Podcast Summary: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness — October 8, 2025

Episode: “Dolly Parton's Family Calls For Prayers, William Shatner Calls, and Amazon Removes Guns from James Bond Posters”

Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode, John Holmberg and the HMS crew (Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo) blend humor, cultural commentary, and irreverent takes on trending stories. The main topics:

• Dolly Parton’s health scare and legacy (particularly her impact on American pop culture)
• John’s phone call with William Shatner
• Amazon’s controversial decision to remove guns from James Bond movie posters, sparking a passionate rant about “editing history” and modern cultural optics

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dolly Parton’s Health Scare & Cultural Legacy

(Starts ~02:12)

• Dolly Parton’s family has called for prayers for her health, raising concern among the hosts about her wellbeing (even though it was reportedly just kidney stones).
  • John explains that when “hillfolk” (Appalachian/mountain folk) ask for prayers, “something’s bad… regular folks say it flippantly, hillfolk mean it.” ([02:12])
• Speculation and jokes about Dolly Parton’s iconic traits—especially her famous breast implants—prompt a discussion about a fitting tribute:
  • John: “Do you think now… it’d be appropriate… when Dolly goes, to take her implants out and put them in her display at the Hall of Fame?” ([03:19])
  • Hosts argue Dolly’s “clown cans” (humor for large implants) are as much a part of American culture as her music.
  • Suggests they belong in the Smithsonian alongside other pop culture artifacts: “Mr. Rogers’ sweater is in the Smithsonian… those cans need to be there for all of America to remember and enjoy.” ([09:36])
  • John credits Dolly as a “trailblazer” for what would become an entire era of plastic surgery and body mod trends—a forerunner to the Kardashian “big ass” phenomenon.
  • “Dolly Parton was the original [Kardashian]. She went extreme trailblazer… with plastic surgery before anyone else.” ([07:07])

Notable Quotes on Dolly Parton:

• John: “I don't know that, prior to Dolly Parton, clown boobs were a thing unless they were natural. She’s the first Kardashian…” ([06:56])
• John: “You gotta remember, Dolly’s old. And when hill people start talking about wizard help, things are bad.” ([05:02])
• Brady: “She never strapped ‘em down, never put ‘em in that sports pocket—smashed ‘em in.” ([04:47])
• Brady: “All men should rejoice. I mean, we really do [owe thanks to Dolly].” ([07:52])

Family Statement & Listener Responses

• Listeners and Dolly’s sister Frida clarify on social media: She’s not dying, just has kidney stones.
  • John is skeptical, arguing if “prayer requests” go public via TMZ, it sounds worse than kidney stones. ([07:56], [12:35])
  • “…I know what hill folk do. Wizard requests mean [something’s] closer than we wanted it to be.” ([13:45])

2. John’s Surprise Call from William Shatner

(Starts ~15:04)

• John received a direct call from William Shatner, arranging for John to again moderate a Q&A at a “Wrath of Khan” screening, as he did years earlier.
  • Shatner, now 94, didn’t remember the previous event at first but later “remembered”: “You were great. I wanted you back.” ([15:52])
• The crew riffs on the awkwardness of cold calling celebrities live on air, referencing John’s infamous previous call to Burt Reynolds, who was furious and threatened legal action. ([16:25])
• Discussion of aging pop culture figures: “I’m friends with really old celebrities now.” ([16:28])
• Shatner stories: His perspective has changed, especially since he has been to space and almost died twice.
  • “He just has a moderator there. My job is to kind of ask questions… and prompt his next story.” ([19:10])
• Lighthearted banter about who’s still alive from Star Trek and Wrath of Khan casts.
  • “Everybody's dead from the Star Trek movies except still alive, George Takei… that's what a healthy sex life will get you, Brett.” ([20:48])

Notable Quotes on Shatner:

• John: “Technically, I have William Shatner’s phone number. I don’t want to abuse that.” ([16:10])
• John: “Burt Reynolds wanted to kill me… I thought for sure lawyers and everything else were going to show up.” ([16:43])

3. Amazon Removes Guns from James Bond Posters — Rant

(Starts ~21:12)

• News: Amazon has edited digital versions of classic James Bond movie posters, removing the iconic images of guns.
  • “If you don't know— all the old James Bond movies? Classic. The gun is part of the pose… They’ve taken the gun out of all of the posters...” ([21:15])
• The crew rants at length about the futility and hypocrisy of such “surface level, optics-driven” changes.
  • John questions if there is any real evidence that removing images of guns from movie art reduces violence in society.
    • “Is there any research to prove this…? Because if it was a thing that created violence, wouldn't it have done it then?” ([23:09])
  • Compares to other examples: Spielberg’s edit of E.T. to remove guns for walkie-talkies, and AI in China editing out gay scenes from movies.
• Jokes about slippery slopes: If you remove guns, do you have to remove Bond’s “banging broads” (womanizing)? Will Bond names like “Pussy Galore” or “Plenty O’Toole” also be censored?
  • “Next thing you know, they’re gonna edit The Godfather—show Marco Corleone grabbing a walkie talkie from behind the toilet.” ([32:15])
  • “You can't have Love Gun anymore. It would have to be called Jew Crank.” (parody, [38:07])
• The hosts assert it’s parental responsibility, not Hollywood optics, that shape kids' attitudes.
  • “If your kids are that fragile, it’s your fault. Keep a better eye on them.” ([35:24])
  • “Raise your damn kids!” ([33:13])

Notable Quotes on Bond & Poster Edits:

• John: “It’s like going back and painting art differently…” ([27:49])
• John: “It’s all for a show—so they seem like… ‘we’re doing something for your kids.’” ([30:33])
• Brady: “What are the Ghostbusters gonna kill ghosts with now?” ([35:31])
• John: “Your kids are violent because your kids are violent. That’s all.” ([34:46])
• John: “You bought the franchise from the 70s. It is what it is. … Disarming James Bond… you start thinking… if Bond can't have a gun and he's a hero, then you can start saying, well, anyone with a gun is bad.” ([24:37])

Memorable Moments:

• Extended riff about revising movie posters, including hypothetical “thumbs-up” Rambo posters and Pulp Fiction edits with dildos instead of guns. ([37:01], [41:55]*)
• John improvises a parody of Kiss’s “Love Gun” retitled “Jew Crank” to fit modern sensitivities, with Gene Simmons “appearing” in a mock impression. ([38:07])

Important Segment Timestamps

• Dolly Parton health, legacy & memorializing her “clown cans”: 02:12 – 14:50
• John’s story: Call from William Shatner and celebrity phone faux pas: 15:04 – 20:48
• News & rant: Amazon removes guns from Bond posters: 21:12 – 37:35
• Bond girls’ names, pop culture editing, and wider Hollywood satire: 27:49 – 37:35
• Parody songs (“Jew Crank”), joking about more edits and Pulp Fiction poster parody: 38:07 – 41:59

Notable Quotes & Attributions

• “She led with those [boobs]…then she’d blow you away with singing.”
  — John Holmberg (04:10)

• “I think we should start the movement now…that we put those breasts in the…Smithsonian.”
  — John Holmberg (06:16)

• “[Amazon] bought the franchise because it was brilliant for what it was. It wasn’t because you were going to monkey with it.”
  — John Holmberg (24:37)

• “To take the gun out of the poster does absolutely nothing… you had a lunatic on your hands if your kid was gonna shoot somebody because of the poster of a 1977 Bond movie.”
  — John Holmberg (28:32)

• “Your kids are violent because your kids are violent. That’s all.”
  — John Holmberg (34:46)

Overall Tone & Style

• Highly irreverent, rapid-fire, sarcastic and self-aware humor
• Candid pop culture analysis, equal parts nostalgic and critical
• Frequent humorous exaggerations, playful vulgarity, and self-deprecating asides

For Listeners New and Old

This episode is a signature blend of the HMS crew’s humor, pop culture skewering, and uniquely Arizonan radio banter—melding concern for icons like Dolly Parton with biting takes on modern “optics” and the sometimes-absurd lengths companies will go to manage public sensitivity. If you want classic, slightly edgy morning radio with a sharp cultural eye, this is a lively (and quotable) example.