Podcast Episode Summary

Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 01-19-26 – Crackhead Lyrical Theater (2 rounds, 2005-BO)
Date: January 19, 2026
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Special Guest: "Norm MacDonald" (impression/parody)
Main Theme:
A wild and irreverent contest known as "Crackhead Lyrical Theater," where a group of homeless individuals (affectionately dubbed "crackheads") perform medleys of 80s rock song lyrics in a guessing game for prizes like concert tickets. The episode rides on unpredictability, humor, and the crew’s signature rowdy banter.

Episode Overview

This episode is a double-shot of "Crackhead Lyrical Theater," a recurring segment and radio game. The show’s cast, joined by comedic “Norm MacDonald,” hit Margaret T. Hance Park to record homeless folks attempting to recite well-known rock lyrics. Listeners then call in live to guess the original songs for prizes, while the crew provides their trademark mix of dark comedy and off-the-cuff jokes.

Key Discussion Points and Highlights

1. Introduction of Crackhead Lyrical Theater (01:09–02:30)

• Premise Laid Out: The team sends “Norm MacDonald” to interview and wrangle up participants at a city park, prompting the titular game.
• Humorous Contestant Intros: The crackhead contestants—Connie (a transsexual crackhead), Lou, Steve, and Clifton—share their backgrounds, including, “How long have you been on crack?”
  • Notable Quote:
    “Holy cow there. Thirty years of crack. That’s pretty good.” – “Norm MacDonald” (02:14)
• Norm’s Banter: The segment sparkles with offbeat questions: “What do you spend your money on besides crack?” “Can you make a crackhead noise?”

2. Crackhead Medley Round 1 (02:50–05:17)

• First Medley: Crackheads attempt to blend three 80s rock song lyrics.
• Notable Lyrics Sample (03:40, 04:15):
  “You want to graduate but not in its bed / pick up the phone, I’m here alone / Call me anytime…”
  “Where she’s razor sharp / will she tear you apart / now she’s a cool, cool black and she moves like a cat...”
• Team Play-Along: Holmberg and the crew boast, “I got the last one!” “No problem. Eighties bands?”

3. Call-in Guessing Mayhem (05:17–07:27)

• Callers Try to Guess: Multiple listeners guess the medley songs, with many hilarious failures and close calls.
  • Notable Quote:
    “I think that guy was a crackhead. Crackhead’s one, Phoenix nothing.” – Byron (06:47)
• First Winner ("John") Identifies Songs:
  • AC/DC – "Dirty Deeds"
  • Def Leppard – "Foolin'"
  • Mötley Crüe – "Looks That Kill"
• “You’ve outwitted the crackheads.” – Byron (07:20)
• Norm Jokes About “Hanging out with crackheads all night” (07:27)

4. Post-Game Banter & Stories (07:27–11:13)

• Norm’s Parody Self-Deprecation:
  “I got nothing going on again. I can’t get a job. The shows I always do get canceled.”
  "How come I get to hang out with crackheads all day and I don't get any money?"
• Crew discusses the colorful cast, including a transsexual they’ve “seen in three different places.”
• They tease future bits, e.g., “dumpster diving.”
• Reactions to park shenanigans:
  “A couple of guys got in a fight and we just got the hell out of there.” (11:13)

5. Crackhead Medley Round 2 (11:52–16:33)

• Second Medley Lyrics Sample (11:54, 15:06):
  “Not a dime, I can pay my rent...Saturday night, I like to make my girl, but right now, I can’t make ends meet…”
  “I miss Alabama once again and I think it’s a sin…”
• Contestants Call In: Struggle to name all three songs.
• Notable Quote:
  “Crack wind? Yeah, you gotta hang on to them when it gets windy. They’re like 11 pounds.” – Byron (12:26)
• Crew’s Banter escalates about mullets, pro wrestling tickets, and 80s nostalgia.

6. Second Winner – Detailed Song Reveal (15:17–17:02)

• Listener gets it right:
  • Poison – “Nothin’ But a Good Time”
  • Mötley Crüe – “Shout at the Devil”
  • Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Sweet Home Alabama”
• Mullet Celebration:
  “My mullet is nothing on top and it goes three feet down in the middle of my … like you’re walking behind Crystal Gayle and it turns around and it’s like Bill Maher.” (16:19)
• Awarding the Prize: The winner gets wrestling tickets for best “mullet.”
• Norm’s Final Deep Thought:
  “Give us a deep thought, Norm.”

  “My cranking your mom. That’s pretty deep.” (16:40)

• Crew jokes about the ease/difficulty of the song choices, acknowledging the nostalgiac 80s-bro radio heritage.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Crackhead Descriptions:
  “Connie’s a transsexual, about 6ft 2 inches tall, 130-pound crackhead.” – "Norm" (02:04)
• Classic Quip on Drugs:
  “Hey, Steve, I know crack makes you lose weight. It’s a pretty good diet there. How much you weigh?” – "Norm" (02:56)
• Phoenix vs. Crackheads:
  “I think that guy was a crackhead. Crackhead’s one, Phoenix nothing.” – Byron (06:47)
• Meta Joke on Their Demographic:
  “We prepped them for years with crap music. It’s out of control now.” – Byron (17:13)
• Self-Deprecation/Radio Satire:
  “My career’s gone to crap… Norm MacDonald, Crackhead Theater, round two…” (11:52)

Important Timestamps by Segment

• 01:09 – Start of Crackhead Lyrical Theater; introduction to Norm and contestants
• 03:40, 04:15 – First crackhead medley performance
• 05:17–07:27 – Call-in contest for Medley #1; winner revealed at 07:20
• 07:27–11:13 – Post-game downtime, Norm’s banter, park stories
• 11:52 – Crackhead Lyrical Theater Round 2 begins; Norm’s return and setup
• 15:06 – Second crackhead medley replay
• 16:19 – Mullet winner celebration and colorful commentary
• 16:40 – Norm’s “deep thought” send-off

Tone & Style

• Language: Playfully provocative, edgy, and irreverent; heavy use of parody (especially with the "Norm MacDonald" impression).
• Atmosphere: Chaotic, unfiltered, built for mature audiences comfortable with biting humor and topical shocks.
• Audience: Fans of classic rock, 80s nostalgia, shock radio, and those with a taste for “so-wrong-it’s-funny” entertainment.

Final Notes

This episode delivers a mix of game-show absurdity, on-the-street color, and unsparing barbs—made possible by the show's willingness to poke fun at everything (and everyone). Deep-fried in 80s rock nostalgia and street-level eccentricity, “Crackhead Lyrical Theater” is unpredictable, often hilarious, and sometimes poignant (in spite of itself).
Listeners who enjoy the wild side of morning radio will love this episode’s “anything goes” approach.