Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Nov 21, 2025
Episode Title: Holmberg Is Finding That Being His Own Booking Agent Is Hard – Hard Reality Of Car Repair Has Struck John Again As He Thought He Had A Win In Replacing His Wipers – John Makes A Generalization About Car Guys And Nails It
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, Dick Toledo
Aired: November 21, 2025
Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – 98KUPD, Arizona
Main Theme
This episode is a classic blend of self-deprecating humor and friendly banter, centered around John Holmberg's misadventures in two areas:
- Acting as his own booking agent for the "Homeburg After Dark" live event
- Confronting the supposed victory – and subsequent embarrassment – of changing his own windshield wiper blades
It evolves into a larger comedic reflection about “car guys,” their quirks, and why there's always a busted car in a car guy's driveway or garage.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Agony of Booking Guests (Starts ~01:29)
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John’s New Respect for Booking Agents:
John shares his struggles with booking comedians for the "Homeburg After Dark" show, describing the process as much more complicated than anticipated due to haggling and ego management.- “Maybe they're right. Fire everybody. I'll do it. I've got 16 jobs right now and I'm booking and I'm negotiating prices..." – John (01:34)
- Describes how every performer wants to know “what are the others making?” even when insisting it's just for fairness.
- Shares a story about a guest asking for $20,000 for 25 minutes’ work:
- “American money? What are you, out of your mind?” – John (03:07)
- Discusses how agent involvement helps keep relationships unstrained; when there's no buffer, negotiations become awkward.
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Jay Pharoah’s Pricier Opportunity:
Jay Pharoah was set to headline, but got a much bigger payday elsewhere:- “They were going to give him like a hundred grand… And I’m like, you want me to match that?” – John (04:06)
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Reflection on Handling Money:
John admits he’s uncomfortable being “the money guy,” despite liking money:- “I like mine. I don't like dealing with other people’s.” – John (04:50)
2. Windshield Wiper 'Victory' & the Reality of Car Repairs (Starts ~05:43)
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Flashback to Previous Wiper Fiasco:
Years ago, John had a surgically repaired arm, and Brady and Brett failed hilariously trying to help him change his Jeep's wipers.- “Brady staring at windshield wipers like they just landed from another planet…” – John (06:28)
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John's Determined Solo Attempt:
Orders wipers for two Wranglers. Euphorically declares independence:- “I swore to myself no YouTube videos will be used. I’m going to do it old school…” – John (07:01)
- Succeeds easily; “Seven seconds, found the little flap, got the wipers off. It’s easy!”
- Declares himself “a man today. I'm doing manly, handy car stuff.” (08:09)
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Confessions of Not-So-Handy Men:
Despite this, John admits to being “gayer than gay” when it comes to automotive repairs, barely knowing what a high-lift jack is or where it should go under his Jeep.- “When it comes to car stuff, I am gayer than gay. Like, I don't know what anything’s called.” – John (08:10)
- The group launches into a comedic struggle trying to define where to put a high lift, differences between the body, frame, and safe lifting points. None is entirely sure.
3. The Ultimate Wiper Installation Fail (Starts ~12:26)
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The Unremoved Plastic:
After feeling proud, John notices the new blades still smear water.- “They're squishing water around pretty good, but they're new...” – John (12:41)
- Amy, a more mechanically-inclined friend, reveals the blue plastic protective covers are still on the blades.
- “‘You have to take the plastic off.’ And I said, huh.” – John (14:21)
- John believed the blue plastic was a stylized upgrade. Amy quickly removes it, revealing the real problem.
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Self-Deprecation and Car-Guy Banter:
- “I’m like, man, I am. Just when I thought I'd solved one minor car issue and figured something out, I still idiot-girled it.” – John (19:57)
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The Emotional Rollercoaster of DIY Repairs:
John cycles from pride to embarrassment—but leans into the humility.- “Don't email me telling me I'm an idiot. I'm telling you I’m an idiot. I get it.” – John (27:21)
4. The Car Guy Generalization (Starts ~17:24)
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Auto Shop Intimidation:
John refuses to let “Autozone Trevor” replace his blades—because of car guy judgment.- “There's nothing worse … than car guys when you tell them you don’t know anything.” – John (17:43)
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The Ubiquitous Broken Car:
John asserts: “There is never a car guy I've met that's a true car guy that doesn't have a broken car.” (17:54)- Details of friends, neighbors, and listeners with inoperable cars on their lawns or garages.
- Brady & Brett spar about whose family has more non-running cars at any given time.
- “You can't live your lives without a broken car on your property. That's proof you're a car guy.” – John (39:40)
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Project Cars & Perpetual Unfinished Projects:
- “With car guys, [a project] is just a beginning, a middle. Ask any wife of a car guy.” – John (25:13)
- Cross-examines the difference between maintaining cars and just storing projects that never get done.
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Comparisons to Other Hobbies:
John analogizes hoarding non-running cars to having a closet full of shoes with missing soles or torn leather:- “If I had a shoe collection and just all of them were unwearable … you’d think I was crazy. Now you’re doing it with cars.” – John (30:16)
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The Comfort of a Broken Car:
Brett and Brady admit, even when their own cars are running, a friend’s broken car inevitably ends up on their property.- “It's so comforting to a car guy to have a broken car.” – John (39:52)
- “Car guys … love it.” – John (43:12)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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Negotiating with Comics:
“You have to wait for everybody to know what everybody else is getting in order for you to say, this is the price.” – John (02:15) -
Car Guy Generalization:
“For all the knowledge you have about cars, you always have a broken one in your front yard... never gets fixed. I'm not sure you know anything.” – John (17:54) -
On DIY Auto Repairs:
“Taking it in the ass is a lot more manly than what I was doing with those blades.” – John (34:05) -
When the Truth Hurts:
“You guys fumbled around with that for so long.” – John (30:37) -
Best Analogies:
“Shoes with no soles aren’t my everyday shoes. I’ll put some soles on it later. I’m a bad haberdasher.” – John (29:17)
“I might as well host Motor Week at this point with what I’m doing with windshield wipers.” – John (43:13)
Key Timestamps
- 01:29 – John discusses challenges booking "Homeburg After Dark" and comedian negotiation antics
- 05:43 – Flashback to the original windshield wiper incident and John's setup for attempting the replacement solo
- 07:01 – John’s wiper-change success and pride
- 12:26 – The embarrassing discovery: John left plastic covers on his new wiper blades
- 17:24 – Generalization: “car guys” always have a broken car
- 19:57 – Self-mockery peaks after failing “the easiest” repair
- 25:13 – Discussion on endless “project cars”
- 30:16 – The shoe analogy: why projects are out of hand
- 39:40 – The car guy property law: there must be a busted car on the premises
- 43:13 – John, “I might as well host Motor Week…with windshield wipers.”
Tone & Style
The hosts maintain their trademark candid, sarcastic, and comedically self-effacing tone throughout:
- John is the focal point of the jokes—always the first to declare his own idiocy yet quick to roast “car guy” culture.
- Brady and Brett play the role of occasionally knowledgeable, sometimes defensive, "car guy" foils.
- The banter feels like a standup comedy routine crossbred with the camaraderie of longtime friends.
In Summary
This episode delivers:
- A peek behind the scenes of live show booking headaches
- A comedic blow-by-blow of a botched “easy” car repair
- A lovingly scathing look at “car guy” culture and its foibles
It’s a thoroughly relatable episode for anyone who’s ever felt out of their depth with car repairs—or who’s defended a perpetually unfinished project in their own garage.
For anyone who’s ever looked at a toolbox and thought, “Maybe next weekend,” this episode is for you.
