Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Podcast Summary

Episode: 11-21-25 – Miss Mexico Crowned, High Body Counts, and When Should Italian Kids Watch "The Godfather"?

Date: November 21, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brett Vesely, Scott, Brady Bogen

Overview

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness brings the signature irreverence and banter listeners expect from Arizona’s top morning show. The crew covers the recent Miss Universe pageant (and all its chaos), debates relationship “body counts” after reading a listener email, and tackles when it’s appropriate for an Italian-American dad to introduce his 6-year-old son to "The Godfather." Along the way, expect unfiltered humor, personal stories, and lively debate about pop culture, gender, and tradition.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Miss Universe Pageant (Miss Mexico Win and the State of Pageants)

• Miss Mexico's Victory & Ongoing Drama

  • John brings up Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, winning Miss Universe in Thailand amid weeks of controversy — judge scandals, viral moments, and more. (05:20)
  • "Pageant women are crazy. If you're thinking about putting your kids in pageants, you're just building a nut ball." — John Holmberg (07:10)
  • General consensus: beauty pageants are increasingly irrelevant in the age of the internet and OnlyFans.

• Perceptions of Pageant Culture

  • John and Brett agree most guys are not into pageant girls, who come across as "unstable" and “undateable” due to the culture and family dynamics around them. (06:39-07:53)
  • The pageant’s declared mission moving away from beauty (“it’s about our brains!”) is mocked as disingenuous: "Then take a math test. Why are you putting that on TV?" — John Holmberg (07:53)

• Trans Contestants & Pageant Evolution

  • They discuss a historic trans contestant from Vietnam, Nguyen Hong Kong, and poke fun at lingering traditional expectations. (10:32)
  • "She picked the wrong dress… you could see her d*** through her evening gown, and that's a deal breaker." — John (11:19)

• Internet Ruins Pageants

  • Brett: "The Internet ruined everything. There's no reason for you anymore." (12:12)
  • John suggests pageants are stuck in limbo, with the world either wanting honest beauty competitions or the salacious content available online.

Relationship Past and High "Body Counts" (Emailer Jonathan)

• Jonathan’s Dilemma

  • Listener email from "Jonathan" describes finding out his girlfriend has a sexual "body count" of over 200, with paid "girlfriend" gigs and OnlyFans-style history, though she claims those days are 10 years behind her. (18:04)
  • “She was a prostitute. Let’s just call it what it is.” — John (19:02)
  • Brett credits her for honesty, stating most wouldn’t divulge that up front.

• Hosts' Take on Relationship Pasts

  • They debate whether it matters; John says the past is the past as long as it stays there, but 200+ with transactional elements gives pause. (21:02)
  • Social risks: what if the past shows up unexpectedly at a family dinner?
    "Dad's buddy Hank is sitting there going, 'I know her. I remember you. Why do I know you?' And she's like, oh God… Did you bang Hank?" — John (21:58)

• Philosophy on Discussing the Past

  • "You shouldn't really, like, hang out with someone if their ex is still around all the time… That's not real." — John (25:12)
  • They stress that everyone has a past, but how open to be about it—and whether it should affect your judgment—comes down to the individual.

• Notable Metaphors & Humor

  • A recurring “baseball card” analogy:
    “She’s not a baseball card in mint condition. She’s a PSA 6… You’re not getting full pull on that when you try to sell her.” — John (29:13)
  • They differentiate “slutty” from “prostitute”—one is a phase, the other a profession, they argue, and both may come with “rough edges.”

Italian-American Upbringing: When Can Kids Watch "The Godfather"?

• Listener Email from Kevin Falcone

  • Kevin wonders at what age he should show his 6-year-old son "The Godfather" and whether "Goodfellas" or "The Godfather" is the better gateway for ethnic pride. (30:44)

• Host Responses:

  • Brett (the resident Italian): "Out of the womb, right? It's just be running on a loop." (31:49)
  • John riffs on a fantasy Italian nursery: "When you build the kids' room, the walls are blue, and in the corner, they're red, white, and green... there’s a TV in his room that has the Godfather on all the time.” (33:07)

• Age Guidelines for Mob Movies

  • “Godfather” — as early as possible (“never too early”), perhaps with the first words being lines from the movie ("Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes,” “Don Corleone,” etc.) (34:16)
  • “Goodfellas” — recommended age: pre-teen, around 10 or 11, due to more graphic violence and adult themes. (35:38)

• Running Joke: Italian Stereotypes

  • The segment is peppered with Italian-American parody—advice to avoid American cartoons, focus on mafia lore, and joking about masculinity.
  • “Don’t worry about Dr. Seuss, worry about Mario Puzo.” — Brett (39:29)
  • "If he ain't seen the Godfather and he's been here for over 72 hours, he's borderline... What do they call those? A Ricky Owned." — John (39:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Pageant Girls:
  "There isn’t a normal guy in the world that sees a pageant girl and thinks she’s stable. We know you’re nuts. And your ego is just… intolerable.” — John Holmberg (13:09)

• On Beauty Pageants’ Meaninglessness:
  "Nobody gives a shit about the end results. Is she hot or not? Is all we say." — John (07:40)

• On Relationship Histories:
  “Because he was going to do her some favor after if she did this for him. You’re right. She’s going to bang Joe Pesci. You gotta get out of this. You’re gonna get killed.” — John (23:38)

• On Italian-American Cinema for Kids:
  "His first words should have been, 'Michael, I have a question.' Or, 'I know it was you.' Like, those have to be the first words." — John (33:58)
  "You take him home. When you build the kid's room, the walls are blue, and then in the corner, they're red, white, and green… a TV in his room that has the Godfather on all the time." — John (33:07)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Miss Universe, Pageant Culture & Controversies:
  05:20–16:30

• High Body Count Girlfriend Email & Past Discussion:
  18:04–30:44

• When Can Italian Kids Watch "The Godfather" (“Ask an Italian”):
  30:44–39:40

Tone & Style

The episode features the show’s trademark blend of sarcasm, boldness, and brotherly teasing. John leads with direct, comedic rants; Brett supplies dry-as-dust quips and the ethnic perspective; Scott jumps in as the peanut gallery with the odd one-liner or practical counterpoint. The discussion is raw and intentionally un-PC, perfect for regular listeners who expect no topic (sex work, body counts, pageant dysfunction, or parental advice) to be taboo.

For full context—re-listen to:

• Miss Universe segment (05:20–16:30) for the hottest takes on beauty culture and trans contestants.
• Relationship body count debate (18:04–30:44) for humor and honesty about pasts.
• "Ask an Italian" (30:44–39:40) for a tongue-in-cheek guide to Italian-American identity and movie heritage.

Skip: Advertisements, intros, and musical interludes for uninterrupted banter and discussion.