Holmberg's Morning Sickness (98KUPD) – Episode Summary

Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Host: John Holmberg
Co-hosts: Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Overview — Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness is a whirlwind of sports schadenfreude, pop culture hot takes, and gleeful cynicism. The crew (particularly John) revels in the misery of the Baltimore Ravens and their fans following a primetime NFL loss, using it as a springboard into passionate monologues about the value of hate as a source of happiness. The conversation sprawls across topics including football, celebrity scandals, the end-of-world predictions, Tylenol and autism debates, the futility of public apologies in cancel culture, odd news stories, and the sheer absurdity of modern trends and media.

As always, the tone is irreverent, sarcastic, and brutally honest, with Holmberg leading extended, off-the-cuff rants on everything from football aesthetics to societal double standards.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ravens’ NFL Loss & the Joy of Hate

• The episode opens with John gleefully recounting the Baltimore Ravens’ loss, mocking QB Lamar Jackson’s looks, his grill (teeth jewelry), and the Ravens’ fanbase (“degenerate and kind of uneducated imbecile” [03:25]).
• Quote (John):

  “Hate is the greatest gift ever given to the human body... you have to be hateful to know what true joy is.” [03:39]

• Holmberg espouses the philosophy that real joy only comes from passionate hate, using sports rivalry as his prime example.
• The crew discusses the “yin and yang” necessity of hate for appreciating love and happiness.

2. Lamar Jackson’s Appearance & Grills Riff

• Extended mockery of Lamar Jackson’s appearance, hair, and dental jewelry.
• Speculates on Ravens fans' embrace of grills, mocking the lack of professional ambition the look projects.
• Quote (Brady):

  “I've never once seen anybody with a grill in their mouth and thought, there you go, you're going to be the CEO.” [13:01]

3. Football Rivalries, Stereotypes, and Hate as Motivation

• The conversation stays on football, launching into jokes about the socioeconomic status of Ravens/Baltimore fans, welfare checks, and the city's murder rate.
• John’s listener, Sean Rockefeller (“our blind listener”), texts saying Lamar Jackson “looks like Sam Jackson and Steve Buscemi had a baby then threw the baby into the Plinko board on The Price Is Right” [09:19].
• Philosophical riff—embracing hate for sports rivals enhances life’s joy.

4. Pregnancy, Tylenol, Autism, and Trump

• Discussion shifts to recent controversies around Tylenol usage in pregnancy possibly being linked to autism. They mock Trump for fanning these flames, but John insists on the merit of asking “what if he’s right?”
• Fascination with how quickly public health beliefs change, the effect of political bias, and virtue signaling around pregnancy dos and don’ts.
• Quote (John):

  “If Trump came out and said, ‘we cured cancer and it’s Oreo cookies,’ people hate him so much that they won’t even give him the benefit of the doubt…” [16:56]

• “What if” attitude regarding medical studies and how ideological tribalism affects acceptance of new information.

5. Cancel Culture & Jimmy Kimmel Controversy

• The episode covers Jimmy Kimmel’s recent network controversy, including demands for public apology and donations after political jokes.
• John strongly argues against apologizing to “the mob,” quoting Adam Carolla (“never apologize to a mob, a mob is never right… apologize to a person”) [54:04].
• Points out the hypocrisy and futility of mob-driven outrage culture and the threats to comedians’ freedom.

6. Rapture Predictions & the End of the World

• Jokes about a trending preacher predicting the world will end Sept. 23–24, lampooning people “selling all their worldly goods” (and not really believing the prediction if they still haggle for prices).
• Quote (John):

  “Only losers and people whose lives didn’t work out root for Jesus to come back quick so they don't have to work.” [32:25]

• Entertaining debate about how the Rapture could possibly work across time zones.

7. Words, Race, and Double Standards in Sports Media

• The hosts dissect Amon-Ra St. Brown’s viral on-camera profanity (“I run this s---, n----”), how language is policed differently according to the speaker’s race, and how “whites don’t have a phrase like that.”
• Quote (John):

  “If it was a white guy, he had to go up and say that exact phrase… you’d look like an idiot.” [42:36]

• Rant on how media responds (or doesn’t) based on context, intent, and speaker identity.

8. Politics, Nepotism, and Succession

• Ridicule of political succession, as a dead politician’s daughter or wife takes over—“only in politics” does this happen.
• Questions the notion that simple name recognition justifies inheriting jobs:

  “Being a senator is just a job… you’re not the CEO of anything. You’re just showing up to work one day, just like my dad used to go do construction.” [66:44]

9. Weird News & Absurd Trends

• Segments on odd news:
  • Woman arrested for attacking a man with Silly String [103:51]
  • Snake in Florida throws up a whole deer (“Burmese python vomits deer” is the recommended Google search) [79:29]
  • New trend: “Heavy Soda” (extra syrup at soda fountains) [98:51]
  • Couple wants to name their baby “Brisket”
• Riffing on societal stupidity and “trailer park people and losers.”

10. Elderly "Look, It's Breathing" Coverage

• John rails against media stories celebrating people who are simply old (“it’s just the ‘look, it’s breathing’ segment”), calling out news stations for pretending this is inspirational.

11. Music, Pop Culture, and Hot Releases

• Discussion of new music, with sarcastic glee at aging bands like The Grassroots (“they have to be 90…” [112:32]) getting airplay on KUPD.
• Major amusements in poking fun at the show’s own sponsors and odd fits for the station’s playlist, with simulated mockery at the sales team.
• New releases include Doja Cat (video “Jealous Type” gets ample positive attention), Miley Cyrus/Fleetwood Mac covers, and AI-generated songs.
• Interlude playing “Is it an N-word or F-word?” with old hip-hop.

Notable Quotes / Memorable Moments

• Philosophy of Hate:

  “Hate is the greatest gift ever given to the human body. And you have to be hateful to know what true joy is.” — John [03:39]

• On Political Pandering:

  “Only in politics where a guy dies and his wife or daughter just takes the job… I know you’re going through a lot. Come on, you were working at the Piggly Wiggly a week ago.” — John [65:04]

• On Cancel Culture & Mob Apologies:

  “Never apologize to a mob. A mob is never right. Apologize to a person. A mob will never accept an apology.” — Adam Carolla via John [54:04]

• On Double Standards:

  “If Cooper Kupp did that [on camera profanity], he’d be suspended for the rest of his life. And if that word is so awful, shouldn’t ESPN get in trouble? But because it was said by someone who’s allowed to say it, everybody’s like, it’s not that big a deal.” — John [43:24]

• On Rapture Predictions:

  “Successful people look at this and roll their eyes. Poor people are like, maybe we’re lucky and we get to go to paradise and then I don’t have to get up and go to work tomorrow.” — John [32:25]

• On Ancient Sports:

  “Ancient spear throwing tool brings fun and history to Vermont competition. …It’s a fat white woman throwing some sort of thing. It has no anything to it. But I knew you couldn’t see that without being instant a child.” — John [75:41]

Timestamps (Selected Key Segments)

• Ravens Loss & Hate Philosophy: 00:08–11:09
• Ravens Fan/Ravens Appearance Riffs: 11:09–16:41
• Tylenol, Pregnancy, Trump, Autism: 16:56–24:49
• Public Apologies, Cancel Culture, Jimmy Kimmel: 50:59–56:23
• End of World / Rapture Jokes: 27:59–36:45
• Amon-Ra St. Brown & Sports Media: 41:36–45:26
• Political Succession & Nepotism: 63:15–68:22
• Florida Python Pukes Deer, Python Problem: 79:29–86:28
• Odd News Trends (Heavy Soda, Brisket Baby): 98:51–100:23
• Elderly Inspirational Stories ('Look, It's Breathing') Rant: 118:55–127:20
• Music/Hot Releases Section: 129:30–149:01

Final Impressions

Who Should Listen?

This episode is a classic for those who enjoy blunt, wickedly sarcastic takes on sports, politics, and weird Americana. The rapport between John, Brady, and Bret is nonstop, with little sacred, and a freewheeling style that swings from sports euphoria to biting cultural commentary.

Why It Stands Out

The signature of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness is the fearless, often uncomfortable honesty, with John in particular bringing a philosopher's zeal to the idea that embracing your most passionate dislikes is the way to true happiness. Filter this content through a thick layer of satire—nothing is off-limits, from ancient spear competitions to Tylenol conspiracies.