Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness

Episode: 12-17-25 – FULL SHOW – WEDNESDAY

Date: December 17, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogan, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Station: 98KUPD | Hubbard Radio

Overview

This lively episode marks the last live show of 2025 before the crew takes their holiday break. The tone is irreverent, self-reflective, and celebratory as John Holmberg and his co-hosts reminisce about the show's long history, discuss listener questions, riff on current events, and deliver their signature blend of banter, edgy humor, and listener engagement. Topics range from behind-the-scenes tales, the evolution of the show, and pop-culture, to playful debates about Venezuelan politics, U.S. drug policy, and personal quirks within the crew—delivered with characteristic wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reflections on Taking Time Off and Career Longevity

• Show is closing out for the year; hosts compare their break to Howard Stern’s luxurious contract, expressing both envy and confusion.
  • "[Howard] signed a contract where they pay him not to show up for three months. As long as he shows up for the other nine, we're good." (06:07)
• Reflect on the fantasy of quitting if they won the lottery, their early career days, and maintaining enthusiasm across decades.

2. Listener Email: Evolution and Heyday of the Show

• A listener asks if the show is in its “heyday.”
  • John admits, “I think the best ever in 25 years... it was the COVID year, to be honest. That was the hardest one… and the most... I'm most proud of because... we had to make moves.” (11:44)
• The guys openly discuss hard times, imposter syndrome, and the unique challenges the pandemic presented to live radio.
  • "[COVID] taught me that... I'll take the shot... Just get this off everyone else's desk. And then after a few things happened, I'm like, I'm not gonna... necessarily just...I think I've stood in cement a little more." (16:59)
• Memorable Quote:
  "You find your voice through weird adversity. Great question, Spin and Terry." (15:06)

3. Banter About Listeners, Inside Jokes & the 25-year Journey

• Playfully break down the identities of longtime listeners “Spin and Terry,” poking fun at unique names and loyal audience stories.
• Touch on odd exchanges with listeners over the years, including stories about loyal LGBTQ listeners, wild letters, and the show's capacity to “disturb and entertain.”

4. Wild News & Cultural Detours

a) Kenyan Bullfighting on TV

• John recounts discovering Kenyan bullfighting as televised sport, marveling at the chaos and audience’s joy.
  • "Kenyan bull fighting was incredible. It's almost made me want to go to Kenya." (23:34)

b) The War on Drugs, Venezuela, and U.S. Foreign Policy

• Satirically discuss U.S. plans to intervene in Venezuela, exposing their own lack of knowledge for comedic effect.
  • "Honestly, it's hard for me to drum up anger for Venezuela. I didn't even know we were mad at him until a few weeks ago." (91:25)
  • "If you want a war on drugs? People will have to die. Lace all of it with fentanyl... that's a war." (98:05)
• Memorable quote:
  "What’s all this caring doing for your day to day... Are you okay? Are you feeling all right? Or is social media making you miserable?" (91:25 – 93:20)

c) Pop Culture: Sports, Esports, and Old Guys in Sports

• Groan about “old people” making comebacks in professional sports, eschew nostalgia for realism.
  • “I hate when old people get in sports and do well. I just hate it.” (77:01)

5. Notable Memories: Guests with the Best “Cans”

• In response to a listener question about memorable show guests, the crew fondly (and crudely) recalls memorable in-studio appearances by St. Pauli Girls, porn stars (Carmen Luvana, B.B. Jones), and celebrity Jennifer Tilly.
  • Brady: “My personal favorites were the St. Pauli Girls…” (34:01)
  • John: “Jennifer Tilly...Brady made her feel real...well, you have a bad memory...she called him creepy…” (34:24)
• This segment is exemplary of the show’s mix of raunchiness and nostalgia.

6. Listener Interactions, Playfulness & Social Satire

a) Brady’s Good Samaritan Problem

• John ribs Brady about his compulsive friendliness—answering the door for salesmen, promising to help a magazine salesman get a commercial trucking license.
  • John: “2026 is the year you knock it off with the door answering… You are a problem.” (138:13)
  • Brady: “I like to help people.” (142:39)
  • This running gag highlights both the show’s penchant for recurring character bits and playful social commentary.

b) Unusual Christmas Traditions

• Brady introduces listeners to “Tio de Nadal” (Catalan “pooping log” Christmas tradition), to the disbelief (and mockery) of the rest of the crew.
  • John: “No Christmas tradition includes the phrase, then it poops the presents. That’s new.” (122:40)

7. End-of-Year Traditions and Awards

a) Rock Wars: Song of the Year

• Each host nominates a 2025 rock song for their annual “Rock Wars” segment:
  • Bret: “Making love to Morgan Wallen” – Limp Bizkit (Winner)
  • Brady: “The Spell” – Mammoth Wolfgang Van Halen
  • John: “As Alive as You Need Me to Be” – Nine Inch Nails
• Listener votes determine the winner, and the hosts consider these awards as a chance to reflect on current music and its place in their culture.

b) Show Sign-off & Acknowledgments

• Close with thanks to their audience, a reflection on the year's hardships and gratitude for their loyal listeners.
  • John: “There’s 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. And all the listeners that have said nice things to us, we appreciate you more than you know for sure.” (175:03)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "You find your voice through weird adversity." (15:06 – John Holmberg)
• On the challenges of running a long-term show:
  "I always feel like, what are we missing? And when is somebody going to come in and tell us we suck? Like, that’s...The imposter complex lives in me in a huge way." (15:36 – John)
• On American interventionism:
  "If we can get gas down to a buck, let's up Venezuela like tooth sweet." (97:12 – John)
• On helping strangers at the door:
  "You are the reason these things still exist...Don’t answer the door. You’re hurting all the rest of us by doing that because you continue the tradition of banging on doors." (137:59 – John to Brady)
• On aging in sports:
  "I hate when old people get in sports and do well. I just hate it." (77:01 – John)
• On AI and the show:
  "What if you had Toledo plug all your voices into AI and just let it run its own version...What if it was really good and the Bobs never brought you back..." (168:47 – Listener email)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [05:45] – Reflections on time off, comparing themselves to Howard Stern
• [11:24] – Deep-dive into the “heyday” of the show; COVID years reflection
• [23:34] – John on watching Kenyan bullfighting on TV
• [34:01] – Listener Q&A: best guest “cans”
• [91:25] – Satire on Venezuela, caring about world events, social media outrage
• [98:05] – John’s “war on drugs” solution
• [131:37] – Not-safe-for-work (NSFW) video reactions
• [158:48] – Rock Wars: Song of the Year nominations and winner
• [168:47] – Listener proposes an all-AI HMS for holiday break
• [175:00-end] – Final sign-off, gratitude, end-of-year reflections

Summary & Tone

The episode is a classic HMS mix of sharp-tongued banter, crude humor, unfiltered opinions, and candid self-assessment. The hosts oscillate between lampooning current events, celebrating their own mismatched personalities, and interacting with long-time listeners. Laughter is never far from the surface, but so too is a note of appreciation for the audience and the unlikely longevity of their irreverent rock radio show.

In sum, this is a laugh-filled, nostalgia-tinged, slightly chaotic finale for 2025 that celebrates decades of radio friendship and the enduring weirdness of live morning radio.

For those who missed it:

• You’ll get a sense of the hosts’ personalities, their views on pop culture and politics, their rapport with fans, and the way they keep it all fresh, self-deprecating, and decidedly off-the-cuff—even as they close out a quarter-century on Arizona airwaves.