Episode Overview

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona
Episode Title: Chris Turner - America's Got Talent - Desert Ridge Improv - In Studio
Date: December 11, 2025

This episode features British comedian and freestyle rapper Chris Turner, known for his remarkable appearances on America's Got Talent, joining John Holmberg and the crew in studio ahead of his shows at Desert Ridge Improv. The discussion dives into the origins of Chris's unique act, improvisational comedy, the contrast between American and British audiences, and the inside stories from performing on major talent platforms. Throughout, listeners get firsthand displays of Turner’s signature off-the-cuff rap abilities, custom-tailored live to the hosts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chris’s Unique Skill: Live Freestyle Rapping

• Intro & Skepticism:
  • Chris’s act is so convincing that Holmberg jokes about whether the audience suggestions are staged.

    "I have to say, I think you're faking it." – John Holmberg (00:48)
    "I pay people in the audience to shout out the things. I've done that for 25 years... still making a profit, making it work." – Chris Turner (00:58)

• Learning The Skill:
  • Chris describes rapping from age 10 just for friends, never imagining it would be a real career.

    "It's a skill that you learn accidentally... for nine years before I ever did on stage. Who would think that this is a career?" – Chris Turner (01:53)

2. Demo: Live Freestyle Rap

• Prompt: Mike’s mom and pain meds
  • At Holmberg’s request, Chris launches into an elaborate, funny, and dark rap based on a random prompt about a friend's mother on pain meds.
    (00:25–03:21)

    “She was clearly seizing every opportunity to take a break from the meal…” – Chris Turner (02:30) “Mike brother was born autistic because his mother consumed so much Tylenol…” – Chris Turner (03:10)

  • The crew is blown away:

    "That is outstanding." – John Holmberg (03:16)

3. Early Aspirations and the Path to Comedy

• Chris reveals he originally wanted to be a lawyer and played in a rock band before shifting to comedy at university, realizing comedy gigs attracted bigger and more diverse crowds.

  “I just want attention.” – Chris Turner (04:00)

• Hilarious stories about failed hip-hop cyphers in his youth.

  "Someone's like, okay, everyone, we're going to make up some raps about a zoo. And something naughty is going on with the lions..." – Chris Turner (04:20)
  "I was like, I'm out. This is so bad." – Chris Turner (04:30)

4. Life and Career in the U.S.

• Impressions of American Audiences:
  • Chris celebrates American openness and energy at live shows, seeing a strong difference with British crowd reserve.

    "American audiences... lean forward. They've paid $25 for a ticket. Let's have a great time. Whereas British people are like, 'We paid £25 for a ticket. This better not be bad.'" – Chris Turner (06:05, 06:12)

• Citizenship:
  • Chris reveals he took U.S. citizenship and enjoys aspects of American culture (Waffle House camo hat mention, 05:32).

5. Interactive Shows & Handling Hecklers

• Crowd Work:
  • Shows are improvised; Chris often interacts directly with the audience, using their stories for material.
• Heckler Stories:
  • Most hecklers think they’ve improved the show.

    "Every heckler I've had afterward has said, 'Well, I helped, didn't it? Made the show better.'" – Chris Turner (06:39)

• Great Story:
  • Gen Z couple in Syracuse confessing an STD story at his show, immediately turned into a rap skit.

6. British vs. American Cultural Differences

• Fun & Pessimism:
  • Chris discusses how Scots are fun and receptive, English crowds not as much, possibly due to the weather.

    "There's just this lack of fun in England." – Chris Turner (08:31)

• Sadness and Art:
  • The group riffs on why misery fuels great music.

    "When's the last great singer that was happy the whole time?" – John Holmberg (08:58)

7. Freestyle Rap, Memory, and Artistry

• Memory of Past Raps:
  • Chris doesn’t remember lyrics post-performance—each rap is gone as soon as it’s done.

    "I don't have memory beyond about six months ago." – Chris Turner (15:37)

• Perfectionism:
  • Even after a strong performance, Chris rarely feels satisfied.

    "The worst part of having a skill like this that everybody loves is that you're cursed with the weight of never really thinking you got it right." – John Holmberg (14:55) "It is a curse." – Chris Turner (15:02)

8. Career Origin and Talent Show Experiences

• Chris reveals he was the first true freestyle rapper allowed on America's Got Talent, after breaking through TV gatekeeping in the U.S.

  "They didn't have a freestyle rapper on for 20 seasons. I was the first..." – Chris Turner (13:54) “Advice I was given was, get in the final, try and hit top three. Try hard not to win." – Chris Turner (12:57)

9. Rap Influences

• Early Rap Loves:
  • First albums: Eminem, Dr. Dre, Outkast. His social group thought it odd for a kid from Manchester.

    "All my friends liked heavy metal... the guy who would burn me the albums... He was like, 'Please get away. Everyone thinks I'm weird.'" – Chris Turner (16:38–16:59)

10. Second Live Freestyle Rap: About the Hosts

• Prompted by Details About the Crew:
  • Incorporates jokes about kidneys, baldness, golf, caskets, and more: (19:13–20:40)

    "Brady's like, yes. What am I? Like waking up in a bath of ice. That's nice... you had one kidney, now you've got one left. Literally!" – Chris Turner
    "Then you head into dialysis. That's the handicapped man in the Waffle House cap." – Chris Turner
    "Maybe you're talking about the baby caskets. Ever so small, fitting, like a tiny one... This is not funny." – Chris Turner

11. Practice & Routine

• Freestyle Practice:
  • Chris frequently records personalized raps for fans and is constantly “warmed up.”

    "People said you practice, like. No, literally, like, every day. I'm doing two or three little personalized raps." – Chris Turner (21:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If I’d written it, wouldn’t I make it funnier? Wouldn’t I have bits where I don’t repeat the same word twice?”
  – Chris Turner (01:20)

• “Mike brother was born autistic because his mother consumed so much Tylenol.”
  – Chris Turner, mid-rap (03:10)

• "I just want attention."
  – Chris Turner, on why he shifted from music to comedy (04:00)

• "Every heckler I’ve had afterward has said, 'Well, I helped, didn’t it?'"
  – Chris Turner (06:39)

• “There’s just this lack of fun in England.”
  – Chris Turner (08:31)

• “You are now the machine.”
  – John Holmberg, on aging out of counterculture music (09:50)

• “You’re the only one... No one is combining stand up comedy and freestyle rap.”
  – John Holmberg (13:11)

• "As soon as the beat finishes in my head, I’m like, oh, should have said this."
  – Chris Turner (14:47)

• "Not many rappers saying bereft."
  – Chris Turner, after a rap about baby caskets (20:49)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:34 — Chris Turner introduction, accent & AGT context.
• 01:10–02:04 — Chris on learning to freestyle from youth.
• 02:25–03:21 — First live improvised rap (Mike’s mom/pain meds).
• 03:40–04:14 — Comedy vs. music as a career choice.
• 06:02–06:18 — American vs. British audiences; optimism vs. pessimism.
• 06:39–07:31 — Crowd work, hecklers, and turning audience confessions into material.
• 13:54–14:31 — Breaking into AGT and TV experiences as a freestyle act.
• 15:02–15:22 — On perfectionism and never feeling satisfied post-performance.
• 19:00–20:40 — Second live rap feat. hosts’ quirks and inside jokes.
• 21:09–21:17 — Practice habits: personalized video raps keep skills sharp.

Final Notes

Chris Turner demonstrates not only the speed and wit required for elite freestyle, but a gift for immediately weaving together offbeat, personal, and even dark humor in ways that leave even seasoned radio hosts astounded. The episode is peppered with humor about British culture, behind-the-scenes industry wisdom, and earnest talk about creativity and self-doubt, making it both hilarious and insightful for listeners unfamiliar with Turner or his genre-defying talents.