Holmberg's Morning Sickness – "Spelling Bee w/ Brady Pronouncing The Words" (12-22-25)

Overview

In this hilariously chaotic episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness, the team hosts an on-air spelling bee, with co-host Brady Bogan reading out words for listeners to spell live. John Holmberg moderates, throwing plenty of playful jabs at contestants and Brady alike, especially when Brady battles his speech quirks and mispronunciations. Listeners call in to test their spelling prowess in hopes of winning prizes (including concert tickets), but the real entertainment comes from mispronounced words, unexpected admissions, and rapid-fire wit.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Setting up the Spelling Bee

[01:07-02:08]

• John Holmberg introduces the Brady Spelling Bee, explaining the rules:
  • Brady pronounces each word (often imperfectly).
  • The word can only be said once, used in a sentence once.
  • If a contestant asks for a definition, Brady gives his interpretation.
• The crew teases that Brady’s definitions are questionable at best.

Memorable Quote:

"Brady will attempt to read words that are nearly impossible to say with a slight speech impediment." – John Holmberg [01:14]

2. Contestant 1: Adam

[02:20-04:44]

• Adam calls in and must spell three words.
  • Vietnamese
    • Adam spells: “V, I, E, T, N, A, M, E, S, E.”
    • Slight uncertainty if he spelled it right, but they let it slide.
  • Schenectady
    • Classic use-in-a-sentence:

      "I banged a girl from Schenectady." – Brady Bogan [03:18]

    • Adam gets it right, raising “cheating” suspicions.
  • Sticomaithia
    • Brady’s pronunciation is murky, stumping both Adam and everyone else.
    • Adam guesses and is hilariously off.

Highlight: John suspects Adam is Googling the words, but admits the words are tricky—especially with Brady's pronunciations.

3. Contestant 2: Jason

[05:02-05:22]

• Gets “Orangutan,” but spells it “O, R, a, n, e, 80a, n.”
• John dryly points out the miss; Jason is out quickly.

4. Contestant 3: Mike

[05:36-07:16]

• Mike is confident, declares himself a good speller.
  • Guantanamo – Asked for a sentence:

    “I have good friends that live at Guantanamo Bay.” – Brady Bogan [05:53]

  • Kayaker – Sentence:

    "The kayaker was really fast." – Brady Bogan [06:28]

  • Anesthesiologist – Spells it correctly, prompting accusations of Googling, denied by Mike.
• Mike wins Aerosmith tickets.

Quote:

"You threw anesthesiologist. That’s impressive." – John Holmberg [07:03]

5. Contestant 4: Jennifer

[07:29-09:52]

• Early words:
  • Fellatio – Jennifer misspells; John jokes,

    "B-L-O-W-J-O-B. Sorry." – John Holmberg [07:42]

  • Burglarizing – Spelled right.
  • Juliana Rancic – Jennifer is tripped up, missing the “G” and the joke about E! TV personalities follows.

Brady and John’s Banter:
Jesting at Jennifer’s pop culture knowledge, or lack thereof.

6. Lightning Round: Multiple Contestants

[10:10-16:26]

• Todd: Tripped up by “Nautilus.”
• Don: “Al Jarreau” becomes “Algero” (incorrect).
• Caller with Eighth Grade Bee Story:
  • Shares how mispronunciation at state finals cost him “almond.”
  • Gets “Onomatopoeia” and misses.
• Matt: Misses “Deterioration.”
• John ("I can spell some if you want"):
  • Spells “Promiscuous” right.
  • Trips up on “Gladiolus” and “Miscellaneous.”
  • Launches into comedic banter about his Cub Scouts expulsion and low-bar party introductions.

Memorable Quote:

“My name’s John. My quality is spelling. Oh, wow. This totally took on a different—Excuse me, Mr. Neil Armstrong. I’m gonna go talk to John for a while.” – John Holmberg [15:21]

Notable Moments & Quotes

• Unique Brady Sentences:

  • “I looked down at my dong and it had stica. Mathias.” – Brady [04:18]

• Listeners Play Along with Varied Success:

  • Many are accused of Googling; most misspell at least one word, especially when Brady’s enunciation is unclear.

• Meta-Humor and Self-Deprecation:

  • The crew consistently rib each other and the contestants.
  • John notes the intellectual prowess of their listeners:

    “Only one winner in the spelling bee. Which means what, Brady? Our listeners are dumb.” – John Holmberg [13:04]

• Running Gags:

  • Brady’s pronunciation and definitions.
  • Contestants claiming spelling bee glory from grade school.
  • The recurring implication (or accusation) of cheating via Google.
  • Holmberg’s deadpan delivery every time a caller fails.

Key Timestamps

• [01:07] – Introduction of the Bee and rules
• [02:38] – First word to Adam
• [03:18] – Schenectady in a classic sentence
• [04:44] – Adam loses on “Sticomaithia”
• [05:07] – Orangutan stumps Jason
• [05:41] – Mike spells “Brady” and progresses
• [06:46] – Mike nails “Anesthesiologist”
• [07:42] – Holmberg’s “B-L-O-W-J-O-B” joke
• [09:10] – “Burglarizing” spelled correctly
• [10:23] – Todd’s attempt with “Nautilus”
• [11:52] – “Onomatopoeia” derails another contestant
• [13:41] – John (“I can spell some”) enchants with low-bar humor

Tone & Style

• Lighthearted, irreverent, quick-witted: Jokes fly at the contestants’ expense, and no one escapes a good-natured ribbing.
• Lively, sometimes absurd: Between the mispronounced words, odd definitions, and the competitive spirit (and apparent Googling), the atmosphere is chaotic but upbeat.
• Audience participation: Contestants are either stumped, overconfident, or hilariously earnest—making for entertaining radio.

Summary

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness offers a laugh-filled holiday spelling bee, turning simple word challenges into comic gold thanks to Brady’s pronunciations, the crew’s relentless teasing, and the callers’ earnest (if sometimes misguided) efforts. In true HMS fashion, it’s less about spelling mastery and more about the unpredictability and fun that comes with live radio—and a cast of characters who never miss an opportunity for a joke.

Perfect for listeners who:

• Love off-the-cuff comedy
• Appreciate classic radio banter
• Enjoy hearing real people fumble, fret, and laugh through the quirks of the English language