Holmberg’s Morning Sickness (98KUPD)

Episode: 01-28-26 – Emailers Give Thanks For Our Take On Zipps Raid And John Admits He May Have Once Human Trafficked – Guy At Rah Rah Room Twice Asked Girl To Go Have Sex In Restroom
Date: January 28, 2026
Host: John Holmberg
Co-hosts: Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Episode Overview

In this episode, John Holmberg and the crew dive into listener reactions to their coverage of the high-profile Zipps restaurant raid, tackle serious issues like mental health and human trafficking, and also veer into humorous territory with a bar story involving an unusually direct bathroom proposition. The show’s trademark blend of irreverence, honesty, and “voice of reason” philosophy threads through both sensitive topics and lighter moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Feedback and Impact of Openness (01:09–03:42)

• Holmberg reads listener emails expressing gratitude for his candidness about therapy and mental health.
  • One listener thanks John for being open about seeking therapy, stating it helped them seek help as well. - “Your openness about that helped me take those steps. I think you should know how much good you do.” (Chris, 01:20)
• John jokes about his own struggles helping others and the lingering stigma for men around mental health.
  • “We don't like to go. We want to get everything off our chest, but we want to choose who to do it with and want to pay somebody to have to listen to you. It's better that way.” (John, 02:57)
• Importance of breaking the mental health stigma for men, and likening therapy to “organizing your desk.”

2. The Zipps Raid: Caution, Law Enforcement, and Human Trafficking (03:42–12:01)

Emailers with law enforcement backgrounds chime in:

• The “let the dust settle” approach advocated by John receives validation from a listener involved in the Zipps raid at a high level.
  • Email excerpts clarify they weren’t conducting basic immigration enforcement but addressing a trafficking situation, and protesters didn’t understand the context.
  • “What went on at Zipps... there are some things naturally tying back to immigration because this is a trafficking situation.” (Heath, 04:08)
• John reiterates that human trafficking is often misunderstood, relays that it's not just “nabbing kids out of a mall,” but includes moving people, offering safe places, and employment under the table.
  • “I was a human trafficker. I can tell you from experience that I didn’t know it…I was a human trafficker for a while at Tony Roma’s.” (John, 05:42)

Holmberg’s “accidental human trafficking” confessional:

• Recounts hiring multiple workers at Tony Roma’s, all using the name “Chris Valenzuela,” many living together in crowded apartments.
• Reflects that, unknowingly, he had enabled a system of human trafficking—moving and sheltering people for work, unintentionally contributing to the problem.

“It was like we were just running families through here to get a couple bucks… We were human trafficking, that's what that is.” (John, 08:05)

• Emphasizes: the situation at Zipps is complex, law enforcement are targeting the “head honchos,” and activists should be careful not to escalate situations they don’t fully understand.
  • “Don’t go over there and protest unless you know what they’re up to.” (John, 11:26)

3. Wisdom on Protesting and Escalation (13:32–18:50)

• John discusses the protests, cautioning listeners about getting involved without full knowledge.
  • “If you start pushing FBI agents, you might be the dumbest person alive. What are you doing? Turn the news off.” (John, 13:54)
• Notes emails from Homeland Security contacts, explaining that the federal raid was not routine and urging caution to would-be protesters.
• Expresses concern over people risking harm for causes without full context and the dangers of provoking law enforcement.
  • “Be smarter, that’s all. Don’t push people who are wearing those [badges].” (John, 15:44)
• Humorous aside about French subtitling replacing the N-word with “friend,” imagining French audiences being very confused by American pop culture (“Training Day with ‘friend’ instead of the N-word,” 14:46).

4. Street-Level Commentary: Pepper Spray and Protest Tactics (16:10–18:50)

• The show pokes fun at perennial protest risks: “Once someone gets a bullhorn and says, this is an unlawful gathering, you’re going to get pepper sprayed.”
• John jokes about hippies getting “jacked in the nuts with a pepper ball,” but maintains that both sides can be in the wrong.
  • “Anytime a group of people has chemicals, let them be the ones that look bad.” (John, 18:51)
  • “It’s because I care about you. Not the hippie so much. You guys go get kicked in the nuts all day. I can’t stand you.” (John, 18:30)
• Overarching message: “The protests are fine, but I don't think this is what you think it is. And I don't want to see people getting pepper balls… For what? Clicks? More news? We don't need it.” (John, 18:51)

5. Bar Story: The Direct Approach at the Rah Rah Room (18:51–35:34)

Memorable Story: "Want to have sex in the bathroom?"

• John tells a vivid story about a guy at the Rah Rah Room bar who twice directly propositioned a woman to have sex in the bathroom—mid-conversation.
  • “In the middle of her sentence, he goes, do you want to go to the bathroom with me? I'm like, that's aggressive. […] Is that a move that’s worked ever?” (John, 21:01)
  • The group marvels at the boldness of the approach, speculating if the “ask immediately” tactic ever actually gets results.
  • The woman’s nonchalance leads John to conclude this is disturbingly normal with younger men.
  • “Some guys just ask now, like, in the younger ones…” (Corinna, via John, 21:36)
• The guys analyze if the porn generation has encouraged “shortcut” approaches to sex, skipping basic socialization.
• The story unfolds with comic asides—about the man’s confidence, repeated attempts, and the strange logic behind the approach.

Group’s Reaction:

• Co-hosts discuss the “numbers game” for men propositioning women, referencing a Kevin Smith anecdote where Jason Mewes would ask 100 women a day, succeeding with 1 or 2.
• John relates his own “easily discouraged” nature, contrasting with guys who keep trying after rejection.
  • “I'm easily discouraged…I can be having a conversation with someone, in the middle of it, just like, ‘They hate me.’” (John, 30:38)

Humorous Moments & Quotes:

• “I just laugh at it… That's what I do for my time. I observe.” (John, 32:48)
• “If anybody… had she broken out the pepper spray, I wouldn’t have fought. I’d have laughed. It all goes full circle. You push your boundaries, pepper spray comes out.” (John, 33:16)

ChatGPT Jokes:

• “Did you ask her to lick your balls in the bathroom? Yes. She said no. That wasn’t part of the ChatGPT plan.” (John, 29:05)

6. On Confidence, Money, and Perception at the Bar (33:24–35:34)

• Listeners text in, asking if the aggressive man’s confidence stemmed from wealth. John doubts it, noting the venue isn’t high-end and he himself “wear[s] children’s clothes” and isn’t “auditioning for anyone.”

  • The woman in question was independently wealthy, with a high-end vintage Bronco, so she wasn’t seeking a financial savior.
  • “I happen to know that the lady he was talking to is loaded, so she’s not working from an ‘I need money guy’ thing.” (John, 34:25)

• John wraps it up with resigned encouragement:

  • “Anyway, keep shooting your shots, boys. I will always be the guy who can’t do that. I just laugh at it.” (John, 35:34)

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “Saving lives.” (John Holmberg, 02:31)
• “Let the dust settle before we all react.” (Listener email, cited by John, 04:00)
• “I was a human trafficker… didn’t know it.” (John Holmberg, 05:42)
• “If you start pushing FBI agents, you might be the dumbest person alive.” (John Holmberg, 13:54)
• “Be smarter, that’s all. Don’t push people who are wearing those [badges].” (John Holmberg, 15:44)
• “If there's people out there right now, whose bodies just cringe because they've had Porta John sex… they’re pigs.” (John Holmberg, 25:20)
• “I’m easily discouraged…I can be having a conversation with someone, in the middle of it, just like, ‘They hate me.’” (John Holmberg, 30:38)
• “Keep shooting your shots, boys. I will always be the guy who can't do that. I just laugh at it.” (John Holmberg, 35:34)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:09] – Listener thanks for therapy candidness
• [03:42] – Emails about the Zipps incident and “let the dust settle” wisdom
• [05:40] – John’s self-assessed role in “accidental human trafficking”
• [13:32] – Perspective from Homeland Security; risk of uninformed protesting
• [15:44] – “Be smarter, don’t push FBI agents.”
• [18:51] – Bar story: The bold “bathroom sex” proposition
• [25:20] – Porta John sex critique
• [30:37] – “Numbers game” and rejection sensitivity
• [35:34] – Wrapping up with encouragement to “keep shooting your shots”

Tone and Style

The episode features Holmberg’s signature irreverent, self-deprecating humor paired with earnest reflections and strong doses of “let cooler heads prevail” wisdom. The show openly navigates serious ground (mental health, immigration, human trafficking), but always with comic asides and sharp, observational dialogue, imitating the casual, ball-busting banter of old friends.

This summary should equip anyone who missed the episode with not just the facts, but the flavor, context, and heart of the conversation.