Hold Up with Dulcé Sloan & Josh Johnson from The Daily Show · Comedy Central

French Fries vs. Onion Rings

January 5, 2023·42 min·3 clips

Dulcé Sloan admits she hasn't eaten mashed potatoes in more than ten years.

Josh Johnson and Dulce Sloan open the episode by inviting listeners to guess each host's position before revealing their picks. Dulce declares for onion rings while Josh sides with french fries, setting up a spirited back-and-forth. Dulce expands her case by folding in the bloomin' onion, arguing that if tomato soup can count as ketchup, the bloomin' onion belongs in the onion ring family. Josh counters that choosing onion rings means giving up waffle fries, curly fries, crinkle-cut fries, and every other potato variation. Dulce reveals she is not a big potato fan in general, claiming she has not eaten a mashed potato in over a decade. The hosts explore the origins of tater tots, which Josh describes as the hot dogs of potatoes, born from french fry off-cuts that factories could not otherwise use. Dulce argues that onion rings require more skill and craftsmanship to prepare than fries, which can simply be bought frozen and dropped in a fryer. Josh points out that the french fry is the perfect dipping utensil, pairing with sauces from ketchup to Whataburger's signature condiments. The conversation detours into a prolonged and comedic tangent about Josh's refusal to show his elbows or wear sandals, even at the beach in Miami. Dulce counters with a story about her mother's admiration for her perfectly formed baby toenail, defending her love of open-toed shoes. Both hosts acknowledge the disappointment of a badly executed onion ring, particularly when the batter separates from the onion or a papery layer remains inside. They discuss how the Burger King onion ring uses onion paste rather than real onion slices, which Dulce's friend actually prefers. Josh recalls the Freedom Fries era when the U.S. briefly renamed french fries over a diplomatic dispute with France, noting that the French never called them french fries to begin with. The hosts examine sweet potato fries and the difficulty of frying them properly, often resulting in a limp and mushy product. A tangent about zucchini noodles reveals mutual disappointment, with both hosts describing the unwelcome crunch of an undercooked vegetable pretending to be pasta. Dulce argues that anything classy requires more work, framing the onion ring as the sophisticated choice while calling the french fry pedestrian. Josh fires back that waffle fries and curly fries are factory products requiring specialized equipment, undermining Dulce's craftsmanship argument. The episode closes with both hosts inviting listeners to weigh in through social media, each confident they have made the stronger case. Throughout, the hosts' chemistry and willingness to pursue absurd tangents transforms a trivial food debate into a wide-ranging comedy conversation.

As heard by us

A snack debate that turns potato sides into a broader, funnier map of taste.

Potato sides become the running joke here, and the bit holds up better than it should. The exchange moves from French fries to tater tots and hash browns, then folds McDonald's into childhood memory without losing pace.

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Why you'd press play

You want a snack debate that spirals from fries into tater tots and hash browns.

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