Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 12-18-25 – BR – MIX – Fun Facts on Spam and Toledo’s Love Of It – Noah’s Ark Possibly Found

Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness is a classic exchange of playful banter and skeptical examination among John Holmberg and his co-hosts—Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, and Dick Toledo. The group kicks off with quirky trivia about Spam, segues into a debate about the food’s status as a delicacy (or punishment), and then tumbles into a spirited, often hilarious investigation and debunking of viral history "finds"—including the supposed discovery of giant skeletons in Nevada and the enduring myth of Noah’s Ark. The entire show is punctuated by a mix of irreverence, incredulity, and good-natured ribbing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Fun Facts About Spam (00:58–04:43)

• Spam’s Mysterious Name

  • Byron shares: "Hormel claims the meaning of the name Spam is known only by a small circle former Hormel Foods executives. But a popular belief is that the name is a contraction of spiced ham." (01:57)
  • Rumors: It could also stand for "shoulder pork and ham."
  • Brett jokes: "I just thought it meant I’m poor." (02:25)

• Spam in Their Childhoods

  • Byron asks the group about their Spam experience. Multiple hosts admit to having had Spam or other canned meats in some capacity growing up, but opinions are divided.
  • Brady: "My mom would cube up Spam, put it in macaroni salad.” (04:15)
  • Brett recoils: "Oh it’s actually delicious. No, it’s not." (04:18)
  • The cast reminisces about baloney and Kraft mac & cheese as staples of “poor people food,” with plenty of self-deprecating jokes.

Cultural Oddities and Quick Facts (04:57–05:26)

• Trivia detour about license plates, hockey "Gordie Howe hat tricks," and more.
• The show lightly returns to Spam, riffing on cultural stereotypes (i.e., the Navajo Nation's fondness for Spam).

Strange News & Debunking Urban Legends (06:08–25:00)

• The Dildo Assault Story

  • Byron brings a bizarre news headline: A man arrested for "domestic battery" after attacking his date with a sex toy when she insulted his sexual performance (06:08–07:12).
  • Brett deadpans: “She was right. He couldn't use his own.” (06:44)
  • The group riffs on the indignity of immediate post-coital reviews.

• Nevada’s ‘Giant Human’ Legends

  • Byron reports rumors of giant skeletons, 15-inch sandals, and oversized “red-haired warriors” linked to Bigfoot legends (08:32–10:11).
  • Brett is immediately skeptical—"No, nope. This is all bunk. If in 1912 they found giant skulls, we would have tested them by now.” (09:59)
  • They lampoon the idea of such major discoveries remaining obscure for a century and mock the tendency to tie any anomaly to Bigfoot or ancient giants.
  • Byron: “Tales swirled around about this tribe of gigantic warriors were defeated by the Paiute Native Americans...” (09:32)
  • Brett: “We’d have known about it if it was confirmed. It has been debunked. I guarantee it.” (25:55)

• Noah’s Ark “Discovery”

  • Byron floats reports of Noah’s Ark ruins supposedly being found (11:15). Brett is relentless in his skepticism:
    • “No, there’s two things you can’t find: a Bigfoot, Noah’s Ark. They’re not real.” (11:17)
    • The team picks apart the biblical account for logical inconsistencies and improbabilities: from the boat's supposed size, genetic diversity issues, to the birds’ presence.
    • Brady: “Can we also talk about the elephant in the room? All the inbreeding—animals would have zero genetic diversity if they all came down to two.” (16:35)
    • Brett: “Look, the second you apply the Internet to Noah’s Ark, you realize—oh, I’m kind of stupid for buying it. Yeah. Stop looking for it. Stop reporting on it.” (16:43)
    • The cast evokes the “Ark Encounter” attraction in Kentucky, which ironically once closed due to flooding (17:17).

Broader Reflections & Running Jokes (19:03–27:04)

• Extended riffs on illogical beliefs and why people fall for them, with pointed but playful jabs at anyone who still takes such stories at face value.
• “Sorry to debunk the Noah’s Ark theory for everybody who bought into it.” (20:57)
• Frequent callbacks to the absurdities of conspiracy and urban legend culture, likening the search for Noah’s Ark to hoaxes like the Nevada giants.
• Final punchline: "We find arrowheads and we say giant. A giant's body? And we're like, eh, throw that away. This is the dumbest morning of my life." (26:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Spam & Socioeconomics:

  • Brett Vesely: "I just thought it meant I'm poor. If you’ve got Spam in your house, it usually means you read spam as a kid!” (02:25)

• On the Noah’s Ark Legend:

  • Brett Vesely: “Look, the second you apply the Internet to Noah’s ark, you realize—oh, I’m kind of stupid for buying it. Yeah. Stop looking for it. Stop reporting on it." (16:43)
  • Brady: "Can we also talk about the elephant in the room? And all the inbreeding—animals would have zero genetic diversity if they all came down to two." (16:35)
  • Brett: “Cure cancer. Maybe the cure of cancer is on Noah’s Ark. I’m gonna kill you. Stop it. Can we just stop it? We’ll advance as a people so much faster if we put these things away.” (23:03)

• On Urban Legends:

  • Brett Vesely: "Nope, not real... You don't find out about that 100 years later. That is a great find. If it’s real, it was soon after a hoax." (09:59)
  • "We find arrowheads and we say giant. A giant's body? And we're like, eh, throw that away. This is the dumbest morning of my life." (26:27)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:57] — Origins of Spam and the group’s childhood experiences with canned meat
• [02:25] — “I just thought it meant I’m poor.” Brett’s iconic joke about Spam
• [06:08–07:12] — The “dildo assault” story and the panel’s comedic reaction
• [08:32–10:11] — Discussion and debunking of the Nevada “giant human” legend
• [11:15–20:00+] — Noah’s Ark segment: myth, logic holes, and unraveling the story with skepticism and humor
• [16:35] — Genetic diversity flaw in the Noah’s Ark story
• [17:17] — The Kentucky Ark closes due to flooding – irony not lost on the group
• [20:57] — Brett’s formal apology to Noah’s Ark believers
• [25:55] — Final debunking of the Nevada giants
• [26:27] — Peak exasperation: “This is the dumbest morning of my life.”

Conclusion

This episode is quintessential “Holmberg’s Morning Sickness”—fast-paced, irreverent, and fearless about skewering myths, whether culinary or biblical. You’ll hear playful nostalgia, sharp-eyed skepticism, and plenty of laughter as the crew pivots from Spam to the most persistent stories in pop pseudo-history. Fans of skeptical, comedy-driven radio will feel at home with every minute.

Note: This summary focuses on main discussion content, omitting ads and promos. All key segments are attributed and timestamped for easy reference.