Episode Overview

Theme:
This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness (November 27, 2025) dives into a bizarre and contentious topic: the appearance of fake political signs in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona, falsely stating that Democratic legislative candidates have been endorsed by NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association). The hosts—John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo—use their irreverent, bold humor to interrogate the implications of such endorsements, the absurdity of political smear tactics, and riff on how age of consent laws factor into the public discussion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NAMBLA Endorsement Signs — The Backstory

• [01:22-02:15] John describes returning home to see "NAMBLA has endorsed" political signs near his neighborhood, expressing disbelief that NAMBLA (“North American Man Boy Love Association”) even exists openly.

  • Quote (John Holmberg, 01:32):
    “Why can’t we stop NAMBLA just on the name?... It should be, I don’t know, outlawed.”

• The hosts explain that signs have been posted incorrectly accusing two Democratic Arizona candidates (Karen Gresham and Christine Marsh) of being endorsed by NAMBLA—a malicious prank or smear, not a real endorsement.

• [03:36-04:36] Discussion shifts to how easy it is to create fake political signs as both a prank and a form of political sabotage and how this act is likely illegal.

2. Absurd Hypotheticals & Satirical Take on NAMBLA Endorsements

• The hosts stage a mock phone call between a candidate and their manager about weird endorsements:

  • Quote (John & Co., 04:10):
    "I got a couple of good endorsements this week... And NAMBLA.”
    “Oh my god. What do we do?”
    “We’ll just claim it’s a lie.”
    (04:06-04:13)

• John sharply condemns NAMBLA:

  • Quote (John Holmberg, 06:05):
    “If you are a member of NAMBLA, hang yourself immediately, please. I don’t say that with any sort of joking tone in my body. Hang yourself, NAMBLA member… you aren’t part of this.”

3. Weaponizing NAMBLA in Politics

• [08:12-09:35] The group muses that NAMBLA’s “endorsement” is the ultimate political disqualifier; no serious candidate would want it, and it becomes an instant (false) weapon against opponents.
  • Quote (John Holmberg, 08:43):
    "Can we not make this about Kamala and Trump and just agree on that? NAMBLA might come out for the Democrats, but even the Democrats are like, no, no, no, no, no, we don’t want them.”

4. Satire on Political Guerilla Tactics

• [08:46-09:45] The hosts joke about the logistics of actually printing and distributing these fake signs, imagining pranksters giggling as they hammer them into the ground.
  • Quote (John Holmberg, 09:12):
    “…I want to go to Staples with that. ‘Hey, I want these Christine Marsh things sponsored by NAMBLA’… The guy behind the counter’s got no idea. Trevor might be in on it too…”

5. Firm Denouncement of NAMBLA and Philosophical Take on Age of Consent

• [10:00-11:21] John maintains a hard line:

  • Quote (John Holmberg, 10:09):
    “That’s my political stance. If you’re a member of NAMBLA, hang yourself. You are of no value to our nation… Nothing good comes from lowering the age of consent.”

• [12:00-13:21] The show detours into the complexities of age of consent, debating “sliding scales” for dating among young adults versus predatory behavior, with a consistent rejection of any NAMBLA-like position.

• John proposes a more nuanced view for cases like 19-year-olds dating 17-year-olds (close-in-age relationships), but absolutely rejects predatory justifications.

6. Social Satire: “Card-Carrying” NAMBLA Members & Age Rules

• John pokes fun at the concept of being a “card-carrying” NAMBLA member, equating it to being in a Moose Lodge:

  • Quote (John Holmberg, 08:02):
    “...If on there at all, says, NAMBLA meeting Friday. I don't want to be a member anymore. I’m done. I’m out on anything NAMBLA’s in on.”

• He introduces a long comedic segment on "logic and reason" for real age-of-consent adjustments, parodying both NAMBLA’s aims and extreme “cougar” behavior among older women.

• [15:29-17:12] John creates rules on alimony and dating ages for divorcees, always satirically tying it back to his distaste for NAMBLA and “making new rules.”

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Outright Condemnation:

  • "If you are a member of nambla, hang yourself immediately, please. I don’t say that with any sort of joking tone in my body. Hang yourself, NAMBLA member.”
    — John Holmberg, [06:05]

• Satirical Political Smearing:

  • “If you want your candidate to win, just throw out some news that NAMBLA supports your opposition and you’re pretty much gonna get there.”
    — John Holmberg, [02:17]

• Irreverent Product Tie-In:

  • “For the first six months I was a member of Ambulance [NAMBLA], but it was because of the football phone and I got a T-shirt. Oh, Sports Illustrated used to get me every time. Football phone. Forget it. Run to my dad—We got Sports Illustrated, get it again! Double down! Let’s get two subscriptions. Give me that football phone.”
    — John Holmberg, [06:38]

• Comedic Discourse on Close-in-Age Relationships:

  • “If you’re under 18, you should only be allowed to date under 18 year olds...If you’re like 19, you should be able to date like 16 and up. If you’re 20, 17 and up. Twenty-one, it kicks in at 21, when you start drinking, then you can’t date anybody under 18... it just kind of moves for a couple years with you ‘cause you're still kinda stupid.”
    — John Holmberg, [11:23-12:10]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:22] – Episode pivot: NAMBLA endorsement signs surface in Phoenix/Scottsdale
• [04:06-04:13] – Satirical phone call about getting NAMBLA endorsement
• [06:05] – John’s repeated denouncement of NAMBLA and anyone associated
• [08:43] – The idea of weaponizing the NAMBLA “endorsement” in politics
• [09:12] – Imagining pranksters printing fake NAMBLA signs
• [10:09] – “If you’re a member of NAMBLA, hang yourself...”
• [11:23-13:21] – Sliding scale argument for age of consent, clearly separated from NAMBLA
• [15:29-17:12] – Satire on divorce, alimony, and dating rules tied back to age issues

Tone & Style

• Bold, irreverent, and unapologetic.
• Heavily satirical, especially in confronting controversial topics with “logic and reason”—the hosts insist on drawing a sharp, bright line between exploitative organizations and legitimate arguments about the nuances of age-of-consent laws.
• Frequent use of parodic hypotheticals and mock scenarios.
• Moments of dark, direct humor intended as strong condemnation.

Who Should Listen

• Anyone interested in the intersection of politics, prankster culture, social norms, and pointed, comedic radio discourse.
• Be aware: the humor is edgy and the stance on NAMBLA is unequivocal.

In summary:
This episode is a rapid-fire take on the politics of outrage, dirty campaign tricks, and the absolute unacceptability of organizations like NAMBLA, both satirizing and condemning misuse of endorsements, weaponized politics, and societal taboos. The hosts deliver hard truths in their characteristically sharp, comedic voices—leaving no question about their position and creating a memorable morning show moment.