Holmberg's Morning Sickness – 11-18-25: With Frank Caliendo

Date: November 18, 2025
Guests: Frank Caliendo
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Episode Overview

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness features comedian and impressionist Frank Caliendo for a typically irreverent and comedic ride through pop culture, bizarre news, and holiday traditions. The show blends witty banter, observational humor, and outrageous anecdotes—touching on everything from decorated Christmas villages to 10-year-old joyriders and airline mishaps. Frank brings both his signature voices and personal stories, prompting hilarity and lighthearted debates on what it means to be a “normal” superhero, kid, or dog parent.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Shatner Stories and Comedic Burger Orders

[01:18–03:23]

• The episode kicks off with Frank recalling an encounter with William Shatner, describing the actor's overly detailed burger order and diva-like demands.
• John jokes about wanting to be famous enough that people “just accept your crazy burger requests” without questioning.
• Memorable quote:
  • “I need a burger. Cut it in half!” – “And he yelled it at a lady who, by the way, wasn’t a server. She managed the door.”
    —John Holmberg, [02:11]

2. Frank’s “Dog Surgery Payment Tour”

[03:23–04:42]

• Frank explains he’s only doing a New Year's Eve stand-up show this year to “pay for his dog's surgeries,” calling it the “Dog Surgery Payment Tour.”
• John ribbing: “It’s just your own personal humane system. The Caliendo Humane Prank Society.”
• Discussion about the expense and struggles with dog insurance.

3. The “Brady Report”—Odd Holidays, Fun Facts, Superhero Debate

[05:32–09:45]

• Brady runs down the day’s quirky observances: National Princess Day, International Occult Day, and Mickey Mouse’s birthday.
• Banter about confusing Shatner with Mickey Rooney and Shatner’s short-term memory.
• Superhero chat: John rants against Superman and Spider-Man, calling the latter "just Tarzan in a leotard," and jokes about Spider-Man’s “purposeless” villains.
  • Quote:
    • "Spider-Man is Tarzan... he just swings." —John Holmberg, [08:46]

4. Face Mites and Christmas Tree Preferences

[09:45–13:58]

• A disturbing fun fact: “We all have microscopic face mites... even having sex on your face.”
• Polls show 83% prefer fake Christmas trees; Frank’s house is “all about the fake trees.”
• Frank shares his wife's massive year-round Christmas village, with stories of a stubborn decorator (“Michael”) who built an over-the-top storage unit and glued down figurines, prompting a household battle over tree placement.
  • Quote:
    • "It’s a thousand square feet of Christmas village on cables—a movie set of tiny people and cars. I’ve never seen anything like it.” —John Holmberg, [11:11]

5. News Roundup: 10-year-old Joyrider Gets Dad Busted

[15:03–17:50]

• In Tennessee, a 10-year-old boy drives a car home after an argument with his mom, then inadvertently gets his dad (who had an outstanding warrant) arrested.
• John and Frank riff on whether driving should be based on age or height—with tongue-in-cheek arguments that ability comes down to “being at least 5'5”.”
• Quote:
  • “We all act like driving is some magic—if you can reach the pedals, you can figure it out.” —John Holmberg, [16:30]
• They joke about 10-year-olds and Mario Kart preparing kids for the road, pointing out: “A lot of dumb people can drive—my point.” (John, [19:50])

6. Airline Antics: Vaping Weed Forces Plane Turnaround

[23:59–29:44]

• Story of a JetBlue flight forced to turn back because a passenger vaped weed in the plane bathroom, resulting in the crew catching a contact high.
• John wonders about the frequency and logic of turning a flight around for such incidents and imagines the passenger getting verbally abused by other flyers.
  • Quote:
    • "Wouldn’t you beat the crap out of the guy who turned your flight around because he couldn’t lay off the weed for 18 minutes?" —John Holmberg, [26:20]

7. Maglev Train Speeds and Cultural “Speed”

[30:43–32:52]

• The hosts marvel at a new Japanese maglev train clocking in at 310 mph, joking about the human capacity for g-forces and whether it launches with dragster speed.
• “That’s too fast for a train.” —John Holmberg, [32:07]

8. Gross-Out Videos & Wild “Toledo Dining”

[32:55–36:42]

• John reacts viscerally to videos of exotic eating (including goat testicles), public gropings in malls, and a harrowing workplace accident.
• Frank quips on the old man groping a woman's skirt:
  • “This old man, he played dumb, he grabbed her and yum yum...” —Frank Caliendo, [34:00]

9. Dark Humor: Short Video Commentary

[36:42–40:45]

• Segment alternates between computer-voiced commentary and dark, deadpan banter as the hosts watch viral fails, accidents, and NSFW oddities with Frank’s wild reactions.
• Topics include train incidents, surreal sexual content, and mock analysis of cultural practices.

10. Wrap-up: Frank’s Year-End Award

[40:17–end]

• The group invites Frank to return for the “third annual Frank Caliendo Guest of the Year Award.”
• Frank checks his calendar: “If I’m here, I’m in!”
• Banter about the show’s ongoing wild, gross-out “end of year” competitions.

Notable Quotes

• “I need a burger. Cut it in half!” — William Shatner, via Frank and John [02:11]
• “It’s for the dogs. Instead of a GoFundMe, I’m just going to do comedy.” —Frank Caliendo [03:52]
• “Spider-Man is Tarzan... he just swings.” —John Holmberg [08:46]
• “Face mites... are having sex on your face right now.” —Brady/John Holmberg [09:45]
• “It’s a thousand square feet of Christmas village on cables.” —John Holmberg [11:11]
• “A lot of dumb people can drive—my point.” —John Holmberg [19:50]
• “Wouldn’t you beat the crap out of the guy who turned your flight around because he couldn’t lay off the weed?” —John Holmberg [26:20]
• “This old man, he played dumb, he grabbed her and yum yum...” —Frank Caliendo [34:00]

Key Timestamps

• [01:18–03:23] — Shatner burger story and Frank’s New Year’s gig
• [03:23–04:42] — Dog surgery fund and insurance jokes
• [05:32–13:58] — The Brady Report: holidays, superhero debate, Christmas decor deep dive
• [15:03–17:50] — 10-year-old joyrider & father arrested: driving age/height humor
• [23:59–29:44] — JetBlue weed vaping incident; flight forced to turn around
• [30:43–32:52] — Japanese maglev train at 310mph marvel/bemusement
• [32:55–36:42] — Gross-out videos: goat testicles, mall gropings, factory accidents
• [36:42–40:45] — Shocking and NSFW viral videos with Frank’s commentary
• [40:17–end] — Frank possibly returning for Guest of the Year award

Tone & Takeaways

The episode is classic “Morning Sickness”—irrepressibly irreverent and full of manic, meandering pop-culture riffing. Frank Caliendo’s impressions punctuate the fun, and John steers the ship with sarcastic authority as the crew cycles through topics that are by turns outrageous, mundane, and oddly endearing. For listeners, it’s an energetic blend of stand-up style punchlines, behind-the-scenes stories, and no-holds-barred reactions to the absurdity of everyday life.

Fans of off-beat morning radio, raucous comedy, and cultural skewering will find the “Frank Caliendo” episodes to be among the best examples of the show’s unpredictable, conversational style.