Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Entertainment Drill Recap

Date: September 3, 2025
Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – 98KUPD, Arizona
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness centers around two nostalgic pop culture lists: the best Saturday morning cartoons of the 1980s and the most-skipped songs from all-time best-selling rock albums, as reported by Entertainment Weekly and Spotify, respectively. Along the way, the crew riff on villains, memories from their youth, album track trivia, and inject their signature irreverence and playful insults.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 80s Saturday Morning Cartoon Rankings

[04:34–06:24]

• Entertainment Weekly’s Top 20 (80s)
  • The crew immediately dive in, poking fun at omissions and placements.
  • Transformers lands at #1, validating host John’s expectations.
  • Other top picks: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (#3), Super Friends (#2), and G.I. Joe: Real American Heroes (#5).
  • Humorous grumbling over “The Smurfs” only at #17 and confusion between 70s vs. 80s toons.
  • Side comments about “Thundar the Barbarian,” “Muppet Babies,” “Garfield and Friends,” and the absence of “Tiny Toons” (since that’s actually 90s).

Notable Quotes

• Bret [04:51]: “That was 70s, wasn't it? Or was that 80s?”
• John [05:13]: “Yeah, Transformers was number one.”
• Holmberg [05:13]: “That’s what I figured.”
• General tone: Sarcastic, joyously nerdy, nostalgic, with friendly ribbing.

2. Scariest On-Screen Villains

[06:24–07:33]

• Reddit’s list of most frightening villains: notably, Hannibal Lecter tops the list.
• Hosts notice lack of classic “Darth Vader”—sparking debates about villainy in popular memory.
• Several rapid-fire, tongue-in-cheek shout-outs: Judge Doom (Roger Rabbit), Pennywise, Weeping Angels (Doctor Who), the guy in the Members Only jacket (The Sopranos), Anton Chigurh (No Country for Old Men), and Large Marge (Pee-wee's Big Adventure).
• Lighthearted lament about Star Wars’ fall from grace:
  • John [07:24]: “Because all the characters in Star Wars suck now, thanks to Mandalorian 9. Undying.”

3. Most Skipped Songs on Hit Classic Albums

[07:38–11:11]

• Spotify’s data drives a “guess the most skipped track” game with group banter and music trivia.
• Back in Black (AC/DC):
  • Most skipped: “Shake a Leg.”
  • John [07:57]: “Really skip on that whole album. Great.”
• Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi):
  • Most skipped: “Wild in the Streets.”
  • Hosts: Can hardly even recall it.
• Appetite for Destruction (Guns N' Roses):
  • Most skipped: “Anything Goes.”
  • John [08:34]: “I didn’t mind that one. That’s not great.”
• Escape (Journey):
  • Most skipped: “Lay it Down.”
  • General awe at how solid the rest of the album is.
• The Black Album (Metallica):
  • Most skipped: “The Struggle Within.”
  • None of the hosts even remembers the song offhand.
• Nevermind (Nirvana):
  • Most skipped: “On a Plain.”
  • Surprise from hosts, as it’s a fan favorite.
• Ten (Pearl Jam):
  • Most skipped: “Deep.”
  • Multiple hosts [11:01]: “I’d say Deep. Deep.” (expressing that it’s good, but probably the least played).

Quotes

• John [09:04]: “"Those are the only two that loves great songs. Yeah, it is a good one.” (on Journey's deep cuts)
• Brady [10:34]: "I love that song." (shocked "On a Plain" is skipped)
• Constant banter, quick wit, delight in stumping each other.

4. Memorable Banter, Callbacks, and Inside Jokes

[Throughout, e.g., 11:13–12:26]

• Ongoing gags about Star Wars’ declining quality (esp. John Gordon’s mock suffering)
• Sarcasm about Brady’s apparent drug haze (“Brady gets High for you”) and his wife’s interest in his well-being:
  • John [11:36]: “You looked healthy … Now you get that weird hue again.”
  • Hosts [12:24]: “Insurance policy must be pretty de–good, because she does not have interest in your recovery.”
• Playful discussion about personal sacrifices (Brady jokingly giving up Coke—“Coca Cola”—in the name of lowering his weight).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [05:13] John: “Yeah, Transformers was number one.” (delighted that his childhood fave tops the chart)
• [07:24] John: “Because all the characters in Star Wars suck now, thanks to Mandalorian 9. Undying.” (mocking current Star Wars)
• [09:04] John: “Those are the only two that loves great songs. Yeah, it is a good one.” (reflecting on album cuts)
• [10:34] Brady: “I love that song.” (on discovering people skip “On a Plain”)
• [11:36] John: “You looked healthy … Now you get that weird hue again.” (mocking Brady’s pallor)
• [12:24] Hosts: “Insurance policy must be pretty de–good…” (dark joke about Brady’s wife’s lack of concern)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:34] – Cartoon List Introduction
• [05:13] – Major 80s Cartoons Revealed
• [06:24] – Scariest On-Screen Villains
• [07:38] – Most Skipped Songs Game Starts
• [08:34] – Guns N’ Roses “Anything Goes” discussion
• [09:17] – Metallica’s Black Album
• [09:55] – Nirvana’s Nevermind
• [10:38] – Pearl Jam’s Ten
• [11:36] – Banter about Brady’s health and mock support

Tone & Style

• Fast, comedic, irreverent, and full of nostalgia and inside jokes.
• The hosts riff off each other constantly, with tangents and good-natured ribbing.
• Mix of pop culture knowledge and playful ignorance/exaggeration.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

You’ll get a trip down memory lane with 80s cartoons, a fun guessing game with classic rock deep cuts, and the usual HMS mix of sarcasm, self-deprecation, zingers, and unfiltered nostalgia. The episode is a treat for anyone who loves retro pop culture and ragtag camaraderie.