12-17-25 - Entertainment Drill - WED - Dilbert Creator Scott Adams Paralyzed By Cancer - Keith Richards Health Will Prevent Rolling Stones From Going On European Tour Next Year

Summary

Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 12-17-25 – Entertainment Drill – WED

Date: December 17, 2025
Host: John Holmberg with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo
Note: Episode covers the Entertainment Drill segment of the show's final 2025 broadcast, featuring news, comedy, and reflection.

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Episode Overview

This episode marks the final Entertainment Drill of 2025 for Holmberg’s Morning Sickness. The hosts blend entertainment news with their trademark offbeat banter, covering topics such as Scott Adams’ health, the impact of pop culture phenomena, and notable changes in the music world. Amidst the news, they serve their usual irreverence, humor, and a touch of heartfelt reflection as they sign off for the year.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Year-End Listener Feedback & Team Banter

• Listener's holiday email (02:14): A fan laments that the show's holiday break results in a "depressing" lack of HMS content, jokingly blaming their absence for increased seasonal sadness.
• AI-generated hosts & 24-hours of HMS (03:12):
  • The crew discusses running AI versions of themselves or looping "Best Of" episodes over the holidays, with John clarifying that he was never serious about airing 24 hours of himself.
    • Holmberg (03:14): “The last thing I think we should do is have me on for 24... spend 24 hours a day with me and I hate it.”
    • They joke about the absurdity of spending an entire day with only HMS, poking fun at the idea’s origin.

2. Self-Defense and Heroism in the News

• Active shooter scenario commentary (05:12):
  The team references a recent incident in Australia involving a civilian tackling a shooter but being mistakenly shot by police.
  • Holmberg highlights the importance of situational awareness and points to local self-defense training:
    Holmberg (06:02): “Once you get some confidence and once you get trained, boy, you can defend yourself in a whole bunch of different ways.”

3. Entertainment News Highlights

Scott Adams' Health Crisis (06:26)

• Dilbert creator Scott Adams is paralyzed below the waist due to cancer.
• He’s appealing to President Trump for access to an unapproved drug, Plavicto, delayed by ongoing radiation treatments.
  • Dark, irreverent humor from Holmberg:
    Holmberg (06:45): “I believe we blow up a boat of Plavicto on its way over from Venezuela. Sorry about that.”

Pop Culture: Zootopia 2’s Unexpected Impact (07:12)

• Zootopia 2 breaks records, hitting $1B faster than any PG animated film.
• “Gary the Snake,” a character, inspires a trend in China for adopting venomous pit vipers as pets (despite their dangers).
  • Holmberg (07:51): “I have no sympathy for anyone who buys something called a viper unless it’s a Dodge.”

Best TV Comedies of 2025 (08:05)

• Collider.com’s Top 10 comedies, with notable mentions:
  • Only Murders in the Building (#10)
  • Mythic Quest, Hacks, Abbott Elementary, and more.
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (#1 pick)
    • Holmberg (09:12): “Always Sunny is ridiculously hilarious—when it hits, it hits it out of the yard.”

Snoop Dogg Halftime & Rolling Stones Tour News (09:18)

• Snoop Dogg is announced as the halftime show for the Vikings/Lions Christmas Day game on Netflix (09:18).
  • Joked that Martha Stewart will be “pole dancing.”
• Rolling Stones won’t tour Europe next year due to Keith Richards’ declining health (arthritis).
  • Hosts riff on Keith’s age and a potential album called “Ouch. Where’s my Voltaren?”
    Holmberg (10:05): “If their album was called Rolling Stones: Pass the Voltaren ... just him pointing to the Voltaren.”

4. Year-End Reflections and Notables

Reflections on 2025 & Listener Appreciation (11:23)

• The show acknowledges a difficult year for the team, mentioning brushes with leaving but expressing gratitude to each other and their audience.
  • Holmberg (11:51): “There was a lot of strife this year. This was a tough one. We almost left ... but it was still fun. Coming in here with you guys was fun.”

“S Heel of the Year” Award (12:00)

• The team regretfully remembers missing the “S Heel of the Year” segment.
  • This year’s (unwanted) winner: a man who cruelly killed a puppy, which Holmberg recounts with disgust, declining to name the perpetrator to avoid giving notoriety.

Safety Message for the Holidays (12:40)

• Public safety encouragement regarding holiday drinking and amateur hour.
  • Holmberg (12:54): “It’s amateur hour from December 24th to January 2nd. ... Stay safe.”

Self-Deprecation on Best-Ofs and Holiday Programming (13:15)

• The team pokes fun at their own “Best Of” holiday reruns and 24-hour marathons.
  • Holmberg (13:29): “That’s just ... horrible. Turn the radio off. Enjoy Christmas with the family.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On endless marathons of themselves:
  “Spend 24 hours a day with me and I hate it. About eight hours in, I’m like, enough of this.”
  — John Holmberg (03:59)

• On Rolling Stones health:
  “If their album was called Rolling Stones: Pass the Voltaren ... just him pointing to the Voltaren.”
  — John Holmberg (10:05)

• On “S Heel of the Year”:
  “That dude is like the worst human being alive ... I want to shame his family and everybody that ever was nice to him. Ever.”
  — John Holmberg (12:00)

• On holiday safety:
  “Don’t be one of those pricks that wrecks it for someone else.”
  — John Holmberg (12:54)

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------| | 02:14 | Listener holiday email & team jokes | | 03:12 | AI/24-hour HMS marathon debate | | 05:12 | Self-defense/situational awareness commentary | | 06:26 | Scott Adams/Dilbert health update | | 07:12 | Zootopia 2 & dangerous pet trends in China | | 08:05 | Collider.com’s Top 10 Comedies of 2025 | | 09:18 | Snoop Dogg halftime show, Rolling Stones update | | 11:23 | Year-end reflections, gratitude to listeners | | 12:00 | “S Heel of the Year” story | | 12:40 | Holiday safety message | | 13:15 | Self-deprecating humor re: holiday programming |

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Tone and Style

The episode embodies Holmberg’s Morning Sickness’s signature irreverent, fast-paced humor. The hosts interweave topical entertainment news with biting sarcasm, self-deprecation, and the occasional sincere nod to their audience. Jokes fly rapidly—even when discussing sobering topics—delivered with camaraderie and a refusal to take themselves too seriously. As the 2025 wrap-up, the episode offers a snapshot of the cast’s chemistry and their distinct approach to tackling both the profound and the absurd in pop culture.

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For listeners seeking a year-end roundup laced with adult irreverence, sharp quips, and candid moments, this episode is an apt farewell to 2025 from Holmberg and crew.

Transcript

[A]

You're listening to the HMS Podcast, brought to you by MMP Guns.com, your most trusted online marketplace for firearms, ammunition, and accessories. Hey, it's Brett Vesely, and I'm here with Byron from MMP Guns. Look, Byron, I have a friend wanting to sell some guns he inherited. What's the best way for him to do that?

[B]

Brett, the last thing you want to do is sell the gun to someone who can't legally own one. Tell him not to put himself at risk and come into M and P Guns where he'll get a fair offer and he can rest easy knowing it's not getting into the wrong hands.

[A]

Okay, but what if he lives out of state?

[B]

Easy. Legalgunbuyer.com and he can do it. Really? That simple.

[A]

There you have it. MMP Guns or legalgunbuyer.com the safe and legal way to sell your firearms. It's John Holberg here from the Morning sickness and it's time to talk about TVs Doug Hopkins of My Home Group and doughopkins.com. have you ever thought to yourself, I'm going to sell my house? Of course you have. And one reason or another, you just didn't do it. Probably because it's a hassle when you try to make a real estate deal. What if I could say, you can sell that house the day after you say the words, I want to sell my house. Doug's been at this for over 25 years, and that's why he's still on top of the Hill. TVs Doug Hopkins can handle everything. Won't move the price, or you get $5,000. What do you start to process right now@doug hopkins.com or grab the phone and sing? Still streaming Homburg's morning sickness [e-mail] There it is, the song of the year. You got it twice this morning. That's a good one. It's catchy. It wins. Every time I hear it, it gets a little better. I like that guy says, oh, man, I can't believe it. Well, at least let rubber Ducky know I voted for him.

[B]

Ten, four.

[A]

Yeah, Good buddy. Truck driving cdl Brady. Rubber Ducky. I said, that mammoth song has weird nostalgia in it. I can't play. It's. I'm the same way with that. It's good stuff, though. It is. There you go, Brady. Oh, what areas? Well, we got all these AI things of Brady. What is it? Oh, there it is.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

Help out people who bang on his door. Better job.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

He's like a job placement center. Afternoon. Yeah, we definitely got the front door. Good buddy. Mercy. That's how Brady's answer the door. You should have a CB at your couch so you can talk to the people at your front door. He kind of does with the ring. You should just talk to him through that. Anyway, it's time now for us to entertain you one last time in 2025. And I got to read this before we get to it says holiday season again and I have solved the problem on why millions of people get depressed and suicide rates spike. It's because you guys go off the air for two weeks. We have nothing to listen to for the next two weeks. We've been listening to radio shows like Katie, KB or Christmas time with Beth. Where's my gun? I say I have to go clean it so I don't listen to that. I guess we can listen to the best of for the next two weeks. It's just not the same. Then I had an idea. What if you had Toledo plug all your voices into AI and just let it run its own version like they do at kslx. Probably too late but maybe do a Christmas Day episode or New Year's Day episode. What if it was really good and the Bob's never brought you back? Well, it would have to be New.

[B]

Year's because we have the 24 hours of HMS on Christmas Day.

[A]

By the way, I'm not for that. That's something I too late and I.

[B]

Know stop and moving train.

[A]

It was never my idea. It was too maybe I was joking. The last thing I think we should do is have me on for 24. You guys took that seriously. I was not serious about it. That was not my hey, we should run me for 24. I never said that with any excitement. No, I did not. Well then I take it back. Take it off because I don't want that. I think it's an awful thing to do to people. All the part timers like, yeah, F you John. Taking away your time. I take away people's jobs. Sean Knight is pissed at you. I swear to you this is not my name. Right. Maybe I said it on that couch over you guys should just run me for 24 hours. That would have been me being funny arrogant joking guy. And you guys are like hey, he's got something.

[B]

Because Larry came right to me after we could do that. And I'm like we have plenty of content.

[A]

Nobody talked to me about it. Like are you sure you want that? Be like, no, I was kidding. That sounds awful. I spend 24 hours a day with me and I hate it. About eight hours in, I'm like, enough of this. I slammed the door on me sometime, like, yuck, I put a door in my mirror. Get that guy out of here. Brady would never do that to you. No. Do you need a truck driving gig in there? Double John, Rubber ducky and Double John coming at you. Anyway, it's time for the entertainment drill. It's the Last 1 of 2025 and it's brought to you by our friends [e-mail] that's the home of Tactical Black 25 years. That's what they're going to be celebrating in 2026. And that is an awesome thing because they're the best at it. Best in the world doing what they do best and they can help you guys out. You saw some of that in Australia when that guy took matters into his own hand to save lives. And it gets crazy. He actually made a couple mistakes, but he still saved the day by tackling that guy. But the thing that he got, turns out the guy that did the rescuing and tackled the shooter, held that gun, got shot, possibly by a cop who thought he was the shooter. We go through that drill up a tactical black and action or the they do the active shooter seminar. Some of it is if you get a gun in your hand and the cops aren't there yet and you've. And there's been a. They've neutralized something, put that gun down. They're gonna think you're the bad guy. So you have to. There's a bunch of different things that you can do. The scenarios they go through and all the stuff that they're. They train you on, get your brain thinking real quick. And once they neutralize that dude with the gun, he stood there with his gun and a cop on. There's the guy we're looking for. Came from the same sounds and everything else, but he's still a hero. And the other person was as well. I don't think they have videotape of the other person tackling. It was a woman, if I'm not mistaken, that tried to tackle the other shooter. It's phenomenal. Doesn't matter about the size of the dog. It's the size of the fight in the dog. And that's what they teach up there. You can feel like you're small. You can feel like you're weak. There's dudes up there, six, eight. And women get in there and train with them and they give them all their Worth because once you get some confidence and once you get trained, boy, you can defend yourself in a whole bunch of different ways. 89 bucks for a month of training. That's what they're looking at right now. And that is an unbelievable deal for the holidays. Get on that, get some gift cards. And thanks to the Ackerman family for everything they do for us here at cupd as well, especially those delicious cookies. Got to keep us in shape and then give us cookies every year to make sure we come back. Reactdefense.com that's the home of tactical Black Brady Entertainment.

[B]

Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert. His is paralyzed below the waist because he's battled with cancer and he's asking President Trump to give him access to the drug Plavicto. That hasn't been approved, but it.

[A]

Let's see.

[B]

Yeah, so. But it's been delayed due to his new radiation treatments that he's been getting.

[A]

I believe we blow up a boat of Plavicto on its way over from Venezuela. Sorry about that. We could put some floaties on your chair and maybe there's still some out there.

[B]

We got him, sir.

[A]

We got all of. Got another one. All right, get some flavicto for Dildos Rider. What's his name? Scott Hornbecker.

[B]

I don't know. Scott Adams.

[A]

That's the guy. We got to get out. They're going to blow up. We're going to do a lot of happy holidays, everyone. Happy Jew holidays in black. And mostly happy Merry Christmas to all the normals.

[B]

Zootopia 2 has been a worldwide sensation, hitting the 1 billion mark faster than any animated PG rated movie in history. And because of that, one of the characters, Gary the Snake, the Indonesian pit viper, has become a popular pet in China. It's venomous. Although the pit viper's bite is rarely fatal, it can result in pain, swelling and serious tissue damage. So now people are buying them, paying a couple hundred bucks for the pit vipers.

[A]

Well, I hope it eats all of them.

[B]

Taking the home and pet them.

[A]

I have no sympathy for anyone who buys something called a viper unless it's a dodge. And even then that was sort of a bad decision. The value of those things dropped off the face of the planet.

[B]

Collider.com ranked the best comedies of 2025 on TV.

[A]

On television. Yep, there were comedies this year.

[B]

What were they top number 10, only murders in the building. Number nine, running point, season one. It's on netflix. Don't. Long story short, also on Netflix. Mythic quest. It's season four.

[A]

I haven't heard of anything.

[B]

Rob McElhenney.

[A]

Oh, I like him.

[B]

The studio.

[A]

I'm turning to my grandma. Oh, I like him. He does things still.

[B]

It's on Apple tv. Adults season one on fx. Hacks season four on hbo. Number three, Abbott Elementary.

[A]

I hear that's fantastic. And that's basically sort of the people from Always Sunny. Also the dude from Always Sunny Philadelphia is the number one one shrinking, overcompensating.

[B]

Number two, season one shrinking.

[A]

That's a very good.

[B]

You mentioned the number one. It's Always Sunny and Philadelphia.

[A]

Oh, they didn't care if it was new or old.

[B]

Seventeen.

[A]

I see. Yeah.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Always Sunny is ridiculously hilarious when it's. When it hits it hits it out of the yard.

[B]

Snoop Dogg will be the halftime show for the Vikings Lions Christmas Day game.

[A]

On Netflix, sponsored by Corona and whatever else he's decided.

[B]

That way Martha Stewart will be on the pole dancing.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

And if you wanted to see the Rolling Stones this year or next year, it's not going to happen.

[A]

They're dead.

[B]

Keith Richards isn't up to it.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

Arthritis in the recent years.

[A]

And it's mid-80s.

[B]

82 tomorrow.

[A]

I. Keith, I don't want to go out no more. Make my hands hurt. Come on, Keith. We've got to go out one more time, right? Yeah, I won't go out anymore. Keith. Keith is all done.

[B]

But there is a new album coming out in 26.

[A]

It's called Ouch. Where's my Voltaren? That's called. Why? I would like that. If their album was called Rolling Stones. Passable. Tarnamic. That's the name of the arm. It's just him pointing to the Voltaren. You evolve, Taren. You gotta go on stage. I gotta keep it like a carrot on a stick. I wanna look. You see Keith out there with a hat with a rope on it. It's got Voltaire and hanging just out of his reach. Finish the show, Keith. We gotta get it. Give you Voltaren if you finish the show. I knew me Voltaire. Are they any good anymore? I mean live. I haven't seen.

[B]

They were great four years ago when we saw him here.

[A]

That was when I was in my 70s.

[B]

Charlie was still alive.

[A]

Charlie. That was a long time ago. Charlie died in the 70s. We just didn't tell him.

[B]

When did you?

[A]

90S. We were all. He started to stink.

[B]

Now you can go, mate.

[A]

It was late on everything. He used to be a metronome and it was dead. Right. We got kicked Charlie out of the Band due to death. Who's gonna tell him? I'll do it. Charlie, we gotta let you out of the band. What? What I'll do wrong? Well, you died 18 years ago. That's what. We gotta get rid of you then.

[B]

Come on, man.

[A]

It's like you're nothing but a skeleton now. You've got a Lego.

[B]

Oh, shucks.

[A]

All right, who's our new drummer? Make sure he's alive. It's 10:12. That's it. The show's over. We even went over. We gave you a little extra. You're welcome. You're welcome. Thank you all for another fantastic. Well, it wasn'. There's a lot of strife this year. This was a tough one. We almost left. We. To be honest with you, from April till about. I was. I was on the way out. Yeah, it was a. But it was still fun. Coming in here with you guys was fun. And all the listeners that have said nice things to us, we appreciate you more than you know for sure.

[B]

Thank you for another year.

[A]

Yeah, again, another outstanding thing. We'll do it again. Somebody said I missed the seal of the year award. We forgot his name. But it was the dude that smashed the puppy. And I didn't really want to do the story. We were having so much fun. But he smashed a puppy with a shovel and then stomped it on a street corner. And then it made the news, and they had video of it. 9. This dude is, like the worst human being alive. There were some bad ones this year, but that dude stood out. So that was back in, like, March, too. Horrible human being. I don't even want to give his name credit, even though it should, because we'll bring him. I want to shame his family and everybody that ever was nice to him. Ever awful person. That's it. Larry's coming up next. He's the opposite of what I just talked about. He is not the S heel of the year. Never even been a nominee as far as I know. But there's always next year. You guys have a good one. Thanks for everything. Have a happy holiday. Stay safe. And by the way, always remember that it's amateur hour from December 24th to January 2nd. So don't be one of those pricks that wrecks it for someone else. And certainly stay safe. I say everyone stay home. Don't do any. Just listen to the top 98 on CUPD and 24 hours of home Bird, too, that you request. You know what? I highly recommend you skip that. That is horrible. That's a curse. That's not that So I put it on Christmas. And then you still do for Christmas. Oh, 24 hours of Jew for Christmas.

[B]

I remember.

[A]

Yeah. You remember how I used to storm up and down. Why don't they do this for me? I think it's a terrible idea, but they do it anyway. It's Christmas day. It's probably got some funny parts, but it's just. Look, Come on. That's way too much me.

[B]

Lots of old stuff.

[A]

Terrible. Just terrible. Technically, it's all, enjoy Christmas with your family.

[B]

It's already in the can.

[A]

Yeah. Turn the radio off. Enjoy Christmas with the family. It's not even rated. I don't care. See if we can get a zero that day. That's just. It's horrible. Larry's losing the other. It's a terrible thing. It's not my idea. Larry's next. Have a great one. We'll do 24 hours of Larry one of these days. We'll catch you in 2026. So long, everybody. Arizona's most powerful rock radio station. He said fully erect. It's John Holmberg here, and it's time. Talk about TVs Doug Hopkins of my home group and doughotkins.com. i got a call from Doug the other day thanking me for leading so many of you guys his direction. He told me a story of a listener who had been through quite an ordeal and had a house they absolutely had to sell to feel like they were getting back to a normal place in life. You just never know when simple business transactions can actually change someone's life. So you want to deal with somebody great. TV's Doug Hopkins. That's your guy. So if you want to sell your house, start the process right now online@doug hopkins.com or grab that phone and sing Hopkins 1-800-sale now. All right, HMS Podcast, time again to let you know where to go for some great comedy in the valley this week. Head north to Desert Ridge to catch Chris Turner from AGT and Heather Posternak perform in Tempe at the Improv. You've got Matt Friend and local girl Jesse Jet Ski Johnson doing their sets. And downtown at Stand Up Live, enjoy the comedy of Timmy no Breaks Lunel and Jay Pharoah entertaining you this week. For the complete lineups and for Tickets, go to standuplive.com desertridgeimprov.com and tempeimprov.com.