Podcast Summary: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Ep. 03-03-26

Guest: Jimmy Whisman (Small Town Murder & Crime in Sports Podcasts)

Date: March 3, 2026
Host: John Holmberg & Crew (Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo, co-hosted with Jimmy Pardo, James, and more)

Overview

This high-energy studio episode catches up with Jimmy Whisman, Phoenix native and co-host of the hugely popular true-crime comedy podcasts Small Town Murder and Crime in Sports. The crew dives into Whisman’s journey from local standup and power company employee to national podcast star—with a Netflix contract. They reminisce about the Phoenix comedy scene, the growth of podcasting, and dish on everything from awkward club shows and weird radio execs to comedic treatment of murder cases, infamous public figures, and the burden of accidental fame.

The tone is fast, biting, and self-deprecating, full of banter and lampooning, but always circling back to celebrating the weird ways success can happen—especially to "local nobodies."

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meeting Memories & Early Comedy Grinds

• [01:56] John and Jimmy reminisce about first connecting over an absurd escalator accident story.
• [02:14] Jimmy: “The horrible part is that it was hungry and ate another one 30 minutes later.”
• [03:03] On Phoenix as a comedy hub: “Phoenix is actually a very good place to do comedy. People don’t realize it.” – Jimmy

2. Podcasting Evolution & Breakthrough

• [02:52] Jimmy notes Small Town Murder just passed 10 years.
• [02:55] “Podcasting… wasn’t near as what it is today.”
• [04:09] “Hillbillies keep killing hillbillies—it’s not going to stop.” – Jimmy (on endless story material)
• [04:49] On sound quality: Early success attributed to recording at the radio station, giving an immediate air of professionalism.

3. Relationship with Radio & Industry Commentary

• [05:25] Inside jokes on the “death spiral” of radio and industry mismanagement.
• [06:10] “Small town business murder. I introduce you to a man named Marv Nyren. This guy’s one of the biggest dummies I’ve ever met...” – Jimmy Pardo

4. Netflix Deal & “Making It”

• [03:42] “I got a contract. I have 208 shows that I’m gonna do with them for the next two years.” – Jimmy
• [04:01] Production is all in-house: “It’s just you, me, me and James. ... Two dudes.”
• [09:14] “They just threw a bucket of cash at you two and said, here, just keep doing...” – Jimmy Pardo

5. Philosophy of Humor in True Crime

• [04:40] “The fun part is that we try our best not to make fun of the actual murder itself. Unless it’s pretty hilarious.” – Jimmy
• [07:27] Awkward club dates with mismatched audiences, being resented by Nate Bargatze’s clean crowd.

6. Podcast Expansion & Other Projects

• [08:36] Launch of Your Stupid Opinions, a podcast reading internet product/place reviews.
• [25:38] Considering filming live Netflix specials: Tarrytown, NY shows.

7. Dark Sides of Public Figures & Podcast Ideas

• [12:16] Idea pitched: “All Your Heroes Are ____” – A podcast exposing the flaws/failings of revered figures (sports, civil rights leaders, celebrities).
• [13:33] Shocking bits about Mother Teresa (“She killed people nonstop. She was great friends with Papa Doc Chevalier” – Jimmy Pardo [13:35]).
• [17:19] Exposing athlete scandals: “We’re doing Adrian Peterson right now... He’s got some rough history.” – Jimmy

8. Phone Privacy, Jokes, and “Power of iPhone”

• [22:14] Joke segment on the dangers of phone privacy, referencing famous scandals and inventing "power of iPhone"—a person who factory resets your phone if you die.

9. Personal Journeys & Local Pride

• [23:08] Jimmy on teachers doubting his future:
  • [23:53] “...during high school, they knew that I was gonna be nothing. They knew I was not going to further education.”
  • [24:28] “I was there [at the power company] for 22 years... Now I've got these podcasts that are working out.”
• [24:48] No school invites: “None of us are brand safe for the alumni newsletter.”

10. Upcoming Shows & Local Performances

• [25:38] “Anything else for Netflix?” Plans for multi-camera live shows at major venues.
• [26:08] Quirky gig: Opening for Stormy Daniels (“I don’t know how that’s going to work... I’m going to take a picture with Stormy Daniels. One degree of separation away from one of the worst people [Trump].” – Jimmy)

11. Reflection, Gratitude, & Continued Hustle

• [27:58] “It’s the dumbest thing in the world. You’re not gonna believe that they’re doing this for me again.” – Jimmy
• [28:05] New episodes: Two-parter on Adrian Peterson for Crime in Sports. Recent Small Town Murder episode based in Mississippi.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On making fun of tragedy:
  • Jimmy Whisman: "We try our best not to make fun of the actual murder itself. Unless it’s pretty hilarious. Then it’s... what are you gonna do?" [04:40]
• On endless material:
  • Jimmy Whisman: "Hillbillies keep killing hillbillies—it’s not going to stop." [04:09]
• On Netflix deal:
  • Jimmy Pardo: "They just threw a bucket of cash at you two and said, here, just keep doing..." [09:14]
• On phone privacy:
  • Jimmy Pardo: “Power of iPhone: if it senses there’s no heartbeat, it immediately shuts off and defaults. Alert is the only password that can pull the plug on your phone.” [22:30]
• On cancel culture and secrets:
  • Jimmy Whisman: “If you dig into anybody’s text, you can find... Oh, boy. We’re all done.” [19:44]
• On perspective:
  • Jimmy Whisman: “I'm really grateful for it and I try my best not to screw it up every day.” [10:47]
• On the American Dream:
  • Jimmy Pardo: “It’s awesome. We’re happy to have you, Jimmy Whisman, a local winner, a legend in and amongst all of us...” [31:14]

Timestamps for Significant Segments

• [02:52] – Ten years of Small Town Murder
• [03:42] – Netflix deal and show structure
• [04:40] – Philosophy: Laughing about tragedy (with a line)
• [08:36] – Launching new podcast “Your Stupid Opinions”
• [13:33] – Mother Teresa segment ("She killed people nonstop...")
• [17:19] – Sports scandals: Adrian Peterson deep dive
• [22:14] – "Power of iPhone" bit
• [23:08] – Whisman's Phoenix roots and journey
• [25:38] – Filming Netflix live specials discussion
• [26:08] – Upcoming local shows with Stormy Daniels
• [28:05] – Current and recent podcast episodes preview
• [31:14] – Final gratitude and local legend send-off

Additional Highlights

• Podcast Process: They research court documents and news reports for accuracy but note that misidentifications do occur, especially with complicated family trees ("the family tree’s a bush" – [29:42]).
• Local Community Pride: Phoenix local references and nostalgia pepper the show—contrast with celebs who've left for LA and never looked back (eg. Emma Stone).
• Chemistry with Co-Hosts: Running riffs about co-host James’ "borderline autistic" research skills (and love of weed) anchor the in-studio teamwork dynamic.
• Comedy World Real Talk: Tales of hate mail, mismatched lineups, and club mishaps provide a window into the hustle of standup life.

Where to Listen & Upcoming Live Dates

• Podcasts:

  • Small Town Murder
  • Crime in Sports
  • Your Stupid Opinions
    (All are available on all platforms & now featured with video on Netflix)

• Live Shows:

  • Small Town Murder: March 20, Stand Up Live (Phoenix) – SOLD OUT
  • Your Stupid Opinions: March 21, Stand Up Live
  • Special event: March 10, Mic Drop Comedy with Stormy Daniels (Chandler, AZ)
  • Touring soon in Durham, Atlanta, and Tarrytown, NY (multi-cam special plans)

Final Thoughts

For all the sarcasm and roasting, the episode is a celebration of unexpected paths to success, the joy (and occasional horror) of comedy-true-crime podcasting, and the DIY hustle—sprinkled with a healthy dose of local pride and gratitude.

“Support local comedy. That’s where it’s…” — Jimmy Whisman [31:21]