Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Episode Summary

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness (98KUPD, Arizona)
Date: February 25, 2026
Episode: 02-25-26 – Announcing Details On Our HUGE Contest Starting Today – Brady Struggles To Say Similarly In Circumcision Story
Host(s): John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Brief Overview

This lively episode centers around the much-anticipated announcement of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness’s "HUGE" new contest, offering listeners a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Metallica at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The crew banters about the contest details, share playful ribbing regarding eligibility, and sprinkle in their trademark humor—especially as Brady hilariously struggles with the word "similarly" during a news segment about circumcision rates. The show also features the unique camaraderie and rapid wit that make it a local favorite, with the team riffing on outrageous news stories, listener emails, and their inside jokes.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Pre-Contest Anticipation & Banter

[01:19–04:09]

• John hypes up a special, "life list" prize for the upcoming 25th anniversary.
• Brett and Brady hint at what the contest might be, teasing listener guesses from emails.
• John: "This is the best prize we've given away ... That's not it ... And then I'm like: Can I be part of this? ... They're not giving it away to radio [or] media people. It is strictly for whomever wins it."
• The crew jokes about recruiting friends (even non-listeners) to help boost participation, making fun of "country music people" for comic effect.

2. Contest Details: The Metallica Sphere Trip

[14:22–19:44, Announcement at 14:22, Key Details from 16:48, Correction at 24:30]

• Major Reveal: The contest is for “Metallica Disappear to the Sphere”—two tickets to the first two Metallica shows at Sphere Las Vegas, hotel for two nights, plus $200 for fuel.

• Contest mechanics: Hourly code words, submit via the 98KUPD app or website.

• John highlights the exclusivity: “Thousands of dollars in tickets ... strictly just for us ... Only way in is to win.”

• The show marvels at Sphere as a venue: “The room has the most amazing sound I’ve ever heard… Mind blowingly different than anything you’ve ever seen.”

• Correction: Metallica concert dates updated from September to October 1 & 3 (see [24:30]).

  “So you don’t get to see them on the 24th and 26th. Scratch that right out. The winners will attend the first and third show—so October 1st and 3rd.” – John & Brett ([24:30])

• Playful suggestion: the hosts offer to take winners out to dinner during the off-day.

  "If that's interesting to you, we'll let the winners decide: Want to have dinner with the boys between two shows? Not really? Okay, thanks. Saves us some cash." – John ([21:54])

3. Listener Engagement & Radio Industry Inside Jokes

[04:16–08:58]

• John urges listeners to create group chats and recruit friends—even those who "hate the station"—to enter code words, poking fun at country music fans and station management ("Radio Bobs").

• Lots of inside radio humor: radio’s "plagiarism culture," mocking management cluelessness, and celebrating 25 years on air without being fired.

  “It’s part of our 25th anniversary ... the people who gave us this are doing it like, hey, John’s been doing this 25 years ... This is pretty awesome.” – John ([05:44])

4. The Brady Report: News, Fun Facts, and Brady’s Linguistic Woes

[10:54–14:16]

• Brady delivers his signature offbeat news.

• Fun facts:

  • 700 grapes in a bottle of wine.

  • Circumcision rates by country ("similarly" mispronounced).

  • Notable exchange: Brady’s repeated, failed attempts to say "similarly," leading to playful mockery.

    "Similarly. Similarity. Similarly." – Brady, struggling ([11:34–12:09])
    "Do it. No, do it. ... Nope." – John, egging him on ([11:54–12:01])

• John riffs on religious dietary rules and pigs ("pigs got such a raw deal in the biblical thing"), with Brady chiming in on biblical stories ([12:28–13:08]).

5. News Bits & Viral Oddities

[23:53–36:12]

• The show cycles through bizarre and humorous news stories:
  • Cop catches a suspect hiding in a garbage can (“Oscar the Grouch”).
  • Study: Nevada most deceitful state, AZ at #8.
  • Underwear hygiene: replace every six months.
  • Liquid Death debuts a Bluetooth urn for ashes — leads to dark jokes about playlisting for the afterlife.
• Brady videos section: grotesque medical oddities (huge tongue, elephantitis), referenced with offbeat humor and audience queasiness.

  "It's like a human hand lives inside his mouth." – John ([33:09])

6. Listener Emails, Recaps & Hot Takes

[36:12–End]

• The hosts react to incoming listener texts, with playful banter about rigging the contest and who they'd take to Vegas.
• Recap and reiterate of contest word: "Master" for the 8 a.m. entry ([20:41], [39:44]).

  "People are taking your suggestion to heart—our own text system is a part of group chats: 'Guys, the word is Master.'" – John ([39:44])

• Discussion on Metallica’s enduring popularity, Sphere as a bucket-list venue, and the exclusivity of this prize.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Contest Anticipation:

  "I've been holding this for over a month ... that's the best prize we've given away ... I'm gonna start handing it out a little bit." – John Holmberg ([01:41–01:39])

• On Recruiting Friends for Contest Entries:

  "If you got that listens to country music in your group, just tell him ... just don't monkey around with the country people." – John ([04:16])

• On Sphere and Metallica:

  "I've only seen the environmental movie. ... The room has the most amazing sound I've ever heard ... This is awesome and I love that we’re doing it." – John ([16:53–17:23])
  “If you have not been in Sphere yet in Vegas ... it’s such a cool venue and so like mind blowingly different than anything you’ve ever seen ... Get a couple buddies to kick in. This is going to cost you nothing.” – John ([18:47–19:44])

• On Radio Management:

  “Make the Bobs dance. ... They always say something stupid after and then in the end we all are winners and it gets us out from under them saying ‘We need more ideas.’ ... Radio is the last bastion of plagiarism that still is like high-fived.” – John ([06:00–08:58])

• Brady’s “Similarly” Meltdown:

  "Similarly. Similarity. Similarly." – Brady, repeated failed attempts ([11:34–12:09])
  "He's not gonna do it. Hurdles too hard." – John ([12:03])

• On Underwear Hygiene:

  “Who keeps their underwear around for that long?” – John, incredulously ([24:07])
  “Doctors generally recommend replacing underwear every six to nine months because washing them doesn’t remove everything.” – Brady ([24:08])

• On Medical Oddities (Brady Videos):

  "The man has a Carl Budding package for a tongue ... It's like a human hand lives inside his mouth." – John ([32:48–33:09])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:19–04:09] – Teasing the contest, team banter
• [14:22] – Major contest announcement (“Disappear to the Sphere”)
• [16:53–19:44] – Sphere as a venue, prize specifics, entering and spreading the word
• [24:30] – Correction of contest dates to October 1 & 3
• [10:54–14:16] – Brady Report, fun facts, the "similarly" struggle
• [23:53–36:12] – News stories: “Oscar the Grouch,” cheating states, underwear hygiene, Bluetooth urn
• [32:26–36:12] – Brady videos: shocking medical cases, light-hearted banter
• [39:44] – Reminder and wrap-up on contest code word ("Master") and listener emails

Episode Tone & Style

The energy is high, irreverent, and delightfully chaotic. The crew constantly interrupts one another for the sake of a punchline, a zinger, or to escalate the running jokes about listeners, colleagues, and recurring characters (e.g., "Rachel the Hut"). The episode’s humor is both self-deprecating and audience-inclusive, with a firm sense of regional pride and radio industry lore.

Summary for New Listeners

If you missed this episode, you missed:

• The reveal of an exclusive contest to see Metallica at the Sphere in Las Vegas (two shows, hotel, gas money—no radio insiders eligible; open only to listeners using secret code words announced hourly).
• A classic “Brady Moment” as he spectacularly butchers the word “similarly,” leading to a round of merciless (but loving) crew ribbing.
• Rants about the quirks of the radio industry, hilarious news tidbits, and listener-driven jokes about everything from underwear hygiene to pig-hating religions and medical sideshows.
• The infectious, bantering camaraderie that has kept the Morning Sickness crew atop Phoenix radio for 25 years.

Key takeaway: LISTENERS: The code word "MASTER" gives you your shot at a trip to Metallica at Sphere. Get those friends (and even haters) involved, and good luck!