Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona: Best of HMS Podcasts - Friday, March 14, 2025

Host/Author: John Holmberg and the HMS Team (Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo)
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Podcast Platform: 98 KUPD (97.9 FM, 98KUPD app, www.98kupd.com)

Introduction

In this special "Best Of" episode released on March 14, 2025, Holmberg's Morning Sickness (HMS) brings back one of its most beloved segments, "Name The Asshole Game," originally aired in February 2016. Hosted by John Holmberg, along with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo, the segment offers a humorous yet introspective look into the darker sides of the hosts' past behaviors, encouraging listener engagement through storytelling and guessing games.

Overview of "Name The Asshole" Game

The "Name The Asshole Game" invites both the hosts and listeners to share stories from their past where they—or someone they know—displayed particularly questionable behavior. The objective for participants is to correctly associate each story with the appropriate "asshole." Successfully identifying three stories correctly grants listeners exciting prizes, including Supercross tickets, NHRA Nitro spring training tickets, and more.

Key Stories and Interactions

Story 1: Lumber Thievery for a Fort

• Narrative: An individual admits to stealing lumber from a neighbor's yard to build a backyard fort, leading to a police encounter.
• Guesses:
  • John Holmberg: Incorrect.
  • Don: Incorrect.
  • Eric: Correct.
• Notable Reaction: Eric humorously downplays the incident, sharing, "The fort really sucked. It wasn't very [good]." (10:15)

Story 2: Hot Coffee on a Wheelchair User

• Narrative: An asshole pretends to accidentally spill a hot drink on a man in a wheelchair who was teasing his clothing, resulting in intentional harm.
• Guesses:
  • Eric: Incorrect.
  • Alex: Incorrect.
  • Paul: Correct.
• Notable Reaction: Paul candidly recounts the incident, stating, "I spilled hot coffee on his useless legs. Your outfit? No, he wasn't that bad." (12:45)

Story 3: Urinating in a Friend's Closet

• Narrative: In his 20s, an individual urinates in a friend's closet after a night of heavy drinking and blames it on his girlfriend, causing financial strain.
• Guesses:
  • Big Dick Toledo: Correct.
• Notable Reaction: Toledo takes pride in his misdeed, saying, "That's a good one, Toledo." (15:30)

Story 4: Stealing Class Tests in College

• Narrative: An asshole takes a class in college, acquires all the tests, and attends only a few days to ace the class.
• Guesses:
  • Bogan Brady: Correct.
• Notable Reaction: Brady, amused by his choice, remarks, "Amazing. For the win." (17:05)

Story 5: Flattening a Co-worker’s Tires

• Narrative: An individual flattens a co-worker's tires to prevent job termination due to the co-worker's lateness, aiming to secure a better position.
• Guesses:
  • Eric: Incorrect.
  • Grayson: Incorrect.
  • Eric (Again): Correct upon second attempt.
• Notable Reaction: Eric defends his actions by explaining the context, "We were both up for the same assistant manager's position at Tony Roma's." (20:10)

Story 6: Stealing and Fencing a Television

• Narrative: An asshole buys a stolen TV from a friend, sets it up in his girlfriend's apartment, and later steals it back to prevent his brother from getting implicated.
• Guesses:
  • Toledo: Incorrect.
  • John: Incorrect.
  • Grant: Incorrect.
• Notable Reaction: The speaker elaborates on the complexity of the situation, "I set it up at her apartment. She blamed her roommate." (30:25)

Listener Engagement and Participation

Listeners play a pivotal role in the segment, with multiple participants joining the conversation:

• Sean: A long-time listener confident in his knowledge but admits some stories have aired before.
• Paul: Attempts to guess accurately, though not all guesses are correct.
• Grayson: Faces challenges but remains enthusiastic about participation.
• Brandon, Josh, Mario, Timo, and Wonder Woman: Each brings their unique perspectives, contributing to the lively and often humorous exchanges.

Hosts’ Banter and Commentary

Beyond the game, the hosts engage in light-hearted discussions about pop culture, including a humorous critique of John Travolta's portrayal in a movie, and Guy Fieri's identifiable style and influence on pop culture, particularly his contributions to the "douchebaggery" culture with his iconic hats and bracelets.

• John Holmberg jokes about not needing John Travolta in a certain context, stating, "I tell you, it's 8:38... I think there's too much." (08:38)
• Dick Toledo reminisces about Guy Fieri's impact, quipping, "If you were dressed similarly to Guy Fieri, I knew you were a douchebag." (18:00)

Game Conclusion and Reflections

As the game progresses, the hosts reflect on the nature of their past misdeeds, offering a mix of humor and introspection. They acknowledge that while they've changed to some extent, many of their questionable actions reveal underlying character traits that persist.

• John Holmberg muses, "Any one of our lives could have really gone sideways. But you've changed. No, not really. I'd do it again." (35:40)
• Eric adds, "I'm not going to jail for any stolen television. We all could have been in so much trouble." (35:55)

The hosts conclude that their stories, while embarrassing, highlight the imperfect nature of everyone and the capacity for growth, albeit with lingering flaws.

Notable Quotes

• Brady Bogen: "That's bullying right there. That poor girl." (25:50)
• Grayson: "I won't say who it was, but I do know we were both up for the same assistant manager position at Tony Roma's." (20:10)
• Wonder Woman (Listener): "You're supposedly good with this, right?" (29:00)

Conclusion

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness masterfully blends humor, confession, and camaraderie, offering listeners an entertaining yet revealing glimpse into the imperfect lives of their favorite radio personalities. The "Name The Asshole Game" not only fosters engagement but also underscores the relatable truth that everyone has a past filled with missteps. Through laughter and shared stories, HMS continues to solidify its place as Arizona's #1 Morning Radio Show, keeping listeners entertained and coming back for more.

Tune in weekdays from 5:30 AM to 10:00 AM on 98 KUPD or log onto the 98KUPD app and www.98kupd.com to catch more engaging segments and lively discussions.