Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona

Episode: 12-02-25 – Resetting The Bands For Tonight's Playdio Finals & "Bald" Declared Harassment

Date: December 2, 2025
Host: John Holmberg with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Topic: Playdio Finals update and hilarious, incisive commentary on “bald” becoming workplace sexual harassment

1. Episode Overview

The episode revolves around two main themes:

• Resetting the Playdio Band Finals: John and the team discuss the chaos and excitement around the upcoming Playdio battle of the bands final, revisiting the roster after several last-minute changes and no-shows.
• Workplace Harassment: An in-depth, humorous discussion on a recent legal ruling that calling someone “bald” constitutes sexual harassment, particularly focusing on its implications for men in the workplace.

As always, Holmberg and crew balance quick wit, self-deprecation, and social commentary, taking jabs at themselves, workplace culture, and listeners alike.

2. Key Discussion Points & Insights

A. Playdio Finals Reset – Bands, Drama, and Antics (01:20–10:57)

• Recap of Band Challenges:

  • Several finalists couldn’t appear; one’s in “Siberia,” another (“Brent Crandall”) is "just missing."
  • DJ Bathsheba cannot participate; other bands faced illnesses and absences.

• Finalist Bands Overview (02:58–07:40):

  • The Domnrs (DOMN NRS): “Screamy guys,” song "Casual Friday."
    Holmberg: "I hated their name, but I like their band." (02:59)
  • Thomas James Band: Tom Petty/Airborne vibe.
    Holmberg likens their groove to Airborne: "Very much like that." (04:03)
  • Graves of the Monuments: Song "Suffocate."
  • The Mess I Made: Song “Bleed Out.”
  • Without Fear: Song “Gaslighter,” praised for a cool hook.
  • The Missing and Disbanded: DJ Bathsheba (vocals sampled), and the defunct “Piss Ball Peak,” famous for their irreverent story songs.

• Band-Related Banter:

  • “One dude can show up and do an acoustic version of that.” – Holmberg on cobbling together bands for performance (06:52)
  • Encouragement to bring friends/family for crowd energy, not just competition.

• Details for Tonight’s Finals:

  • 6:30 PM at Copper Blues, Downtown
  • Supporting the Humane Society – small incentive for donations, no pressure (“No terrorism here.” 07:17)
  • Prize: Winner creates next year’s theme song and wins $2,000.

• Holmberg’s Humorous Take on Band Night:

  • “We’re ready to go tonight…let’s goof around and have fun on a Tuesday…crowd participation is a big thing.” (07:26)
  • “The 44 is probably not throwing 200 bucks at you.” – on the rarity of big payouts for local acts (07:41)

B. The “Bald” Ruling – Workplace Harassment Redefined (12:29–20:08)

• Setting Up the Story:

  • A court ruled that calling a man “bald” at work is now sexual harassment—likened to commenting on a woman’s body. Holmberg: “Me too. It's here for us, Brady. We can't be teased, we can't be ridiculed. We can't be ogled.” (12:34)
  • The ruling originated in the UK, not NH as initially thought, cited use of “bald C-word” by a supervisor.

• Analysis & Commentary:

  • Holmberg suggests "bald" is now the male equivalent of the N-word—only bald men can use it. “Bald is our new N word. Only we’re allowed to use it." (15:39)
  • The judge linked baldness to sex, since male-pattern baldness is overwhelmingly male; thus, a protected trait. “It immediately drops right into that category. As if you were to make fun of only things women have.” (14:43)
  • The team riffs on double standards, joking about what’s now permitted to say at work.

• Personal Anecdotes:

  • Holmberg recounts a time he casually used the C-word around a female colleague, shocking her and causing tears. "But now you’re kind of acting like a..." (17:18)
    • He reflects on changing workplace sensitivities since 2005. “2005 was different. It was different.” (19:00)

• Riffing on the Future of ‘Bald’ in Culture:

  • The guys joke about starting the “NAABP” (National Association for the Advancement of Bald People). “We have to start our own…the NAABP…We’ve been pushed back too long by the man, oppressed.” (20:27)
  • They emphasize solidarity among the “B-words” (bald men) and mock hair-havers’ inability to understand baldness “oppression."

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Band Absentees:
  “Brent’s band was amazing. I don’t think there’s anything other than he’s just missing from action.” — John Holmberg (01:46)

• On Playdio Crowd Funding:
  “No terrorism here…But there is guilt. And Brett will stand up there—oh, you don’t—no envelope from you? OK, how you doing? Enjoy tonight for free.” — John Holmberg (07:17)

• On Workplace Harassment: “Calling a man bald can be a form of sexual harassment, a characteristic more prevalent in men.” — John Holmberg reading the news (13:45)

  “Bald is our new N word. Only we’re allowed to use it. This is going to be awesome.” — John Holmberg (15:39)

  “If you’re one of those horseshoe keepers, you’re not one of us…You look like a toilet seat…you look like a moron and you’re bald.” — John Holmberg (20:24)

• On Changing Times:
  “2005 was different…Somewhere around 12, 13, everybody kind of looked at each other and said, ‘Let’s make everything harder.’” — John Holmberg (19:00)

• On Creating a Bald Advocacy Group:
  “The NAABP…We’ve been pushed back too long by the man, oppressed.” — John Holmberg (20:27)

4. Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:20–10:57: Playdio Finals Update – Band recaps, challenges, playful banter, and event details.
• 12:29–20:27: “Bald” as Sexual Harassment – Hilarious breakdown of the legal ruling and its cultural significance.
• 17:00–19:49: Anecdotes about workplace language, teasing, and changing standards.
• 20:16–20:56: Solidarity for the bald; co-opting civil rights lingo and inside jokes.

5. Tone & Style

• Fast-paced, sarcastic, sometimes biting humor.
• Riffs on masculinity, radio culture, and generational shifts with equal parts self-mockery and social critique.
• Shows the camaraderie of the hosts; no topic is off-limits, but always through a lens of absurdity and playful exaggeration.

6. For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

You’ll get all the Playdio finals updates you need—who’s actually performing, why some bands are in “witness protection,” and what to expect for the event itself.
If you’re bald (or just follicularly challenged), Holmberg’s got your back with a deep (and hilarious) dive into new workplace rules and the ever-blurrier line between protected status and office ribbing.
The crew’s stories about words you “can” and “can’t” say at work, the heartfelt NAABP proposal, and mock-serious bald advocacy will keep you laughing—and maybe thinking twice at your next office party.

Summary prepared by Podcast Summarizer AI | Holmberg’s Morning Sickness, 98KUPD