Holmberg’s Morning Sickness (08-27-25): Deodorant, Homeless Encounters & “Pre-Gooed” Hygiene Woes

Podcast: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Arizona
Date: August 27, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, Dick Toledo
Episode Focus: John’s run-in with a homeless man “sampling” deodorant at CVS, leading to a larger, hilarious (and mildly disturbing) debate on hygiene, public spaces, and the perils of modern shopping.

Main Episode Theme

This episode revolves around John Holmberg’s need to buy deodorant, which escalates into a bizarre and comedic reflection on personal hygiene, homelessness, and the unexpected hazards lurking in everyday drugstores. The centerpiece is John witnessing a homeless man applying deodorant from the shelf and putting it back—leading the crew to riff on “BO roulette,” the realities of street life, and the questionable safety of every shrink-wrapped purchase.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. John’s Sketchy CVS Experience

• Location Anecdote:
  John shares his long, odd history with a specific CVS on 16th Street & Camelback, sandwiched between “a decent area and a cruddy area.”
• Late-night Past Encounter:
  Years ago, during a 2 AM Gatorade run (for sick girlfriend Megan), John notes the “seagull” metaphor for the people hanging outside:

  “They’re like seagulls. Gimme a gun. I got nothing for you, seagulls.” (04:06)

• Daytime Return:
  He returns to the same store in the daylight, needing deodorant after an embarrassing realization…

2. Deodorant Disaster—Admitting to a Funk

• Mistaking Josh Blue’s Funk for His Own:
  After a studio photo with comedian Josh Blue, John notices a lingering stench:

  "I put my arm around him like, ‘Jesus Christ. Josh Blue smells horrible…’ But then I looked and I got palsy. Maybe his hand doesn’t reach over and do deodorant." (04:27)

• After interrogating his own BO, he realizes he only applied deodorant to one armpit:

  “I only did my right arm. I only did one armpit...I stunk.” (05:07)
  He texts Josh to apologize.

3. The Homeless Deodorant Sampler

• Live Hygiene Horror:
  John watches as a homeless man opens a fresh stick of Dove deodorant, applies it under his shirt, replaces the cap, and puts it back on the shelf:

  “He’s taken Walmart samples of the Dove Extra Dry…applied a little deodorant, put it right back on.” (06:12)

• Hosts’ Disgust and Jokes:
  • Brett: “Can you imagine that after that dude just put it on?” (06:47)
  • John: "He rubbed his smell on the bar. Not the other way around." (07:01)

4. Contaminated Consumer Goods: Are You Ever the First User?

• Audience Paranoia:
  The crew riffs on how many items (not just deodorant) get “sampled” in stores, leading to the horror of unknowingly using “pre-gooed” items.

  “How many times…have you purchased a brand new Old Spice and you weren’t the first one to use it?” (10:43)

• John’s Office Deodorant Gets Borrowed:
  An office mate admits to using John’s deodorant stick:

  “She goes, ‘Yeah, I use that every once in a while, too. I hope you don’t mind.’ Of course I mind! That’s disgusting!” (11:06)

• Rationalization:
  John shrugs off the female coworker using his stick, but draws the line at “dudes with armpit dreadlocks.”

5. Hygiene Drives and Homelessness

• Deodorant as Essential:
  Brady observes deodorant is a staple at food banks; John wonders if easy drugstore access makes it moot.
  • Brett floats: "Maybe we should do a deodorant drive." (08:29)
• Keeping “Them” Away:
  John’s take:

  “The bigger problem…isn’t finding a place for [the homeless]. It’s keeping them away from us. That’s the bigger things… How are they getting in and using our stuff?” (08:24)

6. Gross Out Escalation—Skin Tags & “Pre-Chewed” Produce

• Body Horror:
  The crew gets graphic about the possible conditions in a “community” deodorant stick (skin tags, lesions...):

  “If you pop that up, 'cause a lot of times I pull that last plastic piece off with my teeth. And then a little skin tag pops in your mouth. And now you’re chewing his gum. Oh God.” (12:12)

• Bulk Foods and Shared Samples:
  John recalls eating from the old Bashas’ bulk peanuts bin—next to a stranger spitting chewed shells back in.

  “It’s cud going back in there with the other peanuts.” (16:59)
  The crew bemoans the advent of communal candy barrels and germy kids:
  “What are you thinking giving those away? I think we’re gonna pay for that.” (17:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:06 | John | "They're like seagulls. Gimme a gun. I got nothing for you, seagulls." | | 04:27 | John | "Jesus Christ, Josh Blue smells horrible… What a hippie. Like a bag of corn nuts and mayonnaise in the sun." | | 05:07 | John | "I only did my right arm. I only did one armpit...I stunk." | | 06:12 | John | "He’s taken Walmart samples of the Dove Extra Dry…applied a little deodorant, put it right back on." | | 06:53 | Brett | "Can you imagine that after that dude just put it on?" | | 07:01 | John | "He rubbed his smell on the bar. Not the other way around." | | 10:43 | John | "How many times…have you purchased a brand new Old Spice and you weren’t the first one to use it?" | | 11:06 | John | "She goes, 'Yeah, I use that every once in a while, too...' Of course I mind! That's disgusting!" | | 12:12 | John | "If you pop that up...and then a little skin tag pops in your mouth. Now you're chewing his gum. Oh God." | | 17:20 | John | "What are you thinking giving those [bulk candy] away? I think we’re gonna pay for that." |

Segment Timestamps

• [01:40] John’s “sketchy” CVS story background, past late-night visit.
• [04:06] “Seagull” metaphor & the Gatorade emergency.
• [04:27] Encounter with Josh Blue and the deodorant stink.
• [06:12] Witnessing the homeless man using deodorant and putting it back.
• [06:53] Reaction to shopping and post-use contamination.
• [10:43] Office deodorant borrowed; sharing hygiene horror stories.
• [12:12] “Skin tag gum” and body horror escalation.
• [16:40] Bulk foods and shared-sample memories.
• [17:20] The risks of communal food and modern hygiene.
• [End] Wrap-up on the perils of buying/using hygiene products.

Tone & Overall Vibe

In classic “Morning Sickness” fashion, the tone is irreverent, relatable, and graphically funny—mixing real world concerns (public cleanliness, homelessness) with gross-out anecdotes and rapid-fire banter. The hosts have fun stretching minor observations (needing deodorant) into wider, hilariously hyperbolic cultural commentary. For those who haven’t listened, expect a blend of true-to-life horror stories and no-holds-barred humor about the everyday grossness lurking just out of sight.