Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Entertainment Drill (10-06-25)

Host: John Holmberg
Co-Hosts: Bret Vesely
Original Air Date: October 6, 2025
Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – 98KUPD

Episode Overview

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness dives into their signature blend of Arizona sports lamentations, classic banter, irreverent humor, and the day’s “Entertainment Drill.” John Holmberg and Bret Vesely, solo without Brady Bogen and Dick Toledo, riff on the fates of local teams (notably the Mercury and Cardinals), share celebrity birthdays and deaths, and inject asides about pop culture and daily absurdities. The episode maintains its loose, improvisational tone, marked by friendly jabs, local flavor, and ongoing in-jokes.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Sports Woes and Predictions

Timestamp: 00:56 – 04:33

• Mercury's Finals Struggles & Unlikely Comebacks

  • Holmberg revisits his earlier “Mercury tattoo bet,” escalating the stakes if the women’s team pulls off an unlikely comeback.
  • Quote: “There's no possible way these girls can win four in a row … It's not about the team winning four to five. It's the team losing four to five.” – John Holmberg (01:14)
  • They poke fun at women’s sports and the nature of thinking about wins vs. losses.

• Cardinals’ Catastrophic Losses & Hyphenated Last Names Theory

  • Holmberg gets philosophical (and tongue-in-cheek) about the Cardinals’ “tailspin,” blaming everything from fan choices to an abundance of players with hyphenated last names.
  • Quote: “Too many hyphenated players means too many confused players. They don't know who anybody in their family actually is or whatever … so they make dumb mistakes.” – John (03:01)
  • Predicts a maximum of three more wins for the beleaguered team and suggests fans take up mountain biking instead.

2. Entertainment Drill – Celebrity Birthdays, Pop Culture, and Laughs

Timestamp: 07:51 – 13:33

• National Transfer Money to Your Daughter Day

  • Lighthearted mention; ribbing Brady (in absentia) for inevitably sending money to his daughter Kirby.
  • “So it's all going to Kerb, right?” – Bret Vesely (08:00)

• Celebrity Birthdays & Their Roles

  • Elizabeth Shue (Karate Kid, Cocktail, Leaving Las Vegas): 62 years old
    • Both hosts recall her memorable roles and note her enduring popularity.
  • Tony Dungy: Turns 70; discussion drifts to his broadcast career.
  • Kevin Cronin (REO Speedwagon): 74
    • Mistakenly called a Steeler legend for comic effect.
  • Ellen Travolta: 86, known for “Charles in Charge” and possibly “Happy Days.”
    • Speculation about her various “mom” roles, particularly in Scott Baio’s career.
      • “She always played Scott Baio's mother. Charles in Charge. Chachi.” – John (09:38)

• Anna Kendrick in Scotland/Loch Ness Monster Bit

  • Anna Kendrick claims she “locked eyes with the Loch Ness monster.”
  • John, channeling a Scottish character (Thomas Wells), jokes about the absurdity:
    • “No, you didn't lock eyes with the great Nessie. What happened... you happened to be in daylight with one of those Scottish women. They all look like monsters to me.” – John as Thomas Wells (10:21)
  • Discussion about Scotland’s bizarre choice of the unicorn as its national animal (“delusional nut bags”).

3. This Day in History & Celebrity Deaths

Timestamp: 11:25 – 12:53

• Anniversaries
  • Michael Jordan’s first retirement from the NBA (32 years ago); jokes about his rumored gambling issues.
    • “Oh, the first time he quit for gambling.” – John (11:31)
  • Rush going on tour; introducing Annika Niles (drummer; brief speculation if she’s “hot”).
  • Notable deaths commemorated:
    • Eddie Van Halen and Ralphie May remembered (same date, different years).
    • “Thanks for ending that on that note, Bert. Jeez.” – John (12:54)

4. Staff and Episode Humor

Timestamp: 05:23 – 14:10

• Brief jokes about missing co-hosts (Brady and Toledo), with emails suggesting the show be renamed “The Jew Wop Show” due to the current lineup.
• Updates on Brady’s family college tour; typical locker-room humor about the Bogen road trip.
• Jokes continue about operating with a shorthanded staff and Brady’s post-surgery absence.
  • “The Jew op show, episode one, has finally come to an end.” – John (13:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“There's no possible way these girls can win four in a row … It's not about the team winning four to five. It's the team losing four to five.”
— John Holmberg (01:14)

“Too many hyphenated players means too many confused players. They don't know who anybody in their family actually is or whatever … so they make dumb mistakes.”
— John Holmberg (03:01)

“She always played Scott Baio's mother. Charles in Charge. Chachi.”
— John Holmberg (09:38)

“No, you didn't lock eyes with the great Nessie. What happened... you happened to be in daylight with one of those Scottish women. They all look like monsters to me.”
— John Holmberg as “Thomas Wells” (10:21)

“The Jew op show, episode one, has finally come to an end.”
— John Holmberg (13:34)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:56: Start of Sports Discussion, Mercury Tattoo Bet
• 03:01: Cardinals “Hyphenated Last Names” Theory
• 07:51: Entertainment Drill Kickoff
• 08:25: Elizabeth Shue 62nd Birthday
• 09:38: Ellen Travolta Birthday, “Scott Baio’s Mom” Roles
• 10:14: Anna Kendrick & Loch Ness Monster, Scotland Jokes
• 11:25: Michael Jordan’s First Retirement
• 12:36: Commemoration of Eddie Van Halen & Ralphie May Deaths
• 13:34: Show Wrap-Up, “Jew Op Show” Joke

Episode Tone & Style

• Irreverent, fast-paced, full of local references and inside jokes
• Characteristic barbs at local sports teams and celebrities
• Freestyle banter—no filter, freewheeling, occasionally edgy but always in good humor

Summary for the Uninitiated

If you've never listened to HMS, this episode is a prime example of their local sports lamentations, biting humor, and “guys hanging out” vibe. Holmberg and Bret toggle effortlessly between mourning (and mocking) the week in Arizona sports, ribbing each other about absent teammates, celebrating and poking fun at celebrity birthdays, and riffing on everything from the Loch Ness Monster to the real cause of Michael Jordan’s first “retirement.” The entertainment drill is less news, more riff, and the show’s comedic rhythm keeps everything moving—sometimes upstaged by their willingness to spiral into the absurd.