery, and things that go bump in the snow. In this chilling episode, host Sean takes you deep into the supernatural folklore and unsolved mysteries that haunt the world’s largest country. From ancient spirits like the sorrowful, seductive Rusalka, to the…

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Gone North 11:43

2M ago11:43

11:43

There are lots of ways to lose friends — not returning a lawnmower, fancying the wife, constantly leaving wee on the floor after bathroom visits. All of them in the canon of possibility. I just didn’t see this one coming. This episode is about the bewilderment of loss. The not-calling, not-texting, not-saying-goodbye kind of ending that leaves you …

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Episode 145, The Mystery of Morality: Live in London (Part II - Audience Questions) 22:33

2M ago22:33

22:33

'“Hello – it’s Olly here! For Episode 145, we have another very special show for you: the recording from our live event – The Mystery of Morality – held on 12 June 2025 at London’s Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between four of our previous guests: Richard Swinburne, Jessica Frazier, Alex O’Connor and Peter Singer. The ques…

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Scat Pawn 0:55

2M ago0:55

0:55

Send me ____________ through my E-mail at the footy(footer // bri'ish) I’m gonna start just uploading snippets because iff’in y’all all PIGGING KNOW, I’m no fucking good at editing. Thanks, ‘yeah’. Just joking, cheers. (Or fu king not haha.) /‘Olly Woods is a Joke’ ____________________________________________________________________________________…

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Take His Cards 13:06

2M ago13:06

13:06

Ben Keaton is a drinker in constant search of that sweet spot. That mix if soft warm, witty repartee embodied by his childhood heroes. This episode is a hymn to booze and online shopping. Those next day deliveries are just full of surprises after a few glasses of red. 'Did I really order nipple tassels? Well, better try them on then.' THIS IS A TRU…

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Song Improvisations 🍀 ☘️ 🇬🇧💷 14:47

2M ago14:47

14:47

Send me ____________ through my E-mail at the footy(footer // bri'ish) Not bad. PREEEEEEEEEETTYYY GOOOOOOOOOOOOD. Hey there everybody. I love you all like a Father loves his Raymond. Not like Chris isn’t welcome and all. Same as ever. Just like Nigel Farage… is a Liar. Byesiiiiiies! Fucking losers. Don’t have a car for you to get in. WHY NOT SCOWL …

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Come on, all are welcome: BBC Big Cock Radio [ar a laghad] 14:58

3M ago14:58

14:58

Send me ____________ through my E-mail at the footy(footer // bri'ish) bIT OF A boners eppes like MIKE bint Just joking like, but it's a weird awful recording.... get ready C ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "I never thought to say this originally, because I wouldn't like to…

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He Keeps a List 17:36

3M ago17:36

17:36

Ben Keaton keeps a list of people he hates. It’s not a list you’d write down. It’s a private tally of rage. Petty. Profound. Occasionally piss-soaked. This episode is about the fantasies we quietly enjoy and the hatreds we politely deny— It might include a theatre director who pours a pint over your head. I wonder who HE is? There’s no grand soluti…

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Cue Trombones 16:43

3M ago16:43

16:43

Superstition, ghosts, there’s no need to believe in any of that unless it shares your DNA and slips you cash when you’re broke. This episode is an account of the madness that creeps in when ladders, pianos and dead fathers collide. A TRUE STORY BASED ON UNRESOLVED FEELINGS AND DEAD PEOPLE And maybe, just maybe, your dead relative can pop back and s…

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Episode 145, The Mystery of Morality: Live in London (Part I - The Debate) 1:15:02

3M ago1:15:02

1:15:02

'“Hello – it’s Olly here! For Episode 145, we have another very special show for you: the recording from our live event – The Mystery of Morality – held on 12 June 2025 at London’s Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between four of our previous guests: Richard Swinburne, Jessica Frazier, Alex O’Connor and Peter Singer. The ques…

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I Saw Doctor Who's Bollocks 13:36

3M ago13:36

13:36

Some sights stay with you forever. The shock may even cause you to rewrite history. In this case the bollocks of a time lord in an intimate setting. You don’t plan for it but once those fellas are out there, there’s no unseeing them. THIS IS A TRUE STORY BASED ON FAILING MEMORY Dirty Stupid Wisdom is a podcast written and read by Ben Keaton – actor…

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All Inclusive 19:54

3M ago19:54

19:54

All Inclusive Ben Keaton’s feed is having a breakdown. The algorithm is too confident. It thinks it knows us, when we don't know ourselves. He’s starting to question what honesty actually looks like. Not the polite social kind— the real McCoy. Dirty Stupid Wisdom is a podcast written and read by Ben Keaton – actor, writer, Olivier Award-winner, and…

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Episode 1: Haunted Wythenshawe 58:47

3M ago58:47

58:47

In this chilling episode of The Zillennial Spooks, we explore the haunted heart of South Manchester—Wythenshawe. From the eerie halls of the centuries-old Wythenshawe Hall and Wythenshawe Park, to strange sightings at Manchester Airport. We also uncover the terrifying case of the Benchill Poltergeist and the haunting legend of the Benchill Grey Lad…

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Podcast Introduction 6:53

3M ago6:53

6:53

In this quick teaser episode of The Zillennial Spooks, the hosts introduce their new podcast exploring all things paranormal, true crime, and morbid curiosities. They share what inspired them to start the show. Listeners get a sneak peek at upcoming episodes covering haunted places, unsolved crimes, and bizarre historical events. It’s a brief but s…

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I Lost My Virginity to a Drug Dealing Nurse 17:05

3M ago17:05

17:05

I Lost My Virginity to a Drug-Dealing Nurse An unflinching tale of sexual awaking, Irish style. Ben Keaton looks back on the miracle of how he lost his virginity — not in a romantic blur of youth, but with a drug-dealing nurse in Holloway in 1970s London. It's a story of hope rewarded, jacket potatoes, and the kind of sex education they never taugh…

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When I Talk to You 13:05

3M ago13:05

13:05

Ben Keaton lives in a harem of detached, super-intelligent women. Every day is optimised. Every need attended to. Every fantasy indulged. This is the life we all hoped for. The future, squashed into a one-bedroom flat. No wonder his bread always rises—these women wouldn’t have it any other way. The perfect life. On subscription. Dirty Stupid Wisdom…

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A Beer by the Bins 14:52

3M ago14:52

14:52

A Beer by the Bins Ben Keaton shares a pint with The Boy and lays out his plans. What begins as a conversation about funerals turns into something else entirely: a meditation on family, finances, and the strange tenderness of talking plainly about the inevitable. Set in a pub yard with a view of the church, this is full of life — unexpected laughte…

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Episode 144, Steven Pinker x Richard Dawkins: Live in London (Part II - Audience Questions) 32:46

3M ago32:46

32:46

This is a live recording from our recent show – The Future of Humanity – held on 3 June 2025 at London’s Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between psychologist Steven Pinker and biologist Richard Dawkins – both previous guests on The Panpsycast – exploring the evolution of human beings and the challenges we face in the future.…

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Nature; Our Greatest Enemy. 17:42

3M ago17:42

17:42

Nature, Our Greatest Enemy We are told that Nature is our mother. That she nurtures us, heals us, calms us. But that's nonsense. In reality she shits in fields, floods towns, stings children, and nurtures mice that breed and eat their own. In this episode, Ben Keaton dismantles the myth of Nature. Based on his lifelong distrust of the outdoors, his…

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The Mad Irish 17:22

3M ago17:22

17:22

What makes a nation tick? For some it’s power, for others poetry. There's definitely a drum beating in the Irish — a kind of rhythm that can lift a room. In this episode, Ben Keaton wrestles with a label he never asked for and slowly came to wear with pride. It’s about identity, intensity, and the strange business of discovering who you are — befor…

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Relatively Speaking 14:27

3M ago14:27

14:27

Who the hell are they? They call themselves cousins, uncles, aunts — they sit on your bed, take second helpings at lunch, and speak with authority. But how did we get to this? Ben Keaton struggles with the notion of family. This episode explores the strange obligations of blood, the grim machinery of weddings and christenings, and how real connecti…

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Episode 144, Steven Pinker x Richard Dawkins: Live in London (Part I - The Future of Humanity) 1:04:41

4M ago1:04:41

1:04:41

Welcome to Episode 144 (Part I of II), where Richard Dawkins interviews Steven Pinker on the past and future of humanity. This is a live recording from our recent show – The Future of Humanity – held on 3 June 2025 at London’s Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between psychologist Steven Pinker and biologist Richard Dawkins – …

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Episode 143, ‘The Philosophy of Mental Health’ with Rose Cartwright (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion) 30:33

4M ago30:33

30:33

We’re living through a mental health crisis. In Europe, use of antidepressant has more than doubled in the past twenty years, and one in five children are now living with a recognised mental health condition. These numbers are striking, and the suffering they reflect personal, and clouded in mystery. But have we always been like this? Or has someth…

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Episode 143, ‘The Philosophy of Mental Health’ with Rose Cartwright (Part I - The Maps We Carry) 35:55

5M ago35:55

35:55

We’re living through a mental health crisis. In Europe, use of antidepressant has more than doubled in the past twenty years, and one in five children are now living with a recognised mental health condition. These numbers are striking, and the suffering they reflect personal, and clouded in mystery. But have we always been like this? Or has someth…

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Episode 142, 'The Philosophy of Food' with Julian Baggini (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion) 33:21

5M ago33:21

33:21

Food is one of the most universal and essential parts of human life. From gourmet steaks to the everyday, humble, packet of crisps, food consumption is everywhere. But what do we actually know about how our food is grown? How is it processed? And how does it ends up on our supermarket shelves or in our restaurants and takeaways? While we may look b…

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Episode 142, 'The Philosophy of Food' with Julian Baggini (Part I - How the World Eats) 40:30

5M ago40:30

40:30

Food is one of the most universal and essential parts of human life. From gourmet steaks to the everyday, humble, packet of crisps, food consumption is everywhere. But what do we actually know about how our food is grown? How is it processed? And how does it ends up on our supermarket shelves or in our restaurants and takeaways? While we may look b…

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Episode 141, ‘Deadly Sins’ with Elizabeth Oldfield (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion) 38:37

6M ago38:37

38:37

Much of ethics is relational: it’s about how we treat other people, the world around us, and how those relationships shape who we become. In philosophy, this often gets formalised as a set of virtues to cultivate, duties to obey, or harms to avoid. But today, we rarely talk about sins – let alone the seven deadly sins. Historically rooted in the Ch…

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Episode 141, ‘Deadly Sins’ with Elizabeth Oldfield (Part I - Fully Alive) 37:29

6M ago37:29

37:29

Much of ethics is relational: it’s about how we treat other people, the world around us, and how those relationships shape who we become. In philosophy, this often gets formalised as a set of virtues to cultivate, duties to obey, or harms to avoid. But today, we rarely talk about sins – let alone the seven deadly sins. Historically rooted in the Ch…

1
Episode 140, ‘Interpersonal Art’ with Harry Drummond (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion) 32:02

7M ago32:02

32:02

Reflecting on the experiences we value most, many that come to mind are those we share with others. Consider the strangers we sit alongside at the football, the romantic partners who share (or endure) our favourite television shows, the friends with whom we dance through the early morning hours. Despite the growing ease of on-demand, private aesthe…

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Episode 140, ‘Interpersonal Art’ with Harry Drummond (Part I - Collective Experience) 34:38

7M ago34:38

34:38

Reflecting on the experiences we value most, many that come to mind are those we share with others. Consider the strangers we sit alongside at the football, the romantic partners who share (or endure) our favourite television shows, the friends with whom we dance through the early morning hours. Despite the growing ease of on-demand, private aesthe…

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Episode 139, Unanswered Questions 53:44

8M ago53:44

53:44

A couple of weeks ago, Jack took part in a debate at Oriel College, University of Oxford, with Stephen Law on the evil-god challenge. It was a fantastic discussion, full of thought-provoking arguments and brilliant questions from the audience. It was also set to be our final episode on the topic. Unfortunately, due to Oxford’s unforeseen technical …

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Episode 138, Plato's Symposium (Part III - The Ladder of Love) 1:02:02

8M ago1:02:02

1:02:02

A Christmas party is where humanity’s deepest truths can be revealed. It’s a space where profound questions like "How much gravy is too much gravy?" “What is partridge doing in a pear tree?” mingle seamlessly with "What is the meaning of life?" The very act of gathering to celebrate is a tribute to our existential longing for connection, love, joy,…