Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Hot Releases: September 23, 2025

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – 98KUPD, Arizona
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Episode Theme:
A whirlwind tour of the week’s “hot releases” in video games, TV, streaming series, theatrical films, and music—complete with the show’s trademark irreverence and banter. The crew pokes fun at themselves and each other while reviewing everything from AAA video games to AI-generated songs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Video Game Releases

• Silent Hill F

  • Summary: The latest installment in the cult survival horror franchise, offering “zombie killing survival game” action with twisted storylines and grotesque settings.
  • Tone: Amused, slightly mocking.
  • Notable Quote: “That’s just a bunch of body parts.” — John Holmberg [02:13]
  • Humor: Compared the game’s horror settings to their own sales meetings.
  • Timestamps: 02:00–02:44

• EA Sports FC 26

  • Summary: The newest soccer game, praised mostly for the British announcers' humor.
  • Commentary: Lightheartedly debates the merits of women’s soccer in video games (NBA and WNBA modes) and whether female players can dunk in 2k26.
  • Notable Quote: “You want to make [WNBA] competitive and fun? Add dunks and talent. 360. Quality play.” — John Holmberg [04:08]
  • Timestamps: 03:02–05:54

2. TV & Streaming Releases

• The Lowdown (Hulu)

  • About: Ethan Hawke stars as Lee Raybon, a conspiracy journalist getting in over his head.
  • Reaction: Show is “getting some good buzz.” John riffs on the character.
  • Notable Quote: “You read my paper. It’s goody. And bad guys. He’s rough around the edges.” — John Holmberg [06:21]
  • Timestamps: 06:11–06:45

• Alice in Borderland: Season 3 (Netflix)

  • About: Japanese survival drama. Crew jokes about subtitles and the global popularity of the series—even John is surprised by how many seasons have aired.
  • Listener Input: Bailey, a frequent emailer, claims: “Alice in Borderland is a better version of Squid Game with a good plot.” — [11:02]
  • Timestamps: 06:45–07:19, 11:02–11:16

• House of Guinness (Netflix?)

  • About: The story behind the creation of the Guinness brewery; not a docudrama, despite the wild speculation of murder.
  • Reaction: Bemused confusion and historical jokes.
  • Notable Quote: “Were a lot of people murdered for the Guinness brewery?” — John Holmberg [07:29]
  • Timestamps: 07:19–07:50

• Tulsa King: Season 3

  • About: Mob drama starring Sylvester Stallone.
  • Hosts’ Views: Mixed reviews—Brady liked it, but John found it “bad acting … like a high school play.” Discussion about Taylor Sheridan’s TV writing and depiction of female characters.
  • Notable Quote: “I watched the first episode, and I’m like, this is garbage. … everything felt like a high school play.” — John Holmberg [08:22]
  • Timestamps: 07:50–09:06

3. Theatrical Releases

• One Battle After Another
  • About: New Leonardo DiCaprio film—a rare movie that gets John interested in going to a theater.
  • Cast Mentions: Benicio Del Toro also starring.
  • Hosts’ Views: Anticipation and speculation on the film’s plot; John praises DiCaprio’s “solid” track record.
  • Notable Quote: “Everything Leo does has pretty much got my attention. That dude doesn’t swing and miss too often.” — John Holmberg [10:06]
  • Timestamps: 09:14–10:44

4. Music Releases

• Darkness and Friends

  • Song: “Death Squad”
  • Reaction: Surprised at the band’s age; “six John Oates with a skullet.”
  • Notable Quote: “Their breathing segment with guitars.” — John Holmberg [11:43]
  • Timestamps: 11:16–11:59

• Rage

  • Song: “Freedom”
  • Reaction: Enjoys the music, but dislikes the singer’s voice.
  • Notable Quote: “It had me until the guy sang. Yeah, he’s horrible. But the band was great.” — John Holmberg [12:49]
  • Timestamps: 12:09–13:00

• Doja Cat

  • Song: “Jealous Type”
  • Reaction: Praise for her appearance in the video; comments on her appeal.
  • Notable Quote: “She looks really good in this. Sometimes she looks crazy.” — John Holmberg [13:52]
  • Timestamps: 13:00–14:12, 24:32–24:36

• Corrosion of Conformity

  • Song: “Fire and Water”
  • Fun Fact: Reference to Creed from “The Office” and his real-life history with classic rock bands.
  • Timestamps: 14:35–15:32

• Miley Cyrus (feat. Lindsey Buckingham & Mick Fleetwood)

  • Song: “Secrets” (Fleetwood Mac redo)
  • Reaction: John can’t get past Miley’s voice, joking it’s like “Marianne Faithfull’s lost me daughter.”
  • Notable Quote: “Her voice … I can’t listen to that. That’s Marianne Faithfull’s lost me daughter.” — John Holmberg [16:00]
  • Timestamps: 15:32–16:26

• Mariah Carey

  • Song: “Dangerous”
  • Hosts’ Preference: Immediately want to switch back to Doja Cat.
  • Notable Quote: “I want something like that, I’ll listen to Doja Cat.” — John Holmberg [16:56]
  • Timestamps: 16:26–17:11

• Dirty Honey

  • Song: “Rocksteady”
  • Discussion: 70s revivals, band comparisons to Bad Company and Greta Van Fleet.
  • Timestamps: 17:11–18:32

• AI Song Segment

  • Soul/Funk Version of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
    • Hosts’ Take: Shocked at how good it sounds, joke that AI is replacing real musicians.
    • Notable Quote: “It works tons better than the original. And I love the original.” — John Holmberg [19:58]
    • Timestamps: 18:32–20:13
  • Country AI Song: “Eat Me Like It’s the Last Supper”
    • Hosts’ Reaction: Amused and surprised by the provocative lyrics.
    • Notable Quote: “That’s beautiful. Thank you, Gloria Stitz, with that glorious song.” — John Holmberg [21:15]
    • Timestamps: 20:13–21:23

5. Podcast’s Signature Segment: “N Word or F Word”

• Song Used: “Action” by Poison Clan
• Premise: Hosts guess whether the song’s first explicit word will be the N-word or F-word, and in what context (“friendly” or “angry”).
• Analysis: Ends up being a “friendly” N-word, with a side tangent about linguistics and street culture.
• Notable Quote: “That was very clear. That’s kind of a cool song.” — John Holmberg [22:51]
• Timestamps: 21:31–23:36

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• On video game WNBA/ NBA equality:
  “You want to make [WNBA] competitive and fun? Add dunks and talent. 360. Quality play.” — John Holmberg [04:08]
• On not enjoying “Tulsa King”:
  “I watched the first episode, and I’m like, this is garbage. … everything felt like a high school play.” — John Holmberg [08:22]
• Praise for DiCaprio:
  “Everything Leo does has pretty much got my attention. That dude doesn’t swing and miss too often.” — John Holmberg [10:06]
• On AI-generated covers:
  “It works tons better than the original. And I love the original.” — John Holmberg [19:58]
• On Doja Cat’s visual appeal:
  “She looks really good in this. Sometimes she looks crazy.” — John Holmberg [13:52]
• On Miley Cyrus’s singing:
  “Her voice … I can’t listen to that. That’s Marianne Faithfull’s lost me daughter.” — John Holmberg [16:00]

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|-------------------------------------------| | 02:00–02:44 | Silent Hill F discussion | | 03:02–05:54 | EA Sports FC 26 & NBA 2K26 banter | | 06:11–06:45 | The Lowdown (Hulu) intro | | 06:45–07:19 | Alice in Borderland S3 preview | | 07:19–07:50 | House of Guinness preview | | 07:50–09:06 | Tulsa King S3 debate | | 09:14–10:44 | One Battle After Another (DiCaprio movie) | | 11:16–11:59 | Darkness & Friends music review | | 12:09–13:00 | Rage music review | | 13:00–14:12 | Doja Cat “Jealous Type” reactions | | 14:35–15:32 | Corrosion of Conformity | | 15:32–16:26 | Miley Cyrus, Fleetwood Mac cover | | 16:26–17:11 | Mariah Carey “Dangerous” | | 17:11–18:32 | Dirty Honey (“Rocksteady”) & 70s revivals | | 18:32–20:13 | AI-generated “Don’t You Forget About Me” | | 20:13–21:23 | Country AI Song “Eat Me Like It’s the Last Supper” | | 21:31–23:36 | N Word or F Word w/ Poison Clan | | 24:32–24:36 | More Doja Cat love |

Additional Listener Tips

• Alice in Borderland can be watched with English dubs, not just subtitles.
• The AI-generated music segment is a highlight; both hosts are both impressed and amused by how close computer-generated music is getting to mainstream levels.

Overall Tone & Experience

True to the show's “entertain, question, and disturb” mission, the crew combines quick-fire reviews with relentless joking, occasional music geekery, and a heavy dose of sarcasm. The “hot releases” format is playfully chaotic, packed with pop-culture references and plenty of inside jokes.

Summary Takeaway:
If you’re looking for a freewheeling, heavily opinionated review of new entertainment releases—delivered with side jokes, deep music knowledge, and zero pretension—this episode is a prime example. The show’s blend of snark, skepticism, and genuine enthusiasm makes for a lively snapshot of the week in pop culture.