Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona

Episode: 11-12-25 – Do Out-of-State Listeners Count, Golden State Killer’s Infamous “Identification,” and Loving Hive Mind Sci-Fi

Date: November 12, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, Dick Toledo

Episode Overview

In this episode, the crew fields an offbeat listener question about counting out-of-state app downloads, launches into dark comedy about the Golden State Killer being identified by his extremely small penis, and rabbit-holes into an outrageous debate about sexual violence. The latter half is a sharp turn: Holmberg praises Vince Gilligan's new show Pluribus, digging into its provocative "hive mind" themes and how streaming TV has changed fan conversations.

The discussion jumps from irreverent, boundary-pushing banter to genuine reflection on groupthink, individuality, and TV culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Do App Listeners from Out-of-State “Count?”

• Listener Email: Cameron from Florida, a long-time fan, asks if out-of-state listeners on the app matter for the show’s ratings and ad counts.
  • “Do you get any credit from the Bob’s for out of state interactions on your app?” (03:34)
• Holmberg’s Response:
  • Out-of-state downloads count toward app numbers, but are not eligible for local contests/prizes.
  • He encourages listeners to “blip the numbers” by getting more people in Florida to download:

    “Get all of Disney World to download our app… Our Bobs will start going, ‘This isn’t just a local show at all!’ They’ll lose their minds!” (03:54)

• Running Gag: If their bosses (“the Bobs”) saw weird spikes in states like Florida, they’d panic and possibly make irrational programming changes.

2. Digression: The “Bobs,” Toddler Beds, and Local Radio

• Multiple jokes at the expense of their management, the “Bobs.”
• Holmberg’s dream:

  “One of the radio Bobs has to get talked off of a bridge… The Orlando thing was a ruse!” (07:11)

• Comedic riffing: the Bobs are described as short, childish, easily spooked.

3. True Crime & Tasteless Comedy: The Golden State Killer’s “Micro Evidence”

• News Angle: Joseph DeAngelo (the Golden State Killer) was finally ID’d in part due to witness descriptions of his extremely small penis.

  “His penis was so small, it was an identifying thing...the size of a very small pinky finger.” (08:24)

• Hilarious/Horrific Recounting of law enforcement trying to get photographic evidence:

  “There's nothing to photograph. There's nothing here. The hair is covering it up.” (09:06)

• Deeply irreverent debate: If you had to be raped, “that’s the guy you want doing it”—delivered with signature shock humor.
  • “If I'm going to get raped, that’s the guy I want doing it.” (10:13)
• The conversation drifts into the mechanics and psychological horror of sexual assault, but always with their over-the-top attempt at gallows humor and boundary pushing.

Notable Quotes:

• Holmberg:

  “If you’re gonna get raped, that’s the guy you want to do it... Kind of like if a dog starts grabbing your leg...just let him go.” (13:10, 27:24)

• Brady:

  “I know it’s wrong, but the term ‘violent oral sex’ together, that’s… biting, really weird...” (25:03)

4. Podcast’s Infamous “Left Turn” — Brady’s Oral Rape Argument

• The show spirals into an absurd, awkward, and intentionally uncomfortable riff about the logistics and trauma of various types of sexual assault, especially “oral.”
• Rich & Brady riff:
  • “What if he’s just orally raping the person?”
  • Holmberg: “Is that even rape? I would enjoy that...” (11:54 - 12:13)
• Jokes about “tender rapist” (a mock band name), and misappropriating trauma discussion for dark satire.
• Reaffirmation that these are jokes and not endorsing or minimizing victim experiences.

5. Serial Killers & Psychology: Penis Size, Power, Insecurity

• Holmberg posits that many serial killers have some physical or “button dick” issue driving psychological trauma or power issues.

  “I honestly think that most serial killers have a penis issue. A small penis will drive a man mad.” (18:13)

• Brady fact-checks (via Gemini AI):

  “There is no scientific evidence or data to suggest that most serial killers have small penises.” (19:48)

6. Conversation Swerves: Ed Gein, Michael Jackson, and “Identifying Evidence”

• Analogies drawn to Ed Gein’s infamous sexual guilt and Michael Jackson’s alleged unique anatomy.
• Holmberg on identification:

  “They took one of Michael Jackson’s wiener because they said it had moles on it...” (21:29)

7. Showcase: Vince Gilligan’s New Apple TV+ Series “Pluribus”

• Holmberg’s Excitement (28:13 onwards):
  • Proclaims showrunner Vince Gilligan’s (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) genius—calls both among the top 5 TV series ever.
  • Pluribus features “hive mind” premise where most of Earth is linked via a synthetic DNA change from an alien signal. Only a handful are immune.
  • Explores groupthink, loss of independence, allure of total peace vs. sacrifice of individuality.
• Plot Explanation (30:44-34:45):
  • "Almost all of Earth—save 10 people—are linked, knowing each other's thoughts, skills, histories."
  • Immunes can cause catastrophic harm simply by not “going along”:

    “She realizes she’s the biggest mass murderer in the world… when she lashes out, millions die.” (32:49)

  • “Falling in line” is depicted as euphorically peaceful; resisting independence is fraught and lonely.
• Themes:
  • Allegory for AI:

    “Phone is sort of that... all of man’s history plus every bit of knowledge of today and tomorrow, in your hand.” (34:45)

  • “Hive Mind” & Individuality:

    “Would I be the independent…or would I just fall in line…? I’d fall in line; it would be awesome.” (34:05)

  • Philosophical Reflection – on relationships, marriage, socialism, collective mind:

    “It's nonsense to be one. You can't. That's the point of the independent brain and body. You just cannot be one.” (37:27)

8. TV Culture: The Lost Art of the Weekly Debate

• Holmberg misses “water cooler” TV culture:
  • “We used to talk Better Call Saul every Monday… That's what's missing from society: commonalities of entertainment.”
• Weekly releases encourage discussion, theory-crafting—vs. binging, which can tire you out:

  “There's nothing worse than when you try to binge something… You're tired of these characters after two hours.” (39:53)

Notable Quotes:

• Holmberg:

  “It’s good to have a show where Game of Thrones, each week you got a new thing—we all can kind of unite.” (46:13)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Holmberg to Cameron (listener):

  “Thank you first of all for hanging with us… I beg of you, wherever you work, just say… download this app and lie to your co-workers in Orlando.” (04:05)

• Holmberg on the Bobs:

  “They’re human mosquito bites. They just bubble up… they get a rash. They’re insane people.” (05:45)

• Regarding Golden State Killer:

  “They say it was the size of a very small pinky finger… The DA had to get on his knees and take a photo… but grew frustrated after several attempts: ‘There’s nothing to photograph!’” (08:24 – 09:06)

• Brady, fact-checking serial killer claims:

  “There is no scientific evidence… that most serial killers have small penises. The motivation for such crimes is rooted in complex psychological factors…” (19:48)

• On TV Bingeing:

  “If you get two [episodes], you’re good. Third one… you start getting tired. There’s a reason movies are two hours…” (39:33)

Important Timestamps

• [03:34 – 05:16] — Listener Q: Out-of-state app numbers, “blipping” the ratings, trolling the bosses with fake Florida downloads.
• [07:57 – 09:11] — Golden State Killer identification, the infamous micro penis, DA’s photo struggles.
• [10:13 – 13:24] — Absurd debate: if “that’s the guy you want” if facing sexual assault, boundary-pushing dark humor.
• [18:13 – 19:48] — Serial killer psychology, penis size, Brady’s Gemini fact check.
• [28:13 – 37:00] — Pluribus discussion: plot, themes, hive mind, AI allegory, individuality vs. collective.
• [39:33 – 46:13] — Streaming culture, the lost art of TV “water cooler” talk, binge vs. weekly anticipation.

Tone & Style

• Tone: A raucous mix of tasteless humor, sarcasm, and sudden genuine reflection—sometimes veering wildly off course, always reverting to the classic morning radio “shock jock” irreverence.
• Style: Rapid-fire banter, never afraid to take a “hard left” into uncomfortable territory, but often self-aware and quick with disclaimers when jokes skirt the edge.

Summary

This episode is vintage Holmberg’s Morning Sickness: weird, fearless, and unfiltered. Its first act revels in inside-baseball radio antagonism and true crime sensationalism before launching into a tastelessly comedic exploration of sexual violence—gleefully bold but always flagged as “just jokes.” The second act shifts to a sincere, in-depth look at Apple’s new sci-fi series Pluribus, with the hosts dissecting its parallels to AI, collectivism, and how television has lost the unifying power it once had in pop culture. The episode is equal parts outrageous, insightful, and—at its heart—a love letter to the communal experience of good TV.

Recommendation:
If you like your morning radio fast, loose, and somewhere between Howard Stern and an existential debate club—this is an episode to catch (or at least discuss with your co-workers). And don’t forget, “Winning” is your 7am promo code!