Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 11-21-25 – Entertainment Drill – FRI

Main Theme/Purpose
This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness features the show's signature irreverent breakdown of recent entertainment news, celebrity antics, and pop culture oddities. John Holmberg, alongside Brady Bogen and contributions from Bret Vesely and Dick Toledo, delivers comedic takes on everything from the history of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and auction oddities (including Kim Kardashian's purchase of O.J. Simpson's jailhouse Bible), to the peculiar lengths of celebrity keepsakes (Cardi B's umbilical cord memento). The show weaves in social commentary, shameless jokes, and mock-serious “analysis,” all in its distinct blend of snark, sarcasm, and Arizona flavor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Celebrity Appearance and Health Concerns (Wicked Cast/Ariana Grande)

• John expresses concern about the dramatically thin appearance of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo at a Wicked movie event
  • Observes celebrities acting hyper-fragile and discusses their interactions with fans and interviewers ([03:28]).
  • Jokes about their weight, likening them to Karen Carpenter, and laments that nobody intervenes or comments on the unhealthy look.
  • Comments on the forced messaging around Wicked and its supposed underlying LGBTQ themes, dismissing it as a children's story given new meaning ([07:01]).
• Quote:
  • "Every time I see them, they’re eight pounds lighter than they were the time before. They're getting down to birth weight." – John Holmberg ([04:02])
  • "Somebody’s got to say something. And I, you know, I'll get. Somebody will get mad at me and say, Aaron Brownie, shaming, body shame. I'm saving her life. Somebody's got to say something." – John Holmberg ([05:38])

2. Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade: History Nuggets

• Brady reveals the original parade featured live animals, not balloons ([08:57]).
• The crew riff on the idea of walking elephants down Broadway versus using balloon animals, musing about the chaos animal escapes might have caused.
• Quote:
  • "There's less of a chance of a stampede, really, with a balloon animal than the any 14 elephants I'm looking at in a row here. That's scary." – John Holmberg ([10:05])

3. Celebrity Auctions: Superman Comic & O.J.’s Bible

• A Superman #1 comic sold for $9.12 million ([10:27]).

• Kim Kardashian bought O.J. Simpson’s jailhouse Bible at auction for $80,276.

  • The Bible had belonged to O.J. in jail, gifted by Robert Kardashian, complete with a personal note ([11:12]).
  • The team jokes about the tangled Kardashian/Simpson family tree, speculating on Chloe’s parentage and O.J.’s possible relation ("step-uncle") ([11:28], [11:37]).
  • O.J. impression appears, lampooning his jailhouse conversion, relationship with the Kardashians, and the Bible’s “thou shalt not kill” commandment ([11:45]).

• Quote:

  • "On the third page: ‘thou shalt not kill.’ That’s the stupidest advice I’ve ever gotten. So I just gave it back." – O.J. (Impression) ([12:06])

4. The Kanye West Real Estate Transaction Follies

• Kanye bought, then sold back, a Wyoming ranch for the exact same price
  • Brief commentary on Kanye's stability and public persona ([14:03]).

5. Disney Money: “Frozen 3 and 4” Voice Actor Contracts

• Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, and Josh Gad each reportedly signed for over $60 million for Frozen 3 & 4 ([14:35]).
  • Jokes about how lucrative and easy voiceover work is for mega Disney franchises ([14:52]).

6. Cardi B’s Umbilical Cord Keepsake

• Cardi B had her baby’s umbilical cord dried, shaped into a heart, coated in gold, and made into jewelry ([15:29]).
  • Crew reacts with disgust, turning the bit into a rant about odd celebrity parenting keepsakes and why nobody does this for the elderly or dying relatives.
  • Mentions similar choices by Megan Fox, Vanessa Hudgens, Chrissy Teigen, and Ashley Simpson ([16:02]).
• Quote:
  • "How come we never keep the feeding tube of our grandparents, but we do it for babies?" – John Holmberg ([15:44])
  • "That's essentially placenta after birth, after afterbirth. It's a bag of poop and waste." – John Holmberg ([17:07])

Memorable Quotes and Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Ariana Grande's fragile appearance:
  "I've got two Karen Carpenters, one in each color, and neither of them are going the right direction." – John Holmberg ([04:14])
• On O.J.'s relationship with the Kardashians:
  "Or OJ's. Her sister. Her uncle, actually, technically. Because OJ is Chloe's dad." – John Holmberg ([11:29])
• O.J. on jailhouse religion:
  "I opened it and like on the third page, it 'thou shalt not kill.' That’s the stupidest advice I’ve ever gotten. So I just gave it back." – O.J. (Impression) ([12:06])
• On the weirdness of keepsake bodily waste:
  "Then do it for Pop Pop. When Pop Pop has a colostomy bag. You put that in the freezer and save it for later? Of course not. It's disgusting." – John Holmberg ([17:08])
• On the original Macy’s parade:
  "They just zoo animals that got a little smell of freedom as they walked down Broadway. I’m not so sure that was a great idea." – John Holmberg ([10:05])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:28 – Wicked cast appearance & celebrity frailty, Arianna Grande discussion
• 08:57 – Entertainment Drill: Macy’s Parade animal origins
• 10:27 – Superman #1 comic auction milestone
• 11:12 – 13:08 – O.J. Simpson’s Bible auction, O.J. impression, family tree jokes
• 14:03 – Kanye West’s ranch boomerang sale
• 14:35 – 14:52 – Disney “Frozen” paydays for voice cast
• 15:29 – 17:08 – Cardi B's umbilical cord jewelry, celebrity oddities with baby keepsakes

Tone and Style

The episode keeps its tone unfiltered, playful, and loaded with sarcasm. Jokes flow seamlessly between pop culture snark, local Arizona color, and swift improvisational bits—like the running O.J. impression and persistent lampooning of celebrity weirdness. Brady’s deadpan “facts” often prompt wild riffing from John, keeping the entertainment sharp and unpredictable.

Summary

If you missed this episode, expect a rapid-fire string of jarring celebrity news takedowns—equal parts pop culture gossip and absurd social commentary. Standouts include a morbidly funny debate on why baby body parts become keepsakes while Grandpa’s medical devices do not, a mocking dissection of excessive Disney payouts, and the surreal saga of Kim Kardashian buying O.J.’s Bible. The hosts do what HMS does best: lampoon pop culture’s excesses, drop local plugs, and unearth the weirder corners of entertainment news, all with signature Arizona irreverence.