Episode Overview

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness
Date: January 12, 2026
Main Theme:
The episode centers around the "What Would Brady Do?" segment (WWBD), where listeners submit moral or personal dilemmas for advice from Brady Bogen and the rest of the cast (John Holmberg, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo). This episode focuses heavily on questions about relationships and personal habits—specifically, dilemmas involving pornography, attraction to local news anchors, and dealing with problem neighbors.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Porn and Relationship Boundaries (04:00–07:00)

• Listener Dilemma: Alex writes in about his girlfriend being uncomfortable with him watching porn—she allows masturbation but is anti-pornography, refuses to send intimate photos, and believes he should have "more self-control."
• Cast Reaction:
  • John: Strongly critical of the girlfriend’s attitude, labeling her as “awful” and suggesting the relationship is “headed for a world of destruction.”

    “She’s laying down rules and stuff about how you please yourself... Get out. I think you’re better with—you need to find another partner.” (04:43)

  • Brady: Warns of potential relationship resentment, noting the red flag of controlling behavior.

    “You’re not on the same page on that physical side… it’s going to get tougher the more you push it.” (04:35)

  • Consensus: Blanket rules on personal habits outside of harm or cheating are controlling and unhealthy.

Notable Quotes

• John (05:16):

  "When she's like, 'Porn's bad, I don't like it so you can't,' you've got a problem. That is not going to end with just porn."

• John (06:03):

  "People who take things that you enjoy because they don't, and consider it a victory in the relationship when you stop doing them, are horrible people."

2. "Is Watching News Anchors Creepy?" (08:00–09:32)

• Listener Dilemma: A listener admits to enjoying watching attractive women on the local Fox 10 News, expressing concern his “harpy wife” will force him to watch less-attractive anchors on other channels. He claims not to be into porn and wonders if this behavior is problematic.
• Cast Reaction:
  • John: Finds the admission strange; links admiration of attractive news anchors to a form of low-level sexual outlet, and agrees with the wife if the listener's "tugging to the weather report."

    “The second you start tugging to the weather report because you’re not into porn, I think your wife would rather you were into porn.” (09:22)

  • Group: Jokes about specific anchors (“Holly Box”—Channel 3, new batch on Channel 10) and whether this is “clean fun” or crosses a line.

Notable Moments

• John (09:04):

  "You can say the news girls are cute, but… I hope Troy Hayden’s listening, knowing that people are doing that while he’s on."

• Brady and John: Joke about news personalities and the oddness of the whole situation, making it clear there's a line between noticing an attractive anchor and making it something private or sexual.

3. The Hit-and-Run Neighbor: "Liver King" (10:00–13:59)

• Listener Dilemma: Rodney confesses to hitting his “certifiably insane” neighbor’s car and fleeing due to fear—this neighbor is described as huge and violent, nicknamed "Liver King."
• Cast Reaction:
  • Bret: Points out the caller may have just confessed on radio to everyone in their area.
  • John: Warns against coming clean, suggesting Rodney should “die with the secret.”

    “I say you die with the secret… Liver King might not be listening. He might be eating venison raw in the backyard right now.” (13:24)

  • Brady: Jokes about selling the house or blaming someone else.

Notable Moments

• Brady (13:51):

  "Sell your house."

• John (13:56):

  "Call Doug Hopkins right now… Move."

4. The Classic WWBD Grotesque Dilemma: “Grannies vs. the Guy” (14:30–16:22)

• Would You Rather: Save the world by having sex with either two elderly women or an attractive man—colorfully described and visually depicted for Larry McFeely, who debates the options.
• The Cast: Leans into crude banter, rapid-fire with off-the-cuff gross-out jokes, in line with the show’s reputation for edgy humor.
• Memorable Banter:
  • Brady immediately chooses the old ladies.
  • Debate over which choice is least gross, with references to “poop wiener,” “gay guy covered in diarrhea,” and “smell-o-vision.”

Standout Moments

• John (16:05):

  “For the world, Larry. We need an answer. The world will explode.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• [04:32] John: "She’s awful. I hate your girlfriend."
• [05:16] John: "When she's like, 'Porn's bad, I don't like it so you can't,' you've got a problem. That is not going to end with just porn."
• [06:03] John: "People who take things that you enjoy because they don't, and consider it a victory in the relationship when you stop doing them, are horrible people."
• [09:22] John: "The second you start tugging to the weather report because you're not into porn, I think your wife would rather you were into porn."
• [13:24] John: "I say you die with the secret… Liver King might not be listening. He might be eating venison raw in the backyard right now."
• [13:51] Brady: "Sell your house."
• [16:05] John: "For the world, Larry. We need an answer. The world will explode."

Important Segment Timestamps

• WWBD Introduction / Icebreakers: 03:39–04:00
• Porn in Relationship: 04:00–07:00
• News Anchor Attraction: 08:00–09:32
• Hit-and-Run Neighbor (“Liver King”): 10:00–13:59
• WWBD Grotesque Dilemma (“Grannies vs. the Guy”): 14:30–16:22
• Segment Close / Wrap Up: 16:22 onward

Tone and Style

• The show maintains its trademark raw, irreverent, and rapid-fire humor throughout.
• The hosts are blunt, sarcastic, and frequently trade jabs.
• Relationship advice is given with a comedic edge but often with honest core values (e.g., warning against controlling relationships, advocating for honesty or self-preservation).

Takeaways for Listeners

• Controlling behavior in relationships, especially regarding innocuous personal habits, is a huge red flag.
• There’s a clear line between harmless admiration of attractive people and letting it cross into inappropriate territory, especially if it’s impacting your relationship.
• If you commit a minor wrong against a hyper-aggressive neighbor, telling the truth isn’t always the safest course—sometimes, secrecy (or selling your house!) is the less risky path, at least comedically.
• The WWBD segment thrives on pushing uncomfortable questions and seeing who can maintain their composure (and decency… or lack thereof).

This episode is a quintessential example of Holmberg's Morning Sickness—ruthlessly honest, inappropriately funny, but anchored by a surprising core wisdom about living life authentically and not tolerating control or hypocrisy.