Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 09-25-25 – Lively DBacks Game For John When Friend Dropped 8 C*Bombs – Stinky Person At Game Reminds We Need To Tell People They Stink – Showtime Shane Emails In About His Stinky Date
Date: September 25, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Episode Overview

This episode is a classic, wild ride through John Holmberg’s baseball night gone awry, complete with a play-by-play of a friend’s epic “C word” faceoff, deep thoughts on the duty to tell friends when they smell, and the reading of a listener email from “Showtime Shane” about a stinky-but-hot date. The show peppers in personal anecdotes (from stinky coworkers to awkward firings), impromptu debates, and trademark irreverent banter—serving both Arizona sports fans and anyone craving morning mischief.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Wild Night at the Ballpark

• John recounts the Diamondbacks game:
  • Key moment: Game went to extra innings, but D-Backs blew it with the bases loaded, losing to the Dodgers.
    • “A great day for Dodger baseball because the Diamondbacks absolutely the bed in the extra innings... Walk away, losers.” – John (01:00)
  • Umpire frustrations: John speculates umpires are setting up the need for robot umps, connecting it to gambling and potential for new sponsorship revenue.
    • “They’re going to intentionally screw up so baseball can bring on the robots... It’s a revenue stream.” – John (02:55)
• Seating drama:
  • John’s friends join him in great seats; Tom’s son and a friend sneak into vacant seats, only to be called out by a tattling fan—triggering a huge escalation.
  • That tattling woman, proud of her cartoon sign, becomes the target of Tom’s repeated (eight!) “C bombs”—not common for his mild-mannered temperament.
    • “You dumb C word!” – Tom (Paraphrased, around 05:30)
    • “I think the count was eight C bombs. Now that’s strong. I like that word a lot... To throw eight of them is just…” – John (09:58)

2. Confrontation at the Game: The C Word Showdown

• Escalation:
  • The tattling woman, invested in her DIY “be vewy vewy quiet, we’re hunting RBIs” sign, confronts Tom about his language.
    • “‘Just say it again, I’m gonna get you kicked out for being an asshole.’” – Tattling fan (paraphrased, 06:00)
    • “He goes, ‘Cause she’s a C word.’ And I’m like, oh my God, this won’t end. So he went off on this lady. They’re going back and forth. I’m like, this is better than the game.” – John (06:25)
  • John and Brian enjoy the spectacle; Tom is surprisingly feisty, possibly defending his wife after a dig from the woman.
  • The woman’s sign makes the big screen multiple times—adding to her pride and “mayor of three rows” attitude.

3. Stinky People in Public: The Ballpark Edition

• Mystery smell disrupts John’s night:
  • “Somebody had dirty flip-flop feet... It was the smell, and it was permeating.” – John (11:30)
  • He spends innings paranoid, sniff-testing himself and suspects the smell could even be him.
    • “I spent the entire first five innings trying to figure out who it was and then wondering, is it me? Do I stink? I couldn’t stop smelling. All the person had to do is wiggle their toes.” – John (12:00)
  • Moral: Friends have a duty to tell friends when they stink (“You’re not a friend unless you tell them you stink day”).
    • “You’ve got to do something about that. A good friend will tell you that.” – John (13:10)

4. Listener Stories: More Stink, More Drama

• Showtime Shane’s email:
  • A self-proclaimed “rootinest, tootinest” dude, “Showtime Shane” bailed 20 minutes into a date because his beautiful companion reeked.
    • “I went on a date with a woman that was absolutely stunning. A nine out of ten. But she stunk so bad, I bailed after 20 minutes.” – Email from ‘Showtime Shane’ (33:56)
• The crew roast both Shane’s nickname and the stinky date, providing skit-like banter.
  • “Why, you’re just absolutely visually beautiful, but you smell like a poodle getting a perm in a sewer.” – John (34:09)
  • “You want to know why they call me Showtime?” – John as ‘Showtime Shane’ (36:41)

5. Office & Life Etiquette: When (and How) to Tell Someone They Smell

• Personal stories about workplace B.O. and intervention:
  • The hosts recall smelly coworkers and the dilemma of whether, how, and who should address the issue.
    • “Tell a friend they smell today and do it and just say, look, I’m a friend or I wouldn’t be doing this to you.” – John (19:13)
  • Discussion turns to stories of firing people over cleanliness/appearance—especially in restaurants and promotions jobs.
    • “You showed up smelling like ass. There’s a difference.” – John (29:00)
    • “I fired three people for not having clean aprons... We worked in a barbecue place.” – John (29:32)

6. Nickname Nonsense

• The episode pokes fun at adults who insist on silly nicknames:
  • “If you know anybody that starts—introduces themselves with ‘but you can call me—’ No, I’m gonna call you your name.” – John (38:33)
  • The hosts mock “Razor,” “Laser,” and “Showtime Shane” as grown men desperate to sound cool.
  • “You’re a middle-aged man. No one called you—You’re not on the razor’s edge of anything.” – John (34:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |:-------------:|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------| | 01:00 | “A great day for Dodger baseball because the Diamondbacks absolutely the bed in the extra innings.”| John | | 05:30 | “You dumb C word!” | Tom (via John)| | 06:25 | “Cause she’s a C word. And I’m like, oh my God, this won’t end. So he went off on this lady.” | John | | 09:58 | “I think the count was eight C bombs. Now that’s strong.” | John | | 12:00 | “I spent the entire first five innings trying to figure out who it was and then wondering, is it me? Do I stink?”| John | | 13:10 | “You’ve got to do something about that. A good friend will tell you that.” | John | | 19:13 | “Tell a friend they smell today and do it and just say, look, I’m a friend or I wouldn’t be doing this to you.” | John | | 29:00 | “You showed up smelling like ass. There’s a difference.” | John | | 34:09 | “Why, you’re just absolutely visually beautiful, but you smell like a poodle getting a perm in a sewer.” | John | | 34:40 | “You’re a middle-aged man. No one called you—You’re not on the razor’s edge of anything.” | John | | 38:33 | “If you know anybody that starts—introduces themselves with ‘but you can call me—’ No, I’m gonna call you your name.” | John |

Key Timestamps & Segments

• [01:00 – 04:00]: John breaks down the game and the beginnings of row drama
• [05:00 – 10:00]: The epic “C word” incident with Tom and tattling sign-lady
• [11:30 – 15:00]: The stinky stranger disrupts the ballpark experience; John’s obsession with self-checks
• [19:00 – 24:00]: Office stink stories and the ethics of firing for bad hygiene
• [33:30 – 36:30]: Listener email from “Showtime Shane” and resulting roast
• [38:00 – End]: Nickname gripes and poking fun at adults clinging to childish monikers

Episode Insights & Takeaways

• Game Day as Microcosm: One baseball night exposes all kinds of adult dysfunction—from entitlement and poor etiquette to passive-aggressive conflict and self-awareness challenges.
• The Real Friend Test: The team argues, with humor and frankness, that true friends (and colleagues) should have the guts to tell someone when they’re smelly or out of line.
• The Power of Nicknames: Ridiculous adult nicknames are universally skewered—being real, direct, and grown up is the better path.
• Hygiene & Accountability: Showing up clean is a basic sign of respect—if you violate it, expect to get called out (or even fired).
• Listener Engagement: Stories from fans like “Showtime Shane” keep the show relatable and interactive.

The episode is a raucous mix of public meltdowns, hygiene horror stories, and the ethics of honesty among adults—and, as always, plenty of laughs at human nature’s expense.