Holmberg's Morning Sickness (98 KUPD)

Episode: Entertainment Drill – Debating S*Bag of the Year Candidates

Airdate: January 22, 2026

Episode Overview

This raucous segment of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness dives into their infamous “S*Bag of the Year” debate, where John, Brady, Bret, and company argue over the most awful newsmakers and incidents of the last year. The show moves from dark comedic takes on animal abusers and disturbing local crimes, to irreverent riffing on celebrity scandals and entertainment news. The crew’s signature blend of quick-witted joking, biting satire, and unfiltered banter is on full display.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Experiences & Sponsor Chatter

• The episode opens with post-ad banter about John’s eye surgery and a quick pitch for the show sponsor, setting a casual, conversational tone.
• John raves about Schwartz Laser Eye Center:

  “It’s amazing how bad your vision can get before you actually do something because you can kind of skate through. And then when they fixed it, I’m like, this is how you're supposed to see.” (01:56, John)

2. Debating the S*Bag of the Year – Local Villains

• Animal Abuser vs. Corpse Offender
  • John fields emails challenging his decision on who is truly the year’s “S*Bag”—the animal abuser (April McLaughlin/Sidney Taylor McKinney) or a man who disgraced a corpse.
  • The crew muses on the evil of torturing animals versus the heinousness of violating a corpse:

    “You think a guy going full Little Piece of Heaven on a lifeless corpse is worse than some evil bitch torturing countless dogs and cats of all ages?... It’s a tough one for me.” (02:26, John)

  • Brady emphasizes McKinney’s criminal fakeness:

    “That lady knew what she was doing. That’s why she changed her name to Sydney Taylor McKinley and 17 other aliases to run fake charities to get the dogs.” (02:48, John, relaying Brady’s line)

  • They confirm that despite technicalities, the woman’s actions were calculated and exploitative, and John notes his wife was among those exposing her.
  • The group riffs on the macabre nature of the “corpse crime,” using dark humor and shame bells.

3. Irreverent Humor on Sensitive News

• Corpse Offender Story & Black Comedy
  • Skits involve gross-out wordplay (“creamed your grandma”), running shame gags, and fake calls to the crematory.

    “We tried to. She was too wet to burn.” (04:43, John)

  • There’s no sensitivity filter—brutal honesty and punchlines are the rule.
  • The crew lampoons the bleak “state of the city,” saying:

    “Shame if we don’t laugh. Shame die. And nobody wants to die in this city right now. You get raped. Shame.” (05:31, John)

  • Witty asides reference local self-defense classes (“corpse training” at React Defense).

4. Celebrity Death Announcements as Skits

• Brittany, in-character, pops in to “break the news” of Sandra Day O’Connor’s passing in a Tonight Show parody:

  “Here ye, here ye…Sandra Day O’Connor’s gone, (06:32, Brittany)”

  • Joke continues about high schools having to rename.
  • There is absurd banter about famous guests dropping off the Tonight Show lineup due to death.

5. Celebrity Age & Pop-Culture Musings

• Cher’s aging is discussed, with Brady quipping,

  “Cher would give anything to be 70 again.” (08:08, Brady)

  • They mock “Believe” turning 25 and tease Cher for wishing to be just 70.
  • John recalls her infamous “If I Could Turn Back Time” performance and younger boyfriends.
• The crew riffs in celebrity voices (Miss Piggy, Kermit, Cher) and mock song lyrics.

6. Hollywood Gossip & “Golden Bachelor” Exposé

• Brady brings up a Hollywood Reporter exposé on Gerry Turner (“Golden Bachelor”) allegedly falsifying his image and mistreating a girlfriend.

  “The truth is, the last time he owned a restaurant was in 1985. He’s had several jobs since then, and many came after his supposed retirement.” (11:33, Brady)

  • Hilarious mockery follows: John calls him a “janitor.” The group mocks his breakup with a woman over weight gain, tossing in “Miss Piggy” impressions and slapstick about her “falling down the stairs.”
  • John deadpans:

    “He didn’t want to take a fatty to his high school reunion.” (12:38, John)

  • The group’s wild, over-the-top jokes highlight their irreverence when tackling news.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Eye Surgery:

  “It’s amazing how bad your vision can get before you actually do something because you can skate through. And then when they fixed it, I’m like, this is how you’re supposed to see.” (01:56, John)

• On Local Villains:

  “You can make an argument for each one. That just means we've got two massive S*bags of the year.” (02:48, John)

• On Corpse Offender:

  “We tried to (cremate). She was too wet to burn.” (04:43, John)

• On Sandra Day O’Connor’s Passing:

  “Sandra Day O’Connor’s gone. Now all those high schools that are named after her…have to change their names.” (06:32, Brittany)

• On Cher’s Age:

  “Cher would give anything to be 70 again.” (08:08, Brady)

• On Golden Bachelor Scandal:

  “The Golden Bachelor was none too pleased… Piggy, roll it out of here.” (13:10, John and banter crew)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:12–02:46: Entertainment Drill intro, Eye Surgery Discussion
• 02:46–05:40: S*Bag of the Year Debate (Animal abuser vs. corpse offender, moral lines)
• 05:40–07:54: Corpse-offender story, shame bells, and Tonight Show dead guest skit
• 08:08–09:59: Cher at 70, “Believe” at 25, celebrity aging riffs
• 10:07–10:51: Eddie Murphy vs. Richard Pryor bet (“Party all the Time” trivia)
• 11:27–14:18: Golden Bachelor exposé, janitor revelations, slapstick “Piggy” breakup story

Tone & Style

True to form, the show is raw, unsparing, and darkly comic. The crew’s interplay is fast, irreverent, and loaded with off-the-cuff impressions and taboo-pushing satire. Sensitive topics are met with gallows humor and relentless ribbing, characteristic of Arizona’s most rebellious morning show.

If you missed the episode:
Expect a no-holds-barred mix of local outrage, celebrity snark, and relentlessly creative banter, all delivered with wicked wit and wild abandon.