Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness - "Xmas Music Is Taking Over And Brady Watched The Hallmark Movie Christmas Island Intentionally"

Date: November 28, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, Ronnie (frequent presence as Brady’s wife contributes)
Main Theme:
This episode dives deep into the encroachment of Christmas music in everyday life as December approaches. The crew also unpacks Brady’s enthusiastic, voluntary viewing of the Hallmark movie Christmas Island, launching a hilarious, sardonic group dissection of the plot, festive clichés, and why Hallmark holiday movies are an emotional escape. The team also wanders into the absurdity of modern stadium entertainment, especially kiss cams and public displays of affection, and how certain kinds of on-camera love just become "too much" to stomach.

Main Discussion Points

1. Christmas Music’s Annual Invasion

• Who’s Actually Listening?

  • John expresses genuine bafflement at how Christmas music takes over the city.
    • "Who's out there listening to Christmas music to the tune of 30% of the city? How does it happen?" (01:50 – John)
  • Brady and Brett point out it's basically forced upon everyone—workplaces, doctor's offices, retail stores ("they just play KEZ the whole time.") (02:06)
  • John again: "I've never been in stores in November. I don't know..." (02:13)

• Pure Bitterness, Grudging Admiration

  • Both John and Brett clarify they're Christmas fans—just not of the music overdose.
  • "I love Christmas. I absolutely love Christmas. I don't tune into that at all. Pure bitterness is the reason I can't give them any extra love." (02:34 – John)
  • Joke about being “in the shadows of Christmas music for two solid months.” (02:44)

2. Hallmark Movie Breakdown: Christmas Island

• Brady’s Confession

  • Brady proudly admits he intentionally watched Christmas Island with Ronnie (his wife):
    • "I didn't have to. I chose." (04:25 – Brady)
  • The group mocks/brags about “cucking” themselves through old-fashioned Hallmark movies by choice.
  • John prods: "You cucked your way through this by decision. This was not like you..." (04:27)

• Plot Ridiculousness and Logic Checks

  • Description: A female pilot takes a rich family’s private jet from LA toward Switzerland, but due to storms, they detour to Christmas Island (off Nova Scotia).
  • The crew pokes fun at aviation logic:
    • "She passed, like, nine airports." (03:49 – Ronnie)
    • "If you're anywhere south of New York, you should be heading dead east. What are they doing, going north into more storms...?" (06:12 – John and Brady)
  • Even the air traffic controller is operating the runways "on a laptop in his living room." (07:14–07:19)
  • Ronnie: "The family really found out what Christmas is all about." (09:56)

• Hallmark Tropes and Cast

  • Same actresses appear across various roles: "They have like three or four leading ladies in there... and they cast people that look like another star... Is that George Clooney? No, it's just a little off." (08:41–08:54 – Ronnie and John)
  • John jokes about a “crooked-eyed Clooney.” (09:00)

• Escapism in a Crazy World

  • John acknowledges their corny appeal:
    • "That's a better world we live in than this political nonsense we've been in... Way to go, Brady." (10:04)
  • Ronnie: "That whole channel is beautiful." (10:16)

• Idea for "Holmberg's Morning Sickness 3000"

  • Suggestion to host a live event watching and roasting Hallmark movies, MST3K-style, with a drinking crowd.
    • "Maybe that's what we'll do instead of Holmberg After Dark—just watch a Christmas movie and Mystery Science Theater..." (11:03 – John)

3. Stadium Entertainment & Kiss Cam Absurdities

• John laments the decline of authentic, funny stadium cams, replaced by corporate promotions like the "Invisalign Smile Cam." (13:05–13:38)

  • "It's worse either sitting at home watching football and all these damn commercials, or at the stadium watching the Invisalign Smile Cam..." (13:05 – Brett)

• Discussion on the evolution of the Kiss Cam—from poking fun at awkward couples to “elderly couple makeouts” and now inclusivity with same-sex kisses, noting increasing crowd support and the social pressure to seem tolerant. (13:43–14:42)

• John’s infamous rant on the horrors of watching old people kiss at sporting events:

  • "Kissing dies pretty much 10 to 12 days after you're married. There's no more kissing in your life at all..." (14:44)
  • "I'd much rather watch... two dudes who just ran a marathon... tear into each other on camera than two old people French kissing." (15:38)
  • On old-people kissing: "They start sharing that old people spit—something weird when an old person spits on you. You just assume it's just... cream corn." (17:28)

• Willing to take one for the team in the name of humanity:

  • "I would have gay sex performed on me... if it meant old people won't kiss ever again... I'm changing the game." (16:09–16:35 – John)
  • Brady: "We've still got it." (17:23 – dry humor)

• Hilarious Closing Descriptions

  • They riff on the hypothetical horror of seeing someone like "Trip Reeve" (station manager) in senior-citizen romance scenarios. (18:15)
  • John: "There's a reason why old people porn is, like, fetish porn... It's in that category. You never stumble across old people porn and go, 'hot.'" (18:47)

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On Christmas Music’s Reach:

  • "Who's out there listening to Christmas music to the tune of 30% of the city? How does it happen?" (01:50 – John)
  • "They do a good job. And there we are in the shadows of Christmas music for two solid months." (02:44 – John)

• On Hallmark Movies:

  • "I didn't have to. I chose." (04:25 – Brady)
  • "How do you write women so well? I think of a man and I take away reason and accountability. It's technical." (07:55 – John, quoting As Good As It Gets)
  • "The family really found out what Christmas is all about." (09:56 – Ronnie)
  • "That whole channel is beautiful." (10:16 – Ronnie)

• On the Absurdity of Public Kissing:

  • "Kissing dies pretty much 10 to 12 days after you're married. Then it should be dead probably in your mid-50s. In your 60s, it's just cream corn and spit." (14:44 – John)
  • "I'd rather watch two dudes do it than two old people kiss..." (14:42 – John)
  • "I would have gay sex performed on me... if it meant old people won't kiss ever again." (16:09 – John)
  • "There's a reason why old people porn is, like, fetish porn... You never stumble across old people porn and go, 'hot.'" (18:47 – John)

Memorable Moments

• The group’s detailed "logic roast" of the Christmas Island flight path.
• Spontaneous proposal to host a Mystery Science Theater–style Hallmark movie live event. (11:03)
• John’s satirical willingness to endure anything to prevent old people from kissing on public cameras—a spiraling, signature comedic tangent (16:09–18:15).

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Christmas music in the city: 01:48–02:44
• Brady’s Hallmark confession & plot roast: 02:49–10:20
• Hallmark movie tropes/Casting: 08:41–09:03
• "Holmberg's Morning Sickness 3000" idea: 11:03–11:27
• Stadium entertainment rant, Kiss Cam: 13:05–17:23
• Old people kissing/gay sex for humanity bit: 14:44–18:47

Tone & Style

The episode is packed with rapid-fire sarcasm, affectionate jabs between cohosts, raunchy observational humor, and a healthy dose of pop-culture self-awareness. Fans will recognize the signature blend of mockery and camaraderie—rich with exaggerated disgust, gleeful absurdity, and side-eyed affection for even the cheesiest parts of the holidays.