09-10-25 - Is Pumpkin Spice Latte Fever The Cause For Another Reverend Predicting The End Of The World In The Coming Weeks

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: Is Pumpkin Spice Latte Fever The Cause For Another Reverend Predicting The End Of The World In The Coming Weeks
Podcast: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Arizona
Date: September 10, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

This episode dives into the annual emergence of both pumpkin spice latte mania and high-profile apocalyptic predictions—often occurring together in September. The hosts riff on the absurdity and ritual of seasonal foods, the cyclical nature of end-of-the-world forecasts, and the social oddities of coffee culture—all interwoven with their trademark irreverence.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pumpkin Spice Latte Season and Its Peculiar Power

• The Pumpkin Effect: John links the return of pumpkin-spice-flavored goods each fall to a rise in “end times” predictions, humorously implying causation (00:50–03:14).
  • "Pumpkin spice rolls around and then all of a sudden somebody starts predicting the end of the world. ... I don't know why that is. I don't drink it." – John (01:18)
  • The hosts compare pumpkin spice lattes to other seasonal “novelties” (peeps, fruitcake, tamales), questioning why foods that only appear once a year are beloved.
• Seasonal Rituals: The group jokes about the annual rush when pumpkin spice drops (“You don't get excited when it rolls out in August?” – Brady, 01:18), and John notes the oddity that these cult foods and wild predictions always hit as fall approaches.

2. Apocalyptic Predictions: Why Now and Why September?

• Pattern Recognition: The hosts discuss the comical frequency of doomsday predictions coinciding with pumpkin spice season, referencing past figures like Harold Camping and the 2012 Maya calendar hysteria (02:16–03:14).
• Latest Prophecy: John details a new prophecy, this time from a South African pastor, Jeremiah Malakala, who claims to have seen Jesus in visions proclaiming a return on September 23–24, 2025 (03:16–04:00).
  • "It's 14 days. It's a fortnight to the return of the Jesus.... Every year for like eight years [Harold Camping] predicted that October would be the end of the world." – John (02:16–02:34)
• Community Buy-in: The hosts note that even a rabbi has echoed the prediction, to which John quips about the oddity of Jewish leaders dreaming of Christ (06:02–06:23).

3. Satire: How to "Do" Doomsday Predictions Right

• Satirical Solutions: John offers tongue-in-cheek advice to would-be prophets on how to save face: write predictions down privately and unveil them after events occur, “like a Criss Angel trick.” (06:26–07:32)
  • "If you're gonna predict the end of the world, don't do it out loud because you look like an idiot when it doesn't happen." – John (06:26)
• Bar Trick Analogy: The hosts recall a classic mind-reading bar trick as a way to “predict” the future without risk of looking foolish (07:32–08:11).

4. Coffee Culture Gets Roasted

• The Madness of the Line: John recounts driving past a Dutch Bros with a massive queue for pumpkin spice at 5:30 PM, incredulous at how much time people waste waiting for seasonal coffee drinks (08:11–09:19).
  • “If you’re in line more than a minute for coffee, you’re wasting your life.” – John (08:35)
• Economic Ironies: The hosts jab at people complaining about money yet waiting ages and paying high prices for lattes (“$18 for two drinks?” – Brady, 10:43), playfully connecting it back to modern “end times” anxieties (09:45–11:22).
  • "You had a milkshake for $8 and it took you half an hour. What are you doing with yourself?" – John (10:43)

5. End of the World: Joke or Genuine Worry?

• Absurdity of Fears: The crew cap off the segment by circling back to whether all this is just “pumpkin spice talking,” with John half-jokingly hoping the reverend’s prophecy comes true, given the state of coffee culture and the economy (09:37–11:17).
  • "If you see a line of more than three cars at the coffee place, you're wasting your life. And in that case, I hope that Reverend John B. is correct and the world does come to an end on the 23rd because I can't take it anymore." – John (09:37)

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Notable Quotes and Moments (With Timestamps)

• 01:18 – John on pumpkin spice:
  “Pumpkin spice rolls around and then all of a sudden somebody starts predicting the end of the world.... I don't know why that is. I don't drink it.”
• 02:16 – On frequency of predictions:
  "It's 14 days. It's a fortnight to the return of the Jesus.... [Harold Camping] predicted that October would be the end of the world."
• 03:29 – On Jesus as festival host:
  "He's just one man, right? I mean, Jesus could do it in a second, but he's going to stick around Saturday, maybe hit the beach… you got one more day, guys."
• 06:26 – Apocalyptic advice:
  "If you're gonna predict the end of the world, don't do it out loud because you look like an idiot when it doesn't happen. Write it down and keep it in."
• 08:35 – Coffee lines:
  "If you’re in line more than a minute for coffee, you’re wasting your Life."
• 10:43 – Economic priorities:
  "You had a milkshake for $8 and it took you half an hour. What are you doing with yourself?"

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:50–03:14 – Pumpkin spice flavor mania and seasonal foods
• 03:16–04:00 – Announcement of South African pastor’s apocalypse prophecy
• 06:00–07:32 – Ridiculing prophecy culture; “safe” predictions & magic tricks
• 08:11–09:19 – Observations on coffee shop lines and consumer habits
• 09:37–11:17 – Critiques of economic complaints vs. lifestyle choices

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Tone & Style

The episode is marked by humorous, sarcastic banter laced with local observations, pop-culture references, and mock-earnest advice. The hosts maintain a conversational, irreverent tone—swinging between light roasting and sharp cultural critique, all while keeping the mood playful.

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Final Thoughts

Whether riffing on the cycle of pumpkin-spiced consumerism or the equally predictable cycle of apocalyptic prophecy, Holmberg and crew deliver a raucous but insightful commentary on seasonal trends, human credulity, and first-world priorities. The message: maybe the end isn't near, but irrational fad-following just might be.

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Transcript

[A]

You're listening to the HMS Podcast, brought to you by MMP Guns.com, your most trusted online marketplace for firearms, ammunition and accessories.

[B]

It's John Holmer here. For the amazing people at the Core Institute. Getting used to chronic pain is something that we can all find ourselves doing and not realize we're doing it. And I needed four procedures. I had a lot going on. Two shoulder replacements and yes, at my age, even two hip replacements. But you know what? I'm better today than I've been in 20 years. And now I'm back. Basketball, pain free. Running, pain free, throwing a baseball or football, pain free. And I can box again. It's exciting because I look forward to the things I love. You don't have to live with pain anymore. Go to the core institute.com cruising through a Wednesday morning. Just blowing through it.

[A]

Tuesday, Wednesday.

[B]

And then, yeah, Tuesday, Wednesday, as Brady calls it. And I'm going to go ahead and say it out loud. I blame pumpkin spice latte for what I'm about to say. I don't drink it. I don't care for pumpkin flavored beverages. I don't particularly care for pumpkin. It's not really a. It's one of those foods that shows up at a certain time of year and never again. And that to me is like peeps.

[A]

You don't get excited when it rolls out in August?

[B]

No, I don't get excited for anything that rolls out once a year. Tamales are terrible. Or there'd be restaurants with tamales. Peeps are terrible. They'd be candy. Checkout at the Safeway or at the cvs. Fruitcake is awful. Doesn't show up other than Christmas. Candy corn is a terrible candy. It would show up at other times for the most part. Cranberry. Nobody just has cranberry in June. It's disgusting for some reason. We only tie it to a certain thing. Pumpkin spice rolls around and then all of a sudden somebody starts predicting the end of the world. I don't know if you've noticed that, but every September we get inundated with pumpkin flavored things and then some pastor comes out and says Jesus will be back and here's the date and starts getting some headway. Another guy's done it. A guy, and I believe he's in South Africa, says that he was. He saw Jesus And Jesus says, 24th, 25th, September. See you then. He's coming back.

[C]

Brady.

[A]

Hey.

[B]

We don't have to wait long. No. It's 14 days. It's a fortnight to the return of the Jesus. You know what I would do if I was one of these people? Because so often this happens. Remember the guy that every year for like eight years predicted that October would be the end of the world?

[A]

Harold.

[B]

Harold Camp. Yeah, that's right. He would come out October 12th. I'm sorry I missed it by a year. And he'd come out the next 10. 2012. He started doing that. They made movies at 2012 was going to be the end of the world. The Mayan or Aztecs or whoever had some sort of thing they wrote down a long time ago. 2012. You got till 2012. Yeah. All the movies that came out. So this is the big one. Here's what I would do in my advice to the pastors. A first of all, it's pumpkin spice latte. Because this doesn't happen in April. Nobody ever predicts the end of the world. They always do it in September and it's always usually somewhere around the start of fall. Don't know why. Something in the water. It's pumpkin. And it makes people start thinking about the end of the world. I don't know why that is. I don't drink it.

[A]

Yeah, you're right. September and October are hot months.

[B]

They're hot months for the end of the world. I don't understand it. Just pre. You think Jesus would get through one more birthday if he was in control of that and then kill us all in January? But no, this guy says it's happening September 24th and 25th. Here's my A2 day.

[A]

It's like a festival.

[B]

It's a big planet.

[A]

It's like the innings fest.

[B]

He's just one man, right? I mean, Jesus could do it in a second, but he's going to stick around Saturday, maybe hit the beach, go for a go tomorrow. You got one more day, guys. And I think that would be kind of Jesus. And he's supposed to be.

[A]

So the Real Fire Festival is going to happen.

[B]

Yeah, I've heard. Finally. I've heard he's very nice from the people that have met him or believe in him. So I would imagine that he'd show up on a Saturday and just give the wave. Hey, guys, what's going on? Hey. Yeah, I'm back. It's gonna happen, but let's not go crazy. I'm not gonna knee jerk, just have a little party. He's gonna give us a chance to party on the 24th. And you know, tomorrow's the big day. How do you suppose he's gonna do it? I don't know. I'm just glad he's giving us tonight. Everybody gets anal. Brett and I try to blow each other because why not? What? Back of a Tesla.

[A]

Here we go. No Teslas.

[B]

Start doing a little heroin. I got nothing. I'm good. And then Sunday, he gets it done. Now here's my suggestion for all these people who predict the end of the world and then get in the news from it. And he's. The pastor's name is. Where is he? It just says a pastor extraordinary claim that we're weeks away from seeing the end of the world unfold. It's pretty Safe to say 2025 has been a little bit turbulent, but conflicts are unfolding across the globe. World War three warnings are upon us. Live predictions from Baba Venga, who gets a lot of credit and usually doesn't get much right. The Bible appears to have thrown its two cents in. The South African pastor says Jesus will be coming back here in just a mere matter of days. He posted on YouTube earlier that his pastor, Jeremiah Malakal. Malakela Malakala. That's right. It's Jambi. He got his hands and he started reading books. And the next thing you know. So Jambi says that Jesus has recently appeared in a vision to him multiple times to reveal that doomsday is upon us. The rapture is upon us, whether you are ready or not. I saw Jesus on his throne and could hear him loud and clear. He said to me, the 23rd and 24th, I'm sorry I missed it by day. I almost. I screwed you up. 23rd and 24th. 23rd and 24th of September. I will be back to the earth. Now, John B. Went on to say that there was no doubt about that it was Jesus and he wasn't hallucinating at all.

[A]

Can we buy or buy more time?

[B]

I don't know. Then another, and then a rabbi popped in and he said, yeah, I've had that vision too. 23rd of September. I'm like, what's a rabbi doing dreaming about Jesus anyway? Another one, some form of Judaism said that Jesus will be back in the end of September. So there's a bunch of them saying it.

[A]

I see. Nostradamus says it's the end of 2025.

[B]

No, he said Nostradamus has 70 or 80 different death end of the world predictions last quarter. Look, I don't listen to nostradamus. Yeah, fiscal 2026, they'll hop on on quarter Q1. That's what we're looking at. Here's the thing. If you're going to predict the end of the world. Don't do it out loud because you look like an idiot when it doesn't happen. Write it down and keep it in. Okay? And then after it starts to happen, like David, like Criss angel would do, just go. Just go over and open that faith real quick. Just because you don't mind. Just open the faith.

[A]

Larry Mack.

[B]

He's Larry Mack. His name is Larry Mack.

[A]

Mind freak.

[B]

We've not met. Right? We've not met. Yes. No, we've not met. Then open my safe. The code is 111. Magic. And then you open the safe on the 25th and it says the world will come to the end on September 23rd and 24th. And everybody like, yeah, wow. Good one. It's too late. So it doesn't matter. Matter if you're right, it won't matter if you're wrong. You look like a fool. So stop this prediction thing. What's that trick you play on girls that used to do it in bars all the time where you would write the word no on a piece of paper and say, I can. I can.

[A]

Question. I've never missed this question.

[B]

I've never missed this once in my life. I can guess, think of a number.

[A]

Between 1 and 1000.

[B]

And then. And then they go, okay. And you say, is it 41? And they go, no. And then you hold up the paper, it says, right. It's a great little bar trick. I don't know if you've ever been laid or dry humped. A girl because of that almost got herpes. Yeah, that's right. That worked with her. Yeah. She almost gave you the bumps. Did you write down I have herpes on her face? I knew you'd say that. Anyway, do it like that. Make it a parlor trick. But don't go predicting the end of the world. It's just the pumpkin spice latte talking. And. And I don't understand that at all.

[A]

Just takes one.

[B]

It just takes one to make you think the world's coming to an end. I'll tell you what's making me think the world's coming and it is pumpkin spice lattes. I tried to go to the Ace Hardware on. I think it's on 12th street, like just off Northern. But I had to go to Glendale to get to 12th Street. And you go by a Dutch brothers. It was 5:30 in the afternoon.

[A]

Packed it, screwed up traffic, their machines.

[B]

It's coffee. Calm down. If you're in line more than a minute for coffee, you're wasting your Life.

[A]

It'll brighten your day.

[B]

No, it's 5. Your day's over. Not in the morning.

[A]

But now they have pumpkin spice.

[B]

I know. It's a bunch of end of the world crack addicts rolling in there to do it.

[A]

What are you up to this evening?

[B]

Take a laugh.

[A]

None of your goddamn business.

[B]

Must have been 35 cars going in a circle and then back out onto 12th Street. I'm like, well, this sucks. I'm never getting to the Ace. I couldn't believe it. Who needs a drink that bad at 5:30 of pumpkin spice latte? I'll tell you who. People who don't have jobs. Bored people who mess up rush hour traffic like I was doing running an errand.

[A]

Get your points and a sticker. Come on.

[B]

That sweet, sweet conversation.

[C]

How's your day going? Have you seen any good movies? Well, you're rolling your window up because. Why'd you roll your window up right today?

[B]

I don't want to talk to you hopping my Tesla. Yeah, get in the trunk.

[C]

Your trunk's open, sir.

[B]

Yeah, you don't have to worry about that in a second.

[A]

What's the name of that coffee?

[B]

DV4.

[C]

There's a four in it?

[B]

Yeah. I don't use A's, I use fours.

[C]

Well, that's a four is just an A without a leg.

[B]

All right, thank you. I'm going to kill you and put you in my car in a second. Now, if I find out D4VD took care of one of those chatterbox coffee baristas, maybe I won't feel so bad. If it's like, I can't take you anymore, I'm going to cut you in pieces and put you in the back of my Tesla. Just go get my drink. But yeah, if you see a line of more than three cars at the coffee place, you're wasting your life. And. And in that case, I hope that Reverend John B. Is correct and the world does come to an end on the 23rd because I can't take it anymore. The economy's terrible. You just spent 7:50 and wasted 31 minutes getting a coffee. You can't complain about the economy or anything else in your life. You have the best life in the world. Took me 28 minutes to get this thing and it was what, eight bucks? You had a milkshake for $8 and it took you half an hour. What are you doing with yourself?

[A]

$18 for two drinks?

[B]

Thank you. Thank you. It's only nine bucks each and we only had to wait an hour to do it. My life is useless. Yeah, haven't you heard of doordash? Make some other sluggish. Yes. Spend a little more to not waste and get something done around the house. Prep for the ending and then quit complaining about the economy. Mr. Trump's ruining the economy, I tell you that. What a mess. Pumpkin spice is great. Was that nine bucks? Yeah. Interesting. An interesting quandary.

[A]

Can't afford my house payment but you're there three times a week.

[B]

I'm gonna run over there and wait in line for half an hour hard. You know the two and two hours you you wait in line for Dutch Brothers coffees, you could be door dashing and making a little extra for the family. Just saying you don't love your kids. We got a rock wars coming up in just a little bit. End of the world. Only two more weeks to go. It's 98 KUPD. It's out of control now.