Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – September 8, 2025 Episode Summary

Overview

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness on 98KUPD finds John Holmberg and co-hosts Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo in classic irreverent form, riffing on everything from personal stories (Brady’s cancer and kidney transplant), weird news (world record flights, a botched Target sweatpants design), pop culture, drinking habits, and bizarre viral videos. The banter is quick, snarky, and relentless, mixing dark humor with genuine moments of camaraderie.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. Buying Meat in Bulk and Mattress Connections (01:34–06:04)

• John shares a personal story about a mattress store owner who also offers him half a cow’s worth of beef, prompting a discussion about buying meat in bulk.
  • John: “Buy a mattress, I’ll give you some of my freezer.” (02:08)
  • Brady says he's only bought half a pig, not a cow, and knows friends who do the cow purchase yearly.
• The crew debates the logistics and appeal of storing so much meat, and John admits to eating raw ground beef straight from the wrapper: “I just started to funnel it out of that tube into my mouth like it was cake icing.” (04:06)

2. Brady’s Kidney Cancer & Workplace Sympathy (07:04–11:25)

• John highlights that Brady recently had kidney cancer removed and muses on the lack of support from their workplace compared to what might occur at more sentimental stations.
  • John: “You needed a little bit more sympathy, like hugs and sit downs and we love yous.” (09:48)
  • Brady admits he doesn’t quite feel like a “cancer survivor,” as he didn’t have to undergo chemo or a long fight.
• The gang jokes about how men handle health crises differently than other radio shows: “We grabbed Brady by the legs and we smashed him into a wall and joked about it and had fun.” (08:33)

3. Notable “Brady Report” Trivia and News (12:53–27:16)

World Records & Consumer Trends

• The ampersand is celebrated for National Ampersand Day (13:04–13:41).
• Male gamers preferring to play as female characters, with some Black Mirror references about in-game identity (13:55–14:41).
• The world record for most people on a commercial flight: 1,088, during an Ethiopian Jewish evacuation by El Al Airlines (16:00–16:24).
  • “Calcutta? To where?” “Yeah. El Al Airlines…They fit that many people in there?” “Removed all the seats, just standing.” (16:12–16:24)

What Your Drink Order Says About You (17:31–19:31)

• The crew discusses, with sarcastic input, a list about drink orders defining personality:
  • Water: “Waiters will assume you’re either focused on hydration or wanting to save money. You’re cheap.” (17:45)
  • Cosmopolitan: “You’re extra fancy, possibly a huge Sex in the City fan.” (18:05)
  • Tito’s and vodka: “If anybody orders Tito’s and vodka, the bartender goes, what do you mean soda?” (19:12)
  • Yoohoo at a restaurant: “Probably at a fourth grade level, you’re 12.” (19:31)

Odd Trends and News

• Uber is testing cash payments in certain cities to expand access, which the hosts mock as a step backwards due to concerns over driver safety and the audience targeted:
  • John: “What kind of company is catering to the people with no bank accounts crowd? Like why in the world…” (22:03)

Viral News and Fashion Fails

• Target’s women’s Champion sweatpants face backlash for an unfortunate center pleat, which the gang describes in graphic, comedic detail:
  • John: “There's a pleat right in the front. It’s a... Gynecologists don’t open you up that much. What is this…” (24:58)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “I just started to funnel it out of that tube into my mouth like it was cake icing.” – John Holmberg (04:06)
• “We grabbed Brady by the legs and we smashed him into a wall and joked about it and had fun with it instead of making it some sad…” – John Holmberg (08:33)
• “What kind of company is catering to the people with no bank accounts crowd?” – John Holmberg, on Uber’s cash policy (22:03)
• On the Target sweatpants flaw: “It looks like a change pouch in the middle. It’s disgusting. You don’t put a cut there—especially one that thick.” – John Holmberg (25:31)

Viral Videos & Sports Fights (25:52–28:34)

• Highlights include:
  • Stadium brawl among San Francisco 49ers fans that escalates when a woman starts swinging (26:11–26:47).
  • A bull attack in a front yard caught on video, which the crew reacts to with gruesome fascination (27:16–27:40).
• John, a sports fan, gleefully details his schadenfreude at rivals’ losses that weekend, referencing the Steelers and Dodgers with metaphorical flair:
  • “It was Bellagio. It was gorgeous. People came over like Peter North out there… One of those wedding fondue things, just dipping marshmallows in it.” (27:49)

Bizarre Viral Video Reactions (30:07–33:17)

• This segment includes:
  • A convenience store incident: A man drops his pants, is swiftly knocked out by another customer, who then shops casually. (30:13–30:35)
  • Public transit lunacy: An attractive couple goes at it on a bus, which the hosts joke must have been staged for video (31:22–31:59).
  • An “OnlyFans-worthy” scene of a large woman in hospice care providing entertainment in a truly odd and grotesque way; the hosts react in horror and disbelief (32:07–32:38).

Final Thoughts & Tone

The episode is a quintessential slice of irreverent, Arizona morning radio: wild news tidbits, mockery of modern trends, shock-value viral video commentary, and the hosts’ relentless teasing of each other. The mood is quick-witted, sarcastic, sometimes dark, but underpinned by genuine camaraderie.

Notable Timestamps

• 01:34 – Mattress/meat discussion and eating raw ground beef
• 07:04 – Brady’s kidney cancer and workplace banter
• 13:04 – Ampersand discussion for “National Ampersand Day”
• 16:00 – World record for people on a flight (Evacuation flight story)
• 17:31 – What your drink order says about you (comedic breakdown)
• 22:23 – Uber testing cash payments (intense mockery)
• 24:53 – Target’s sweatpants design fail
• 25:52 – Viral NFL stadium fight video commentary
• 27:16 – Bull attack video
• 30:13 – Convenience store KO video
• 31:22 – Bus sex video and related commentary

Takeaway for New Listeners

If you haven't listened to Holmberg’s Morning Sickness, this episode typifies their blend of topical irreverence, personal story-sharing, and crude (but funny) reactions to the world’s oddest news and viral sensations—all delivered in rapid-fire, bantering Arizona radio style.