Podcast Summary: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – January 12, 2026
Main Theme / Purpose
This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness brings comedic commentary and irreverent banter on current events in Arizona, featuring a special (faux) drop-in from Governor Katie Hobbs ahead of her State of the State address. The hosts also dive into recent entertainment news, music industry trends, and their signature satirical riffing on pop culture and local affairs.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Governor Katie Hobbs’ Visit & State of the State Jokes
Timestamps: 02:04–06:29
- The “Governor Hobbs” segment is an in-studio comedy bit, featuring a playful impersonation of Katie Hobbs.
- The hosts exchange witty banter on New Year’s resolutions, erotic jokes involving “grandmas,” and poke fun at gubernatorial speeches.
- Hobbs quips about legislative priorities, humorously proposing to make “sex with grandmas” illegal for specific show members:
“I’m gonna do the State of the Union today, and I’m gonna make it illegal for everybody to have sex with grandmas with the letters M and Y and T in their name.” (03:38, Katie Hobbs) - “Hobbs” receives a jokey poster from the crew, riffs on State of the State topics (education, elder care, infrastructure), and teases about gubernatorial mansion décor.
- The hosts express skepticism and comic cynicism toward Arizona's politics:
“State of the state today. And I don’t even know what that means... Like she’s just going to come out and go yeah. Mexico. Right. Drugs.” (06:01, John Holmberg)
- The group jokes about sign language interpreters, recalling local TV staple “Greg Maddox in transition.”
2. The Rise of AI-generated Music (Entertainment Drill)
Timestamps: 09:10–10:34
- Discussion of a Deezer/Ipso survey on public perception of AI music:
“97% of people can’t tell the difference between fully AI-generated and human made music.” (09:26, Brady)
- The scale of AI music production is noted – 50,000 new tracks per day now uploaded to the platform (09:51).
- John Holmberg expresses concern and resignation about AI's impact:
“Music ends in five years as we know it.” (10:07, John Holmberg)
- Anecdotes on creators feeding music ideas into AI generators.
3. Entertainment News Roundup
Timestamps: 10:34–17:08
Celebrity Legal Troubles
- Daniel Stern (actor known for “Home Alone”): Reportedly cited for solicitation of prostitution, but only ticketed (10:40).
- Timothy Busfield: Facing sexual impropriety allegations involving minors on the set of “The Cleaning Lady” (11:12).
- Busfield claims allegations are revenge from parents after their children’s songs were cut from the show:
“…the parents decided to make these kids out loud. Victims of Timothy Busfield sexual advances in order to get revenge and ruin his life.” (12:57, John Holmberg)
- Melissa Gilbert, Busfield’s wife, previously made headlines after criticizing Megyn Kelly over comments related to Jeffrey Epstein (13:25).
- Hosts argue about the plausibility of abuse allegations being fabricated versus real.
- Busfield claims allegations are revenge from parents after their children’s songs were cut from the show:
Notable Death: Bob Weir of Grateful Dead
- Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir passes at 78 (14:54).
- Hosts react with a mix of sarcasm and relief:
“To the Grateful Dead people, it’s over. Go home… I hate hippies.” (15:34, John Holmberg)
- Hosts react with a mix of sarcasm and relief:
- Jokes about John Mayer, Fish, and the “end of touring” for jam bands.
Britney Spears Refuses to Perform in U.S.
- Britney claims “extremely sensitive reasons” for not performing in the U.S., considers international performances instead (16:36).
- Hosts humorously speculate on her rationale and question the logic, joking about how the internet would reveal anything anyway.
4. Nostalgic Tangents and Old Marker-Smelling Stories
Timestamps: 17:17–18:22
- The crew reminisces about childhood habits, notably getting high off markers and glue, blending nostalgia with signature irreverence.
“That is an intoxicating smell. Airplane glue. And that. My mom and I sniffed airplane glue together once.” (18:22, John Holmberg)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the State of the State address:
“The State of the Union is good, but there’s still some problems in Arizona.”
(04:21, “Katie Hobbs”) -
On AI music’s impact:
“Music ends in five years as we know it. That’s… yeah, that’s the end of that. It’s not even an instrument.”
(10:07, John Holmberg) -
On Bob Weir’s death / Grateful Dead fans:
“To the Grateful Dead people, it’s over. Go home your hippie nonsense. Trash.”
(15:34, John Holmberg) -
On childhood marker-sniffing:
“I would color on poster board and just smell the poster board floating around the house.”
(17:53, John Holmberg)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment | Time | |-----------------------------------------|--------------| | Gov. Katie Hobbs segment / Banter | 02:04–06:29 | | Entertainment Drill (AI Music) | 09:10–10:34 | | Daniel Stern & Timothy Busfield News | 10:34–14:47 | | Bob Weir Death & Deadhead Riffs | 14:54–16:29 | | Britney Spears Announcement | 16:36–17:09 | | Childhood reminiscing (markers/glue) | 17:17–18:22 |
Tone & Style
- The overall mood is irreverent, edgy, and playful, mixing news with local color, dark humor, and self-deprecation.
- Satire and sarcasm are hallmarks, especially when discussing local politics and pop culture.
- The hosts riff off each other seamlessly, maintaining a quick-paced, conversational tone.
Summary for Listeners
If you missed this episode, expect a blend of satirical Arizona political jabs, eyebrow-raising entertainment news, and unserious hot takes on celebrity scandals and music industry shifts. The hosts don’t shy away from pushing boundaries, so come ready for snark and rapid-fire jokes.
