Holmberg's Morning Sickness: Episode Summary

Episode: 12-19-25 – Russell And Timothy Angry On John's Political Bias, Man In Bunny Suit Flashing
Date: December 19, 2025
Host: John Holmberg with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Main Themes: Listener backlash over perceived political bias post-election, humorous takes on local weird news, and the show’s signature irreverent style.

Episode Overview

This episode finds John Holmberg and the crew in the wake of the election, sifting through passionate (and comic) listener feedback accusing the show of both extreme right and left political bias. They riff on outrage culture, the impossibility of pleasing all listeners, and local Arizona oddities—highlighting a bizarre story involving a man in a bunny suit flashing residents. The tone’s satirical, self-deprecating, and typically “Morning Sickness” irreverent.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Listener Hate Mail: Right-Wing or Commie? (00:39–09:35)

• Russell’s Email:
  Russell, a 30-year listener, accuses Holmberg of a “right-wing agenda and negativity,” vowing to boycott both the show and every advertiser.

  • Quote (02:10, Russell’s email):
    “I will never purchase anything from one advertiser that is on the air with you. … His miserable opinion of Kamala over a rapist felon makes me realize one thing. He hates women and he hates people who push back.”

• John’s Sarcastic Response:
  Holmberg facetiously helps Russell with his boycott, listing local advertisers and suggesting he’ll basically need to monitor the show forever to keep up.

  • Quote (03:56, Holmberg):
    "Let me help you out—Mo Money Pawn, The Good Guys Car Show, Goldberg & Oswald, Chapman Dodge… The Navy. You have to hate the Navy now, Russell. Idiot."

• Timothy’s Opposite Complaint:
  Shortly after, Timothy writes in with the exact opposite allegation, accusing John of being a left-wing “commie.”

  • Quote (04:14, Timothy’s email):
    “Despite your attempts to stay neutral… I’m happy to report that you and your commie media ways lost. I used to really like your show, but you’ve become so insanely PC and left, I can’t take it anymore. … Now Trump has won and you have to eat it.”

• Hosts Joke About the Impossibility of Staying Neutral:

  • John: “A second ago, I was the crazy right-wing lunatic… now, I’m some lunatic communist. My God, Charlemagne Holmberg over here.” (05:16)
  • Brady: “All over the place.” (05:30)
  • General acknowledgment that no matter what’s said, someone will be outraged.

• Meta-Humor About Listener Intensity:

  • Holmberg points out the commitment required to boycott every rotating advertiser (10:00–11:46).

2. Political Outrage and the Art of Mockery (09:17–12:59)

• Crew Roasts Both Sides:
  The hosts make fun of the self-importance of boycotters and people threatening to leave the country over politics.

  • John (about Russell):
    “He doesn’t have a wife, he’s a homosexual. I hate women. Are you crazy?” (07:02)
  • Bret: “Go breastfeed your cats, you crybaby.” (09:17)

• Classic HMS Viciousness:
  Reads out angry (and sometimes truly wild) listener texts, such as one listener wishing “Parkinson’s and AIDS” on Russell.

  • Quote (08:15, David’s message):
    “F off Russell. I hope you get Parkinson’s and AIDS.”

3. Boycotting Advertisers: An Impossible Feat (09:35–12:59)

• John Mocks Russell’s New ‘Job’:

  • Paints a satirical picture of Russell eternally chasing after an ever-changing list of sponsors, “24 hours of ratings”—thus helping the show’s numbers.
    • Quote (11:13, Holmberg):
      “Our ratings will go through the moon, because we got a guy that won’t stop listening for hours on end, writing down every commercial he hears.”

• Running Gag:
  Mentions long-running advertisers coming and going, meaning Russell must be vigilant at all times—"never stop listening." (11:46–12:59)

4. Local Oddity: The Man in the Bunny Suit (13:01–17:50)

• News Story Recap:
  A man in downtown Phoenix, dressed in a bunny suit, exposes himself to a local woman—captured on doorbell cam.

  • Quote (13:13, Holmberg):
    “The headline’s the best part: Man in bunny suit flashes woman in downtown.”

• Hosts’ Reaction:

  • John jokes that if he saw a man in a bunny suit, he’d follow—“If I see a man in a bunny suit, I’m not turning the other way, I’m following him for a little while.” (13:16)
  • The team riffs on how easy this particular flasher would be to catch (“Black guy in a bunny suit just showed me his dick in the backyard. All right, we’re on it, ma’am,” 14:11)
  • The conversation devolves into comedic stereotyping: what’s the first thing you’d think if you saw a white, black, or Mexican man in a bunny suit?
    • John (15:23):
      “White guy in the bunny suit, I feel like I could take him real easy. Black guy in the bunny suit—I assume something horrible is going on…"
    • John (17:18):
      “White guy’s a homosexual and at the wrong house… Black man puts the bunny suit on, he’s gone crazy."

• Riffing on Homelessness & Costumes:

  • Could the bunny suit simply be a homeless man’s best option for warmth?
  • Brady (16:15):
    “He’s walking around, well, why is it—somebody donated that, and he’s like, oh, this’ll come in handy someday.”

5. Absurd Imagery & Recurring Characters (17:50–22:49)

• Office Character Comedy:
  Holmberg muses about station staff (like Moynihan) likely to end up in a bunny suit for a commercial or internal gag.

  • Quote (19:21, Holmberg):
    “If anybody in this building is going to be in that bunny suit, it’s Moynihan. We can dress Steve like anything we want, say the ladies down there, until it’s too late.”

• Recollections of Other Local Oddballs:

  • Discusses past odd city characters: speedo/cowboy-hat guy, the infamous “baby man,” and how the hosts would react if they saw someone in their yard in costume.
    • John (21:00):
      “I want to look out my window one morning and just go, what the hell is that? And just see some dude in a bunny suit looking back at me with his dick out.”

• Furry Parties & Neighborhood High Jinks:

  • The crew jokes about possible “furry” parties at neighborhood houses, the possibility of waking up to a “sleeping rabbit man” in the yard, and the inherent humor in such a scenario.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Russell’s Threat (Listener Email):
  • “I will never listen to the station again. … I will never purchase anything from one advertiser that is on the air with you.” (02:10)
• Timothy’s Counter-Accusation (Listener Email):
  • “You and your commie media ways lost. … Shilling for Kamala 25 times a morning…” (04:14)
• Holmberg’s Sarcasm, to Angry Boycotters:
  • “You’re gonna be monitoring this station non-stop… our ratings will go through the moon…” (11:13)
• On the Bunny Suit Story:
  • “If I see a man in a bunny suit, I’m not turning the other way. I’m following him…” (13:16)
  • “White guy in the bunny suit, I feel like I could take him. Black guy in a bunny suit—I assume something horrible is going on…” (15:23)

Episode Highlights & Memorable Moments

• Mutually Exclusive Accusations:
  The absurdity that the same host is derided as both a brainless right-winger and a lefty commie within minutes—underscoring the impossibility of “neutrality” in today’s climate.
• Biting Listener Insults:
  Wishing diseases upon a fellow listener and Holmberg’s deadpan acceptance of this as typical, if cruel, fodder.
• The Bunny Suit Flasher:
  The entire segment on the Phoenix flasher—particularly their breakdown of how to profile a bunny-suited trespasser by race and context—epitomizes the show’s edgy, observational humor.
• Running Gags about Advertiser Boycotts:
  Repeatedly suggesting that a boycott requires actually boosting station ratings because it involves dedicated listening.

Final Thoughts

The episode is classic "Holmberg's Morning Sickness," blending caustic political banter, local news absurdity, and relentless self-mockery. The hosts skewer the outrage of both political extremes, demonstrating how in the realm of talk radio (and especially this show), neutrality is a near-impossible mirage. The bizarre bunny suit story is the perfect pivot to bring the banter back home to Phoenix, with the team riffing on everything from homelessness to neighborhood parties.

For listeners, the episode is a vivid reminder that HMS is unapologetically irreverent, ready to offend anyone and everyone—usually with a wink and a snort.