Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Hot Releases - September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode spotlights the team’s signature “Hot Releases” segment, where John Holmberg and crew (Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo) riff on the week’s most notable entertainment and music drops. With a blend of sharp humor, irreverent takes, and inside banter, they review new video games, TV shows, movies, and music—including some wild AI-generated tracks—while poking fun at pop culture and each other.

Key Discussion Points

1. "Hot Releases" Segment Introduction

• The hosts transition briskly from joking about emails and indecent proposals (01:00) into the main event: this week’s most anticipated new media.
• Memorable quote:
  • “It’s time now for the hot releases. They are glorious and they’re upon us now.” – Holmberg (01:42)

2. Video Game Releases

Lego Voyagers (02:00–03:00)

• Described as a more sophisticated entry in the Lego video game series, emphasizing creative building in a digital universe.
• Banter about the magic of virtual Legos vs. real-life Legos (“You can’t step on these and hurt your toes!” – Bogen, 02:55).
• Notable exchange:
  • “This is like an acid trip. What are we watching?” – Bogen (02:33)
  • “This one’s a little more realistic than the previous versions.” – Toledo (02:30)

Skate 4 (03:00–03:52)

• Long-awaited new installment of the beloved skateboarding franchise.
• Anecdotes about defending the radio station’s property from local skateboarders, leading to a tangent about an “Alice in Chains” themed bench.

3. TV Series and Movie Releases

Gen V Season 2 (Amazon Prime) (03:52–04:23)

• Holmberg and team debate whether the “Boys” spin-off keeps its quality up and speculate about overlapping storylines for this new season.
• “Is it the same characters?” – “It’s like a school for the next generation… Homelander’s in the last one.” – Bogen (04:05–04:10)

The Morning Show Season 4 (Apple TV+) (04:41–05:18)

• Mixed feelings—the hosts poke fun at the show's drama among female anchors, suggesting men watch only to see workplace conflict.
• Quote:
  • “Broads, broads, broads talking about each other.” – Bogen (05:06)
  • “All guys watch that show going, oh, two girls working together can’t get along big. Yeah, that’s a shocker.” – Bogen (05:18)

Black Rabbit (Netflix) (05:26–06:30)

• Touted as “the new Ozark,” stars Jason Bateman (who also produces) and Jude Law as brothers navigating a troubled NYC hotspot.
• Noted for mature themes and Bateman’s unusual long-haired look.
• Quotes:
  • “Oh, Jason Bateman’s got long hair. He’s a troublemaker. Everything’s falling apart.” – Bogen (05:54)
  • “That one looks pretty good. What was that called?” – Bogen (06:15)
  • “Black Rabbit on Netflix.” – Toledo (06:30)
• Hosts note inclusion of a “local deaf guy from Mesa.”

Other Notable Mentions (06:33–08:03)

• Matchroom: Documentary about boxing promoters Barry and Eddie Hearn—well received by Holmberg (“Eddie Hearn is about as good as they get.” – Bogen, 06:48)
• High Potential (ABC/Hulu): “Not bad, but not a great show.” (07:10)
• Swiped (Hulu): Movie about the founding of Bumble and impact of dating apps.

4. New Music Releases

American Television – “You’re Not Alone” (08:10–08:54)

• Punk band, described with tongue-in-cheek sarcasm: “All got the day off from Chiba Hut to build video.” – Bogen (08:32)
• “Not terrible for what punk is.” – Bogen (08:46)

DED – “Be Myself” (09:03–09:41)

• Local favorite, praised for their live energy. Side stories about the lead singer's past relationship drama.

I Prevail – “Violent Nature” (10:08–10:19)

• Caution over the lyrics’ explicit content limits preview, with jokes about the language in modern music:
  • “What happened to our language?” – Bogen (10:19)
  • “Can’t play any of the music to preview it anymore.” – Bogen (10:19)

Cardi B (10:33–10:43)

• Hosts refuse to play her new song due to explicit lyrics.
  • “She’s filthy. She get a real mouth on that, Cardi B.” – Bogen (10:42)

Stoned Jesus – “Like Shadowland” (10:48–12:10)

• Stoner rock, slowly building—hosts joke about the patient tempo.
• “Stoner rock, they get to it when they get to it, bro.” – Bogen (11:29)
• “That just got…is boring and almost something close.” – Bogen (12:04)

Sarah McLachlan (12:10–13:20)

• New song leads to jokes about her association with animal rescue ads.
• “Sarah’s forever to be associated with sick, shaking little dogs.” – Bogen (12:22)
• “It’s like a super lesbian song. Like, everybody in the video is kissing and they’re all girls.” – Bogen (12:53)
• “They do this before WNBA games. Right before the national anthem, they play the lesbian national anthem.” – Bogen (13:10)

Funk Maiden – “Number of the Beast” (AI Iron Maiden Funk Version) (13:20–15:28)

• Funk/AI-generated cover version delights the hosts.
• “Funk Maiden is a lot better than Iron Maiden.” – Bogen (14:05)
• General consensus: highlight of the show.

Rusty Hayfield – “I’ll Suck it so hard You’ll Pull the Sheets Out of Your Ass” (AI Song) (15:28–16:51)

• AI-produced, hilariously explicit—leaves the team cracking up and a little disturbed.
• “That was a mistake.” – Bogen (16:19)
• “Wow. When they get robots to start talking to us like this…” – Bogen (16:32)

5. N-Word or F-Word Game (17:09–17:54)

• Listener/host game: Guess whether the next lyric in “Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster” is the N-word or F-word.
• Joked as “too easy,” with banter about Office Space.

6. Final Thoughts & Shout-outs (18:00–19:17)

• More praise for Funk Maiden and light-hearted mocking of Iron Maiden fans:
  • “The Iron Maiden fans are weird. They’re almost all named Mike. They all call themselves Iron Maiden Mike. And they have a tattoo of an album cover somewhere on their body.” – Bogen (18:29)
• Quick recap: “Funk Maiden wins the day… and what was the Jason Bateman show? Black Rabbit on Netflix.” – Bogen (19:16)

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps & Attribution)

• “This is like an acid trip. What are we watching?” – Bret Bogen (02:33)
• “All guys watch that show going, oh, two girls working together can’t get along big. Yeah, that’s a shocker.” – Bogen (05:18)
• “Funk Maiden is a lot better than Iron Maiden.” – Bogen (14:05)
• “Wow. When they get robots to start talking to us like this…” – Bogen (16:32)
• “The Iron Maiden fans are weird… almost all named Mike.” – Bogen (18:29)

Segment Timestamps (Highlights)

• Lego Voyagers Discussion: 02:00–03:00
• Gen V S2: 03:52–04:23
• The Morning Show S4: 04:41–05:18
• Black Rabbit on Netflix: 05:26–06:30
• Funk Maiden AI Track: 13:20–15:28
• Rusty Hayfield AI Song: 15:28–16:51
• N-Word or F-Word Game: 17:09–17:54

Tone & Language

The episode is driven by irreverent, quick-witted, sometimes edgy comedy, with the hosts’ banter poking fun at trends, each other, and pop culture. There’s an undercurrent of sarcasm and local flavor, typical of Arizona’s #1 morning show.

Takeaways

• Hot Releases: Standouts include “Black Rabbit” (Netflix, Jason Bateman/Jude Law), the clever “Lego Voyagers” game, and the AI-generated “Funk Maiden” track.
• TV & Music: The hosts remain critical and humorous regarding mainstream hits, especially The Morning Show and newer music loaded with explicit language.
• AI Music: Continues to be a hilarious highlight, with “Funk Maiden” and the over-the-top Rusty Hayfield song.
• Community Tone: Listeners can expect raw, genuine laughs, and a local, in-the-know attitude throughout.

For those who missed it:
If you want sharp takes on fresh pop culture drops and don’t mind some salty language, this episode’s “Hot Releases” will hit the spot—especially if you need a solid laugh at both the music industry and the personalities behind it.