10-24-25 - Entertainment Drill - FRI - New Springsteen Movie Is Out Now As We Wonder What It's About

Summary

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Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Entertainment Drill, FRI – New Springsteen Movie Is Out Now As We Wonder What It's About

Date: October 24, 2025
Podcast: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness (98KUPD, Arizona)
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

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Episode Overview

The main theme of this episode’s Entertainment Drill is a lively look at new and upcoming releases in pop culture, capped by a humorous and skeptical exploration of the new Bruce Springsteen movie centered on the making of "Nebraska." The hosts riff on Hollywood casting news, unique Halloween events, rock legends, and engage in classic banter, all delivered with their trademark irreverence and straight-shooting Arizona humor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Poltergeist” Kid and Halloween Treats

• Oliver Robbins (Robbie from Poltergeist):
  • Robbins, famous for his role as the son in "Poltergeist," will hand out candy at the actual house used in the film for Halloween in Simi Valley, CA (02:34–02:52).
  • The hosts riff on his infamous childhood looks:
    • “That kid's face was brutal.” – Corey (02:57)
    • Light-hearted debate about whether Robbins ever fixed his teeth and how he looks today.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “He looks like… if I were to try to draw Dave Portnoy, that’s what it would look like.” – Corey (03:59)

2. “Stranger Things” Finale Theater Release

• Season Finale Release:
  • The final episode will be screened in 350 North American theaters over New Year’s Eve/Day, simultaneous with its Netflix debut (04:26).
  • Hosts' Take:
    • Snarky remarks about the cast outgrowing their roles:
      • “You can watch a bunch of 30 year old 9th graders figure out the upside down.” – Corey (04:45)

3. Double Doses of “A Christmas Carol”

• Johnny Depp’s Casting:
  • Depp lands his first major post-trial role in Ebenezer, a new “Christmas Carol” adaptation directed by Ty West (05:14).
  • Simultaneously, Willem Dafoe will star as Scrooge in a separate adaptation from Robert Eggers (director of horror films like “The Witch” and the upcoming “Nosferatu”) (05:44–06:26).
  • Humor:
    • Banter on which actor makes a more fitting Scrooge—hosts favor Dafoe for “a more damning Ebenezer.”
    • Running joke about weird giggles and not addressing private jokes (06:01–06:20).

4. Springsteen’s New Movie – “Nebraska” Era

• Film Focus:
  • Contrary to rumors, it’s not a full biopic; it zooms in on Springsteen’s challenging 1981–82 period writing the album "Nebraska," amid struggles with depression and the pressure of following up “The River.” (06:36–07:19)
  • Host Debate:
    • The hosts grapple with the film’s focus and Bruce’s real-life legacy.
    • Skeptical but open:
      • “He was suicidal and depressed… in that regard it might be a different take on these types of biopic movies.” – Corey (07:07)
  • Dialog on Springsteen’s legend:
    • “Other than the Doors, he’s the most overrated performer in rock, period.” – Corey (08:13)
    • “What are you talking about, man? I’m the Boss!” – Caller, joking as Bruce (08:21)
    • “I just wrote a Bruce Spring Thing song.” – Corey, joking about the formula (08:49)
  • Song breakdown of "Nebraska" and “The River,” songs and release years (08:03–09:21).

5. Brief Obituaries

• Dave Ball (Soft Cell) and Ace Frehley stories:
  • Dave Ball of Soft Cell (“Tainted Love”) died on Wednesday (09:35–09:55).
  • Confusion about Ace Frehley (KISS) being “laid to rest”; clarification that it’s news from Eddie Trunk and three original KISS members at an event, not Frehley's funeral (09:56–10:23).

6. Wrap-up and Giveaways

• Post Entertainment Drill, show transitions to classic game and ticket giveaways, maintaining playful energy (10:29–11:04).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On “Poltergeist” Kid Lookalikes:
  “If I were to try to draw Dave Portnoy, that’s what it would look like.” – Corey (03:59)
• On “Stranger Things” Finale:
  “You can watch a bunch of 30 year old 9th graders figure out the upside down.” – Corey (04:45)
• On Bruce Springsteen:
  “Other than the Doors, he’s the most overrated performer in rock, period.” – Corey (08:13) “What are you talking about, man? I’m the Boss! I got everybody’s attention.” – Listener, impersonating Springsteen (08:21) “I just wrote a Bruce Spring Thing song.” – Corey (08:49)
• On Christmas Carol Casting:
  “I’d see the Defoe one over the Depp one. He’s a more damning Ebenezer.” – Corey (06:15)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• “Poltergeist” Cast Update: 02:34–04:15
• “Stranger Things” Finale News: 04:26–04:57
• Johnny Depp & Willem Dafoe as Scrooge: 05:14–06:26
• Springsteen Movie Discussion: 06:36–09:21
• Rock Obituaries: 09:35–10:23
• Giveaways & Wrap-up: 10:29–11:09

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Overall Tone & Style

The episode is fast-paced, sharp-tongued, and full of the playful ribbing and in-jokes fans expect. While the hosts sometimes segue into tangents about celebrity faces or the peculiarities of remakes and adaptations, their banter keeps entertainment news punchy and fun—even if you haven’t watched "Poltergeist" since the '80s or don’t know your Boss from your Born to Run.

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Transcript

[Brett Vesely]

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[Mo]

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[Brett Vesely]

Hey, it's Brett Vesely and I'm here with Byron from MMP Guns. Look, Byron, I have a friend wanting to sell some guns he inherited. What's the best way for him to do that?

[Byron]

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[Brett Vesely]

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[Byron]

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[Brett Vesely]

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[Mo]

You thought that was funny? You were laughing like a hyena when he said it.

[Corey]

What the hell is wrong with you? PD yeah, somebody put me down if I tried to see. My hair looks sick. Ah, it's. Look at that, it's 9:25 already. The word for 9:00 o' clock is stack. S, T A, C, K. Hop on that thing. Get yourself involved in this entire deal as we try to buy your love for a little while longer. And we keep doing this and you guys keep participating, we've got no problem with all of it.

[Caller/Listener]

Take it in the app. Get on it now.

[Corey]

Stack. It's time now for the entertainment drill. It's brought to you by our [e-mail] the home of tactical black self defense systems. And if you want to get out there and get in good shape, now's the time. Winter is.

[Caller/Listener]

Winter is coming.

[Corey]

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[Co-host/Guest]

The actor who played the the sun and poltergeist. Oliver Robbins, his name.

[Corey]

He played Tooth Kid Robbie. Feeling.

[Co-host/Guest]

Yeah.

[Corey]

Hated looking at his face.

[Co-host/Guest]

Well, if you live near Simi Valley, California, got a special treat this Halloween. He will be at the house.

[Corey]

Oh, no kidding.

[Co-host/Guest]

That the movie was filmed and handing out candy for Halloween.

[Corey]

Didn't he coach Duke for years? Or was. I'm pretty sure he turned into Mike Shashevsky. A little rat face boy. Yeah. Either that or Mike Shanahan. He was a Broncos coach. That kid's face was brutal.

[Co-host/Guest]

And if you want to.

[Corey]

Does he still have the big buck teeth today?

[Brett Vesely]

I haven't seen him.

[Corey]

What's his name?

[Co-host/Guest]

Robbie Freeling.

[Corey]

Freeling, like Fitz Freeling's son?

[Brett Vesely]

Well, what's his real name?

[Corey]

Robbie. Oh, that was it.

[Brett Vesely]

That was Robbie in the movie.

[Co-host/Guest]

Oh, no, I'm sorry.

[Corey]

Yeah. Oliver Robbins is right. You're right. I was gonna say. Wait a minute. That is. They were. He's the one who lived. Carol Ann died. And so did the other girl, Right? Karen, the older sister.

[Brett Vesely]

No, they all made it.

[Corey]

No, Carol, no, in the movie. Oh, in real life. Carol Ann died.

[Co-host/Guest]

Yeah.

[Corey]

The girls are dead. Robbie's. I would say that, with that being the information. First one I'm looking at is this Oliver kid. Did he get that big old set of buck teeth fixed? Yeah, that's much better. He's no longer punchable.

[Brett Vesely]

I know There's a kind of.

[Corey]

Ooh.

[Co-host/Guest]

Like a warped Dave Portnoy.

[Corey]

Yeah, he looks like. Yeah. If I were to try to draw Dave Portnoy, that's what it would look like. Or Mike Judge. He's still not as bad as he was when he was a kid. That was a. Well, I thought, you know, Spielberg always went for cute kids. Not in that one.

[Brett Vesely]

I think the clown's cuter.

[Corey]

Yeah, the clown chasing him out from the bed was better. That's a good horror movie. The first poltergeist still shot there. Yeah. Solid.

[Co-host/Guest]

The Stranger Things finale will be shown in select theaters after all, on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Oh, 350 theaters across the country and in Canada. Screenings will coincide with the global Netflix premiere.

[Corey]

So you can watch a bunch of 30 year old 9th graders figure out the upside down. It's taking a little long. Are you a fan, Corey? Thriller? No. I tried to. I did too. And first season was okay.

[Brett Vesely]

Second season I bailed on him.

[Corey]

I may have a problem because the reason I stopped watching is because that one kid's face. I think I may. I think I may have an issue with faces. There's some sort of a thing with mirrors. I don't punch mirrors. I should because I see my face and I know maybe I'm just mad at faces.

[Co-host/Guest]

Johnny Depp's landed his biggest gig since his legal battle battle with Amber Heard.

[Corey]

Oh yeah. Since the trial.

[Co-host/Guest]

He'll star in a new version of Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol.

[Corey]

Oh, he's Scrooge. He good casting.

[Co-host/Guest]

Be called Ebenezer. A Christmas Carol directed by Ty west, who did the horror trilogy X, Pearl and Maxine. It's Max. Triple X scene.

[Corey]

Got nothing.

[Co-host/Guest]

I don't know any of those either. But then there's a second version of Christmas Girl that's going to happen. Robert Eggers is one behind this one and he is cast.

[Corey]

Not. Not even close. What are you laughing at?

[Brett Vesely]

Nothing.

[Corey]

What's that?

[Brett Vesely]

Nothing.

[Corey]

Nothing. You keep moving or he'll start laughing again. You just keep going. Don't go back. No Willem Defoe. Oh, Dueling's. I'd see the Defoe one over the deaf one. He's a more damning Ebenezer.

[Co-host/Guest]

I know what he's giggling about.

[Corey]

I know. Yeah, don't. Just don't. Yeah, exactly. I just heard him.

[Brett Vesely]

Totally believable.

[Corey]

I heard him chuckle and I'm like.

[Co-host/Guest]

The guy behind it.

[Corey]

Don't.

[Co-host/Guest]

It did the Witch.

[Corey]

Yeah.

[Co-host/Guest]

The Lighthouse and Nosferatu.

[Corey]

No, didn't see the new Nosferatu. Watch the old 1920s one. The silent movie. It's interesting. It's not good.

[Co-host/Guest]

Big movie out this weekend. Springsteen.

[Corey]

Oh, great.

[Brett Vesely]

Where's the big movie?

[Corey]

Yeah. Oh, you know what though? People are going nuts about it. And the more I read about it because we said why would we want to see a movie about his life? It's not.

[Brett Vesely]

It's about an album here.

[Corey]

One year of his life while he was working on Nebraska, which was in 1981.

[Co-host/Guest]

Well, this says it's a movie about Bruce's struggles with the success he got after the River.

[Corey]

Yeah. And then he had to build Nebraska pushback.

[Co-host/Guest]

Yep. 1982 was 82. Nebraska.

[Corey]

I thought it was 80. Oh, so is it. So this is based probably in 1981 before Nebraska comes out. But he was suicidal and depressed. And so in that regard it might be a different take on these types of biopic movie.

[Co-host/Guest]

So there's the pressure of coming up with the second album.

[Brett Vesely]

Right.

[Corey]

Was the river first?

[Co-host/Guest]

Yeah.

[Corey]

Didn't that come out like 78? The river couldn't have been his first album.

[Co-host/Guest]

Those the biggest saying, the success he got after the River.

[Corey]

Yeah.

[Co-host/Guest]

And then he had a heavy professional push back. He got. It Got Dark.

[Corey]

Yeah.

[Caller/Listener]

I could barely count to four, man. One, two.

[Brett Vesely]

I don't remember a single song off.

[Corey]

Of off of Nebraska. It's because it's a personal thing for the fans and him. Yeah. There aren't.

[Brett Vesely]

I'm looking at the album Hungry Hearts.

[Corey]

Might be on that. That wasn't on that one.

[Brett Vesely]

Nebraska. Atlantic City, man.

[Corey]

Atlantic City got some action. Mansion on the Hill is actually not bad.

[Brett Vesely]

Johnny 99, highway patrolman, used car, state trooper, open all night.

[Corey]

Other than the Doors. Other than the Doors. He's the most overrated performer in rock, period.

[Caller/Listener]

What are you talking about, man? I'm the Boss. I got everybody's attention.

[Co-host/Guest]

He chimed in. The Boss did about Jeremy Allen White's performance. Said I. Yeah. I couldn't even tell the difference.

[Corey]

Yes, you could. That's dumb. Then you're an idiot. I don't even know.

[Caller/Listener]

Is that me?

[Corey]

Did I do that?

[Caller/Listener]

When did I film this?

[Corey]

It's not you, sir.

[Caller/Listener]

I can't tell you. I'm not a bright man working a part time job in a city that's closing. My daddy is mean.

[Corey]

I just wrote a Bruce Spring Thing song.

[Brett Vesely]

Nice. The river came out in 80. Nebraska was 82.

[Corey]

Okay. Then he had hits in the 70s though. The river was when it exploded.

[Brett Vesely]

Well, that has hungry heart on it.

[Byron]

Yeah.

[Corey]

But prior to that was Born to Run. And was that. Yeah, that was before the River.

[Caller/Listener]

I don't even know what albums I made were good. I just put a jean jacket. I'm just like you. I'm a guy who wears jean jackets and rides a motorbike.

[Brett Vesely]

I was 75.

[Corey]

Yeah. So Nebraska was his personal. Like that's his thing. So that's what this movie. So it's. Yeah, but I'm hearing it's good. I just don't like Bruce Springsteen that much. All right, hurry up. Ready?

[Co-host/Guest]

We have A celebrity death. Dave Ball, musician.

[Corey]

I don't know this one. You know what? Soft sell. Oh, well done. Did you two discuss that before?

[Co-host/Guest]

No.

[Corey]

You pulled soft sell out of your ass. I don't know how he probably. I know how. Nice play.

[Co-host/Guest]

He died on Wednesday.

[Corey]

Oh, okay. We just found out about it.

[Co-host/Guest]

And then Ace Freely was laid to rest on Wednesday as well. And all three of the original members were there.

[Corey]

They brought back the three quarters of Kiss.

[Co-host/Guest]

Yep.

[Corey]

And there was Paul and Peter.

[Co-host/Guest]

And then the info was shared by Eddie Trunk.

[Corey]

Eddie Trunk performed Ace Freely's release.

[Co-host/Guest]

He shared the info saying.

[Corey]

Oh, oh, he reported. Okay. All right. Easy enough. Well, there you go. That it?

[Co-host/Guest]

That's it.

[Corey]

All right. There it is. We got the Guadalupe Squares coming up in just moments. Thrillers in the room. That means we're about done. Five eight, five nine, eight hundred. We need a girl, we need a boy. We'll play the Guadalupe Squares. And I believe you have a day to remember. Or no, not a day to remember. Is it day to remember? You had those earlier. I think it was a day to remember. Corey, get on this. What do you got to give away?

[Co-host/Guest]

A day to remember.

[Corey]

I think that's right. Remember, it's the computer won't load Stretch. You've still got five more minutes to put stack in the promo code. Yeah, that's his nice stretch. Day to remember too. It's all that just to know what we were.

[Co-host/Guest]

Right.

[Corey]

There you go. So call us up 585-9-800, girl and a guy. And we'll play the squares next.

[Caller/Listener]

Arizona's most powerful, powerful rock radio station.

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