Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona

Episode: 10-08-25 - Having Bret Guess What The WNBA Finals Ratings Are And How Much Beef Is Consumed Worldwide Each Year
Date: October 8, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo, Byron

Overview

This lively episode centers on the crew’s trademark banter about pop culture, sports, and society, with focus points on the WNBA Finals' television ratings and the staggering amount of beef consumed worldwide each year. Interwoven are their characteristic comedic observations about intelligence, beauty, gender, and environmental issues, all laced with irreverent wit and friendly jabs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Beauty vs. Intelligence: Listener Stories

• A listener, Devin, is congratulated on marrying a "smoke show" (exceptionally attractive woman), but the crew discusses how beauty sometimes overshadows a lack of knowledge ("Is The Martian based on a true story?").
  • John jokes, “I have proof... this is a moment where Brett is going to say broads when the story's over.” (02:07)
  • They riff on the idea that “the hotter you are, the dumber you can get away with being,” citing another anecdote about a woman asking who won the Civil War.
    • John: “You have to be so hot to have that explained to you.” (04:19)
    • Byron: “Like, if Margot Robbie said, I’d be like, oh, let me explain.” (04:33)

2. The WNBA Finals: Popularity and Public Perception

• The crew discusses the Phoenix Mercury’s WNBA Finals, poking fun at the league’s inability to draw significant attention compared to other sports.
  • John notes the best-ever WNBA Finals viewership was 1.9 million, but recent games dropped to under 400,000. (07:23–07:59)
    • Byron guessed, “Let’s go 200,000,” leading John to retort, “Brett, we have more than that.” (07:27)
  • They reflect on how WNBA Finals moved to a seven-game format and joke, “Now they’re trying to make them not care seven times.” (08:11)
• Byron brings humor to ticket prices: “$6,382 for courtside seats.” (11:54), with the crew incredulous at the cost.
  • John: “No one can believe someone’s trying to get six grand for tickets. Front row, you get hit by a dildo. I don’t want to sit in the front row.” (13:10)

3. Pride Parade Banter & Weather

• The idea is floated to combine the Mercury victory parade with the Pride Parade since both need attendees, and October’s better weather draws out participation.
  • John: “It’s only pride by convenience with weather concerns. You know how expensive those feather boas are?” (06:04)
  • Jokes ensue about rain impacting parades: “Nobody wants to parade in the dirt and mud.” (06:30)

4. Massive Global Beef Consumption & Environmental Impact

• John brings up a statistic claiming 350 million tons of meat consumed globally every year, sparking awe and confusion over the math.
  • John: “That’s billions of pounds of meat... If you were to take all the farms for meat, it would cover Alaska or Africa.” (09:38)
  • They calculate: 350 million tons x 2,000 lbs/ton = 700 billion pounds of meat. (10:37)
    • Brady: “Now take out Brady’s portion and then find out.” (11:19)
    • John jokes about Brady’s diet change impacting the beef industry: “Brady’s not allowed to eat what he used to eat because of this kidney problem. That was like, when my friend Kevin died... core’s stock dropped.” (11:23–11:49)
  • John satirically suggests to listeners:“Sit at a stoplight, put your car in park, and rev the engine a lot. Just gas it for no reason.” (10:26)

5. Ticket Price Ridiculousness

• They review jaw-dropping ticket prices for WNBA games, mocking the market and suggesting pooling $150 for a luxury suite.
  • Byron: “These tickets are in high demand and viewed by 198 people in the past hour. That's what it says. Act fast.” (12:48)
  • John: “They're looking at them because... Can you believe this? Come here, look at this... Front row, you get hit by a dildo.” (12:54–13:10)

6. WNBA Scheduling

• The group pokes at the league's scheduling, questioning why players need multiple days to recover between short games:
  • Brady: “It took them three days to travel and recover from Las Vegas to Phoenix?” (13:17)
  • John: “One travel day, one rest day, and now it’s game day. And they’re short 40-minute games.” (13:27)

7. Recurring Segments & Rock Wars Tease

• The episode wraps up with a tease for their usual "Rock Wars" competition—a recurring musical debate segment.
  • John: “Let’s be honest, it [Rock Wars] almost always is mano a mano.” (14:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On WNBA ratings:
  • John: “Let me ask you this... What do you think the highest rated WNBA game championship game has ever been?” (07:10)
  • Byron: “Let’s go 200,000.” (07:23)
  • John: “Oh my God. What? Brett, we have more than that... 1.9 million people tuned in. Those are skewed... That was an estimate.” (07:27–07:42)
• On meat consumption & earth’s future:
  • John: “That’s billions of pounds of meat. If you were to take all the farms for meat, it would cover Alaska or Africa... That’s why our planet’s in trouble, not your SUV.” (09:38–10:06)
  • John, satirizing environmental fatalism: “Sit at a stoplight, put your car in park, and rev the engine a lot. Just gas it for no reason.” (10:26)
• On Pride Parade logistics and attendee priorities:
  • John: “Again, gays only are prideful marching when the weather is convenient... You know how expensive those feather boas are?” (06:04–06:30)
• On the Mercury game and ticket prices:
  • Byron: “$6,382 for courtside seats.” (11:54)
  • John: “No one can believe someone’s trying to get six grand for tickets. Front row, you get hit by a dildo.” (13:10)
• Beauty vs. Intelligence:
  • John: “You have to be so hot to have that explained to you.” (04:19)
  • Byron: “Like, if Margot Robbie said...” (04:33)
• On WNBA scheduling:
  • Brady: “It took them three days to travel and recover...?” (13:17)

Noteworthy Segments & Timestamps

• Listener Email/Beauty & Intelligence Banter: 02:07–04:33
• WNBA Finals Ratings & Public Perception: 07:10–08:11
• Global Meat Consumption Discussion: 09:19–11:23
• WNBA Ticket Price Satire: 11:54–13:10
• WNBA Finals Scheduling Jokes: 13:17–13:27
• "Rock Wars" Segment Tease: 14:07–14:28

Summary

The episode is a raucous and quick-witted mix of sports commentary, offbeat social critique, and playful teasing between radio hosts. Whether skewering the WNBA's struggle for attention, marveling at human carnivory, or joking about beauty letting people off the intellectual hook, Holmberg and crew keep the pace brisk and the laughs rolling. Listeners come away amused, informed, and maybe, just maybe, a bit more skeptical of $6,000 basketball tickets and the “real price” of our filet mignon habits.