Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – “Why Are Mosquitoes Attacking Us So Bad This Year?”

Episode Date: November 17, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Episode Overview

This episode centers on an unusually severe mosquito problem plaguing Arizona in 2025, with the crew sharing personal experiences, theories, and general confusion—especially about why some people get bitten more than others. Amid a lively and sarcastic tone, the team debates everything from mosquito repellents to conspiracy theories about the bug spray market, and they exchange stories of uncomfortable, sometimes hilarious, run-ins with the persistent insects.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fred Durst, Putin, and public reactions

• The show opens with a digression about past celebrity statements, specifically Fred Durst's pro-Russian comments from 2012:
  • John Holmberg: “Can we hold Fred Durst to his thoughts from 13 years ago, can we?” (03:22)
  • The crew jokes about the retrospective reconsideration of controversial comments.
• Notable Quote:
  • “People listen to Fred Durst to the point where in 2025, things he said 12 years ago still have political weight.” – John (01:40)

2. Mosquito Mania in Arizona

• Timestamps: 04:07 – 20:11
• Holmberg and team note an explosive rise in mosquito activity:
  • Reported by Maricopa County Vector Control Division: 400% increase in complaints over the previous year (from 1,500 to 6,000).
  • Holmberg: "I can't be outside with socks on and not get bit in the feet… My feet look like a hot girl at a bus stop. I'm covered in bumps.” (04:12, 06:18)
  • Bret notes wife gets bitten “slammed” by mosquitoes (04:07).
• Possible causes discussed:
  • Rainy season with more puddles.
  • Irrigation in neighborhoods creating breeding grounds.
  • Theories floated about “the Off people” (insect repellent manufacturers) seeding the city, in Alex Jones fashion:
    • “It's the Off conservative. It's my Alex Jones Off. They did it. They dropped the contrails down here.” – Holmberg (09:34)

Personal Immunities and Confusion

• Some hosts (Brady, Toledo) almost never get bitten; others, like Holmberg, are prime mosquito targets:
  • “I need to be around people of my own ilk... If you're not a target of these bastards, then you can put out all the citronella you want and say it's working. If I go outside, 20, 25 bites later… My legs are scabs.” – John (08:32)
  • Bret: “You’re not getting stung.” – (08:30)
  • Brady: Defensively wears DEET/lotion “just in case,” even though bites don’t bother him: “It’s like taking AIDS medication. You don't have AIDS.” (17:09)

Repellents and Home Remedies

• Citronella, anti-bug sprays, and “giant outdoor sticks” debated. No one agrees on effectiveness.
• “I'm burning these giant sticks... They emit smoke like I'm electing a pope.” – Holmberg (07:59)
• Brady describes gadgets: “I bought a ceramic egg… covers 250 square feet.” (08:13)
• Holmberg: “If you’re not affected, how do you know it’s working?” (25:54)
• Listeners write in with warnings about West Nile virus – real health risks.
  • “My wife was number 18 in Maricopa county who got West Nile virus. It caused spinal meningitis and encephalitis... Please be careful.” – Listener email, read by team (29:41)

Humor and Sarcasm

• Rampant speculation and jokes about mosquitoes being drone “drones that give you homosexual thoughts” (09:34)
• “I am phenomenal to the taste. Ask anyone. Come over here and lick me. Wait a minute.” – Holmberg (18:31)

3. Other Notable Segments

• Bug Botheration Science
  • The crew debates old wives’ tales & scientific possibilities about blood types and skin properties:
    • “They always say it’s typo blood. It’s not true—he's typo also. I don’t know what it is.” – John (07:17)
    • “Brady's skin is so tight mosquito can't penetrate it.” – Dick (25:40)
• Personal Stories:
  • Hilarious and slightly grotesque attempts to beat mosquitoes—coating oneself in DEET, citronella, “hooker gel,” etc.
  • Home remedies and coping mechanisms get openly mocked among the crew.
• Listener Emails & Community Stories:
  • Serious health anecdotes and further sarcasm, reinforcing the oddity of 2025’s Arizona mosquito situation.

4. Miscellaneous and Pop Culture

• Brief discussion about downloadable music and movies, NHL trivia, and crazy headlines from 10 years ago (20:15–22:59)
  • Aerosmith as the first big MP3 download (20:15)
  • “From 2011 through 2012, China produced more cement than the US did throughout the entire 20th century.” (21:52)
• Classic juvenile humor and gross-out stories (peeing in a Gatorade bottle, eating contests). (32:55–38:05)
• Visual “Brady Report” videos: WWE memes, cycling fails, unsettling animal footage, all with typical Morning Sickness irreverence.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "If you're not a target of these bastards, then you can put out all the citronella you want and say it's working... If I go outside, 20, 25 bites later, I've got to try to figure out how." – John (08:32)
• “I'm burning these giant sticks... emit smoke like I'm electing a pope.” – John (07:59)
• “It’s the Off conservative. It’s my Alex Jones Off.” – John (09:34)
• "I am phenomenal to the taste. Ask anyone. Come over here and lick me. Wait a minute." – John (18:31)
• “My wife was number 18 in Maricopa county who got West Nile virus. It caused spinal meningitis and encephalitis... Please be careful." – Listener story (29:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Fred Durst & Celebrity Commentary: 01:18–03:52
• Mosquito Discussion Starts: 04:07
• 400% Increase in Mosquito Complaints: 04:12–04:55
• Personal Immunities & ‘Mosquito Magnets’: 06:03–07:44
• Mosquito Repellents & Conspiracies: 07:59–09:52
• Listener West Nile Virus Story: 29:41
• Why Use Repellent If You’re Not Bitten?: 17:09–18:31, revisited 25:19–26:26
• Miscellaneous Pop Culture/Facts Segment: 20:11–22:59

Tone & Style

• The crew uses irreverent, sarcastic humor and self-deprecation, balancing between genuine concern (West Nile virus risks) and wild, comic hypothesizing (mosquito conspiracies).
• Casual, rapid-fire conversational style. Frequent ribbing among hosts and gentle mocking of each other's mosquito susceptibility and personal routines.
• Tangents about sports, pop culture, and everyday oddities interwoven with the main topic.

For Listeners Who Missed It

• Arizona is seeing an outrageous surge in mosquitoes—up 400% from last year.
• Victims (like Holmberg) experience misery, covering themselves in repellents and still getting “devoured”—while others on the show barely notice.
• The group debates the value and science of repellents, floats tongue-in-cheek conspiracy theories, and shares both real and outlandish stories about coping with the “new plague.”
• The episode is a mix of informative anecdotes, absurd humor, and genuine community concern—especially as listener emails drive home the real health stakes.
• If you've ever wondered why some people seem to be mosquito magnets (or why your house suddenly needs fogging in Arizona), this episode is for you.