Holmberg’s Morning Sickness (98KUPD)
Episode Summary: 09-30-25 – Entertainment Drill, Zodiac vs. Halloween Movies & Robot Axl Rose
Date: September 30, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Michelle, Billy
Episode Overview
Today’s episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness is packed with the show’s signature sarcasm and off-the-cuff banter as the team dives into the Entertainment Drill. Highlights include an astrologer’s viral pairing of Zodiac signs and Halloween movies, hype over “Merc Mania” (Phoenix Mercury playoff fever), and the announcement of a bizarre new Axl Rose graphic novel character. The hosts sprinkle the segment with playful jabs, personal stories, and plenty of pop culture sarcasm, keeping the energy lively and irreverent.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. WNBA Playoffs: "Merc Mania"
- Segment: [01:54]–[04:29]
- The hosts riff on the city’s excitement over the Phoenix Mercury (“Merc Mania”) in the WNBA playoffs, joking about the city’s supposed devotion and crazed fans.
- John jokes about the chaos if the Merc lose:
“All the road rage is going to go through the roof. So you have to stop it. John. That's not funny, man.” — [04:04]
- Michelle: “I'm going to the viewing party tonight.” [03:30]
- Joking tone: The hype is mostly tongue-in-cheek, with the group lampooning both the “mania” and their own lack of detailed knowledge about playoff seeding.
2. Entertainment Drill – Zodiac Signs & Halloween Movies
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Segment: [05:04]–[06:48]
-
Michelle introduces a viral list pairing zodiac signs with Halloween movies:
- Leo? Halloweentown (Disney Channel) – “You're Halloween Town. The Disney Channel classic.” [05:33]
- John reacts playfully: “Want to watch that together? No, Leo's. We'll put lion costumes on.” [05:38]
- Scorpio? Halloween
- John: “They get Halloween because they're all bipolar.” [05:46]
- Aquarius? The Nightmare Before Christmas
- John appreciates the live performance by the Phoenix Symphony.
- Aries? Friday the 13th
- Gemini? Hocus Pocus
- Capricorn? The Addams Family
- Pisces? Casper (“the dead kid”)
- Cancer? It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – John: “That's one of my favorites.” [07:05]
- Leo? Halloweentown (Disney Channel) – “You're Halloween Town. The Disney Channel classic.” [05:33]
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John’s observation on 'Nightmare Before Christmas':
“Some people lose it over that. I think it’s good... it's more girl good than guy good. But when that symphony's playing live, man, was that cool.” [06:18]
3. Pop Culture Weirdness – Robot Axl Rose
- Segment: [07:08]–[08:08]
- Michelle brings in news of a graphic novel: “Axl Rose is a Half human, half robot in a new cyberpunk graphic novel series. It’s called ‘Axl Rose Appetite for Destruction.’” [07:08]
- John quips: “But he looks like Ma Fratelli now...” [07:18]
- Setting: “A neon drenched paradise city, where humans and robots are meant to coexist. Axel, the half mute, half human, half robot, lives on the fringes, finds solace in music.” [07:21–07:45]
- Michelle: “You can preorder it for 39.99.” [08:03]
- Hosts riff on the odd premise, lounges in alleys, and Axl’s robot stylings with characteristically dry humor.
4. Concert Anecdotes & "Serial Farter" on Tour
- Segment: [08:16]–[09:01]
- The hosts jump to personal tales, tying in a story where John worried about smelling at a ballgame.
- Michelle: “Haim is on tour... fans reported rancid air... now people are wondering if a serial farter is following them around on tour.” [08:44]
- John immediately jokes: “It's a Haim show. Have you seen those girls? Do they shave?” [09:01]
5. New TV Shows – “Chad Powers” and “On Brand with Jimmy F.”
- Segment: [09:07]–[10:43]
- Michelle plugs On Brand with Jimmy F. and the Chad Powers series.
- John’s skepticism of the Chad Powers TV idea (from Eli Manning’s viral bit), echoing the “Ted Lasso” origin story:
"It just seems stretchy. We'll see." [10:20]
- Discussion of actor Glenn Powell’s likability and filmography.
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On the WNBA playoff stir:
"That's the most exciting two words in women's sports: Game 5."
— John [02:22] -
On Zodiac movie matches:
“They get Halloween because they're all bipolar.”
— John (on Scorpios) [05:46] -
On live soundtrack performances:
“But when that symphony's playing live, man, was that cool. It was really neat to watch.”
— John [06:18] -
On the Axl Rose graphic novel:
“But he looks like Ma Fratelli now, it's not...”
— John [07:18] -
On the viral concert smell:
"Now people are wondering if a serial farter is following them around on tour."
— Michelle [08:52] -
Capping off the episode with classic HMS irreverence:
"Thank God it was an unemployed maid. Said no one ever."
— John [11:06]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Merc Mania / WNBA Playoff talk: [01:54] – [04:29]
- Entertainment Drill, Zodiac x Halloween movies: [05:04] – [06:48]
- Axl Rose Graphic Novel: [07:08] – [08:08]
- Concert Anecdotes & “Serial Farter” on Tour: [08:16] – [09:01]
- Chad Powers / New TV discussion: [09:07] – [10:43]
Tone & Style Recap
- Language: Casual, playful, teasing, sarcastic.
- Vibe: Irreverent, pop culture-savvy, sometimes self-deprecating.
Summary
This episode encapsulates what HMS fans love: snappy, funny pop culture chatter interwoven with local sports enthusiasm and inside jokes, all delivered with the crew’s trademark mock-seriousness. Notable highlights include the hilarious critique of Mercury “mania,” a zodiac-Halloween movie mashup, and a rundown of a cyberpunk Axl Rose. Fast-moving and snarky, the hour offers plenty for new and returning listeners eager for a pop culture fix with an Arizona twist.