Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona’s #1 Morning Radio Show

Episode: 09-12-25 – Full Show – Friday
Date: September 12, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Episode Overview

It’s a tense, absurd, and surprisingly heartfelt Friday on Holmberg’s Morning Sickness. The crew reacts in real time to breaking news about the custody of the alleged Charlie Kirk shooter, riffing with trademark irreverence on social media blowback, aging joints, workplace decorum, and the failures (and obsessions) of American society. Blending serious current events, gallows humor, pop culture, and audience call-ins, the guys deliver one of their signature mornings: honesty, mockery, and just enough scandal to keep everyone awake.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Charlie Kirk Shooter Arrest & "That Damned Jump"

• [01:32–04:48] The show opens with John discussing the breaking news that the suspected Charlie Kirk shooter, Tyler Robinson (22), is in custody.
• The team fixates on viral security footage of Robinson leaping off a roof, marveling at his youthful recovery and mocking their own physical decline.
  • Memorable Quote:
    “I challenge you today... stand on whatever chair it is you normally sit on and tell me the ground doesn’t look 6,000 feet away from you.” – John [02:54]
• They joke about knees, sitting “crisscross applesauce,” and the aches of middle age, lamenting “getting injured in your sleep” and the indignities of aging men’s urination.

“If you see a guy in khakis after 40, he’s wearing diapers. Because there’s no way you’re confident enough to wear pants that show.” – John [07:56]

2. The Temptation of Conspiracy Theories

• [09:45–11:46] John, Bret, and Richard analyze speculation about Kirk’s shooting being a “professional hit”, picking apart online conspiracy theories built around “suspicious” hand signals and “JFK-level” intrigue.

“People hate the idea that one lone lunatic can change the course of life. They hate it... Your brain just won’t allow it.” – John [10:52]

• Conclude that the culprit likely acted alone, referencing history (Oswald, WWI) and human reluctance to accept chaos without a plot behind it.

3. The Tyranny (and Stupidity) of Social Media

• [20:16–26:23] Discussion pivots to people losing jobs over political hot-takes on social media—sparked by a Phoenix Suns reporter fired after controversial Kirk comments.

“Respondeat superior: you are always under the thumb of your employer... Everything you do for some, it goes back to when they were a teen.” – John [21:53]

• Holmberg lectures on professional liability, online mob justice, and the folly of treating personal Twitter feeds like private soapboxes.
  • Memorable analogy: “It’s as if you stood up in a packed restaurant and shouted your opinion. Nobody would, but that’s what social media is.”
• The team jokes about deleting friends, freedom of speech, and the flaw in seeking meaning/importance via Twitter.

4. The "Hot Criminal" Phenomenon & Tragedy Fatigue

• [40:15–44:59] John notes how good-looking suspects like the shooter may become objects of obsession, referencing previous “hot felon” fads and the “Luigi Mangione” case.
• Emailers and listeners weigh in: why do some news stories, or tragedies, feel more significant? The team agrees—sometimes, visuals/video exposure or social status amplify public response, for better or worse.

5. Workplace Firing & Public Opinion

• [45:00–50:46] The hosts relate anecdotes about co-workers’ controversial social posts, dissecting how employers use “voice of the master” (respondet superior) to justify terminations.
• John and Bret debate whether one should ever engage in hot political topics online, playfully cautioning listeners to “pretend you’ve been hacked” if you say something career-ending.

6. Detours: Sports, Pop Culture & Absurd "Dealbreakers"

• [51:07–64:44] Riffing on relationships, the team hilariously debates what would kill their celebrity crushes. For John, Dua Lipa in a Ravens jersey is a “bridge too far.”
  • Memorable Quote:
    “If Dua Lipa showed up in a Lamar [Jackson] jersey... I might break down in tears, man.” – John [51:51]
• Calls out how both men and women become obsessed with notorious criminals, mocking double standards (e.g. Scott Peterson, Jodi Arias).

7. On Being a Fan: The Trials of Bears & Packers Supporters

• [64:45–65:52] John and Bret lament the unending suffering and disappointment of being Bears fans, contrasting with the Packers’ luck at landing three stellar quarterbacks in a row.
• Discussion transitions to Megan’s brother’s devotion to 311, taste in music as relationship dealbreaker, and tolerating partners’ preferences.

8. Science, Odd News & Brady’s Report

• [85:15–99:52] In his Science News segment, Brady covers trivial (and pseudo-trivial) stories:
  • Nostalgic foot x-ray machines at old shoe stores.
  • Video games improving workplace earnings and social skills.
  • NASA photos of alleged Martian life.
  • The dangers of eating too much sugar.
  • Pets (alligators, raccoons) as “emotional support animals.”
• The crew banters about vacation sloth, AI workplace praise, and the perennial horror of Airbnb cleanliness.

9. Fireside Chats: Listener Calls

• [110:19–131:51] The Friday morning tradition: letting listeners take the mic unfiltered.
  • Callers include Nathan (offering his mom’s love for Tool tickets), a self-described WNBA superfan, a proud “pause and toss” movie nostalgist, and “Po”, an aspiring stand-up comic whose weight loss is tied to open mic stage time. John offers encouragement and biting humor:
  • Quote:
    “Five minutes? For every 10 pounds you lose, you get a minute.” – John [128:25]
• Playful, occasionally poignant exchanges about personal oddities and fan gratitude.

10. Guadalupe Squares & Weekend Wrap-Up

• [146:03 onwards] Classic show game with comedy impersonations (Vin Diesel, Michael Caine, Tracy Morgan), plus insider radio jokes, heavy on absurdity.
• Closing callback: Show’s balancing act between “poop and fart” comedy and acknowledging hard national news.

Notable Quotes & Moments (in context)

• “My knees cracked, nearly buckled when I tried to stand up from bed. It just happens... Arthritis will get him, too, someday. It gets us all.” – John [08:20]
• “Freedom of speech: yes. Freedom from consequence: no.” – Brett [33:25]
• “Social media is the viper in your pocket…using it as a backbone to stand up to society... there is no plus to that.” – John [34:31]
• “Give your password to a friend, post your crazy thoughts on their page and blame them. At least then, ‘I was hacked’.” – John [36:19]
• “If Dua Lipa made me join a political action group, I might do it. But I wouldn’t abandon my Steelers.” – John [51:07]
• “If you had to stand on a truck scale to weigh yourself, it's a bad sign. Go to the zoo.” – Brett [132:15]

Important Timestamps by Segment

| Timestamp | Segment | Description | |---------------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:32–04:48 | Viral video/shooter news; aging & knees | Real-time reaction to news, discussion about getting old, humor about springing off rooftops | | 07:11–07:55 | Men aging, “never done peeing” | John’s painfully vivid take on middle-age urinary problems | | 10:52 | Conspiracy theory psychology | Why Americans invent convoluted explanations for lone gunman events | | 20:16–26:18 | Social media and speech at work | The perils of public posting–real consequences for hot takes, employer-employee balance | | 40:15–44:59 | Hot felon syndrome & obsession with suspects | The strange attraction to “attractive” criminals and social double standards | | 65:31 | Packers/Bears rivalry | Bret’s Bears fan suffering, John lauds Packers’ QB succession | | 74:29 | Charlie Kirk’s own social media advice | “Put your phone down... spend time with people around you” | | 85:15–99:52 | Brady’s science report, odd news | Lighthearted and weird: AI, Mars rocks, video games, tricks with alligators and raccoons | | 110:19–131:51 | Fireside chats (listener calls) | Wide range: Tool ticket swap, WNBA fan, “pause and toss” nostalgia, comic “Po” ties stage time to poundage | | 146:03+ | Guadalupe Squares & show close | Comic improv bit, prize giveaways, and satirical impressions |

Episode Tone & Style

• Candid, caustic, and fast-paced. The hosts blend gallows humor with sincerity, openly addressing national trauma and their own vulnerabilities.
• Unfiltered. The crew and callers hold nothing back, riffing on workplace politics, sex, aging, and cultural contradictions. There’s compassion amid the mockery.
• Hyperlocal, yet universal. Though rooted in Arizona events, the themes—social unrest, media echo chambers, worklife anxiety, and human frailty—resonate broadly.

For New Listeners: Why Listen to This Episode?

• It’s a real-time snapshot of life in America during a week of fresh violence and controversy.
• You’ll hear comedy used as both shield and medicine—transforming fear, outrage, and confusion into community and catharsis.
• The dialogues about work, social media, and tragedy fatigue are genuine, thought-provoking, and weirdly comforting.
• Even if you disagree with their takes, you’ll appreciate the authenticity and energy.

Summary Compiled in the Language and Tone of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness, September 12, 2025.