Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 02-10-26 – Suite That Feeds Contest Details & AI-Generated "1930s Hit"

Date: February 10, 2026
Main Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, Dick Toledo

Episode Overview

This episode of "Holmberg's Morning Sickness" features a hilarious, off-the-cuff experiment where John Holmberg and the crew explore the cultural disconnect between classic rock and pre-war music, using AI to create a wildly inappropriate "1930s hit" song based on John's satirical improv. Alongside this, the hosts discuss details for the "Suite That Feeds" contest for Nine Inch Nails tickets, run giveaways, and banter about the passage of time in music. The show's tone is irreverent, outrageous, and intentionally pokes fun at both musical nostalgia and the biases of past eras.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nine Inch Nails "Suite That Feeds" Contest & Ticket Giveaway

• [00:56–01:51] The crew promotes the upcoming Nine Inch Nails concert, offering tickets to listeners.
  • Listeners enter by typing the word “souls” into the 98KUPD app or website for a chance at a suite experience.
  • Brett runs a live phone-in giveaway for standard tickets—10th caller wins.
    • Winner announced: Brandon Wiley.

  “10th caller wants to go see nine snails right now.” — Holmberg ([00:56])

2. Van Halen, Musical Generations, and 1930s Nostalgia

• [02:14–02:53] John likens the reverence for "Van Halen I" (1978) today to how, in 1978, people would’ve viewed music from 1930.
  • The stark disconnect between ‘30s music and rock’s golden age becomes comedic fodder.
  • John asks, rhetorically, “Is there anything from 1930 that was relevant in 1978 musically? And the answer was no…” ([02:24])
  • The conversation veers into mocking the sound and social standards of the era, emphasizing its racism.

3. AI Song Generation: “Penguins and No Blacks”

Experiment Setup

• [02:53–03:07] John recalls improvising a satirical 1930s-style song (“Penguins and No Blacks”) and challenges AI (with Toledo facilitating) to generate versions of it.
  • The experiment lampoons how “everything was racist and awful” in the ‘30s.
  • Jokes about potential HR issues:

    “I’m taking my headphones off because I’m gonna get fired.” — Brett Vesely ([03:15])

AI Song Playbacks & Reactions

• First AI Version

  • [03:21–04:03]
  • AI directly regurgitates John’s prompt, including the offensive refrain:

    “Let’s see what the penguin says. We’ll be dancing, but no blacks, no blacks, no blacks...” — AI ([03:40])

  • Crew reacts with disbelief and laughter, likening it to Mel Brooks-style satire.

• Second AI Version

  • [04:49–05:24]
  • Minimal changes from the first—same offensive chorus and comical 1930s tropes.

    “Keep a similar theme and flow I gave it.” — Holmberg ([05:24])

• Third (AI-generated) Version

  • [05:56–06:31]
  • AI attempts an original based on context:

    "Tiffany’s had our way / Sidewalk shine on a Saturday / We’re all ready to play / Bow tie, crooked shoes, allbrighty shuffling down the lane..." — AI ([05:56])

  • More whimsical, less offensive—a 1930s-style party song revolving around penguins.

• John’s Reflection on the AI’s Lyrics

  • [06:31–06:41]
  • Amused at the AI’s literalism and weird interpretations:

    “Did I say something about what penguin? I just sang it along.” — Holmberg ([06:31]) “Listen, what the penguin says, it picked up off. What did that penguin say?” — Holmberg ([07:52])

Crew’s Recap and Ongoing Jokes

• [06:47–07:44]
  • Multiple replays and riffs on the AI’s outputs.
  • John muses about releasing the songs as paid downloads:

    “We’ll have those available for a $19 a download. Oh, yeah, those are originals.” — Holmberg ([07:52])

  • Further joking around, improvised “add-ons” in classic offensive style.

4. Reflections on History and Culture

• [08:21–08:41]
  • The crew reflects on the passage of time, comparing 1978-to-1930 and 2026-to-1978, with tongue-in-cheek references to history.
  • John envisions fictitious 1930s headlines and social norms as musical source material:

    “Everything 96 years ago...when I was singing that song, I’m thinking like 30s headlines like, Germany is okay. I guess we’d be touring speakeasies right now.” — Holmberg ([08:47])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I’m like a teenage girl. Scary every day. Cuz I’m a little bit late.” — Holmberg ([00:46])
• “I was making fun of, like, the way it sounded… People on the watch, on the streets, and I forgot a penguin on a friend. And there’s no blacks, no blacks, no blacks, no blacks.” — Improv ([02:53])
• “Everything was racist and awful. And that’s her grandparents. So I told Toledo, put that in the AI and see if it’ll make…” — Holmberg ([03:07])
• “This podcast is gold. Jerry says you have a Hit.” — Holmberg ([07:32])
• “It’s 86 years old. And that’s halfway to Van Halen. To us.” — Holmberg ([08:30])
• “Germany seems good again. I don’t think anything’s going to go wrong there for a long, long time. This Adolf character seems to have it all figured out.” — Holmberg’s ironic historical riff ([08:47])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:56–01:51 – Nine Inch Nails “Suite That Feeds” contest and live ticket giveaway
• 02:14–02:53 – Discussion: Van Halen, musical time gaps, and generation gaps
• 03:21–05:24 – AI-generated 1930s song versions played and roasted
• 05:56–06:31 – AI’s original “Penguin” version premiere
• 07:41–08:41 – Reflections on the passage of time and 1930s social history as satirical musical content

Tone and Atmosphere

The hosts maintain an outrageous, gleefully offensive sense of humor, satirizing the backwardness of 1930s culture and lampooning both music nostalgia and contemporary AI’s inability to grasp nuance. Their advanced “inside joke” style serves both as a riff on how far social norms have advanced and a vehicle for edgy absurdity, always aware of the inappropriateness yet using it for satirical effect.
The energy is rowdy, fast-paced, and unfiltered, exemplifying the brand of the “Morning Sickness” crew.

Summary Takeaway

This episode turns the lens on musical nostalgia and the problematic aspects of earlier American pop culture, using AI to inadvertently produce a darkly comic “lost” 1930s hit that highlights just how different and uncomfortable America’s past really was. The show’s blend of banter, parody, and edgy humor is on full display—providing both laughs and a strange sort of social commentary.