Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Entertainment Drill: “We May Have Broken Our Studio”

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness (98KUPD, Arizona)
Date: September 5, 2025
Main Cast: John Holmberg (Host), Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Episode Theme:
A typically raucous Friday edition featuring the “Entertainment Drill,” unexpected studio chaos, and a blend of irreverent news, personal stories, and classic rock talk. The crew entertains listeners with oddball reporting, humorous banter, and reflections on legacy in rock (and radio) culture.

Main Episode Theme & Purpose

The episode is centered around the “Entertainment Drill” segment, where the team discusses recent entertainment news, celebrity deaths, quirky stories, and odd pop culture happenings. The episode is punctuated by live technical difficulties that lead to some hilarious, off-the-cuff moments, as well as sidebars about pet adoptions and local community events, staying true to the Holmberg crew’s mix of humor, skepticism, and heart.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rescue Dog Update & Community Shout-Outs (01:13–04:48)

• John recounts a touching adoption update from the local Lost Our Home Pet Rescue.
  • A Presa Canario named Fisher won over a visitor and was adopted right after John’s segment. John describes this as “the best dog in the world” and shares the emotional satisfaction of seeing a dog go home.
  • Other dogs, including Manu, Charlie, and Daisy, are still up for adoption.
• The band of Jim Manley (“the nicest man in the world”) is playing a benefit gig for the rescue, with proceeds going to the shelter.

Notable Quote:
“That dog was so cool. Big, bright blue eyes and like yellow lab coloring, but big. Probably about 80 or 90 pounds.” – John Holmberg [03:33]

2. Personal Safety, Self-Defense & Neighborhood Tales (04:48–06:18)

• John pivots into a story about self-defense, sparked by an email from a listener: sometimes de-escalation doesn’t work and self-defense is necessary.
• He shares a wild anecdote about a neighborhood “killer” – a charming drifter/homeless man suspected of befriending someone and then committing murder.
  • Emphasizes situational awareness and the importance of not letting strangers into your home, no matter how charming they seem.

Notable Quote:
“Nobody you meet in the parking lot of anything is enough to, like, make them your house guests.” – John Holmberg [05:29]

3. Studio Malfunction! (06:18–07:40; Resumes 07:40)

• Unexpected loud electronic noise disrupts the studio mid-show.
• The chaos leads to jokes about the engineer avoiding John and remote fixes, with a tongue-in-cheek paranoia about whether the radio station is “attacking” them.
• The team scrambles to resolve the issue, moving people around in the studio and bantering about unfriendly engineers.

Memorable Moment:
“Imagine having headphones on when that went off.” – John Holmberg [08:24]

4. Entertainment Drill: Rock Star Tombstones (08:29–11:05)

• Brady reads out epitaphs from famed rock musicians’ graves:
  • Chris Cornell: “Voice of our generation... beloved husband and father.”
  • Ronnie James Dio: “The man on the Silver Mountain.”
  • Dimebag Darrell: “He came to rock and roll like no other... heart twice the size of Texas.”
  • Vinnie Paul: Quirky, rambling “don't ever think it’s not a good time…”
  • Lemmy (Motörhead): “Born to lose, live to win.”
• The crew riffs on how elaborate (and sometimes odd) tombstones can be, launching into musings about what their own would say.

Notable Quote:
“I now want to be buried… [with] a thumb that says what he said to the one... Whoever it is next to me. I don't even care if I knew him or not.” – John Holmberg [09:33]

5. Celebrity & Pop Culture News (11:05–13:45)

• Shark Tank: Pete Davidson appears on the upcoming premiere, pitching a sock company (Double Soul).
• Discussion of memorial messages available for pets at Lost Our Home—some loving, some cryptic.
• Death announcement: Giorgio Armani (aged 91), whose iconic brand, to the hosts’ surprise, only dates back to 1975.
  • John reflects on how quickly Armani shifted from unknown to standard-setter in high fashion and pop culture.

Memorable Moment:
“Didn’t you think Armani was like a brand for hundreds of years to be as unbelievably important and influential?” – John Holmberg [12:17]

6. Odds & Ends:

• Tennis legend Bjorn Borg’s prostate cancer diagnosis is mentioned.
  • John’s sarcastic, dry: “That’s uplifting.” [13:07]
• Foreigner publishes an open letter to play Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce’s rumored wedding; the crew snarks that Swift probably has better options, but they appreciate the chutzpah.

Notable Quote:
“Hey, you don't hit any pitches you don't swing at, so you might as well take a poke at that if you're Foreigner.” – John Holmberg [13:45]

7. Engineer Feud & Show Teasers (14:38–END)

• Mechanical issues with the studio continue to provide material:

  • John describes being stonewalled by the station engineer, whom he claims “hates me? Palpable.”
  • Brady jokes about the prospect of more random studio malfunctions.

• Tease for the upcoming “Guadalupe Squares” segment—a radio game show/trivia format—NFL-themed for the weekend.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | Context | |-----------|-------|---------|---------| | 03:33 | “That dog was so cool. Big, bright blue eyes and like yellow lab coloring, but big. Probably about 80 or 90 pounds.” | John Holmberg | Describing “Fisher,” the adopted Presa Canario. | | 05:29 | “Nobody you meet in the parking lot of anything is enough to, like, make them your house guests.” | John Holmberg | On personal safety and being wary of strangers. | | 08:24 | “Imagine having headphones on when that went off.” | John Holmberg | Reacting to the loud malfunction. | | 09:33 | “I now want to be buried... a thumb that says what he said to the one... Whoever it is next to me. I don't even care if I knew him or not.” | John Holmberg | Joking about grave inscriptions after the rock epitaphs. | | 12:17 | “Didn’t you think Armani was like a brand for hundreds of years to be as unbelievably important and influential?” | John Holmberg | Surprised by Armani’s relatively recent origin. | | 13:45 | “Hey, you don't hit any pitches you don't swing at, so you might as well take a poke at that if you're Foreigner.” | John Holmberg | On Foreigner’s pitch to play the Swift/Kelce wedding. |

Important Segment Timestamps

• Dog Adoption/Rescue Story: 01:13–04:48
• Personal Safety Talk: 04:48–06:18
• Studio Technical Chaos: 06:18–07:40; resumes at 07:40
• Entertainment Drill – Rocker Tombstones: 08:29–11:05
• Celebrity/Pop Culture News: 11:05–13:45
• Studio Banter/Engineer Feud: 14:38–End

Tone & Style

The episode is an energetic, irreverent, and occasionally heartfelt ride—rapid-fire, sarcastic, sometimes sophomoric, always authentic. The hosts blend genuine Arizona local flavor (community event plugs, local rescue support) with snark and self-deprecation, especially during times of studio mayhem.

Conclusion

This episode of “Holmberg’s Morning Sickness” delivers what longtime listeners expect: laughs, chaos, and a surprising amount of heart amid the silliness. The technical glitch gives the crew plenty of comedic material, while discussion of everything from dead rock stars to lost pets to celebrity socks keeps the pace brisk and unpredictable. Even as they riff and roast, the show’s undercurrent of local pride and empathy for animals and community shines through.