Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Arizona’s #1 Morning Radio Show (09-05-25)

Host: John Holmberg
Co-Hosts: Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely
Date: September 5, 2025
Episode Theme: Football, Outrage Culture, and the Absurdities of Modern Life

Episode Overview

This Friday episode of "Holmberg’s Morning Sickness" explores the return of football season, the outrage over podcast delays, the bizarre culture of fighting and spitting in sports, the politics of business and identity, and a smattering of hilariously off-color life observations. The show’s classic irreverence is on full display, with John and the crew riffing on everything from NFL lightning delays to the possibility of politicians faking their sexuality. With co-host Dick Toledo absent due to a personal loss, the team juggles personal and professional matters while keeping listeners laughing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Toledo’s Absence and Listener Outrage

• [00:45] John opens with an update: Dick Toledo is out due to his mother’s passing and handling family arrangements in Montana.
• The team is irked by impatient listeners complaining about late podcasts:
  • “The dude is at his mother’s service. Give him a minute.” – John [02:25]
  • Listeners compared their need for the morning show to Brady “needing a new kidney.”
• John ribs the audience for prioritizing their schedules over someone’s family tragedy, mocking their “inconvenience.”

2. Football Is Back: NFL Lightning Delays and Fan Safety

• [05:00] NFL opening night marred by long weather delays in the Eagles-Cowboys game due to lightning.
• The group debates whether football’s stopped caring about fans, blaming lawsuits and “soccer ruining everything.”
  • “Not a fan has ever been injured in a lightning storm, ever!” – John [06:45]
  • “Soccer, the world's worst sport, ruined the NFL’s pussy approach to weather.” – John [08:20]
• Old-school perspective: Teams used to “practice in the rain” and play through anything; delays are a recent “money machine” phenomenon.
• The crew blames “lawyers ruining everything” and reminisces about the toughness of earlier NFL eras.

3. Jalen Carter Spitting on Dak Prescott: The Ultimate Insult

• [12:00] Detailed recap of Jalen Carter (Eagles) spitting on Dak Prescott (Cowboys)—and the fallout.
• John considers spitting “the ultimate insult”:
  • “You spit on most men and that is going to be—that’s the lowest you can be, and it’s also the trashiest thing ever.” – John [12:16]
  • “Even Chris Collinsworth said, ‘You might as well just spit on your coach’s face and your teammates. That’s the most selfish thing I’ve seen.’” – John [12:35]
• John recounts his childhood experience of being spit on, establishing deep disgust:
  • “From that day forward…spitting on human beings is just disgusting. ... It’s the universal N-word for all humanity.” – John [17:16]
• The show debates whether Dak spit first, the idea of controlled versus intentional spitting, and reactions from fans around the league.

4. Sportsmanship, Fighting, and ‘De-Escalation’

• [21:35] John consults with Jay from Tactical Black about self-defense and “de-escalation.”
  • “De-escalation is the best self-defense…But Jay even said you spit on me—all bets are off.” – John [34:07]
• Universal agreement: Being spit on is “the universal bodily fluid N-word” and justifies almost any reaction.
• Explores the legal line between assault and self-defense, especially in sports contexts.

5. Sex, Relationships, and Adult “Spitting”

• [16:00+] John shifts gears, hilariously venting about how spitting’s become common in porn, especially blowjobs and “snowballing.”
• Epically candid quotes about intimacy and adult power dynamics:
  • “There’s a Zeus-like feeling at that moment. As powerful as you feel, you’re at your most fragile.” – John [33:17]
• Brady uncomfortably objects to the “against God” nature of the discussion.

6. Late-Stage Sports: Tyson vs. Mayweather and Old Men in the Ring

• [41:00] The team debates the announced novelty fight between Mike Tyson (approaching 60) and Floyd Mayweather (48):
  • “Please, for God’s sake, let’s send a message: we don’t want to watch this.” – John [43:52]
• Discussion on how a sport’s quality declines if old men can compete at the top.
  • “If a 50-year-old man does well in a sport, something’s wrong with the sport.” – John [45:23]
• Lambaste the spectacle as “worse than WWE” and beg listeners not to pay for it.

7. Political Comedy: Is Pete Buttigieg Faking Being Gay?

• [50:57] John gleefully discusses Tucker Carlson’s claim that Pete Buttigieg is “fake gay.”
  • “Who would do such a thing, faking being a homosexual just to get away with stuff?” – John [51:00]
  • “If you say you’re gay and you lie about it, I need to know. You’re the Rachel Dolezal of BJ’s.” – John [57:14]
• Crew imagines absurd “proof” requirements for politicians and relishes the comedic value regardless of political side.

8. The Politics of Commerce: Should You Boycott Ideological Businesses?

• [66:55] John debates whether to purchase from a prosthetics company that publicly tells Trump supporters to “delete us as a follower.”
• Rich discussion on the dangers of “tribalization” and the parallels to other forms of exclusion.
  • “Why is it bad to take someone’s money who disagrees with you? Money votes green.” – John [70:19]
• Brady advises: “I’m looking for another company.” [70:32]
• Audience emails weigh in on both sides; lively debate about whether ideological litmus tests make sense for business.

9. Brady Reports, Science News, and Hypotheticals

• [96:31] Brady hosts the “Brady Report” with odd facts:
  • Most billionaires by state, Olympic painting medals, and USPS Statue of Liberty mishaps.
• [106:53] Science News: Glow-in-the-dark plants, robot dog badminton, adverse effects of helicopter parenting, theories on alien comets.
  • “If the 20-mile city lands on Earth, I’m pretty much like, ‘They win.’” – John [113:10]
• [104:39] Amusing inventions: "Tin Can" phones intended for kids (but really for untrusting wives).

10. Rapid-Fire Bits: LEGO World Records, Gross-Out Videos, and Aging

• [116:31] World record for running on Legos, upcoming massive Star Wars LEGO set.
• The show’s always-raunchy “Friday Videos” include disgusting feats, including the infamous “foot taco” and more, prompting Brady’s horror.
• Reflection on old age, mortality, sexuality, and the indignities of living too long:
  • “I’m kind of against modern medicine. I liked Brady’s God’s original plan where we died around 30.” – John [128:48]

11. Guadalupe Squares: NFL Edition

• [158:38+] Hilarious, rapid-fire impersonations (Jerry Jones, O.J. Simpson, Bill Belichick, Trump, Patrick Mahomes, Tripp Reeb, and more).
• Gags on football, pop culture, and the state of the world wrap up the week with a chaotic, irreverent game show.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On spitting and humanity:
  • “Spitting on another person is universal N-word for all of humanity…It’s the line you do not cross.” – John [17:16]
• On NFL lawsuits and fans:
  • “Not a fan has ever been injured in a lightning storm, ever!” – John [06:45]
• On adult power dynamics:
  • “You feel pretty powerful with your wang in someone’s head. But as powerful as you feel, you’re at your most fragile.” – John [33:17]
• On political posturing in business:
  • “Their post underneath that says: ‘If you don’t treat folks how you like to be treated, you’re not welcome here.’ … I don’t like anybody who says, ‘If you don’t believe exactly the same way I do, I don’t want your business.’” – John [70:59]
• On politics and proof:
  • “I would pay $60 on a Saturday night to watch Pete Buttigieg prove it to us. Like a Black Mirror episode!” – John [57:20]
• On spectator sports:
  • “If a sport’s champion is over 50, your sport is broken.” – John [45:23]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:45] — Opening: Toledo’s absence and podcaster outrage.
• [05:00] — NFL lightning delays: lawsuits, fan safety, and old-school football.
• [12:00] — Jalen Carter spits on Dak Prescott: cultural taboo explored.
• [16:00] — Why spitting in porn is gross; relationship power moves.
• [41:00] — Tyson vs. Mayweather spectacle criticized.
• [50:57] — Is Pete Buttigieg “fake gay”? The comedy of being “fooled” in politics.
• [66:55] — Should you boycott politicized businesses? The “tribe” problem.
• [96:31] — Brady Report: billionaires, Olympics, funny facts.
• [106:53] — Science news: glow-in-the-dark plants, aliens, robot dogs.
• [158:38] — Guadalupe Squares NFL edition: character impersonations and final laughs.

Show Tone

• Irreverent, raunchy, and unfiltered. The show mocks outrage culture, political correctness, sports decorum, aging, and the human condition. Nothing is sacred and the tone is boldly comic, sometimes shocking, but always rooted in banter and camaraderie.

For New Listeners

If you missed this episode, you missed a wild, rollercoaster blend of football analysis, social commentary, off-color humor, and the crew’s sincere (if sarcastic) grappling with real-world issues. Whether debating the ethics of boycotting politicized businesses, roasting NFL safety protocols, or speculating whether our politicians are faking who they sleep with, “Holmberg’s Morning Sickness” reminds you: It’s not that serious, unless it’s about spitting—then all bets are off.

Skip the commercials and non-content: The heart of the episode is in the sharp, fast-paced, and fearless talk among friends who are as quick to mock each other as they are the world.