Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Detailed Episode Summary

Episode Date: September 30, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Theme: Humorous takes on current weird news stories, generational changes in work/life, and viral oddities.

Episode Overview

This episode is a classic blend of offbeat observational humor, news oddities, and irreverent banter fans expect from Holmberg’s Morning Sickness. The main topics include changing workplace attitudes about calling in sick, a supposed family member of Colonel Sanders leaking KFC's secret recipe, America’s steak preferences, and a bizarre crime story involving police who claim to have a drug-sniffing horse. Scattered throughout are playful debates, personal anecdotes, and the crew’s signature blend of skepticism and sarcasm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Animal Tricks & Pet Quirks

[01:54 – 03:23]

• John and Brady open with pet trick talk for “Pet Tricks Day.”
• John details his dog’s unusual “sweet greets” routine:

  “He spins around, like he knows right from left. ...Also, my dog Jack may be on the spectrum.” (John, 02:09)

• Brady notes his dog does the “paw shake” with both paws.
• John marvels at his dog's tendency to wash his paws before dinner, admitting “He's a weirdo.”

2. Basis Fun Facts: Diabetic Pee Whiskey & Mysterious Maps

[03:23 – 05:16]

• Brady’s odd-fact-of-the-day: Diabetic urine can be distilled into whiskey. John and the crew react with disbelief and mock horror.

  “We can drink diabetic pee and get drunk off of it.” (John, 03:35)

• Another fact: The fictitious “Mountains of Kong” persisted on African maps well into the late 20th century.

3. Pop Culture Tidbits

[05:03 – 05:31]

• Jim Carrey was once considered for the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, passing due to filming “Bruce Almighty.”

4. Survey: How Generations Use Car Time & Sick Day Attitudes

[05:31 – 09:47]

• Car Rides:
  • Gen Z (“Zoomers”) prefer silence during commutes or using the time to process their day.
  • Millennials focus on multitasking and planning.
  • Gen Xers still just “jam out to tunes.”
• Calling in Sick:
  • Pre-pandemic, showing up sick was a badge of honor; now, most prefer coworkers stay home if unwell.
  • Hilarious discussion on people who come to work sick but use sick days as extra holidays:

    “Why would I use sick days to actually be sick? If I’m calling in sick, it’s because I want to do something else.” (John, 08:38)

5. Quirky Human Interest Stories

[09:47 – 11:01]

• A Pensacola cook is lauded for saving a loyal customer—missing his daily gumbo was the tip-off that something was wrong.

  “He’s dead.” (Mock speculation, John, 10:31)

6. McDonald’s Monopoly Returns: Cheating Exposed

[11:01 – 15:56]

• McDonald’s reintroduces Monopoly; hosts riff on decades-old scandals where insiders rigged the big prizes, referencing HBO’s “McMillions.”
• Sidebar: Lively debate about what NFL teams would correspond to which Monopoly properties—lots of jabs at the Bengals and Browns as “Baltic and Mediterranean.”

7. The 'Colonel Sanders Nephew' KFC Leak Fiasco

[15:58 – 17:54]

• Viral claim: Colonel Sanders’ “nephew” is leaking the KFC recipe after being “blocked” for complaining about how the brand “sexualized” the Colonel.
• Disagreements over what qualifies as a “sexualized” Colonel (notably Reba McEntire in the Colonel getup).

  “I don’t find that was the sexiest I’ve ever found Reba McEntire... looks like a Jeff Dunham puppet.” (John, 17:54)

• The crew mocks the legitimacy and motivations of the supposed nephew.

8. State of Steak: America's Favorite Cuts

[18:15 – 19:49]

• Only four main steaks dominate American preferences: ribeye, sirloin, filet, NY strip.
• Over 90% of steak dinners are at casual chains, not “fancy” places like Outback and Texas Roadhouse.

  “Brady, your algorithm seems to be heavy food today.” (John, 18:36)

9. Police "Drug-Sniffing Horse" Story

[21:12 – 22:44]

• In Texas, a man bolts after believing a cop's claim that his horse can sniff drugs.

  “If I had drugs, I might run... later be the idiot on the news.” (John, 22:41)

• Jokes about the plausibility of horse-drug detection and legal “cop lies.”

10. Video and Viral Moments Recap

[24:37 – 33:20]

• A run-through of wild internet clips:
  • Electric shock mishaps, a football player leg break (Jalen Brown), motorcycle stunts gone wrong, and tree-cutting accidents (with graphic results).
  • Absurd stunts such as someone attempting to traverse a river with a motorcycle, and viral gross-out challenges.
  • Some questionable and NSFW humor about bodily functions and viral “challenges.”

11. Pop Culture Sidebars

[26:35 – 27:39]

• Jason Whitlock’s assertion that the upcoming halftime show is “demonic,” with unnecessary links to Charlie Kirk.

  “He said it’s demons and cross-dressing and indoctrination of children… Like, how weak are the parents of those kids?” (John, 27:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On using sick days strategically:

  “Why would I use sick days to actually be sick?... Those sick days, I use those for days I just want to do something else.” (John, 08:38)

• On the 'drug-sniffing horse':

  “If I came up and said, I can smell your period, you’d believe me, because you look at my nose… A horse’s nose, I’d run from that too.” (John, 22:38)

• Re: KFC's “sexualized” Colonel Sanders:

  “I don’t find that was the sexiest I’ve ever found Reba McEntire... she looks like a Jeff Dunham puppet with the perma-smile.” (John, 17:54)

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Time | Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:54 | Pet tricks and animal oddities | | 03:23 | Fun facts: diabetic urine whiskey, Mountains of Kong | | 05:31 | Car time: generational survey | | 07:00 | Changing attitudes on sick days, office strategies | | 09:47 | Pensacola cook saves missing customer | | 11:01 | McDonald’s Monopoly scam and NFL Monopoly banter | | 15:58 | ‘Nephew’ of Colonel Sanders leaks KFC recipe, sexualization debate | | 18:15 | State of steak: Top cuts, chain vs. fancy steak places | | 21:12 | Texas ‘drug-sniffing horse’ police story | | 24:37 | Viral video reviews: accidents, stunts, and absurdities | | 26:35 | Jason Whitlock’s “demonic” halftime show rant |

Summary Tone & Style

The episode is brash, irreverent, and a bit off-color, with hosts riffing on news and weird viral stories in their signature, rapid-fire, wisecracking style. The conversation is peppered with pop culture references, inside jokes, and a bit of old-school radio edginess, making for an engaging, if sometimes NSFW, listen.

Best for listeners who enjoy:

• Offbeat news stories
• Mocking office culture and generational quirks
• NFL and pop culture tangents
• Surprising viral videos
• Unfiltered, edgy humor