Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – "Playing BradyGras for Brady and Suns Announcer Kevin Ray's Birthdays" (02-02-26)

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness (98KUPD, Arizona)
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Special Guests: Zach Ray (filling in for his dad, Suns announcer Kevin Ray)
Aired: February 2, 2026

Overview

This episode celebrates the birthdays of both regular show member Brady Bogen and Phoenix Suns announcer Kevin Ray (represented by his son Zach). In honor of the occasion, the team resurrects their annual birthday game show, "BradyGras," inviting listeners to play trivia for as-seen-on-TV prizes. The cast mixes genuine camaraderie, relentless teasing, and quick-witted banter with the usual Arizona-flavored irreverence, all while navigating the challenges of game show chaos and colorful contestants.

Key Segments and Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Birthdays & Zach's Guest Hosting

• [01:02] John introduces the special circumstances: Kevin Ray planned to join but his son Zach is filling in after "a big weekend and the Clippers' destruction of the Suns."
• The segment teems with affectionate roasting—especially targeting both Brady’s age and Zach’s role:
  • “Repping the Ray name. That’s right. You’re doing a nice job. Learned a lot about him today…” – John
• Banter over what Zach got Kevin for his birthday: Amazon gift cards (“a present with thought?”), shoes, and teasing over how many shoes are enough.
• The show’s energy is lively and playful, with jokes about expecting last year to be Brady’s final birthday, setting up the “every day’s a gift” running gag.

2. BradyGras Returns: Explaining the Game

• [04:17] “Haven’t played it for a year. Can’t wait to play it. Today, Brady Gro. Brady celebrates yet another birthday, and frankly, we didn’t think this one was going to happen.”
• Game mechanics: Listeners call in and join Brady and Zach to answer five trivia questions in various categories (general knowledge, geography, food/drink, animals, etc.) for a chance at quirky prizes.
• Teams must collectively agree on answers, but the dynamic often degenerates into amused bickering or letting Brady have final say, adding comedic tension.

3. The Prizes and Home Shopping Network Commentary

• [07:34] “Playing for the Wonder Bible. The printer isn’t working right now.”
• Wonder Bible: A handheld, audio device containing the King James Bible. Mockery ensues about what constitutes a “pleasant voice” and who should narrate the Bible—Michael J. Tyson, Freddie Roach, Stephen Hawking, Al Pacino, etc.
• Additional prizes include toilet bowl lights, Arctic cooling hats, and the turbo pump—all mined for maximum comedic effect by the hosts.

4. Callers, Contestants, and Chaotic Trivia

• The core of the episode is a rotating parade of callers, each bringing their own oddball energy, with a number of memorable interactions and recurring characters:

  Round 1 – Don (Mechanic. Prize: Wonder Bible)

  • [10:07] Category: Geography.
  • Misses “In what country is Mount Kilimanjaro?” (Guess: South Africa – Correct: Tanzania).
  • “Don’s checked in and said whatever Brady says... Say goodbye to the Wonder Bible.” – John

  Round 2 – Isaiah (Self-proclaimed “connoisseur of goods”)

  • [11:56] John suspects Isaiah is on drugs:
    • “Are you on meth right now?” “No, not right now.”
  • Fails basic general knowledge and Sabbath questions, but brings surreal, comic energy.

  Round 3 – Justin (Fellow “Aquarian”)

  • [15:38] Category: Animals.
  • Gets "What is the only mammal capable of true flight?" (Correct: Bat), but stumbles over “Which animal has the longest tongue?” (Guess: Blue whale vs. Correct: Giraffe).
  • Hilarity in team indecision and Brady overriding teammates, leading to a loss.

  Round 4 – Philip (UPS worker. Prize: Arctic Hat)

  • [20:25] Category: Food & Drink.
  • Knows hummus ingredient (chickpeas), shepherd’s pie meat (lamb), and world's most expensive spice (saffron). Stumbles on “which country invented ice cream” (Answer: China).
  • Extended, absurd debate about whether the answer could be Wisconsin (“the country of Wisconsin”) or Middle Eastern froyo.
  • Delivers possibly the most playfully exasperating segment, with Brady, Zach, and John riffing on possible right/wrong answers, with Philip’s inability to Google the answers fast enough.

  Round 5 – Kenny (“Little Raz,” shares birthday with Brady, has lost his left leg)

  • [38:12] Category: Music.
  • Gets Beyoncé’s Grammy count right (32), but misses Sinead O’Connor as the notable Irish singer who passed away in 2023.
  • The discussion is candid about disability but remains lighthearted and respectful.

  Recurrent Callers: Isaiah returns (“Probably driving while on the phone”), John attempts animal questions, and the show ultimately cycles through more listeners without anyone quite clinching the grand prize. The host’s exasperation grows, feeding the show’s comic energy.

5. Memorable Quotes & Comic Moments

• On Brady’s longevity:
  “Brady celebrates yet another birthday, and frankly, we didn’t think this one was going to happen. I’m just as shocked as you.” – John (04:17)
• On Isaiah’s “career”:
  “What do you write for occupation on your tax?”
  “Oh, you’re not paying taxes. Who am I kidding?” – John (12:05)
• On confusion in trivia:
  “Come on, give me an answer. Name a cheese, for Christ’s sake. Starts with a P, ends in an E. You’ll never get it. All right, go back to the gay guy [on TV].” – John (31:16–32:39)
• On flamingo babies:
  “What color are flamingos when they’re born? White, black, gray or pink? Why is this funny? What’s racist about this?” – John (54:48)
• On the painful futility of group answers:
  “No prizes. And who’s the big winner on your birthday? Toledo. Brett and John. $0.” – John (58:46)
• On Isaiah’s “cat answer” for Aristocats:
  “Let’s go with pussy.” – Isaiah (47:55)

Timestamps for Highlighted Segments

• Setting the Birthday Stage & Rules: 01:02 – 07:00
• Prize Descriptions & Home Shopping Banter: 07:33 – 09:14
• First Round of Trivia (Don/Geography): 09:14 – 10:54
• Isaiah’s Hilarious Interview: 11:27 – 13:10
• Animals Trivia & Team Disagreements: 15:39 – 19:48
• Food & Drink Deep Dive (Philip/UPS): 20:25 – 25:39
• Kenny’s Story & Music Trivia: 38:04 – 41:45
• Catastrophic Cat Questions & Isaiah’s Return: 47:38 – 50:23
• Animal Trivia with John & the Dolphin’s Teeth: 53:01 – 54:14
• Jungle Book Snake Name Meltdown: 57:03 – 58:45
• Wrap Up & No-Prize Comedy: 58:53 – End

Notable Episode Dynamics

• Banter & Roasting: The comradery and relentless ribbing among the hosts, especially when Brady gets cocky or clueless, is a running theme and a major comic driver.
• Listener Involvement: Callers’ quirks, from Isaiah’s offbeat energy to Kenny’s biker-turned-UPS driver story, are celebrated and mocked in equal measure.
• Recurring Gags: Running jokes about the game being “rigged,” no one winning prizes, and Brady’s “dead-eyed” stare are called back throughout the episode.
• Pop Culture & Arizona Flavor: Local Suns coverage, running bits about Home Shopping Network products, and Arizona’s rock radio quirks shine through.

Conclusion

This special birthday episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness is a chaotic, hilarious celebration of both Brady’s and Kevin Ray’s birthdays. The show’s game-focused format showcases the hosts’ chemistry, Arizona roots, and playful irreverence. The combination of trivia, listener personalities, and ongoing group banter ensures the episode is both engaging and unpredictable—even if, in the end, no one walks away with a prize.

For New Listeners

Whether you're a fan of local radio madness, enjoy trivia and quick-witted sarcasm, or just love hearing grown men argue over donkey cheese, this episode sums up everything that makes Holmberg’s Morning Sickness a staple of Arizona drive-time entertainment.

Skip straight to:

• [04:17] First game round rules and playful roasting
• [15:39] Animals trivia hilarity and group indecision
• [20:25] Food & Drink with wild tangents
• [38:04] Kenny’s music trivia and life story
• [53:01] Animal trivia, dolphin teeth, and more group chaos
• [57:03] Jungle Book tattoo guy melts down

Key Quote for the Road:
"No prizes. And who’s the big winner on your birthday? Toledo. Brett and John. $0." – John (58:46)