Holmberg's Morning Sickness (98KUPD)

Episode: Entertainment Drill - JJ Abrams To Direct New Star Wars, Spielberg Remaking West Side Story, and More

Date: December 26, 2025
Host: John Holmberg (with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo, and others)
Main Theme:
A rollicking rundowns of recent (and retro) movie news with irreverent skepticism, banter, and signature “morning show” humor. The crew reacts to Hollywood developments including Star Wars directorial choices, the future of the Terminator franchise, a Bob Dylan music project, and Spielberg's West Side Story remake.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Star Wars Episode VII & Directorial Musical Chairs

• JJ Abrams confirmed for Episode VII; Peter Jackson rumored for Episode VIII
  • Mixed feelings about multiple directors and continued sequels.
  • John Holmberg and others express skepticism of “switching up” directors and franchise fatigue.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "Can't we get one director for all three?" – Unidentified Male 2 (01:51)
  • "Can't we just not do it?" – John Holmberg (01:54)
  • "Even a super Star Wars fan is sitting here shaking his head, yes." – John Holmberg, on fan burnout (02:01)
  • Playful banter about director styles (slow-mo jokes about Peter Jackson, chaos with John Woo).
  • Concern that the new Star Wars will be overly long and lose its heart.

Memorable Tangent: Star Wars with Clint Eastwood’s Walt Kowalski

• Hypothetical: Walt Kowalski (from Gran Torino) dropped into Star Wars, grousing about aliens and Wookies.
• "I'm looking at you, Kowalski." – John Holmberg (03:10)
• Jokes about Gungans, pod racing, and a curmudgeon’s view of the Star Wars universe (03:05–04:14).

2. The ‘Aged Terminator’ Debate

• Schwarzenegger returning as an old cyborg; the hosts riff on the absurdity of explaining aging in synthetic skin.
• Holmberg and crew mock the convoluted timeline excuses used by Terminator sequels.
• "Why wouldn't you replace it with younger skin?" – John Holmberg (04:45)
• "John Connor, I'm out of breath because I'm a very old Terminator now." – Unidentified Male 4 (05:26)
• The team muses about preferring the liquid metal T-1000 over "outdated" Terminator models.
• Tangent: Imagining a “Terminator vs. Johnny Five” crossover (07:32).
  • "Instead of Alien vs Predator, it's Terminator vs Johnny Five." – Unidentified Male 2 (07:49)

3. Showtime's Bob Dylan Lyrics Project

• Documentary announced: Marcus Mumford, Jim James, and Elvis Costello to write songs from unearthed Bob Dylan lyrics.
• Hosts wonder: why not let Bob Dylan—who’s still alive—do it himself?
• "Why are they doing that when Bob Dylan's still alive? Couldn't he do that?" – Unidentified Male 2 (10:29)
• They joke that perhaps the lyrics were “garbage” Dylan didn’t want to finish.
• Meme: "Sanford and Sons" parody with Mumford-sounding tunes for comedic effect.

4. Spielberg’s Proposed West Side Story Remake & Musical History

• Spielberg reportedly in talks to direct a new West Side Story.
• Team debates Spielberg’s suitability for musicals, poke fun at his filmography, and riff on (inappropriate) ideas like “Schindler's List: The Musical.”
• "I don't remember any singing in E.T. Could have done with a song, though." – John Holmberg (13:30)
• "Let the ... there's plenty of people do musicals." – Unidentified Male 2 (15:34)
• Extended running joke about “musical” versions of Spielberg's dramatic works, featuring irreverent improvised lyrics.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Star Wars Silliness

  • "Not interested in the new Star Wars movies. If Legolas is in it." – John Holmberg (02:42)
  • "The Star Wars will be like three hours long." – Unidentified Male 2 (02:39)

• Terminator Absurdity

  • "I need lotion. John Connor's a real a-hole." – Unidentified Male 4, as elderly Terminator (06:37–06:45)
  • "Send me a good one of those. Make Arnold the liquid guy. That would rule." – John Holmberg (05:57)

• Bob Dylan & Musical Parodies

  • "If blackface was appropriate, I would get my band together and sing Mumford and Sons as Redd Foxx ... but I can't do blackface in public." – John Holmberg (10:10)
  • "The reason that is recorded is because it's garbage." – Unidentified Male 4 (11:23)

• Spielberg Musical Gags

  • "He did the new Looney Tunes. The baby ones ... Animaniacs. He was behind a lot of music." – John Holmberg (15:00–15:10)
  • "We're all alive, we made it! We really, really made it. We're not burning or burning and everybody's turning." – John Holmberg, riffing off Holocaust survivor theme (15:54–16:06)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• JJ Abrams / Star Wars Banter – 01:40–02:53
• Walt Kowalski in Star Wars Skit – 02:59–04:14
• Aging Terminator & Franchise Confusion – 04:28–07:10
• Terminator vs. Johnny Five Crossover – 07:32–08:11
• Bob Dylan Documentary Chat – 09:52–11:23
• Spielberg’s Musical History & Parodies – 12:46–16:17

Overall Tone & Style

• Fast, playful, raunchy morning-show energy.
• Heavy use of sarcasm, outlandish what-if jokes, and irreverent sendups of pop culture icons.
• Regular friendly digs at one another.

Takeaways

• The HMS crew remains critical-yet-fan-ish about beloved franchises, skeptical of modern reboots and cynical about the relentless pursuit of nostalgia (Star Wars, Terminator).
• In music and film, they playfully question the logic of industry decisions and the recycling of icons.
• The humor is edgy and sometimes skates the line, maintaining the show’s reputation for "entertaining, questioning and disturbing" listeners.

For longtime listeners, this episode is a classic mix of pop culture news, lampooning skits, and unpredictable comedy. For newcomers, expect a blend of snark, nerdy references, and boundary-testing bits—definitely not your average entertainment roundup.