Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 02-16-26 – "Connecticut Cannibal Released From Prison: Should He Be On a Registry?"

Date: February 16, 2026
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Episode Overview

In this lively and provocative episode, the HMS crew discuss the recent news of Tyree Smith, a convicted cannibal from Connecticut, being conditionally released from a psychiatric facility after being found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2012. The hosts dig into the public's discomfort, the ethics of rehabilitation versus punishment, and whether cannibals should be registered like sex offenders. With their trademark dark humor, they question if true reformation is possible and how society should grapple with such extreme cases.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Cannibal’s Release (01:09–04:28)

• The hosts highlight the unsettling reality that Tyree Smith, who killed and consumed parts of a man, is now out of institutional care.
• John Holmberg: “How’d you like to be that guy’s neighbor?... Oh, my name is Tyree Smith... I cannibalized some people and now I’m better.” (01:17)
• Psychiatric experts unanimously agreed Tyree is “no longer a threat” but the hosts are skeptical.
• Key Insight: The crew compares the logic used for animals with a “taste for human flesh” to cannibal rehabilitation—questioning whether true reform is possible.

2. Comparing Cannibals to Animals (03:02–04:28)

• Holmberg: “If a mountain lion bites a kid, we have to kill it because it has a taste for human flesh, right?... Wouldn’t that hold true to a cannibal?” (03:00)
• They humorously compare muzzling a once-dangerous dog to monitoring an ex-cannibal, suggesting constant supervision or restriction is prudent.

3. Ethics of Release and Recidivism Concerns (04:28–08:06)

• The team wonders if this is the first time a cannibal has been “cured” and released as a supposed success story.
• They reference famous cases (e.g., a monkey attack, Jeffrey Dahmer) to emphasize public discomfort with attempted rehabilitation.
• Holmberg (paraphrasing a victim’s family): “How do we know he’s not gonna do this again? Which is everyone’s feeling of a cannibal.” (06:22)
• Memorable Moment: The panel jokes about a “test” for relapse: “Serve a sheepshead with the eye… see what he does.” (08:41)

4. Should Cannibals be Monitored Like Sex Offenders? (12:03–13:46)

• The show asks if cannibals should have to go door-to-door or be on a registry like sex offenders.
• “Do they have to go door to door?” “Yeah, they should, just like the sex offenders.” (12:27)
• Role-play: The hosts imagine a scenario where Tyree must introduce himself to the neighborhood, revealing his past (“No, I ate a guy, so I have to let you know that I ate someone once.”) (13:07)
• Dark Humor: Holmberg jokes that the only response would be to immediately put up a “For Sale” sign.

5. The American Consensus Against Cannibalism (13:54–16:28)

• Holmberg laments a seemingly lost cultural consensus: “Where’s the America I grew up in where we all agreed that cannibals needed to die?” (13:54)
• Entertaining hypothetical: Even people with radically opposing views (e.g., a Klansman and Malcolm X) would have agreed that cannibals can’t be accepted back. (15:41)
  • “You could get a Klansman and Malcolm X in a room and say, all right, let’s find something we all agree on... All cannibals need to die.” (15:41)
• They poke fun at the idea of “Cannibal Downs” – a community for released cannibals. (14:20)

6. Everyday Paranoia and Humor (14:20–18:44)

• Imagining living with or next to a released cannibal—jokes about checking for salt and pepper shakers in the halfway house, to setting up “mouse traps” and security measures.
• The group turns to friendly teasing of how Brady would accidentally befriend the cannibal and possibly get eaten:
  • “Brady would… you’d answer the door for the cannibal before he even knocked.” (17:33)
• Extended bit about inviting Tyree Smith to a barbecue.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Holmberg: “Once you get a taste of us, you’d think that’s pretty much the end of it.” (03:12)
• Holmberg: “If you eat somebody, you’re out.” (08:06)
• Holmberg (on the cannibal registry): “They should, just like the sex offenders... hand out pamphlets and stuff.” (12:30)
• Imaginary Dialogue:
  • Neighbor: “Were you a sex offender?”
  • Tyree: “No, I ate a guy, so I have to let you know.” (13:07)
• Holmberg: “Where’s the America I grew up in where we all agreed that cannibals needed to die?” (13:54)
• On unity: “You could get a Klansman and Malcolm X in a room … they would shake hands, like, that’s a deal [about cannibals].” (15:41)
• Brady teasing: “You’d answer the door for the cannibal before he even knocked.” (17:33)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|----------------| | Introduction to Cannibal Release | 01:09–02:46 | | Animal Comparison, Psychology | 03:02–04:28 | | Family/Victim Reaction and System Skepticism | 06:22–07:02 | | Should Cannibals be Registered? | 12:03–13:46 | | Cultural and Historical Perspective | 13:54–16:28 | | Humor on Living with a Cannibal | 14:20–18:44 |

Tone & Style

The episode is heavy with dark humor and quick-fire banter, characteristic of HMS. The hosts oscillate between serious concern for public safety and outlandish, comedic scenarios about cannibal reformation and neighborhood life—underscored by skepticism and distrust of the “rehabilitation” narrative for extreme offenders.

Summary Takeaway

If you’ve ever wondered how society should handle the rare but shocking case of a “rehabilitated” cannibal, the HMS crew will challenge your comfort zone—with plenty of provocative questions, satirical takes, and the underlying message that some lines, maybe, shouldn’t be crossed twice.