Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona

Segment: 09-04-25 – Segment #2
Date: September 4, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, TR, and others
Podcast: 98KUPD | Hubbard Radio

Overview

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness is a high-energy blend of sports talk, irreverent humor, conspiracy-laden banter, and cultural commentary. The main themes revolve around the NFL's international games and, in more depth, the recent release of 33,000 pages from the Jeffrey Epstein files. The hosts unpack the absurdity of government file redaction, question who actually processes sensitive information, and riff on everything from government conspiracies to pop culture and “naked Ghislaine Maxwell photos.” The segment is delivered in the show's signature fast-paced, sarcastic tone, challenging conventional narratives while keeping things entertaining and off-the-wall.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL International & Game Scheduling

• NFL Goes International:
  TR jokes about the NFL hosting games in Brazil and the ensuing “party” reputation.
  • "Tonight, the Los Angeles Chargers and perennial AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs battle in front of some of the nicest asses Earth has to offer. But be careful. Some of those Brazilian hotties have dicks." (TR, 02:13)
• Fans Burdened by Scheduling:
  Riff on absurd early game times for fans in different regions (e.g., Dublin, Hawaii).
  • "The Steelers play in Dublin...the game starts at six in the morning. The only thing you're doing is hurting Steelers and Vikings fans." (TR, 03:22)

2. Battle of Ohio & Dismissing 'Local' Rivalries

• The hosts lampoon the so-called importance of the Bengals vs. Browns (Battle of Ohio).
  • "No one outside of Ohio says it's the Battle of Ohio." (TR, 05:50)
  • Ongoing jokes about the Browns’ on-field incompetence and how Ohio State outshines its NFL teams.
  • "The best NFL team in Ohio is at Ohio State." (TR, 06:43)

3. The Epstein Files: The Real Deep Dive

• Document Dump Paranoia:
  Hosts question the legitimacy and logistics of reviewing 33,000 pages of Epstein files.
  • "Exactly 33,000 pages were released. And they finally got through them. And they said, it's just the tip of the iceberg...I don't think I have 33,000 pages of knowledge in my head about everything." (TR, 07:40, 14:11)
• Redaction Process & The Real Conspirators:
  The hosts obsess over who actually does the work of redacting and filing these sensitive documents.
  • "Somebody's got to be doing that work...What about the people who do the work?" (TR, 10:45)
  • “Who’s the group? Tell me. Nobody asks that question. I never watch any of the news sources goes, 'who’s doing the redacting?' Like, that's who we need to look into.” (TR, 17:19)
• Dark Humor and Memes:
  Many jokes about government secrecy, threats against whistleblowers, and the sardonics of being the “file guy.”
  • "If I don't, you'll kill me. I'm telling everybody about what I find." (TR, 09:45)
  • "Someone pay the guy with the Sharpie." (Host, 10:37)
  • "Get the mob back involved. Get Brett's people." (TR, 15:16)
• Redacted Content Ridicule:
  The crew highlights the futility of massive document dumps full of blacked-out text, likening them to children's books or pointless paperwork.
  • "It's a small children's book. There's nothing going on. And I don't say like, a children's book like that. Epstein had some problems with it. Nothing to see here." (TR, 15:29)
  • "Somebody still has to read it. A computer can go through...But somebody has to see that." (TR, 15:54)

4. Broader Conspiracy Themes

• Government Secrecy & Movie Parallel:
  Discussion veers into theories—how media (movies like "Wag the Dog" or "Manchurian Candidate") "primes" society for future revelations.
  • "The Manchurian Candidate theory. Yeah. Is that the—indoctrinate us through movies, so we're used to it when it actually happens..." (TR, 28:39)
• Paranoia Around Whistleblowers:
  References to threats faced by anyone involved in these secrets.
  • "It's like New Jack City, where Pookie went into that room and everybody was naked doing the cocaine. Because if they had clothes, they had pockets...They got paid well. But they also knew, anything happens, they're getting offed." (TR, 20:03)
• Anecdotes of Black Ops & "Sovereign Citizens":
  Holmberg shares stories of a mysterious acquaintance tied to covert operations, blending skepticism with intrigue.
  • "You don't want to know half the stuff I know...He woke up in Greenland and they left him at an airport without any ID and said, find your way back and knock it off." (Host, 26:44, 27:28)

5. Cultural Commentary: Media, Distraction, and Priorities

• The hosts muse about how the important stories are buried under distractions like sports and reality TV.
  • "Hey, I got off easy. I tell fart jokes for a living...If this is how bad it is that I have to stay quiet and not know anything, okay, I'll go to TMZ and start caring about what the Real Housewives are doing." (TR, 29:33)

6. Pat Tillman Case and Government Obfuscation

• Redaction Mastery:
  Parallels between the Epstein files and the redacted documents given to Pat Tillman's family. Admiration for the family's determination is noted.
  • "They hired a guy who somehow got out of the system and knows what redacted lines are, why they would black this out...He figured it out." (TR, 30:07)
  • "Then Rumsfeld went over to Tillman's dad and said, hey, sorry, we did all we could. And Tillman's dad goes, go yourself on camera. It's one of the best moments ever..." (TR, 31:09)

7. Humor, Outrage, and Absurdity

• Nude Photos of Ghislaine Maxwell:
  The show riffs on the titillation factor and how public curiosity skews toward salacious vs. substantive information.

  • "They said there were naked pictures of her in this file release." (TR, 25:56)
  • "Show me the pictures...It's salacious. Yeah. I'm not there for the joke. Right." (Host/TR, 26:02)

• Jokes About File Processing:
  Imagining job postings for "Epstein filer" and cultural references like Willy Wonka.

  • "I'm picturing, it's like Willy Wonka when he looks out the factory door...all these people are reading the files." (Brady, 18:54)
  • "Wouldn't it be great if you did Wanted: Epstein filer, like with a Sharpie. Apply here. Quick fingers." (TR, 21:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the futility of NFL schedule changes:
  “I don’t know how any Hawaiians are fans of football because it’ll be 3am there to watch a football game.” (TR, 03:22)

• On government document dumps:
  “How is there nothing new in 33,000 pages?” (Host, 14:08)
  “I don’t think I have 33,000 pages of knowledge in my head about everything. That’s just one topic.” (TR, 14:11)

• On redaction conspiracies:
  "The real one is, what group is this that is hiding it--that keeps it in the government's basement? And I know you'll say 'the government,' but who? All of them." (TR, 21:46)

• On whistleblowers and threats:
  “Because I know for a fact, if you gave me a job that said, 'file those 33,000 pages,' and I'm like, if you don't, tell me right after that, if I don't, you'll kill me, I'm telling everybody about what I find.” (TR, 09:45)

• On the system’s absurdity:
  “Nobody's read 33,000 [pages]. This is longer than the Bible.” (Host, 22:44)

• On government distractions and media consumption:
  “Keep me fat and happy and I'm fine. Don't kill me, and I'll be a worker bee all day long. Hey, I got off easy. I tell fart jokes for a living.” (TR, 29:33)

Important Segment Timestamps

• NFL International & Game Rant: 02:13–05:35
• Battle of Ohio & Rivalries: 05:48–07:19
• Start of Epstein Files Deep Dive: 07:19
• Redaction Rants & Process: 10:37–15:50
• Role of File Processors (“the real conspiracy”): 17:19–21:46
• Paranoia & Whistleblower Dangers: 20:03–22:31
• Numbers Breakdown (Reading 33,000 pages): 22:35–24:46
• Pat Tillman Case Parallel: 30:07–32:09
• Humor on Nude Ghislaine Photos: 25:54–26:06, 35:52–36:18

Language & Tone

The episode is laced with:

• Sarcasm and dark humor
• Outright skepticism toward mainstream narratives
• Frequent pop culture and sports references
• Irreverence for authority, with a “nothing is sacred” approach
• Banter and in-group joking

Conclusion

In this wide-ranging, chaotic, and often hilarious segment, Holmberg’s Morning Sickness uses the news of the “Epstein files” release as a springboard to challenge listeners’ assumptions about government transparency, secrecy, and media distraction. The hosts blend serious skepticism with absurdity (from NFL game times to hypothetical nudes of public figures), questioning not just “who’s covering things up,” but who does the labor of covering them up. The episode provides biting commentary on current affairs while never losing its comedic (and occasionally juvenile) edge.