Holmberg's Morning Sickness 09-24-25 Episode Summary

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness (98KUPD)
Date: September 24, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the return of Jimmy Kimmel to late-night television following a recent controversy and monologue, with a critical look at his cultural impact and the handling of the situation by both Kimmel and ABC. The conversation shifts to sports, notably the surprising prowess of Diamondbacks' manager Torey Lovullo in the Wild Card hunt despite a depleted roster. The crew then dives into a lighthearted discussion of extravagant home kitchens—specifically, kitchens designed for kosher preparation—and riffs on religious rules and their cultural impact, bringing energetic humor and curiosity to each topic.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jimmy Kimmel’s Return and the Controversy

• Critical Reflection on Kimmel's Late-Night Legacy

  • John questions Kimmel’s place in late-night history, suggesting he never had a culturally significant moment.

    "It's been on for 23, 24 years. Name one moment... Name a moment everyone can go, 'oh yeah, that.'" (03:09)

• Kimmel’s Handling of the Monologue

  • The hosts react to Kimmel opening his return show with tears and an emotional appeal regarding the recent controversy about a joke he made on Charlie Kirk. John and the crew criticize Kimmel’s sincerity and wish he would have owned his joke and perhaps left ABC in protest.

    "Man, oh man, the crying and how now suddenly he's like, oh, my God, I can't believe I hurt someone's feelings. Like, no, you're a comedian. Sometimes you do step on toes. Own it." (05:21) — John

  • They express fatigue over the entire situation and the show’s reliance on political squabbles to stay relevant, joking that the best part of Jimmy’s show “is when it’s over.” (08:48)

  • Brady and John joke about how Kimmel's only memorable moments are when he's crying about political outcomes.

    "The only memorable moment for me was when Kimmel was crying after Kamala lost to Trump and asked what was going to happen to our nation. Yeah. His memorable moments are him sobbing." (09:33) — John

• On ABC’s Response and Broader Media Culture

  • There’s continued criticism of ABC for how they handled the FCC threat and for not backing their talent, as well as a call to just ignore the whole circus.

    "We’re back to an entire nation that... did not care at all that Jimmy Kimmel has a show until he almost blew up everything..." (06:05) — John

  • The hosts observe that Kimmel’s show is once again irrelevant and things are “back to normal.” (10:00, 40:41)

2. Diamondbacks & Torey Lovullo’s Unexpected Success

• Credit Where It's Due

  • John highlights the Arizona Diamondbacks’ persistence in the Wild Card hunt, crediting Torey Lovullo for extracting performance from a team that traded away nearly all top talent mid-season.

    “Tory Lavello might be the greatest manager of no talent ever. You give him some talent. He's not very good. You give him nothing. This dude can make magic.” (12:32) — John

• Lovullo’s Resourcefulness Compared to ‘Mom-Magic’

  • John likens Lovullo to a resourceful mom who can make a meal from bare cupboards, emphasizing his knack for doing much with little.

    “She had like a stick of butter, a tortilla shell, and maybe some eggs...she can make anything out of it. That’s Tory Lovella with baseball.” (13:08) — John

• Playoff Hopes and Historical Comparisons

  • The hosts marvel at the team's turnaround, comparing it to the 2003 Marlins but noting the DBacks did it after selling off, not buying players.

    “Has there ever been a team in history...who sold off everybody at the deadline and competed? …I can’t think of one...” (17:37) — John

  • They agree Lovullo deserves more widespread recognition.

    "...he needs something to say. Look what Tori Lavello did. He needs that credit in the world of sports..." (16:59) — John

3. Extravagant Kitchen Culture and Kosher Requirements

• Multiple Kitchens in a Home

  • John describes visiting Shane Orlando’s new home, amazed by its three (or more) kitchens and joking about what it signals about success.

    “There's three kitchens in the kitchen. It was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen... It was amazing.” (21:45) — John

  • The crew jokes about how having multiple kitchens is a new marker of “making it,” recalling family homes with party kitchens in the basement for social gatherings.

    "When somebody says that to you—say it's in the kitchen—and someone says which kitchen, you have made it. You have success." (23:05) — John

• Kosher Kitchens and Religious Observance

  • They speculate about the necessity for separate kosher kitchens, touching on Jewish laws around separating meat from dairy, and the requirements for manual (non-electric) kitchens for Sabbath observance.

    “What is that? That the other kitchen for Orthodox Jews is to make food that doesn't touch the Jew food...it remains kosher by not touching the dirty filthy goyum food.” (23:37) — John

• Wider Playful Critique of Religious Customs

  • The conversation expands into humorous but pointed reflections on the intricacies and loop-holes of religious practices—ranging from Sabbath-based home customizations to clothing rules—juxtaposing them with more lenient approaches in other faiths.

    "You got too many gods caring about your meals... but you gotta wear wool and worry about when your kitchen touches something..." (33:48) — John

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kimmel’s Impact:

  “Name one segment on his show that's like, oh, that's the best. He has made nothing. He's done zero and had no hold on us as a...But somehow or another, this has become like, I wonder what Jimmy Kimmel's gonna [say]. My God, no one has cared.” (03:16) — John

• On Lovullo's "Magic":

  “He takes average to bad and makes it palatable, and it turns them into winners. I’m rooting for the Diamondbacks to get into the playoffs because he needs that accolade.” (16:59) — John

• On Multiple Kitchens:

  “You have made it. You have success. Two kitchens is—or that’s a lot. Or you got that going on." (23:09) — John

• On Judaism and Kitchens:

  “If my God's mad, if my meat touches my milk...Should have gotten two kitchens.” (25:13) — John

• On Religion and Rules:

  “Give me a God that wants me in nice, comfortable clothes, none of these robes and heavy items.” (31:24) — John

Important Timestamps

• Jimmy Kimmel’s Show and Legacy – 02:10–10:00
• Kimmel’s Emotional Monologue – 05:21–09:43
• Comparison to Other Late Night Figures – 03:10–08:48
• Diamonbacks/MLB talk; Lovullo’s resourcefulness – 12:01–19:35
• Kitchen/House chat, Jewish culinary customs – 21:45–30:03
• Broader critique of religious rules – 24:33–33:48
• Stories about orthodox Jews and local observations – 25:41–37:45
• Return to Shane Orlando's house and kitchens – 38:22–40:42

Tone and Style

• The episode flows in the show's trademark style: a blend of irreverent humor, observational critique, and genuine local color. John leads thought-provoking, often sarcastic tirades, with Brady and Brett providing asides and anecdotes. While poking fun, the hosts maintain an undercurrent of curiosity and respect for different experiences—even as they challenge or lampoon them.

Summary in a Nutshell

• The HMS crew dissects Jimmy Kimmel's handling of his late-night return, critiquing the show, the network, and the larger media culture for manufacturing controversy and then trying to play victim. Moving to sports, they wholeheartedly praise Torey Lovullo’s unlikely management heroics with the Diamondbacks. The final chunk of the episode is a freewheeling, often hilarious discussion prompted by the extravagance of homes with multiple kitchens, which segues into a sharp, playful take on the complexities and oddities of religious practices around food and ritual.

Quotable Closing Thought:

“Give us a wake up song. We’ll scream it together. It’s 98 KUPD. Wake up.” (40:41) — John