Episode Overview

Theme:
This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness dives into the quirks of Google's "Year in Search," discusses recent scientific news (including a silent dentist drill and the secrets of a cat's meow), pokes fun at flat Earthers (inspired by the Columbia Sportswear CEO's recent challenge), and recaps a wild ride through conspiracy theories with John's podcast guest. The team's signature irreverence and banter lead to memorable debates, surprising facts, and plenty of comic moments.

Segment Breakdown & Key Points

1. Charity Shout-outs & Dog Rescue

• [01:21–09:00]
  • John reminisces about the "Rotten Grapes" restaurant and praises the "Rotten Rotty Rescue" for their ongoing dog adoption work, especially for Rottweilers:
    • “Adopt as much as you can. Don’t shop!” (John Holmberg, 02:38)
    • Describes a dog named Carbone as “the pick of the litter”: “Carbone is dumb. This is a dumb, fun dumb, but it’s the dumb, like, ‘I’m just a dog’... In the most awesome Disney way.” (John Holmberg, 04:33)
    • Repeat warning: Don’t buy pets as Christmas gifts unless the recipient is truly ready for the responsibility.
    • Discussion about dog intelligence: towel-over-the-head test.

2. Brady Report: Fun Facts & National Day

• [09:25–14:00]
  • National “Communicate With Your Kids” Day sparks a running joke about what high schoolers do when they call their parents.
  • Fun facts:
    • A group of pugs = grumble.
    • The three NBA teams undefeated in Finals appearances: Raptors, Nuggets, Bulls.
      • "The Bulls! That's right." (John Holmberg, 11:56)
    • Cost of building the Pyramid of Giza today: $5 billion.

3. Google 2025 Year in Search & Weird Trends

• [14:20–18:18]
  • Top 2025 Google searches: Labubu toys ("parents and people our age have to search Labubus"), Charlie Kirk, K-pop, tariffs, government shutdown, and the iPhone 17.
  • Notable quote on weird search trends:
    • “There’s always something on that list that reminds you the world is weirder than you think.” (John Holmberg, ~15:10)
  • Search highlights: LA fires, new Pope, the Epstein files, Hurricane Melissa, and Pantone’s boring “Cloud Dancer” (toilet paper white) color of the year.
  • Bizarre fetish searches: armpit licking overtakes pegging and feet content; water sports still going strong.

4. Science News: Silent Dentist Drill & More

• [18:44–23:40]
  • Dentist Drill: Ongoing development of a silent drill to reduce odontophobia:
    • “Just change the name of it to the tooth softener… Don’t call it a drill…” (John Holmberg, 19:22)
    • Drills evoke trauma; reference to “Marathon Man” torture scene adds a pop culture lens.
  • Fatty Food Smells & Pregnancy: Smelling fatty foods while pregnant may predispose children to obesity; speculation on whether the mother's endorphin response is transmitted to the baby.
  • Cat Meows: Study says cats meow louder at men because men are bad listeners.
    • “That’s not true… overreact to everything?” (John, 22:28–22:38)
  • Other Quick Science Hits:
    • Russian space program setback after launchpad destroyed.
    • Blue Origin sending first wheelchair user to space.
    • Lightning discovered on Mars; time passes faster on Mars.
    • Chimps get mildly drunk eating fermented fruit.

5. Guess the Perp Game & News Oddities

• [25:47–29:00]
  • Comically stereotype-driven “Guess the Perp” segment:
    • 73-year-old Mississippi man busted for trying to buy a baby (“Howell Penton,” turns out to be black; running joke about “Mountain Dew guy”).
    • Gainesville, Florida case: man throws log through car window, surprising reveal he is not the redneck they expected.
  • These moments highlight the team’s brutal, comedic edge when riffing on news stories.

6. Columbia Sportswear CEO Challenges Flat Earthers

• [29:09–39:16]
  • Columbia's Tim Boyle offers to give away the company if someone can show the “edge of the earth.”
    • “If you can prove it, you get the company. Willy Wonka style.” (Brady, 30:14)
    • Satirical plotting: the host imagines chartering a luxury yacht for Flat Earthers and making them “put up or shut up.”
    • John: “Flat Earthers never invent rockets. Not one rich Flat Earther out there!” (John, 38:22)
  • John and Brady unpack how flat earth theories (and chemtrails, etc.) persist, despite decades of technology.

7. Podcast Cross-Over: Conspiracy Theory Madness

• [31:50–38:00]
  • John describes a recurring bit from his own podcast: sports talk ends, then his guest “Nash” rants about conspiracies.
    • Nash believes in chemtrails, claims Bill Gates chooses when to “turn off” the weather-controlling chemicals can by calling ahead when visiting Seattle.
      • “He just calls ahead and says no chemtrails in Seattle today, please.” (34:36)
    • Chemtrails are tied into mass, random story points (911, COVID, Epstein Island).
    • “He gets so worked up… His arms go in the air like someone’s beating him.” (John, 36:26)
    • Nash’s beliefs likened to Alex Jones, including infamous “making the frogs gay” claim.
    • Sarcastic musings about “how to join the conspiracy elite” if it’s so powerful.

8. The Internet’s Weirdest Videos

• [39:31–46:37]
  • “Pretty Video” segment: Showcases bizarre viral clips, including...
    • An Indian daredevil tries (and mostly fails) to ride a bike over the backs of 11 lying men—genuine shock and fascination from the team.
      • “That is one of my favorite things I’ve seen in a while.” (John Holmberg, 41:51)
    • Then, a parade of NSFW oddities: suffocation fetish, a man cutting his own penis off, “milk shooter vs. butt funnel,” and more.
      • “That was a tough one. Holy cow. What was that sound?”’ (John, 46:14)
  • The hosts alternate between horror, confusion, and irreverent laughter—classic absurd “Morning Sickness” tone.

Notable Quotes

• On dog smarts:
  “When they’re puppies, you put a towel over their head: If they lay down, they’re dumb. If they find their way out, they’re smart.” — John Holmberg (04:33)

• On holiday pet “gifting”:
  “Don’t buy someone else a pet for Christmas. They’re not gifts, they’re responsibilities for years.” — John Holmberg (06:55)

• On the Columbia CEO’s challenge:
  “If you guys claim that there’s an end to the earth, I’ll give you the company.” — Brady Bogan (29:23)

• On chemtrails conspiracy:
  “He (Bill Gates) just calls ahead and says no chemtrails in Seattle today, please.” — John Holmberg (34:36)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:21–09:00] — Dog rescue/charity & animal intelligence discussion
• [09:25–14:00] — Brady’s Fun Facts & National Day
• [14:20–18:18] — Google Year in Search, oddball trends, Color of the Year
• [18:44–23:40] — Science News: Silent dentist drill, fat-smelling pregnancies, cat meows, Mars
• [25:47–29:00] — Guess the Perp: News oddities & comic profiling
• [29:09–39:16] — Flat Earther Columbia challenge, followed by deeper debunking
• [31:50–38:00] — Conspiracy theory podcast crossover: chemtrails, Bill Gates, frogs, more
• [39:31–46:37] — Internet’s weirdest videos (Indian bike stunt, NSFW oddities, group commentary)

Episode Tone & Style

The entire episode maintains Holmberg’s signature blend of playful, often edgy banter, with a particular affection for deflating nonsense, poking fun at internet culture, and amplifying the absurdity of current events. Listeners get both laughs and some surprisingly thoughtful insights—just always delivered with a side of snark.