Podcast Summary: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 02-19-26 – Goot Shat Swazz – First Ever – 2 rounds – Jan 2006
Date: February 19, 2026
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely (Eric), Dick Toledo
Notable Guests/Callers: Chris, Fred, Mike, Thomas, Gambler, Ray, Jesse, Poopy Pants, Paula, Shane, Steve

Overview

This episode marks the debut of "Goot Shat Swaz," a fast-paced, pop-culture trivia game crafted by Holmberg’s Morning Sickness team. The game’s main draw is its absurdist energy and quick-fire referencing of three cult-favorite actors: Steve Guttenberg (Goot), William Shatner (Shat), and Patrick Swayze (Swaz). Contestants must rapidly attribute movies and cultural references to the correct actor by simply shouting “Goot,” “Shat,” or “Swaz” – with the risk of immediate disqualification upon hesitation or error. Hilarity ensues, with the hosts and listeners both revealing the challenge of unfiltered recall under time pressure.

Main Theme:
The episode centers around the chaos, fun, and surprising difficulty of on-the-spot pop culture recall, all wrapped in the show’s signature irreverent and raucous style.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. The Rules and Introduction: “Goot Shat Swaz”

[02:20 – 05:10]

• Holmberg enthusiastically introduces the new game, explaining its mechanics: The host names a work (e.g., a movie); the contestant must immediately call out “Goot,” “Shat,” or “Swaz” to identify the associated actor—Steve Guttenberg, William Shatner, or Patrick Swayze.
• Hesitating, stumbling, or guessing wrong earns instant disqualification; successful completion of 10 in a row wins coveted Korn tickets.

Notable quote:

John: “Basically what it is is we name something, you name who’s affiliated with it—Steve Guttenberg, William Shatner, Patrick Swayze. But you either say ‘Goot, Shat, Swaz.’ And if you stumble, if you goof, if you make a mistake, you are immediately quacked.” [02:56]

2. The Listener Gauntlet: “You Get Quacked”

[05:10 – 19:40]

• Multiple listeners (Chris, Fred, Mike, Thomas, and more) call in to attempt the game. Most are eliminated quickly after struggling with the speed or mixing up their Shats with their Swazzes.
• The hosts revel in the listeners’ pain, continually emphasizing how much harder the game is under pressure.

Game sample exchanges:

• Chris:
  • “Red Dawn.”
  • Chris: “Swaz.”
  • “She’s Like the Wind.”
  • Chris: “Goose.”
  • “T.J. Hooker.”
  • Chris: “Good call—It’s hard to pay attention… I’m sorry, you missed it.” [07:50]
• Brady: “Airplane 2.”
  • Contestant: “Out.”
  • “Sorry. Much harder game than it seems.” [08:45]

Host commentary:

John: “Gucci Swaz is hard. This is for Korn tickets!” [09:50]
Eric: “It’s tougher in the hot seat, I think.” [10:15]

3. In-Studio Play: “Even the Hosts Struggle”

[20:00 – 24:00]

• The hosts test each other with gauntlets of their own, demonstrating that even seasoned pop culture fans and comedians struggle with the format.
• The game is dubbed “Impossible Trivia,” as nobody seems able to get close to 10 correct, especially in rapid succession.

Fun exchange:

John: “You got to be a quick thinker.” [17:10]
Eric: “Let’s see if I can get through your list, Brady. Ready?”
Brady: “And go. Airplane 2.”
Eric: “Start over. Chat.”
Brady: “Cocoon.”
Eric: “Goot. Priceline.com.”
Eric: “Chat. The Outsiders.”
Eric: “Swaz.” [18:30]

4. Round Two: Celebrity and Gender Analysis

[24:00 – 33:30]

• After a break, the game resumes with more attempts, and a tongue-in-cheek “analysis” springs up: Do women or men perform better at “Goot Shat Swaz”?
• Paula calls in and surprises everyone by blowing through nine correct identifications, becoming the episode’s closest thing to a winner.

Notable quote:

John: “We couldn’t have been more wrong about the ladies. We figured you… and you proved them wrong. Men are dumb. Women smart. Me like you.” [32:20]

Discussion:

• The hosts joke about “chicks dig terrible movies,” referencing stereotypical gendered preferences while lauding Paula’s superior performance.
• The perceived masculine dominance in movie trivia is upended, offering a recurring punchline throughout.

5. Most Memorable Moments/Quotes

a. Contestant Meltdowns and Nicknames

[Throughout]

• Callers like “Poopy Pants” and “Gambler” provide comic relief with their names, repeated attempts, and quick exits.

  John: “Poopy Pants is… Change them up. Try one more here on this round.” [13:05]

b. Self-Deprecating Banter

• John: “The goot, the shat, the swaz. Impossible. Either.” [15:20]
• Eric: “Are you ready? It’s all guys on the phone. Chicks couldn’t play this game. It’s too fast. Too quick for ’em… Swaz is probably numero uno for the ladies.” [27:10]

c. Sudden Breakthrough

• Paula’s win:

  Brady: “When you were a girl, Paula… did you have Swaz posters all over your bedroom?”
  Paula: “No way.” [29:20] John: “That’s a great one. It’s a great movie, actually. We’re going to give you something, though, because 9 is amazing… We couldn’t have been more wrong about the ladies.” [32:15]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Game Introduction and Rules: [02:20 – 05:10]
• Caller Attempts and ‘Impossible Trivia’: [05:10 – 19:40]
• Hosts Play Each Other: [20:00 – 24:00]
• Round 2, Gender Analysis, Paula’s Near-Win: [24:00 – 33:30]

Tone and Style

The conversation is fast, irreverent, and frequently self-mocking. There’s a genuine camaraderie among the hosts, with most of the humor relying on their familiarity with both their audience and each other’s humor styles. Listener participation brings unpredictability and energy, while the near-impossible challenge of the game creates repeated, relatable failures.

Summary Takeaways

• "Goot Shat Swaz" is Holmberg’s own high-pressure pop-culture trivia game—simple in premise, diabolical in execution.
• Most callers struggle almost immediately, illustrating the gulf between armchair trivia confidence and actual performance under pressure.
• The show’s playful, sometimes rowdy banter is on full display, with particular amusement at caller reactions (“Poopy Pants”) and a delight in gently roasting all comers, including themselves.
• Paula’s performance subverts the hosts’ gendered assumptions and injects a refreshing thrill, providing a memorable twist to the proceedings.

Best Quote:

“We figured you… and you proved them wrong. Men are dumb. Women smart. Me like you.” – John [32:20]

For Listeners:
If you love fast-paced, slightly absurd pop culture trivia and morning radio chaos—or if you’ve ever wanted to see how well you really know the careers of Guttenberg, Shatner, and Swayze—this episode is a wild ride.