Episode Overview

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness (98KUPD, Arizona)
Date: November 5, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, Dick Toledo

Main Theme:
The episode is a lively and irreverent morning show romp through current oddities, American suburban life trivia, holiday trends, internet memes, personal anecdotes, and the harsh realities of living with someone with opposing political beliefs. The crew covers everything from weird full moon water rituals and how prevalent HOAs are in America, to Thanksgiving seating drama, the “Red Scare” at home, city name trivia, and the never-ending cycle of ridiculous viral news.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

HOA Communities in America (04:00)

• John shares a fun fact: 30% of Americans (over 75 million people) live in some 369,000 Homeowner’s Association (HOA) communities, with Vermont and Florida having the highest rates and Mississippi and West Virginia the lowest.
  • "They handle it themselves by going over your house going, 'How come you keep mowing this grass? You make me look bad.'" – Brady (04:29)
• The crew satirizes regional stereotypes about non-HOA areas, joking about lawns full of cars and weeds and the concept of 'one bird bath.'

Ubiquity of City Names (08:01)

• John notes that "Riverside" is a city name in 46 out of 50 states; Springfield is next most common.
• The team tries to pin down the obscure location of Riverside, Arizona, with the help of on-air Zillow browsing and map searches.
  • "Riverside, Arizona... How about that?" – Brady (10:20)
  • "Population 88." – John (10:14)

Absurd Real Estate Gameshow (10:58)

• Brett finds Riverside properties on Zillow; the crew riffs on the shoddy conditions and bleak prospects ("Needs an upgrade... there's the punishment dungeon.")—anchored in their signature mockery.

The 'Moon Water' Trend (14:26)

• The hosts introduce the viral wellness fad: setting water outside under a full moon to "charge" it with lunar energy.
  • "Oh my God." – Brady (15:02)
  • "Dumb broads." – Brett Vesely (15:08)
• John and Brady mock the pseudoscience, linking it to emotional breakup recovery and new-age nonsense, and riffing about moon soda and 'moon pools.'
  • "Some of these chicks can't take a breakup, man. They go nuts. They start doing yoga out of the blue. They start putting their water outside so the moon can charge it. They're bananas, bro." – Brady (16:41)

Psychic Wedding Advice (17:51)

• The gang reacts to a story about a bride who, two weeks before her wedding, cut the guest list in half based on a psychic’s warning not to have over 80 guests to ensure marital success.
  • "You're insane. Eventually, he's going to see it." – Brady (18:31)
  • "The fact that she's seeing a psychic before her wedding means that this won't last. You can't run." – Brady (20:38)
• John: "You wouldn't come up with an energy compatibility chart that this psychic did." (20:17)

Thanksgiving Drama & "Red Scare" at Home (22:21, 23:16)

• Toledo shares that his wife is suddenly obsessed with left-leaning politics, particularly a "Mom Donnie" (presumed a reference to a progressive or socialist candidate), causing household and holiday tension:
  • "You've got a communist in your house. You've got the red scare living right next to me." – Brady (23:48)
  • "I never thought I'd know anybody who did it, but he married a communist." – Brady (29:35)
• Hilarious banter ensues about dealing with a politically divergent partner, 'Red Scare' jokes, and the hypothetical social perils of becoming "the husband of the Red Scare."
  • "You're married to the Red Scare, for Christ's sake. She's a Mom Donnie [supporter]. She's going to wreck every Thanksgiving from here on out." – John (24:17)
• Brady's advice: "Would you rather be poor or live with the Red Scare? I think poor is the answer. I'm scared of the Red Scare." (29:14)

Food Trends & Odd Pairings (26:03)

• Kraft releases an apple pie–flavored mac and cheese; the hosts discuss the odd American tradition of putting cheese on apple pie.
  • "Some people put a slice of cheese on apple pie… I've never done it, but just putting it in my brain." – Brady (26:20)
• Taco Bell's glowing blue Baja Blast key lime pie for Thanksgiving—a discussion of “poor people food,” processed cheese, and curiosity about government cheese.
  • "If government cheese was Velveeta slices, I would apply." – John (30:32)

Viral Videos Segment (31:35, 43:01)

• Traditional “radio videos” segment covers wild bullfighting mishaps, grotesque dental removals, mishaps involving mopeds, street fights (often with a twist, e.g., fighting with pants down), and bizarre public sexual antics (gear-shift escapades, lint roller misuse).
• Most of this segment is crude, gross, but delivered with trademark HMS schadenfreude and irony.

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

1. On HOAs & Regional Stereotypes:

• "What do you think you are, Mr. Masters, you building a golf course in your front yard? …Knock it off with the mowing. It's keeping me up in the daytime." – John (04:37)

2. On the “Moon Water” Fad:

• "Dumb broads." – Brett Vesely (15:08)
• "It's not sun tea. Moon water day. Knock it off." – Brady (15:52)
• "No man has ever told another man… take a bottle of water and let the next full moon… charge it up… and then you start drinking it, the magic wizard dust will get inside." – Brady (19:55)

3. On Psychic Wedding Guest-lists:

• "You're insane. Eventually, he's going to see it." – Brady (18:31)
• "Your marriage is going to fail. You're insane. Eventually, he's going to see it." – Brady (18:31)
• "You can't have over 75 people because the alignment with the vibrational frequency would get cut." – John (20:23)

4. On Household Political Schisms:

• "You've got a communist in your house. You've got the red scare living right next to me." – Brady (23:48)
• "I don't know if she still has periods, but she's got the red scare, my friend." – Brady (23:56)
• "Well, a real man wouldn't allow his wife to become a communist. That is a great phrase, by the way… 25 years it took me to come up with the greatest phrase." – Brady (34:50)

5. Thanksgiving, Red Scare, and Cheese:

• "Would you rather be poor or live with the Red Scare? I think poor is the answer." – Brady (29:14)
• "If government cheese was Velveeta slices, I would apply." – John (30:32)

6. On Ridiculous Food Product Innovation:

• "Kraft... that might be okay. Some people put a slice of cheese on apple pie…" – Brady (26:19)

Notable Segment Timestamps

• HOA & Regional Stereotypes – 04:00 to 07:30
• City Names & Riverside, AZ – 08:01 to 11:38
• Full Moon Water Trend – 14:26 to 16:59
• Psychic and Wedding Guest List Story – 17:51 to 20:46
• Thanksgiving, Political Schism (Red Scare) – 22:21 to 24:24, 29:10 for the “Would you rather?”
• Mac and Cheese on Apple Pie, Food Trends – 26:03 to 27:41
• Viral Videos/”Radio Videos” – 31:35 onwards
• Peak “Red Scare” Riffing – 23:48 and 34:50
• Classic Gross-Outs, Viral Clips – 37:27 (“snot” video), 43:01+ (gear shift/condoms/lint roller)

Tone & Style

• Irreverent, Sarcastic, and Raw: The hosts thrive on teasing, crude jokes, and quick wit, often self-aware about their own tastelessness.
• Self-Deprecating & Satirical: They poke fun at themselves, their lifestyles, Arizona quirks, and American culture at large.
• Unfiltered Banter: They deliver relatable stories, improvised comedy, and have a talent for spinning caller emails or odd news into long-running show jokes (e.g., “Red Scare”).

For First-time Listeners

This episode is a snapshot of the show’s formula: snarky, topical humor based on local news, viral trends, weird American traditions, and their own dysfunctional lives. The highlights? Outlandish moon water mockery, musings on living with a “communist,” American food oddities, and the collective confusion over the state of Riverside, AZ. If you like spirited banter, local flavor, and unfiltered morning radio, Holmberg’s crew delivers.

Note for Sensitive Listeners:
The podcast includes adult language, politically incorrect humor, and at times gross-out descriptions, so it’s best suited for those with an appetite for edgy morning banter.