01-13-26 - Wondering If Our Listeners Listen To Herman's Hermits - Reactions/Emails On Choppelgangers From Brady Report

Summary

Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 01-13-26 – Wondering If Our Listeners Listen To Herman's Hermits – Reactions/Emails On Choppelgangers From Brady Report
Date: January 13, 2026
Host: John Holmberg with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo

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Main Theme/Purpose

This lively episode blends signature irreverent banter with listener interaction as the crew reacts to their concert ticket giveaway—including to the somewhat surprising Herman’s Hermits show—and reads through humorous "choppelganger" (doppelganger) emails from listeners. The hosts explore topics spanning classic rock nostalgia, celebrity lookalikes, and the unending male debate over height and attractiveness.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Concert Passport Winner and the Herman’s Hermits Surprise

• 0:15 – 3:10
  • The team congratulates listener Zach Keim for winning the KUPD 2026 concert passport, which entitles him to tickets for every concert KUPD mentions, including, to everyone’s amusement, Herman’s Hermits.
  • The hosts marvel that Herman’s Hermits (notably frontman Peter Noone, now 78) are still touring. The generational gap and oddity of having both Herman’s Hermits and Five Finger Death Punch on the roster spark jokes about audience overlap.
  • Quote:

    “Yeah, that and Tool. Yeah. You think it’s a good combo?" – John Holmberg (00:31)

  • Playful speculation ensues about the type of crowd and mosh pit Herman’s Hermits would attract.
  • The Five Finger Death Punch 20th anniversary tour is also announced as part of the ticket roster—a stark contrast to the 60s pop group.

2. Musings on Classic Rock, Demographics, and Radio

• 3:10 – 3:55
  • Holmberg wonders aloud if KUPD should really be selling tickets for an act like Herman’s Hermits, suggesting an oldies station might be a more appropriate partner.
  • Noting how acts like the Grassroots have also been part of recent promotions, the group pokes fun at the aging of classic acts and the challenge of keeping concert offerings feeling relevant.

3. Listener Emails: ‘Choppelganger’ Submissions & Celebrity Lookalikes

• 3:55 – 5:10
  • The hosts pivot to listener emails reacting to a prior topic about ‘choppelgangers’ (doppelgangers).
  • Holmberg shares stories of being mistaken for former Seattle Mariner Jay Buhner—even recounting playing along at a Diamondbacks game.
  • Quote:

    “No, I’ve been confused for him at Mariner games. Didn’t make any sense. But I wore a Mariner’s jersey and somebody thought it was him.” – John Holmberg (4:11)

  • Discussion of how casino outings and baseball games lead to these mistaken identities.

4. Debating Personal and Fan-Submitted Doppelgangers

• 5:10 – 7:10
  • More emails pour in, with listeners sending Holmberg mugshots of bald men and offering suggestions ranging from Butterbean (the heavyweight boxer) to UFC fighter Keith Jardine.
  • The conversation gets playful as Holmberg tries to determine where he falls in the pecking order of looks and athleticism compared to these “choppelgangers.”
  • Memorable Moment: Holmberg appreciatively reads,

    “I do have to say thank you to the guy that said Keith Jardine is uglier than me. And he would be my chapel ginger. That’s a tough one for me as well.” (04:59)

5. The Height Confessional: Why Height ‘Wins’ in Doppelganger Debates

• 7:10 – 8:52
  • The conversation turns semi-serious as they debate whether being taller makes someone automatically better looking, given two otherwise identical “chapel gangers."
  • Holmberg insists that being six feet tall trumps being 5’7”.
    Quote:

    “No man. Six feet says I wish I was five seven. But tons of five foot seven inch guys say I wish I was six feet.” – John Holmberg (08:00)

  • The group shares examples from Hollywood, with Tom Cruise’s height tricks on set, and agree the taller version “wins” in most cases.
  • The playful debate includes co-host confirmation:

    “Six footer wins.” – Bret Vesely (07:45)

6. Family Doppelgangers and Listener Stories

• 9:07 – 10:00
  • The hosts discuss doppelgangers within their own families, including children outgrowing shoes and hosts wondering who their daughters resemble.
  • A listener suggests someone’s daughter looks like Fairuza Balk (of "Water Boy" and "American History X"), reinforcing the tradition of debating celebrity lookalikes.
  • They note that women’s suggested lookalikes are often wildly inaccurate, prompting good-natured mockery.

7. Final Bits: The Universality (and Pain) of the Doppelganger Game

• 10:00 – End
  • Holmberg ends the segment reminding listeners that “we’re all uglier than someone else,” and encourages everyone to keep playing the ‘chapel ganger’ game.
  • Teases more hot releases and content to come, keeping the tone playful and self-deprecating.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Herman’s Hermits Appearing with Five Finger Death Punch

  “I like their mosh pits because you can use oxygen tanks to hit the other people.” – John Holmberg (03:00)

• On Listener Doppelganger Emails

  “People are sending me mug shots of bald guys, too. We all don’t look exactly alike, but a few you’ve sent over have been pretty accurate.” – John Holmberg (05:01)

• On the Height Debate

  “I think that would be a thing, that if you were 6ft or taller, you automatically lose to that.” – John Holmberg (05:43)

• On Personal Celebrity Humility

  “I don’t think I’m as handsome as JBuner. And that’s sad, really. Oh, that’s a pathetic thing to admit out loud.” – John Holmberg (04:41)

• Gently Mocking the Process

  “It’s always fun to ask girls the question like, ‘who do you think you look like?’ Because they always come up with something ridiculous.” – John Holmberg (10:00)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:15 – 01:56: KUPD concert passport winner; jokes about Herman’s Hermits and aging rock acts
• 03:55 – 05:10: Listener ‘chapel ganger’ emails and celebrity lookalike stories
• 05:10 – 06:47: The Butterbean debate—athleticism, looks, and fan submissions
• 07:10 – 08:52: Height vs. looks: breaking down the masculinity metrics
• 09:07 – 10:00: Family doppelgangers and the amusement of kids and partner lookalikes
• 10:00 – End: Concluding remarks on the ubiquity of doppelganger debates; prepping for next show segment

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Overall Tone & Takeaway

Irreverent, self-effacing, and full of locally brewed radio chemistry, this episode is a snapshot of the HMS Morning Crew at their best—riffing on music nostalgia, playfully ranking themselves (and each other) against celebrities, and giving listeners a window into the oddly universal human impulse to find lookalikes. Even if you missed the episode, you’ll feel right at home with the inside jokes and trademark Arizona banter.

Transcript

[A]

You're listening to the HMS Podcast, brought to you by MMP Guns.com, your most trusted online marketplace for firearms, ammunition, and accessories.

[B]

There we go. Thanks, Weezer. Just wanted to point out that Zach Keim was the winner of our KUPD 2026 concert passport. He gets tickets to every concert we mentioned. So congratulations and enjoy Herman's Hermits. Does he get that one, too? I'm. I'm putting it on the list. You'll buy the tickets if necessary. I don't want to be. I don't want to. I don't want to push away any revenue or advertising at all in any situation, but not so sure Twin Arrows is putting that in the right spot. Like, are they. I guess Herman's Hermits. Are they selling tickets to Herman's Hermits through us? Is that a thing? I'm Enery the Eighth. I am Henry the Eighth. And people like. Yeah, that and Tool. Yeah. You think it's a good combo? It made me giggle hearing Peter Noon featuring Herman's Hermits with Peter Noon. And Brett and I looked it up. He's 78 years old. Yeah.

[C]

Bringing it.

[B]

It's not like Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones or anything. It's Herman's Hermits. We did it with the Grassroots.

[C]

Well, he's got options.

[B]

Hey, it works.

[C]

Time has options.

[B]

Well, nope, he doesn't. They're coming to you, and you gotta go. See ya. We'll see you up there on Entery the Eighth. I am.

[C]

And we'll head to Five Finger.

[B]

Yeah. Then Five Finger Death Punch comes in. He's gonna go to that, too, because who isn't gonna see both of those? I didn't know Herman's Hermits were still alive.

[A]

I don't either.

[B]

I don't think many of them are, but Pizza. Moonies. And he's gonna go out there and sing.

[C]

Pleasant surprise.

[B]

Yeah. I'm happy the happy Peter Noon's still around. That's good.

[C]

78.

[A]

Thank God.

[B]

Yeah. The only reason I really even know him is because of the first Naked Gun. Hey, Larry. Is he gonna get tickets to Herman's.

[C]

Hermits if it's not on the KUPD count.

[B]

Oh, I'm putting it on there. Is that all right? Is it?

[C]

Let's get that on the calendar.

[B]

Here it is. Give me a pen. Yep. No, right here. March 20th. Something. Herman's. Herman's Hermit's a twin. You get to go. Zach Chaim. Five Finger Death Punch is going to be here with Cody James, and that is going to happen in September. That's Going to be something he can go to. You just announced that. So that's happening September 24th. Talking stick. Well, it's named that. The tickets are going on sale Friday. So you got five finger death punch. That's gonna be their 20th anniversary world tour. How about that? So they're gonna be out here. You get. You get your phone. You'll just be coming down back to the ground after zero gravity day in August and probably feeling zero gravity at Herman's Hermits up there at Twin Arrows. I like their mosh pits because you can use oxygen tanks to hit the other people.

[C]

It's a. It's a.

[B]

It's like Bells. It's the murder ball. They're just the wheelchairs just in a circle smashing into each other. I found that hysterical, and I don't know why. I don't know. Hey, look, if there's one ticket, soldier Bells. Just can't imagine the folks up at Twin Arrows going, yeah, KUPD is moving tickets. Oh, maybe we are. I might call my rep there and go, don't you have an oldies station? We do. 92. 7. I think it sneaks onto our show every once in a while. That got me. That got me giggling. Somebody Also, the chapel Ganger thing has everybody searching their own deal. Somebody said, john, you and Jay Buhner, former Seattle Mariner. And that's very true. And that's a tough one to turn. Oh, yeah. No, I've been confused for him at Mariner games. Didn't make any sense. But I wore a Mariner's jersey and somebody thought it was him. And then I was up at the Squidward. Well, the. Well, Squidward's my. I'm definitely sexy. Squidward is my. I am his chapel ganger. Like, there's nothing close. But I was at that Diamondbacks game when the Aria had a big suite, and they said, anybody in Arizona that wants to go, if you're. And so I was like, sure. So my casino hostess hooked me up there, and I went in and I'm there, and one of the guys was asking another person, is that Jay Buer about me? And so we played on it for a little while and chatted with him for a second. No, Jay Buer is taller. I think jb I think I'm his chop. I think. I don't think I'm as handsome as JBuner. And that's sad, really. Oh, that's a pathetic thing to admit out loud. And he's also taller, like, more manly. I'm just kind of. I'm kind Of I would be Jay Buhner's brother. Like, you'd be like, oh, I see it.

[A]

Don Swayze.

[B]

And Don Swayze. I'm the chapel ganger. Chapel gangers are interesting. A lot of people are firing that off. And somebody I do have to say thank you to the guy that said Keith Jardine is uglier than me. And he would be my chapel ginger. That's a tough one for me as well. But I've got a lot of them. I look like a lot. And people are sending me mug shots of bald guys, too. We all don't look exactly alike, but a few that you've sent over have been pretty accurate. Brady's got his little cookie cutter people, I have mine. And it's 50, 50 on the people that are firing over on Butterbean. Like, some think that he's, you know, the athlete of the two of you. He's got full man height. I think that would be a thing that if you were 6ft or taller, you automatically lose to that.

[C]

He was a pit fighter.

[B]

I don't know what that means.

[C]

Well, that was his skill, they said.

[B]

Oh, yeah. But I'm just saying that has nothing to do with his physicality. He's 6ft plus athleticism.

[C]

I'll take a run at that. I mean, he's a bigger guy at just being athletic at various sports.

[B]

Yeah, but he's a professional fighter.

[C]

Yeah. I would lose to him in pit fighting.

[B]

It doesn't mean. Yeah, but that doesn't. He's still more of a pit barbecue. There's pit fighting depending on what you're doing. I'm saying most professional athletes are probably not going to. Are going to surpass you in athleticism if they've made it to that rank in one. They may not be great at other sports, but they're probably as far as more athletes.

[C]

I consider athleticism being various, being able to.

[B]

And most of most of them are like, not many guys who are as big as he is. And boxing, they're fairly athletic people. They can probably pick up anything pretty quickly if they're interested in it. I'm gonna give it. I'm gonna give the nod to Butterbean. Brett, you with me on this?

[A]

I think I'm gonna better be butter.

[B]

But you are the chapel ganger of Butterbean. He is the better you.

[A]

That's close, though.

[B]

It is close, but I mean, once you put him at six feet, Brady's. It's over. Yeah. And Butterbean's very tall, so. Sorry, Brady, you have some Nice prizes waiting for you in the hallway. And we really thank you. Thanks for coming down and playing. Am I uglier than should have trained?

[C]

It took him on Friday.

[B]

Well, it doesn't mean that you'd still be better looking than him. He's still not six feet tall. I think that's immediately a loss, don't you?

[C]

No.

[B]

You think being 58 versus 62 and looking exactly alike, one guy doesn't have a physical advantage in looks.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So, yeah, I'm right. Yeah.

[C]

No, I don't think that.

[B]

You don't think there's a difference.

[C]

Person better looking if you're exactly the.

[B]

Same, but one is six feet and one is five seven. Six footer wins.

[C]

Maybe.

[B]

No. Brett, help.

[A]

Six footer wins.

[B]

Thank you. See, that's all I needed. Confirmation from him.

[C]

Yeah, I guess you're right.

[B]

Yeah. Because that's a more desirable trait, right?

[C]

Yeah. For. I mean, you know when the movies, they want to make all these guys six foot.

[B]

Well, no, in life. No man. Six feet says I wish I was five seven. But tons of five foot seven inch guys say I wish I was six feet.

[A]

Well, you see the pictures of like Tom Cruise behind the scenes. He's standing on soapbox.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

There's no one beyond movies and how we present it. No one Brett's height says, I Wish I was 5 7. Right.

[C]

I haven't met a person.

[B]

No, there wouldn't. But tons of five foot seven guys wish they were six feet. Right?

[C]

Yeah, there's. There's more in that category.

[B]

There's all of them in that. All 5 foot 7 inch guys are not satisfied with 57 shouldn't be.

[C]

Being taller is better, more desirable.

[B]

Right. Which is why Jay Buer and I are in a tight contest on who's. We look enough alike though. It's like, all right, they're both ugly, but who's a little better? He's like 6 3. I can admit I lose immediately with that.

[C]

Maybe you could be closer now. Although you start to shrink too you.

[B]

No, I'm back up six feet. I'm full on. I measured again just the other day. Wrote it on the wall, still growing, wrote it on my feet finally stopped at 12 and a half. I've. I got a whole bunch of shoes I can't wear.

[A]

Kirby's getting some new.

[B]

Yeah. She wear 12 men's shoes because I've got loads of them. Getting close, is she? She's still growing. Like, we gotta slow this down. Check her pituitary gland. Yeah, but yeah, yeah. And you know. Who's Matthias? Doppelganger. Who do people say she looks like?

[A]

I don't know. I have to ask her.

[B]

I saw someone the other day and I thought, that's Matthias. And I couldn't place it. Now, I don't remember who it was, but, yeah, I'll text her and see if she's. Find out who she said, who people say she looks like. It's always fun to ask.

[C]

Sometimes I get the vibe of the girl that was on Water Boy for Rosa Balk. Yes.

[B]

Yeah, she gives off that before she went crazy, like, yeah, American History X for Rosa Park. Which makes sense why she likes Brett so much. Oh, wait a minute. That there, that's Couple Doppelganger.

[C]

That's a good match.

[B]

Yeah. It's always fun to ask girls the question of, like, who do you think you look like? Because they always come up with something ridiculous. It's always like, no way. That's because we're more observant. We got hot releases coming up in just a little bit. You're playing chapel ganger at home. Good luck. You're going to find it eventually and be uglier than someone else. We all are. It's 98. It's out of control now. Enter U p day.