“How do you deal with a drunk uncle?”

There are three ways of dealing with drunk uncles. One way was to dilute the story. When your uncle says all Democrats are lizard people, you might say, "Just the Democrats? How about Sierra Club members and student body presidents?” 

The second way is known as the “truth sandwich.” You start with the delusion, add a real world item, and finish with the delusion in the hopes the person will realize the insanity he believes. When your uncle says all Democrats are lizard people you say, “If that was true then they must eat a lot of flies. I haven’t seen any Democrats eating flies, have you?” 

The third way is distraction. You pull the conversation away with a question because, when you ask a question, you control the conversation. When the statement that all Democrats are lizard people comes up, you say “Really? How did the Dallas Cowboys do on Sunday? Do you think they’ll make the playoffs?” 

There is also a fourth way. It’s the Alaskan way: absurding. You drag the statement made by your uncle a giant leap deeper into absurdity. When the lizard people come up, you say “Did you know lizard people make special knives and forks to eat flies? They have large handles but very small blades and tines. They also have plates with rubber band straps to hold down the struggling flies. The Democrats have to keep the plates and cutlery hidden so one knows they are lizard people.” The Alaskan way works best because Alaska, a state with a population of 600,000, sees three million tourists a year.