Holmberg's Morning Sickness Podcast
Episode: 02-17-26 - Bad Acting In The Bible - Jesus Needs Better Magic
Date: February 17, 2026
Cast: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Kenny, Sarah
Episode Overview
This lively and irreverent episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness spins comic gold out of two main topics: hilarious holiday hijinks involving nativity scenes and a brutally honest (and funny) critique of biblical TV dramatizations. The crew riff on the absurdity of stealing Baby Jesus figurines as a holiday prank, debate nativity scene logistics, and then tear into the bad acting and lackluster "stage magic" in televised Bible adaptations. Layered throughout are witty observations about religious calendars, historical influence, and the marketing of world religions.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Holiday Pranks with Nativity Scenes
- Listener Email: Brady shares how a listener "one-upped" his own childhood yard decor pranks:
- In Wisconsin, a group of friends played "Baby Jesus Hunting," stealing Baby Jesuses from nativity scenes and returning them on Easter.
- “We would write down the addresses on the baby Jesus, put them in our cars, and then on Easter morning we’d put it back.” (Brady, 01:18)
- In Wisconsin, a group of friends played "Baby Jesus Hunting," stealing Baby Jesuses from nativity scenes and returning them on Easter.
- Nativity Scene Traditions:
- The crew discuss the tradition of placing Baby Jesus in the nativity on Christmas morning versus having it out earlier.
- Sarah details her family’s tradition: “We put Baby Jesus out on Christmas morning.” (Sarah, 02:15)
- Where’s Jesus in the Offseason?
- Playful banter about storing Jesus in a drawer.
- “He’s in there. We know he’s in the drawer. You don’t touch that drawer.” (Sarah, 03:36)
- Brady personifies the figurine: “Hello, Brady. Put me in my manger. I can’t do it yet, Jesus not… Not born quite… you stay in the drawer.” (Brady, 03:48)
2. Bad Acting in Bible TV Shows
- Recent Bible Series Viewing:
- Kenny asks if they've watched the new Bible series, prompting a volley of scathing reviews.
- Brady calls the guy playing Jesus "the worst actor I’ve ever seen. Chris Cornell is terrible." (Brady, 04:11)
- They joke that this Jesus is too pretty but can’t act: “He’s gorgeous… He’s like the Brad Pitt [of Bible dramas].” (Kenny, 04:17)
- Criticism of Dramatic Choices:
- The group finds the performances melodramatic and the miracles underwhelming.
- Brady on a miracle scene: “They put the ear back on that dude… I’m like, Jesus, can you smile? Can you give me a giggle? Why is everything so down? This is our last meal together, friends. Kenny, come on. You’re so down all the time. He wouldn’t have had one friend if that’s how he really was.” (Brady, 04:36)
- They lampoon the lack of realistic reactions: “This dude’s ear is back on… No, we still gotta kill him. That was neat, though. I gotta tell you, that Copperfield thing was pretty cool.” (Brady, 05:28)
3. Jesus as a Showman: Missed Opportunities
- Why the Low-Key Miracles?
- The group jokes that Jesus could have been a superstar if he’d shown better stage presence and more “magic.”
- “If you’re the king of kings and you do all these miracles, I would have put on a hell of a show. A lot better than all this subtle crap.” (Brady, 06:06)
- Imagining Jesus introducing modern inventions to avoid execution: “This is a light bulb that’s coming in about 1700 years. You’re gonna love it.… I’m just showing you this stuff from the future so you don’t kill me.” (Brady, 07:30)
- Why Isn’t Jesus Marketed Like Buddha?
- They imagine Jesus as a pitchman like Buddha is for Lucky Jeans: “He’s a lucky jeans guy. He’s a spokesman, though. You get a job as the face of a company.” (Brady, 10:30)
4. Religious Calendars & Business Decisions
- Why Does Everyone Use the Gregorian Calendar?
- The crew question why non-Christian cultures and religions use A.D. dating.
- “Why do, like, other religions go by our calendar, like 2013?” (Kenny, 08:19)
- Consensus: It’s all about “business” and global convenience.
- “It’s all business. It’s all money. The Western…” (Brady, 08:38)
- Sarah and Brady discuss ancient calendar fixes and note that Chinese New Year persists in parallel.
5. Comparing Religious Figures
- Buddha's smiling persona is favorably compared to the consistently dour depictions of Jesus.
- “The thing I liked about Buddha is that he’s still smiling. You know, he basically lost his job and he’s still smiling.” (Brady, 10:04)
- “You imagine in other countries, you went over there and Jesus was on their Lucky Brand Jeans? … Or you get to rub the Buddha… Rub the Jesus for luck.” (Brady & Sarah, 10:32–10:58)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On the “Baby Jesus Hunting” tradition:
- “A large group of us would go out and collect the baby Jesi from the people’s Nativity scenes… and then on Easter morning we’d put it back.” (Brady, 01:18)
- On the acting in Bible dramatizations:
- “He’s the worst actor I’ve ever seen. Chris Cornell is terrible.” (Brady, 04:11)
- “Jesus, can you smile? Can you give me a giggle? Why is everything so down?... He wouldn’t have had one friend if that’s how he really was.” (Brady, 04:44)
- On low-impact miracles:
- “Nobody is converted at that moment. This dude’s ear is back on… That was neat, though. I gotta tell you, that Copperfield thing was pretty cool.” (Brady, 05:22)
- On the lack of showmanship:
- “A lot better than that. All this subtle crap. Nonsense… You’d have put on some thunderous stuff. I have built the city of the future. This is a new car. You’re going to love this stuff.” (Brady, 06:08)
- Business and calendars:
- “It’s all business. It’s all money.” (Brady, 08:38)
- Religious marketing irony:
- “He’s a lucky jeans guy. He’s a spokesman, though… You imagine in other countries, Jesus was on their Lucky Brand Jeans…” (Brady, 10:30–10:32)
Important Segment Timestamps
- 01:00 – 02:26: Nativity prank and Baby Jesus tradition
- 03:33 – 03:48: The “Jesus in a drawer” skit
- 04:04 – 05:20: Bible TV show critique and Jesus’ acting
- 06:02 – 07:30: “Jesus, the showman” riff
- 08:19 – 09:31: World religions and the universal calendar
- 09:55 – 10:58: Buddha vs. Jesus as cultural icons
Summary & Tone
The hosts combine sharp-witted banter and pop-culture reverence with irreverent humor, poking fun at both religious rituals and the failings of their dramatizations. The show’s light, mocking tone is evident from beginning to end, making even theological discussions entertaining and relatable.
Whether discussing sneaky nativity escapades or why Jesus would be a flop as a modern magician, the conversation is vibrant, quick, and loaded with the kind of humor that makes HMS a local favorite.