Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness

Episode: 11-27-25 – Churches Offering Prayer Vigils For Stressed And Concerned Voters
Date: November 27, 2025
Host(s): John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo

Overview

This episode centers around the anxiety and tension surrounding the November 2024 elections in Arizona and across the U.S. The hosts discuss local churches organizing prayer vigils for anxious voters, the division within families, media-fueled apocalyptic rhetoric, and their personal takes on voting and political hysteria. Infused with their trademark banter and irreverent humor, the team explores why every election is billed as "the most important ever," pokes fun at campaign candidates, and reflects on coping with stress during tumultuous times.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Church Prayer Vigils and Family Stress

• The hosts observe several churches holding prayer vigils for "concerned voters" amid election anxiety.
• John Holmberg notes the extreme stress some people are feeling, likening it to "the end of the world guy that comes around every once in a while" [01:11].
• Brady shares stories of his family's group emails circulating Bible verses to ease tensions, revealing both genuine care and underlying passive-aggressive undertones:
  • “No matter what happens, I still love you. I’m good.” [02:32, Brady]
• The team jokes about family divisions—"She's a Red. Still love each other and they're blues." [02:21, John]—and how family-wide political emails can backfire, causing more drama.

2. Media, Catastrophe, and Historical Perspective

• John draws a parallel between sensational hurricane coverage ("storm of the century") and the recurring “most important election” headlines:
  • "Every year we have a new biggest storm of our lifetime... Next year, the new one will come." [05:24]
• He tells a story about the devastating historical hurricane that hit Galveston, Texas, emphasizing how disasters and political cycles follow similar patterns of hyperbole and hand-wringing [06:00–06:30].
• The team skewers media-driven anxiety:
  • "It's always fear, doom, and gloom that this is the most important election of your life. And in a weird way, they all are. But we gotta stop saying it." [07:30, John]

3. Election Hysteria and Calls for Calm

• The hosts mock both political sides, highlighting cable news commentators and partisan hysteria ("crazy lesbians on the other, plastic people on one" [08:30, John]).
• John acts as “the calming influence:”
  • "Everything will be just fine. And again, I'm the voice of reason here. I'm the calming influence to say, everybody, we're going to be okay so long as you guys act all right." [08:08]
• They discuss the futility of election fearmongering and the resilience of everyday life—"as long as Amazon exists, pretty good with it" [10:24, John].

4. Notable Culture/Pop Moments

• Chris Pratt's op-ed is referenced—with his message to “move forward together, remember we’re fellow countrymen” [09:41, Brady]—which the hosts both appreciate and lampoon.
• Joking about bomb threats and flying, John recommends avoiding big planes for cross-country flights:
  • “If I ever fly to New York again, I’m flying little planes the whole way... Nobody’s blowing up Kansas City to St. Louis.” [11:00, John]

5. Arizona Local Elections & Voter Choices

• The show pokes fun at Scottsdale/Arizona candidates, admitting decisions are sometimes made based on looks or catchy names:
  • "I'm only voting for people on how they look." [17:18, John]
• The process of voting on ballot initiatives and unfamiliar candidates is treated with sarcastic blasé:
  • “I just kept checking it. Keep it the same. I don't know anything about this, so don't change your guidance. More money for them? Never. Keep it the same.” [14:18, John]
• They joke about candidate signs, obscure offices ("mine inspector") and making up reasons to vote or skip votes altogether.

Most Memorable Quotes & Moments

Passive-Aggressive Family Emailing:

• Brady: “No matter what happens, I still love you. I’m good.” [02:32]
• John: “Kind of passive aggressive. Kind of like, I don't win. Yeah, that's not nice. Basically tell them to go F themselves.” [02:35]

On Election Hyperbole:

• John: "Every single one of them is the most important election of our lifetime… It's always fear, doom and gloom… we gotta stop with it." [06:54–07:30]

On Political Media Outrage:

• John: “You got these plastic people on one, crazy lesbians on the other. And everybody's got a place to land if it doesn’t go their way.” [08:30]

On Coping with Stress & Perspective:

• John: "I'm the calming influence to say, everybody, we're going to be okay so long as you guys act all right." [08:08]

Voting Based on Name Recognition & Looks:

• John: “I'm only voting for people on how they look.” [17:18]
• Brady: “We got [a candidate sign] up in the lawn, Tonya.” [16:55]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:11] Opening on prayer vigils and election anxiety
• [01:43–03:35] Family political email drama and religious messaging
• [05:05–06:30] Historical context, hurricanes, and media sensationalism
• [07:28–08:30] "Most important election" fatigue; calls for calm
• [09:34–10:07] Chris Pratt’s op-ed and the futility of partisanship
• [10:25–11:36] Voting, Russia distractions, and paranoid travel strategies
• [13:15–14:55] Local politics, props, and superficial voting rationale
• [16:55–17:18] Looks-based voting, candidate sign banter

Conclusion

The episode encapsulates the absurdity, stress, and dark humor that fuel modern election cycles, especially as experienced in family life and local Arizona culture. The hosts encourage listeners to relax, keep perspective, and remember that, despite the hype, life (and politics) keeps rolling on—even if you decide to pick your candidate based on looks or the funniest ballot name.