Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 10-29-25 – Scientists Tracking New Asteroid "31 Atlas" (aka 3I Atlas) / Elijah Wood at LOTR Wedding

Date: October 29, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, Dick Toledo
Theme:
A lively, comedic take on current news and pop culture: the team unpacks the mystery of asteroid "31 Atlas" (possibly alien!), muses about what it would take to unite humanity (spoiler: aliens), and riffs on Elijah Wood's surprise appearance at a Lord of the Rings-themed wedding—while poking fun at fandom, relationships, and their own lives.

Main Topics & Key Discussion Points

1. The Mystery of "31 Atlas"/"3I Atlas"

What is 31 Atlas? (03:02–11:00)

• Background: The hosts discuss a new asteroid/comet, dubbed 31 Atlas (corrected later as 3I Atlas), that has generated excitement and speculation among scientists and the public.

  • John had heard about it from a friend, Dr. Jeff, and from listener emails.
  • NASA and experts are uncertain if it’s a natural object, spacecraft, or even a "message in a bottle" artifact.
  • Some scientists theorize it could be an alien probe.

• Strange Movement:

  • The object has changed trajectory a few times and doesn’t follow known orbital patterns. (05:00–06:00)
  • Theoretical physicists suggest it could make an intentional course correction, indicating it’s not just a rock in space.

The Hope (and Fear) of Contact (07:00–11:00)

• Hosts’ Takes:

  • John roots for a course change and possible alien encounter to "shake things up" and unite humanity.
    • Quote: “Let’s be honest with ourselves… Everything stupid would stop. All this nonsense would end. We’d be like, ‘We got a huge fish to fry and it’s coming towards us!’” – John, (08:46)
  • Brady shares the nerdy space details, like the term "perihelion"—the object’s closest approach to the sun.

• Pop Culture References:

  • John and team reference "Independence Day" and "Mars Attacks," imagining a global response to a real alien arrival.

• Philosophical Angle

  • Humanity is so divided; only an external existential threat might bring us together.
    • “The only thing that will unite humanity is a threat from somewhere else, from off the planet.” – John, (08:06)
  • John is oddly excited for possible apocalypse scenarios, seeing them as "awesome and uniting."

Scientific and Skeptical View (15:30–18:00)

• Origin:

  • 31 Atlas appeared suddenly in a well-monitored part of space, perplexing astronomers (15:00).
  • It's only the third such interstellar object tracked (“It’s only the third one we’ve ever seen.” – Brady, 15:39).

• Disappearance:

  • The object disappeared from view for a month as it looped around the sun, and its trajectory won’t be confirmed until it emerges at Christmas.

Conspiracy and Satire (19:13–22:00)

• Listener Emails:
  • Some speculate 31 Atlas is media-driven "fake news fear porn" to manufacture global unity (19:20).
  • John riffs on the idea that aliens or apocalypse could replace religion as the opiate for the masses.

2. Life, Death, and Watching for Something Big (13:36–18:00)

• John’s Dream:

  • At 53, John reflects on how much longer his "movie" (life) will run, and how he wishes for a dramatic, history-making event to experience—for excitement and meaning.
    • Quote: “I would like that kind of altering moment… I’d like something to happen that makes it awesome.” (13:36)

• Personal Stories:

  • John shares a touching listener tribute to a beloved pit bull, Ellie, who’d just passed—reminding listeners to consider adopting rescue dogs (02:30–03:00).

3. Lord of the Rings Weddings and Fandom Soulmates (27:25–38:00)

Elijah Wood Wedding Crash (27:25–29:39)

• News Item: Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins) crashed a Lord of the Rings-themed wedding in New Zealand, delighting the bride and groom.
  • The team jokes about Elijah’s “theater trot” run and uncanny resemblance to Katy Perry.

The "Perfect Match" Theory (29:09–38:00)

• Nerd Weddings as Relationship Litmus Test:

  • If you find a partner who’ll plan a themed LOTR wedding with you, “you will never find anyone else. You are perfectly matched.” (John, 30:12)
    • Quote: “That is the only time I’ve ever said there’s no chance of divorce.” – John, (30:20)

• Personal Anecdotes:

  • Brett DJed a themed wedding with stick-horses and wizard hats (32:07).
  • Arguments about which wedding themes guarantee eternal commitment—LOTR, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Disney, Renaissance Faires, etc.

• Comic Riffs on Fandoms & Stereotypes:

  • Jokes about fan couples aging together (“She’s 600 lbs, he’s 500, they don’t care, they’re never going to find another one like that.” – John, 37:37).

• Satirical Take on Race in Fantasy:

  • John riffs that Lord of the Rings is a “racist” fantasy world (“That’s the other side of this wedding… two massive racists getting married there, because they want to live in a world with just nothing but tiny whites.” 39:32–40:19), launching into a parody of “Lords in the Hood” and clowning on racial casting.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• John (on alien threat, hope, and human unity):
  “I root for and hope that 31 Atlas makes a right. Oh, it would be incredible… Our focus would just… Everything stupid would stop. All this nonsense would end. All this, you know, Trump’s dance and the left and the right and the Middle East and all this crazy things that we fight. It would just end. We’d be like, we got a huge fish to fry and it’s coming towards us. We don’t know what it is. I root for this so badly because I think it can fix us. That’s the cure. That’s my Pollyanna view…” (08:46)

• Philosophy on Humanity’s Drama:
  “People who say life is short aren’t paying attention. It’s a long haul. You get a lot of time on this planet. If you’re lucky, you get a lot of time.” – John, (13:36)

• On Fandom Marriages:
  “If you find a girl who plans a Lord of the Rings wedding and you’re like, yup, you are never going to find anyone else. You are perfectly matched. That is the most matched you can be, because you’ll never look at that person again and say, ‘I’ll just find another one of you.’” – John, (30:12)

• Joke on Race and Fantasy:
  “I don’t think she’s going to be interested in that guy… because Lord of the Rings, I don’t think there were any black people. I think that’s the other side of this wedding – two massive racists getting married there because they want to live in a world with just nothing but tiny whites.” (39:32)

Important Timestamps

• 03:02–11:00 – Deep dive into the 31 Atlas asteroid: speculation, pop culture references, and wishful thinking.
• 13:36–18:00 – John’s philosophical take on long life, personal stories about meaningful experiences, and reflections on legacy.
• 27:25–29:39 – Elijah Wood crashes Lord of the Rings wedding; banter about his run and doppelgängers.
• 29:09–38:00 – Discussion and stories about themed weddings, nerd relationships, and hypothetical perfect matches.
• 39:32–41:59 – Comic digression about race in Lord of the Rings and imagined "Lords in the Hood" parody.

Tone and Style

• Casual, irreverent, sharply comedic.
• Hosts riff and roast each other and pop culture, mixing genuine curiosity (about science and humanity’s future) with satire, edgy jokes, and personal stories.
• The banter flows naturally, jumping from serious reflections to over-the-top comedy and back.

Summary

This episode balances sincere curiosity about the cosmos (what is 31 Atlas/3I Atlas?!) with classic HMS irreverence and intelligent foolishness. The hosts muse on whether only literal aliens could unite our divided species, share personal and poignant stories about life and loss, and dive deep into fandom wondering—if you and your partner are nerdy enough for a themed Lord of the Rings wedding, are you soulmates for life? The show is a rapid-fire blend of news, speculation, crude observations, and pop culture lampooning—a wild ride, even if you missed the broadcast.