Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona
Episode: 12-20-25 - BR - MIX – Spain Has Elected First Politician w/Down's Syndrome – In Home Circumcision – Dec/Jan 2024 – BO
Date: December 30, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness, Arizona's top-rated morning show, delivers its trademark mix of irreverent humor, social commentary, and wild news stories. The show, hosted by John Holmberg with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo, opens with a comedic yet thoughtful discussion about Spain electing its first parliamentarian with Down syndrome—a springboard for debates about inclusivity and political competence. The team also riffs on bizarre news, including an at-home circumcision gone wrong and the peculiarities of county names in the US, all while maintaining their signature blend of sharp wit and banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spain Elects First Politician with Down Syndrome

Main Theme: Breaking barriers and the implications of neurodiversity in politics
Segment Start: 01:18

• John Holmberg shares his evolving perspective on politicians with intellectual disabilities:

  "More politicians need to have Down syndrome because less thinking and more doing is what we need from politicians." (01:31)

• Discussion of Mar Galceran’s historic win as Spain's first parliamentarian with Down syndrome. Holmberg both jokes and reflects on how people with Down syndrome might simplify complicated politics and foster genuine relationships:

  "We won't have 6,000-page documents for one law... they'll tell you, like, immediately, they should stop doing that and hug." (02:00)

• Imagined scenario: Using Down syndrome politicians to resolve world conflicts, e.g., "If we sent a Down syndrome president in there to talk to Hamas and Benji Netanyahu... Let's just play Connect 4 for a minute." (03:18)

• The hosts lampoon the idea of manipulative lobbyists trying to sell fantastical ideas ("jelly bean forests") to politicians with Down syndrome, pointing out how such tactics would be morally indefensible.

• Holmberg lays out a tongue-in-cheek manifesto:

  "Down syndrome politicians need to be our only politicians before I die. It should be illegal for someone who doesn't have Downs to run something politically." (06:03)

• The team distinguishes between professions:

  "You want a slimy weirdo to be a lawyer. You don't want an honest Down syndrome person." (06:42)

• Underlining the potential for kindness and truth in politics, albeit with plenty of tongue-in-cheek asides.

2. Airline Flights Are Slower Than They Used to Be

Segment Start: 10:45

• Brady brings up that flights (e.g., NY to Houston) now take almost four hours, compared to two and a half in 1973. Main reasons: cost-saving fuel efficiency and heavier aircraft ("pigs").

• Humor ensues imagining a pilot so slow the plane can't take off:

  "This hour-long flight's taking six or seven hours. We get a headwind or something. Plane's barely in the air. I'm going the speed limit." – Holmberg (11:02)

3. Penis Enlargement Lawsuit in Turkey

Segment Start: 11:45

• Story: Turkish banker Ilor Turkman sues Dr. Hulak Solomiz after a botched procedure, paid $15,000 for promised "inch in length and girth" but ends up with less.
• The group debates the legal aspects, Holmberg’s summary:

  "Show me the paperwork. Merry effing holidays from the Big Red Radio." (13:52)

4. Bizarre News: At-Home Circumcision

Segment Start: 15:45

• Missouri couple arrested after attempting to circumcise their 10-year-old son at home. The event went horribly wrong, resulting in a hospital trip and police intervention.

• Holmberg feigns bewilderment at religious or DIY motivations for circumcision:

  "How did that become a ceremony in any way, shape or form? How in the world did that become... 'God wants this to be a thing'?" (16:32)

• The hosts bond over memories and horror stories from their own experiences or observations of circumcisions.

5. Fast Food Update: Double Big Mac Returns

Segment Start: 18:13

• McDonald's is bringing back the Double Big Mac (four patties). Brief discussion about excessive fast food options.
• Holmberg jokes about ignoring healthy toppings:

  "Throw the bun away. And what's all this lettuce doing on my meat and cheese?" (19:19)

6. Trivia: Most Common County Names in the US

Segment Start: 19:54

• Washington County is most common, followed by Jefferson.

• Escalates into a fantasy about renaming Arizona’s Pinal County to “Hazard County,” predicting a spree of General Lee-style car jumps in reference to The Dukes of Hazzard.

  "The day they announced that Pinal county changes to Hazard County. 14 people die trying to jump their cars. Guaranteed." – Holmberg (20:50)

• Segues into a rabbit hole researching county counts, county populations, and pricing/installation of "Dixie" car horns with comedic play-by-play.

7. Viral Stupidity: Man Stuck in Pot

Segment Start: 26:34

• Alabama man Connor Padgett, "early mid 20s," gets wedged in a party’s decorative urn after drinking too much. Video goes viral; partygoers watch, unmoved, until he’s freed with a hammer.
• Holmberg and crew comically debate the nuances between "early 20s," "mid-20s," and "late mid-20s." (27:39-28:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Holmberg on Down syndrome politicians in conflict resolution:

  "Wars would end in a half an hour and we'd have hug offs Connect 4. One game of Connect 4 between Hamas and Netanyahu and you start realizing how silly everything is." (07:23)

• On DIY circumcision:

  "You just gotta hope not. You're winging it... how did that become a ceremony? God wants this to be a thing?" (16:32)

• On fast food burgers:

  "People who hate their cholesterol and hearts will love this idea. I've never liked you, Heart. And you've never liked me. We're going to the drive through." (18:26)

• On renaming counties:

  "The day they announced that Pinal county changes to Hazard County. 14 people die trying to jump their cars. Guaranteed." (20:50)

• On "early mid-20s":

  "Early mid-20s is 24. You're right. I'm always questioning myself, like, did I just—no, I couldn't have. And it's just for the want of the word too. Early to mid 20s, this all goes away. But more specific, you could be 20 to 26 at that point. 25. Early mid 20s. 24. Early mid 20s. Is 24 the earliest of your mid 20s? Late mid 20s. 26. Mid 20s. 25." (28:03)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Spain's Down Syndrome Politician Elected: 01:18 – 09:39
• Airplane Flight Times & Humor: 10:45 – 11:41
• Penis Enlargement Lawsuit: 11:45 – 15:14
• In-Home Circumcision Gone Wrong: 15:45 – 18:13
• McDonald's Fast Food Updates: 18:13 – 19:54
• County Name Trivia & Hazard County Riff: 19:54 – 26:34
• Man Stuck in Pot, Age Debates: 26:34 – 28:38

Tone and Style

The episode is characterized by fast-paced, irreverent, and at times boundary-pushing humor, blending mockery with moments of surprising sincerity. The hosts riff freely, sometimes digressing but always returning to the core blend of news satire, local color, and good-natured ribbing that defines their show.

For Listeners

If you missed the episode, expect a rollercoaster of biting jokes, pop culture callbacks, and genuine conversation—all delivered in the unique, unfiltered voice of Holmberg and the Morning Sickness team.