Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Entertainment Drill (01-21-26)

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This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness is a humorous, freewheeling take on internet game trends (notably, John’s obsession with snapping Instagram pics at just the right moment), a rundown of the most offensive reality TV shows of all time, and some off-beat pop culture news. John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo riff on the weird, the awkward, and the vaguely disturbing, true to their irreverent, riff-heavy Arizona morning radio style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. John’s New Instagram Game Obsession

[00:59-07:10]

• John describes his new “game” on Instagram: catching the split-second reveal photos in reels with girls dancing, where a “hidden” picture flashes for just a frame.
  • He rejects the hack of just pausing or using screen record, equating it to “cheating.”
  • He admits to having 697 photos from failed attempts: “I must have done 50 of those broads. I couldn’t stop... It became a game.” (John, 01:35)
  • The game eats up his battery and time: “My phone battery went from 48% to 6%. I... wasn’t paying attention... It might have been two hours. I’m not kidding.” (John, 02:22)
  • John says it’s not about being pervy: “I’m not doing it to jerk off. I got plenty of that.” (John, 02:52)
  • He turns down efficiency tips: “I don’t want the trick… I like the game.” (John, 02:58)
  • Discussion digresses into joking about being “sort of racist towards Asians” because of personal results: “Some of the girls dancing were Asian... she ain’t got no ass. Next. I’m not gonna play this.” (John, 04:26)
  • John compares the challenge to fishing: “I cast 697 times. And I caught like 35.” (John, 03:53)
  • Brady & the crew question John’s commitment to the challenge and tease him about it.

Notable Quotes:

• “It’s a sliver of a second, and you have to hit it right... sometimes it’s right off the way. So then I was doing the musician thing of 3-and-2-and-1-and... And I got a few of them close.” — John, 03:00
• “If I wanted to just see naked... boobs are everywhere. It’s easy to be hot. It’s hard to take a picture of it.” — John, 06:10

2. Blaze Pods: Reaction Drill Influencer Aspirations

[04:50-05:21]

• John recounts getting “Blaze Pods” for Christmas, small lights for training drills.
• He hopes to “be an influencer for something” and promotes the product:
  • “Blaze pods. They’re little lights that light up... like Simon, only it’s wherever you want to put it.” (John, 04:52)
  • Used for physical training, especially by race car drivers—footwork and hand-eye drills.
  • John rationalizes his Instagram activity by doing a Blaze Pod workout afterward.

3. Entertainment Drill: NBA All-Star, Viral William Shatner, and Reality TV’s Most Offensive Moments

[08:31-14:56]

NBA All-Star History

• LeBron’s record 21-year All-Star starter streak ends.
  • “There is a God. Long national night... over.” (John, 08:38)
• Trivia segment: Who’s second/third in All-Star starts? (Kareem, Kobe)
  • Riffing about legends cut short by injuries or “AIDS stopped that madness” (re: Magic Johnson, John, 09:23).

Viral William Shatner

• William Shatner goes viral eating cereal in his car.
  • “You don’t eat liquids in bowls... What if it’s soup and we’re wrong, old man?” (John, 10:12)

Most Offensive Reality Shows of All Time

[10:53-13:51]

• A list of the most controversial/offensive reality shows:
  • “Are You Hot?,” “Joe Millionaire,” “The Swan” (ugly-to-hot makeover show), “The Pickup Artist” (with “Mystery” aka Erik von Markovic).
  • “Boy Meets Boy,” a “gay bachelor” concept, jokes about the premise (“They’re just gonna bang each other... it’s Raising Cane’s in there. Everybody gets some.” – John, 12:00).
  • “Black. White.” (2006) – Black and white families trade places with body makeup; produced by Ice Cube.
    • “Then it’s okay. If it was produced by... Conan O’Brien, that would have been racist.” (John, 12:23)
  • “Benefit Street” (UK, 2014-2015): About “welfare recipients who refused to work... filmed committing crimes.”
    • “Aren’t they accomplices at that point?” (John, 12:45)
  • “Who’s Your Daddy?” (2005): Adoptees pick their real father for prize money.
    • John mock-invents a Japanese game show version involving “glory holes” and prize money for correctly identifying your father by feel.

“Mystery” Update

[13:52-14:45]

• “Mystery” from "The Pickup Artist" is still running bootcamps and teaching his method for $150, despite now being 54.
  • “You can’t be 54 and go, I know how to pick up chicks at bars.” (John, 14:10)
• Brief nostalgia about Mystery’s wingman “Matador.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Instagram Game:
  • “My record was two. Like a girl at, like two takes. Got her on the second one. It’s like fishing.” (John, 03:53)
• On Blaze Pods:
  • “Get Blaze pop. Incredible. See, all these guys keep... giving me rookie... I don’t care about her boobs. Boobs are everywhere. It’s easy to be hot. It’s hard to take a picture of it.” (John, 05:21/06:10)
• On Reality TV:
  • “You had to be cast as an uggo. You’re hired!” (John, 11:18, about “The Swan”)
  • “It’s the Daddy Game. Yeah, I still love my glory hole Daddy Game. Five wieners will appear from that wall, pick which one is your father and win $1 million.” (John, 13:20)
  • “If it was produced by Ice Cube, then it’s okay.” (John, 12:23)

Timestamps by Segment

• 00:59-07:10: John’s Instagram snap game explanation, group commentary, and Blaze Pods mention.
• 08:31-09:51: NBA All-Star starter streaks trivia; Shatner story.
• 10:53-13:51: Most offensive reality TV shows rundown, comedic riffs on concepts.
• 13:52-14:45: Where are they now? “Mystery” and “The Pickup Artist.”

Style & Tone

Classic HMS irreverence—playful, boundary-pushing, and self-deprecating. The hosts bounce from pop culture, to personal habits, to the absurdities of internet trends and TV history, with a constant undercurrent of “can you believe this?” banter and offbeat humor.