Holmberg’s Morning Sickness - Arizona

Episode: 11-11-25 – If John Wins The Nobel Prize for UA Prof's Dissertation, Will He Belong w/Other Famous Holmbergs & World Cucumber Chopping Record Date: November 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness is a mix of heartfelt reflection, irreverent comedy, and offbeat news. The hosts pay tribute to Brett’s recently deceased father, deliver an earnest Veterans Day salute, and riff on the nature of fame—especially about the “famous Holmbergs” in yachting. Later, they lampoon the "world record" culture, with special focus on cucumber chopping. True to the show’s character, the conversation weaves between genuine emotion, topical humor, and the gloriously trivial.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Remembering Brett’s Father & Team Solidarity

• The team opens up about Brett’s absence due to the passing of his father, Kurt Vesely.
  • John delivers a heartfelt reflection about familial bonds, especially between Italian fathers and sons, relating both as a friend and a fellow son.
  • Listeners express condolences via email; listeners' memories about Brett’s dad are shared.
  • “He and his dad were the same guy. …Like you meet Brett, it's like, oh, he just chunked off a little bit of his dad and made a new version." – John [03:22]
  • Music tribute: “My Way” by Frank Sinatra selected as a wake-up song in honor of Brett's dad. [06:45]
• The team balances the somber subject with levity, sharing jokes and stories, maintaining the show's typical tone.

2. Veterans Day Recognition

• John discusses the meaning and inclusivity of Veterans Day, showing deep appreciation for military service.
  • "To everybody who's served our country, there's the letters coming in. We thank you and I have no words for how grateful I am because I am a coward. …I'm pretty sure we'd all be speaking German." – John [01:50]
  • Listener emails prompt John to honor veterans personally, referencing Harold Munger’s Vietnam service and how Veterans Day is a day of shared conversation in some families. [06:20]
• The team reflects on the tradition of writing supportive letters to deployed troops—acknowledging its value despite the tongue-in-cheek "sweatshop" comparison. [07:22]

3. The “Famous Holmbergs”: Yachting, Fame, and Sibling Rivalry

• John Holmberg addresses the oddness of sharing his name with a renowned Caribbean yachtsman, leading to a playful exploration of family legacy and recognition.
  • He humorously details his attempt to connect with “the other John Holmberg,” which ended in a curt rejection:
    • "I try that with yachting John Holmberg in the Caribbean and simply get an email back that says, no." [14:10]
  • The team investigates whether any Holmberg family members are in the Yachting Hall of Fame, with plenty of good-natured ribbing:
    • "I look like a pig. Oh, I see why he's angry. Even when you Google search sailor John Holmberg, I come up more than him." – John [14:52]
    • Observations about the lack of diversity in yachting Hall of Fame induction photos spark a series of irreverent impressions and mocking historical reenactments. [18:14 – 24:05]
  • The discussion veers satirically into issues of tokenism and diversity, especially with the induction of Absalom Boston, a Black whaler from the 1800s:
    • "They just have a drawing of him, and it's not very good. ... Stuffing him in the hall of Fame is sort of..." – John [19:15 – 19:24]

Notable exchange [23:56]

John: "Everything's in the hall of Fame because these racist whites every once in a while recognize that Negro over there seems to be here a lot. We should put him in the hall of Fame and feel good about ourselves."
[24:04]

• The banter signals both the team’s signature “push the line” humor and satirical commentary on exclusivity.

4. News of the Weird: The Cucumber Chopping Record

• Transitioning from family and fame, the hosts turn their attention to the absurd—world record attempts.

  • Recent record: David Rush snaps 65 cucumbers in half with his hands in 30 seconds, shattering the previous record of 50.
    • John: "It's the dumbest record I've ever heard." [26:19]
  • The team questions the utility and symbolism of such records, especially juxtaposed with real-world needs (“starving people”).
    • "We are the biggest hypocrites in the world that we both celebrate this and then have the nerve to ask for money, for food." – John [26:13]
  • Debate about whether animals benefit when world record food is donated to zoos (“throwing pumpkins at hippos”) and musings on cucumbers' place in animal and human diets.
    • John: "If we're gonna do this, let's just take the 60 cucumbers and give them to hungry people." [30:33]

• Some Guinness World Records trivia: slicing cucumbers at high speed, and discussion of whether hosts themselves could break such records (referencing John's prior nose-typing attempt). [27:59, 28:01]

5. Stand-Up, Local Comedy, and Listener Engagements

• Brief plugs for local comedy shows in Phoenix (Moshe Kasher, Lil Duvall, Hans Kim, etc.), and a tease about future tickets for “Holmberg After Dark.”
  • Ongoing jokes about “Listener of the Year” status. [09:06 – 09:43]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I thought about [joining the military] for a minute. I got lippy about it, and then I thought, I don't know. I would be a pretty quick study if I got captured by the enemy.” – John [01:50]
• “If you got a letter from another Brady Bogan that said, hey, I Google searched our name and we're the top two searches...let's do a convention and gather up as many Brady Bogans as we can.” – John [14:09]
• [On being out-famed by yachting Holmbergs] “Well, screw that guy. He's mean. Rude is what he is.” – John [21:27]
• “I'm noticing a trend with the way that the hall of Fame sailors all look—white.” [18:16]
• [On world record food waste] “It's just callous human nature. It’s just not good. …Cucumbers are delicious. …For zoo creatures, that's better than maybe…” – John [34:06]
• “There's still nothing better than Brady chucking a pumpkin at a hippopotamus.” – John [34:19]

Important Timestamps

• 01:12 – 03:22: Brett’s father’s passing, condolences, and reflections on loss
• 05:45 – 07:24: Veterans Day tributes, personal military stories, and tradition of writing letters to troops
• 13:20 – 18:38: The “Famous Holmbergs” segment—yacht race fame, rejected outreach, and family comparisons
• 18:14 – 24:05: Diversity and tokenism in the Sailing Hall of Fame, Absalom Boston satire
• 26:13 – 34:19: Cucumber chopping world record: critique, absurdities of “record culture,” food waste debate, and animal feeding gags

Tone & Style

• The episode balances sincere emotional content (loss, gratitude, national service) with irreverent, boundary-pushing comedy and local color.
• John is both heartfelt and biting, often undercutting sincerity with self-deprecation or observational humor.
• The group maintains a tone that’s quick, bantering, and satirical, unafraid to lampoon serious subjects for effect.

Summary Takeaway

Listeners can expect the full spectrum: tributes to family and veterans, an extended riff on what it means to be “famous” in your own life, comic dissection of absurd world records, and a running undercurrent of self-aware irreverence. In classic HMS fashion, even the most trivial news is fuel for a mix of sarcasm, empathy, and over-the-top speculation—with a steady drumbeat of camaraderie and listener interactivity.