Podcast Summary: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – 98KUPD

Episode: 11-18-25 – FULL SHOW – TUESDAY, November 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness is a rich and raucous ride through Arizona’s most popular morning show, hosted by John Holmberg, with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo, and guest (and show favorite) Frank Caliendo. The crew vents about atrocious studio air conditioning, riffs on customer service trends and generational work habits, and devotes a substantial—and hilarious—portion of the show to recapping a backstage incident involving William Shatner and near-disaster. Mix in their signature humor, pop-culture banter, and a no-holds-barred take on topical news, and you have a quintessential HMS episode.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. The Great AC Crisis

[01:18 – 12:37]

• The show opens with the gang miserable about the freezing conditions in their studio.
  • No one on staff can control the thermostat; only a mysterious “Marcus” (now gone) had the key.
  • The room is “about 44 degrees”—colder than outside.
  • Repeated, defeated attempts to fix it have failed; management is unresponsive.
• Holmberg jokes about “unsafe work environments,” the double standards for discomfort between genders, and corporate mismanagement.
• Memorable Quote:
  • "If this was a bunch of women, we could say, 'I’m not going in there until you get that fixed.' And everybody’d be like, 'Yeah, we gotta fix it.' That’s broads. But because we’re guys, we’re expected to be wildly uncomfortable all morning." —John [08:17]

2. Target’s New Smiling Policy & The Dead-Eyed Generation

[12:37 – 29:20]

• Target is now requiring employees to smile at customers.
  • Crew bemoans robotic customer service, forced smiles, and loss of genuine interaction.
  • Critique of younger workers and the lack of soft/social skills.
• Riff on lifeless service workers, “dead-eyed kids,” and the perils of being a customer in modern box stores.
• Memorable Quote:
  • "If you’re a person who goes into Target and ever reports one of the employees for not smiling at you—you're the problem. Not these poor kids..." —John [25:46]

3. Home Depot vs. Lowe’s Service

[29:20 – 43:30]

• John and Brett compare big box home improvement stores:
  • Home Depot staff—reluctant but will help if needed.
  • Lowe’s—employees are largely absent; customers left to fend for themselves.
  • Favorite “no-nonsense” Ace Hardware employee—"Bowser!"
• Draws broader point about customer expectations and what constitutes "good service."

4. Military Assistance Mission & Operation Holiday Giving

[43:30 – 47:37]

• Discussion of annual holiday toy drive for military families.
  • John addresses cynicism about charity necessity for military families and shares personal observations of need.
  • Plug for the text-to-donate system (Text “GIFT” to 97936).
  • Touching local angle and plea for support, “especially for the kids.”

5. Frank Caliendo Joins, Shatner Near-Death Anecdote

[51:35 – 98:27]

• Segment Highlight: Frank Caliendo (comedian, impressionist, longtime friend of the show) drops in.
• They recap their night as moderators/interviewers at a William Shatner event—where the 94-year-old icon collapsed backstage, nearly dying.
  • Detailed, play-by-play retelling: nerves, backstage dynamics, Shatner’s quirks (meticulous food orders, “I don’t do water”), prepping questions that get scrapped, and finally the tumble.
  • The physical details: “Like a controlled demolition on a Vegas highrise... each piece made a little noise.” [81:13]
  • Shatner, post-fall: “I’m fine. Pick me up.” Delivered with “zero emotion, yet incredible amounts of emotion at the same time.” [84:00]
  • Post-incident: Shatner goes on with the show, the crew is on high alert for another collapse, and the evening is ultimately a comic mixture of horror, awe, and gratitude to have been part of it.
  • Memorable Exchange:
    • John: “He was a corpse on the ground saying, 'I’m fine.'” [84:33]
    • Frank: “It was literally, ‘Beam me up, Scotty.’” [84:14]
• They compare the experience to meeting other icons (e.g., Betty White): “There’s something different here... every decade, he’s been famous.” [74:14]
• Tons of banter about the logistics, the audience, iconic status, and dealing with a living legend’s fragility.
• Frank’s New Year’s Eve Show: Frank plugs his upcoming 10pm Prov show for New Year's.

6. Show Banter: Current Events, Hypotheticals, & Hot Releases

[98:27 – 137:04]

• The hosts and Frank riff on:
  • Taste-technology TV screens (“lickable” TV—porn and food applications).
    • “This is so much better than 3D glasses. Wouldn’t you lick your TV?” —John [152:52]
  • Age vs. height for driver’s licenses.
  • Fake Christmas trees outpacing real ones.
  • Home improvement project stories, “Michael” the Christmas village designer.
  • Bizarre/weird news stories: 10-year-old steals mom’s car, JetBlue flight delayed over weed.
  • Video game reviews (including “Squirrel with a Gun”), new rock releases, and AI-generated music.
  • “N-word or F-word” game with Frank as honorary player.
  • Entertaining, raunchy, over-the-top video segments (“That one was more intriguing. Yeah, like, oh, finally a use for those.” —Frank, [131:58] on an explicit video).

7. Entertainment Drill, NFL Hater Rankings, Thanksgiving Family Drama

[177:29 – End (~185:40)]

• Brady’s Entertainment Drill: Top NFL teams "most hated" in the U.S. (Eagles #1, then Raiders, Jets/Packers, Cowboys/Steelers).
• Ranker’s Best Late Night Hosts: Carson, Conan, Letterman, Ferguson (Jimmy Fallon and Leno low).
• Thanksgiving family confessions and stories—a listener’s family “double coming out” as LGBTQ at Thanksgiving; crew’s own awkward family moments.
• Generational differences in family holidays, quirky traditions (multiple kitchens!), and the classic “home-cooked meal or BJ” debate.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (With Timestamps)

• On the AC Fiasco:
  • John: “I want gloves. This is stupid.” [07:27]
  • “Maybe they're trying to make us leave.” [10:37]
• On Target’s Forced Smiles:
  • John: “I don't do water. Okay, well, way to go. You know that's a go-get-’em attitude.” [14:44]
• On the Shatner Incident:
  • Frank: “I saw a collapse. What I would describe... as a controlled demolition on a Vegas high-rise.” [81:13]
  • John: “A corpse on the ground saying 'I’m fine.'” [84:33]
• On Lickable TVs and Technology:
  • John: “This is so much better than that 3D crap glasses. You wouldn’t lick your TV?” [152:52]
  • “Porn always helps technology along. Pardon the pun, but it’s coming.” [154:14]
• On Family Dynamics & Coming Out:
  • John: "If you’re 14 and you know you’re gay, so does everyone." [139:44]
  • “Thanksgiving is tension... the time people come out.” [141:02]

Memorable Features/Running Gags

• “N-word or F-word” game with Frank as a contestant. [174:10]
• Video reactions—outrageous and explicit, with Frank’s incredulous laughter.
• Frank’s impressions: Shatner, Jay Leno, Chino, and more.

Episode Tone & Language

The show is irreverent, unfiltered, and raunchy at times, peppered with affectionate ribbing, self-deprecation, and digressions. The inclusion of Frank Caliendo amplifies the playful, improv-heavy banter, particularly as they recall the chaos (and cosmic humor) of sharing a near-death experience with one of Hollywood’s living legends.

Suggested Must-Listen Segments (Timestamps)

• AC Meltdown and Airing of Grievances: [01:18 – 09:39]
• Modern Customer Service/Social Skills Rant: [12:37 – 17:28]
• Shatner Evening with Frank Caliendo: [51:35 – 98:27]
• Lickable TV, Porn, and Technology: [149:33 – 155:32]
• Listener Letters and Thanksgiving Family Stories: [138:28 – 147:24]
• Hot Releases/Game: [161:02 – 174:10]

Final Takeaway

A classic HMS episode—chaotic, unscripted, and consistently funny. The Shatner story alone is a can’t-miss, and Frank Caliendo’s contributions are show highlights. The morning is punctuated by local flavor and inside jokes but delivered in a way where even first-time listeners can jump right in and laugh along. Skip the ads and settle in for a master class in comedic storytelling and radio camaraderie.