Podcast Summary: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness - 11-11-25

Episode Title: William Shatner Tour Details - Hot Releases - Call Of Duty Black Ops 7 - The Beast In Me Netflix - Landman S2 - Taylor Swift Acoustic
Date: November 11, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely (absent), Dick Toledo, with guest appearances from Larry McFeely and others

Episode Overview

This episode mixes the trademark humor and banter of the HMS crew with a packed schedule of segments: event updates (notably, William Shatner’s tour), TV/movie/game/music “Hot Releases,” and a comedic look at pop culture. From anecdotes about mistaken identity at a Suns game to lamenting game delays, the team keeps things lively, irreverent, and rooted in the Arizona morning show vibe.

Key Topics and Discussion Points

1. William Shatner Tour Details

• Event Announcement: John Holmberg will be hosting a William Shatner event at the Orpheum Theater this Thursday. The night includes a screening of "Wrath of Khan," followed by a live Q&A with the legendary Shatner, joined by impressionist Frank Caliendo.
• Holmberg’s Perspective: John shares excitement and nerves about sharing the stage and even having phone conversations with Shatner.
  • “Having Bill Shatner on the phone is very odd. But we'll see you guys Thursday. Hop on that thing. It's going to be fun. Trust me, last time it was great.” (02:09)
• Tickets: Few available, found at williamshatnertour.com.

Notable Quote:

• "He's 94, so if you want tickets... just go there and grab tickets. There aren't many left." – John Holmberg (02:10)

Timestamps:

• Event segment begins: 01:18
• Ticket details and Frank Caliendo cameo: 02:25

2. Suns Game / Doug Hopkins Anecdote

• John recounts a humorous encounter where a friend mistook Doug Hopkins for his father at a Suns game, leading to light teasing and a “like father, like son” moment.
  • “Such a great moment that someone thought Doug was my dad in that commercial.” (05:01)

Notable Interaction:

• “Let him sweat. Like, I don't know if I'm letting Doug in today.” – John Holmberg (05:26)

Timestamps:

• Story starts: 04:58
• Teasing Doug: 05:20

3. Hot Releases: Games, TV, and Music

a. Video Games

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

  • Released today, described as “another version of Man Christmas.”

• GTA 6 Delay

  • The team vents about GTA 6's newly announced delay to November, drawing a “Chinese Democracy” comparison for eternal postponement.
  • “Axl Rose is in charge of the…” – (07:21)

• Tough Online Play:

  • The hosts joke about being outpaced by trash-talking kids online.
  • “I got called the N word more times than people in the 1800s.” – John (08:10)

Timestamps:

• Black Ops 7 release: 06:47
• GTA 6 discussion: 07:13

b. TV and Streaming

• The Beast in Me (Netflix miniseries)
  • Dark, psychological thriller starring Claire Danes, Matthew Rhys.
  • “Beast of Me is a dark and twisting new series that asks when you chase a monster, what do you become?” – Toledo (09:10)
• Landman Season 2 (Paramount+)
  • With Sam Elliott; team jokes about who’s related to whom and pokes fun at the premise.
  • “I would watch that man read the phone book if he were…” – John (11:07)
• Documentaries:
  • “Marines” (Netflix)—Released for Veteran’s Day.
  • “Being Eddie” (Netflix)—Documentary about Eddie Murphy, highlighted for its Richard Pryor puppet. “I’m watching that just for the Richard Pryor puppet.” – John (13:15)
• Prime Video Movie: “Play Date" starring Kevin James and Alan Ritchson.
  • Met immediately with dismissal: “Kevin James is in it. I’m done.” – John (14:01)

Timestamps:

• The Beast in Me: 08:52
• Landman S2: 09:37
• Documentaries: 12:11
• Play Date: 13:39

c. Cancelled Events

• Jake Paul vs. Tank Davis Fight (Netflix Live Event)
  • Called off due to Davis’ reported legal issues: “...trouble for battery and kidnapping.” – Toledo (14:23)
  • Team jokes about the fight and alleged “sparring.”

Timestamps:

• Cancellation news: 13:21 & 14:23

d. Music Releases

• Taylor Swift - Life of a Showgirl (Acoustic Version)

  • The hosts poke fun at how Taylor keeps “robbing her lovers” and fans for buying multiple versions.
  • “Buy it again. This is the fate of Ophelia, but I think it’s the acoustic plus.” – John (14:50)

• Kings of Leon – Visualizer EP

  • Praised as road trip music but doesn’t perform on their station.
  • “There’s nothing better than Kings of Leon if you’re on a road trip.” – John (15:19)

• Vanilla Ice – ‘Ice Ice Baby’ Soul Cover

  • Highlighted as a standout, drawing comparison to Jamie Foxx’s voice/style.
  • “It sounds a little like Jamie Foxx. You’re right. It’s so good.” – Toledo (18:36)

• Other Mentions:

  • Katy Perry, K-pop, and the hosts’ guilty pleasure in Spice Girls and “Cat’s Eye.”

Timestamps:

• Taylor Swift: 14:28
• Kings of Leon: 15:19
• Vanilla Ice Soul Cover: 16:36-18:36
• K-pop/Foreign Acts: 18:56

4. Pop & Culture Roundup

• Jokes about K-pop and J-pop:
  • Hosts discuss K-pop’s massive popularity, referencing “Demon Hunters” and “Cat’s Eye.”
  • “Kind of a Spice Girls if they were Korean and Indian and they got all sorts of stuff going on.” – John (19:11)
• Spice Girls as a “guilty pleasure.”
  • “Gotta like Spice Girls a little bit.” – John (19:19)

5. Comedy Events in the Valley

• Upcoming Standup Acts:
  • Moshe Kasher (Stand Up Live), Lil Duvall, Hans Kim (Desert Ridge), Alvin Kuwait and Basim Youssef (Tempe Improv).
  • Info and tix at standuplive.com, desertridgeimprov.com, tempeimprov.com

Timestamps:

• Comedy rundown: 11:24, 19:36

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’ll work harder.” – John, referencing doing double duty without Brett (01:19)
• “He’s so iconic. It’s very strange to be there with him and have to have phone calls with Bill over the last couple weeks has been mind blowing.” – John (02:02)
• “I got the H and H ranch. When things go south, me and dad, we have our beer together and talk about life.” – John (06:05)
• “Brady’s not gonna get the start here. What is AI going to do to video?” – John (07:32)
• “I was already half hard thinking about it. Just found out I got to wait a whole 12 months for. It’s not right. It’s not fair.” – John, on GTA 6 delay (08:44)
• “Sounds a little Jamie Foxx. You’re right. It’s so good. So, yeah, there you go.” – John and Toledo, on soul cover of Ice Ice Baby (18:36)

Episode Flow & Tone

The episode maintains the HMS signature blend of sarcasm, mockery, infectious energy, and inside jokes. The banter is rapid, the topics are cycling quickly, and hosts are unafraid to riff or roast each other, their own skills (or lack thereof), or pop culture icons with the same irreverence.

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------|-----------| | William Shatner Tour Details | 01:18-02:25| | Doug Hopkins/Suns Game Anecdote | 04:58-05:20| | Hot Releases (Video Games) | 06:47-08:44| | The Beast in Me (Netflix) | 08:52-09:37| | Landman S2 (Paramount+) | 09:37-11:07| | Netflix Documentaries | 12:11-13:21| | Play Date Movie | 13:39-14:23| | Taylor Swift Acoustic Release | 14:28-15:19| | Kings of Leon EP | 15:19-16:14| | Vanilla Ice Soul Cover | 16:36-18:36| | K-Pop/Guilty Pleasures Discussion | 18:56-19:28| | Comedy Events in the Valley | 19:36-20:06|

For Listeners

If you missed the episode, this summary covers the major laughs, music/entertainment news, and local/pop culture topics in the show’s authentic, playful tone. Expect whip-fast banter, left turns into irreverence, and more than a few lines you’ll want to quote at work.