01-20-26 - Entertainment Drill - TUE - Imagining The Death Star w/A Dead Smoke Detector

Summary

Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness (01-20-26)

Segment: Entertainment Drill, TUE – Imagining The Death Star w/ A Dead Smoke Detector
Date: January 20, 2026
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Source: 98KUPD Arizona

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Overview

On this episode’s "Entertainment Drill," John Holmberg and the crew serve up a playful mix of movie mythbusting and a hilarious Star Wars–inspired improv. The team debunks popular film misconceptions, riffs on movie culture, and spins a quirky “Death Star with a broken smoke detector” skit. As always, they keep the banter rapid-fire, irreverent, and packed with pop culture jabs.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Debunking Popular Movie Myths

(02:07 – 03:44)

• The Wizard of Oz “Dead Munchkin” Urban Legend:
  • Brady shares, “There isn’t a dead munchkin hanging in the background of The Wizard of Oz. It’s a bird.” (02:10)
  • John jokes, “That’s exactly what the people hiding dead munchkins from you would say.” (02:18)
• Titanic: The Floating Door Debate:
  • Brady clarifies, “Jack could physically fit on the door, but it wouldn’t have supported him and Rose. The main point of the scene was Jack’s sacrifice.” (02:26)
  • “She’s a selfish broad,” snaps Bret, to the group’s amusement. (02:35)
• Pulp Fiction’s Briefcase Mystery:
  • “John Travolta’s briefcase in Pulp Fiction does not have a secret meaning. Quentin Tarantino has said the glow is just for storytelling.” (02:41)
  • John dives deeper: “Yeah, it’s a soul is what most people think... That’s just the depth of that movie—realize that Marcellus Wallace is the devil and he’s buying and selling souls.” (02:49)
• Star Wars: Vader as Luke’s Father:
  • “George Lucas did not plan Star Wars from the beginning. Darth Vader was not intended to be Luke’s father when he first wrote it.” (03:05)
  • John pounces on the name: “His name is Vader. It’s German for father.” (03:13)
  • The group riffs on translation—“He went out for smokes too,” jokes Bret, poking at the “absent father” trope. (03:29)

2. Star Wars Death Star Smoke Detector Improv

(03:44 – 05:10)

• The crew launches into a spontaneous skit imagining the Death Star plagued by a beeping smoke detector:
  • “Death Star ever smokes,” Brady introduces, cueing John’s Darth Vader voice:
    • “Yo, my lord. Did you hear that?...It’s driving us all crazy on the Death Star, sir.” (03:51–03:58)
    • “Well, someone should do something about it...You expect me to climb this ladder...it’s not going to happen.” (04:03–04:23)
  • Bret chimes in with the nerd-perfect, “These aren’t the 9v you’re looking for.” (04:23)
  • They riff about the impossible-to-find batteries, the inevitability of simultaneous chirps, and layer in Star Wars tropes for extra hilarity.

3. Death Star “Comedy Jam” and Star Wars Mashup

(05:14 – 06:20)

• The team keeps the Star Wars parody rolling, imagining stand-up on the Death Star:
  • “It says SRT on the side of the Death Star. Now it’s the Vader edition,” John cracks, blending car culture with galactic evil. (05:14)
  • “Heading to the Dodge of US System…plates say DKSIDE — Dickside,” more effortless puns from John. (05:21)
  • On the ‘comedy jam’:
    • “All right, put your hands together. Next comedian comes all the way from Andorra…”
    • “Ewoks be shopping.” (05:50–05:55)
    • The group laughs at the image of Ewok comedians and riffs on “white aliens” keeping Ewoks as housepets.
    • “Kill Chewy’s a good one. All right. That’s it, let’s get the hell out of here.” (06:20)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Movie Mythbusting:
  • “That’s exactly what the people hiding dead munchkins from you would say.” — John, poking fun at the persistence of film legends (02:18)
  • “She’s a selfish broad. Knew her for 48 hours. Like, I’m not ready to kill myself.” — Bret on Rose from Titanic (02:35–02:37)
• Star Wars Father Puns:
  • “His name is Vader. It’s German for father.” — John (03:13)
  • “He went out for smokes too.” — Bret, on Darth Vader as an absentee dad (03:29)
• Death Star Smoke Detector Skit:
  • “It’s driving us all crazy on the Death Star, sir.” — John (as a Stormtrooper) (03:58)
  • “These aren’t the 9v you’re looking for.” — Bret, instantly on-brand (04:23)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Movie Myths Debunked: 02:07–03:44
• Death Star Smoke Detector Improv: 03:44–05:10
• Death Star Comedy Jam & Star Wars Comedy: 05:14–06:20

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a fast-paced, joke-heavy blend of mythbusting and over-the-top Star Wars improv. It’s quintessential Holmberg: irreverent, pop-culture soaked, and always on the edge of absurdity. Even if you’re not a film nerd or a Star Wars fanatic, the banter and comedic timing from John, Brady, Bret, and Toledo make for a high-energy, laugh-filled ride.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[A]

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[C]

You thought that was funny? You were laughing like a hyena when he said it. What the hell is wrong with you? You pd. I don't know what's going on. I feel like I took, like, some sort of perpetual smile pill. Just a good day. Been taking all that cough syrup, Drinking all that cough syrup. You know, I don't want to take you or your bags to the airport. It's. It's time for the entertainment drill, and it's brought to you by our friends at the Schwarz Laser Eye Center. I just told my friend Marty yesterday, because he's got his progressive glasses. Is that what they're called?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

He looks up and down he goes. I get dizzy if I do that too fast, but I can't read this. And he was telling. I'm like, just go get new lenses put in. He said, what? I could be blown away. And then I explained to him how once I got mine done, you get the eyeballs turned into LED lights. Everything gets so bright and vivid. If you've got glasses or contacts and you just don't have to wrestle with that anymore, Schwartz Laser Eye center will get you in and out of that lifestyle. My God, you can start seeing without all the crutches. If you broke your leg, you wouldn't want to crutch around for the rest of your life. That's what glasses are. They're sight crutches. Get them fixed, for crying out loud. And they can do it. Lasik. They've got all the options for you. And if you're tired of glasses and contacts, the only place to go is the place the suns and diamondbacks go. There team idoc.com Schwartz Laser Eye Center Brady Entertainment Here's a couple of movie.

[D]

Facts that everyone gets wrong.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

There isn't a dead munchkin hanging in the background of the wizard of Oz. It's a bird.

[C]

Is it?

[D]

And you can see it move like a bird.

[C]

That's exactly what the people hiding dead munchkins from you would say. Yeah.

[D]

In Titanic.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Jack could physically fit on the door, but it wouldn't have supported him and Rose. The main point of the scene was Jack's sacrifice.

[A]

She's a selfish broad.

[C]

Exactly. Knew her for 48 hours. Like, I'm not ready to kill myself. Come on.

[D]

John Travolta's briefcase in Pulp Fiction does not have a secret meaning. Quentin Tarantino has said the glow is just for storytelling.

[C]

Yeah, it's a soul is what most people think. It's. You're selling your soul. And he's the devil. He's representation. But that's just the depth of that movie is that you'll look that deep into what's in the briefcase and realize that Marcellus Wallace is the devil and he's buying and selling souls.

[D]

George Lucas did not plan Star wars from the beginning. Darth Vader was not intended to be Luke's father when he first.

[C]

His name is Vader. It's German for father.

[A]

Oh, it is.

[C]

It's close. It's not the exact same thing, but I mean, it was a dead giveaway.

[D]

Father.

[C]

Yeah. Immediately or death.

[A]

Father.

[C]

I don't know what it is. I just know Vader is like Vada, his father.

[A]

He went out for smokes too.

[C]

I get what you said. For how many years? That's not funny, Brit. I went out for milk. Your insubordinates will be tolerated no further.

[D]

I like these top revelations as the.

[C]

Death Star ever smokes.

[D]

Alert.

[C]

Yo, My lord. Did you hear that? Did I hear what? That.

[B]

That.

[C]

Sir. Right there. I don't hear it. It's driving us all crazy on the Death Star, sir. Well, then someone should do something about it. You have to do something. Know what you're talking about. Bring in the energizer, buddy. You expect me to climb this ladder, go to that chirping thing. It's not going to happen.

[A]

These aren't the 9v you're looking for.

[C]

Oh, no. It's one of those little weird dime shaped ones. There's wires in here. They're all going to start going off and simultaneously. So we have to find the bad battery or just tolerate the sound. Movie has a new meaning for me now. And then he leaves. Have to go now. I'm tired of talking about this to the Hellcat. All right, that's enough of that. He says go home. Come on, hurry up. We've lost him.

[A]

I'm done.

[C]

It says SRT on the side of the Death Star. Now it's the Vader edition.

[D]

Heading to the Dodge of US System.

[C]

Yeah, the plates say dkside Dickside. Anyway, you know, once you go to the dark side, you never come back. That to me.

[D]

The Death Star.

[C]

Death Star. The Death Star Comedy Jam. All right, all right. Put your hands together. Next comedian comes all the way from Andorra.

[D]

Ewoks be shopping.

[C]

People keep Ewoks in their house. White aliens are crazy. Keeping Ewoks inside the house. All right, that was good stuff, man. We should have Guilt kill Darth to kill Tony.

[D]

What you got?

[C]

All right. What you got? One minute player. I'm. That's too good not to do.

[D]

Killed Chewy.

[C]

Killed Chewy's a good one. All right. You got a man. All right, that's it. Let's get the hell out of here. 10:10 Larry's coming up next. You guys have yourselves a glorious Tuesday. We'll see you tomorrow in the morning, Arizona's most powerful, powerful rock radio station. It's John Holmerg here, and it's time to talk about TVs Doug Hopkins of My Home Group and Doug hopkins.com 2026. Brand new year. That usually means every one of us says something like, this is the year I blank and then we insert some strange goal. Let me tell you this. Most of the time, you're not going to do it. This year I'm going to call TV's Doug Hawkins. He will buy your home as is. You can start eyeballing houses that are already upgraded. So fresh starts for 2026 are waiting for you at your keyboard. Start the process right now online. Doug hopkins.com or sing hopkins. 1-800-sale-now.