Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: A Wild Monkey With Sores
Date: October 29, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

This episode dives into several hot-button topics: the wild twists in New York City’s mayoral race, the rise and scrutiny of a controversial candidate, anxieties over economic layoffs and the anti-work movement, and the literal chaos of diseased monkeys on the loose. The hosts blend sharp political commentary, biting humor, and cultural criticism, covering everything from recent political scandals to a satirical look at modern victimhood and labor debates.

1. New York City Mayoral Race Drama

A. Cuomo vs. Mamdani: The Polls and the Politics

[03:35–14:23]

• Cutting Cuomo's Lead:

  • The hosts open by noting a recent poll showing Cuomo's opponent, Mandani Mamdani, with a shrinking lead:
    "Cuomo has cut Momdani's lead in half." (Joe Getty, 03:35)
  • Jack notes, "If you had a 10-point lead, you'd be cruising. But the direction is what matters." (Jack Armstrong, 03:59)

• Skepticism About Polls:

  • They discuss state polling's unreliability due to small sample sizes, particularly in NYC. (Joe Getty, 04:17)
  • Jack expresses doubt any credible expert believes the race is over because Mamdani's opponent is deeply flawed. (Jack Armstrong, 04:34)

• Mandani Mamdani's Ideology and Controversial Rhetoric:

  • Joe breaks down Mamdani’s alignment with radical leftist and Islamist views.
    • "I believe he's a dedicated Islamist as well. A one-man wrecking crew of the infamous Red Green alliance between Marxism and Islamism." (Joe Getty, 05:11)
  • They play a resurface clip of Mamdani accusing the NYPD of being influenced by the Israeli Defense Forces:

    "We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it's been laced by the IDF." (Walking Tomahawk quoting Mamdani, 05:55, replayed at 07:32)

    • Jack and Joe both note the antisemitic implications and extremity of the comment.

      "So the Jews are running the evil NYPD." (Jack Armstrong, 06:20)

B. Playing the Victim and Fact-Checking Mamdani

[07:46–14:23]

• Accusations of Islamophobia and Fake 'Aunt' Story:

  • Mamdani’s emotional campaign moment is analyzed:

    "I want to speak to the memory of my aunt who stopped taking the subway after September 11th because she did not feel safe in her hijab." (Walking Tomahawk quoting Mamdani, 08:55)

  • Joe points out the lack of evidence and fact-checks the anecdote, revealing:
    • The 'aunt' likely didn't wear a hijab and lived in Tanzania, not NYC, during the period in question.
    • Mamdani's campaign refuses to provide more information, and the New York Times frames Mamdani as a victim of Islamophobia because of criticism from JD Vance.
    • Mamdani had claimed "African American" status on college applications, which the hosts find egregious:

      "The fact that he claimed to be African American. Come on." (Jack Armstrong, 12:17)

• Media and Far-Left Victim Narratives:

  • The hosts bemoan that every exposure of radicalism gets dismissed as 'Islamophobia.’
  • They highlight media complicity in dismissing serious accusations, even when they’re well-documented.

• Changing Tides: De Blasio Withholds Support

  • Bill de Blasio, a major Mamdani backer, suddenly critiques his math and policy proposals, signaling that "the support for Mandani is collapsing." (Jack Armstrong, 15:08)
  • Jack reads from Mark Halperin, expressing surprise that mainstream media are only now catching up to the negative oppo research.

Memorable Quote:

"The longer you get a chance to look at a grifter, the more it's clear he's a grifter. And de Blasio switch is huge." (Joe Getty, 15:44)

2. “A Wild Monkey With Sores”: Monkeys Gone Mad

[17:00–22:21, 50:13–50:44]

• The Incident:

  • A truck carrying research monkeys infected with a slew of diseases—from HIV to tetanus and even COVID—crashes in Mississippi, releasing monkeys.

    "We have diseased monkeys on the loose...HIV and chlamydia and tetanus and quite Covid and all kinds of different things are running around biting people." (Jack Armstrong, 17:00)

  • The hosts joke about the CDC warnings:

    "If you see a monkey, don't pet it or pick it up or have sex with it or whatever." (Jack Armstrong, 22:00) "A wild monkey with sores. Let's go hug it." (Joe Getty, 22:17)

• Comic Relief:

  • The segment is a blend of news and broad, silly humor about the dangers of wild, diseased monkeys.

3. Tech & Economic Weirdness: Nvidia, Layoffs, and AI

[22:21–24:52, 39:35–41:19]

• Nvidia’s $5 Trillion Valuation:

  • The tech company’s unprecedented rise in value is highlighted:

    "That makes Nvidia worth more than every country on earth except for the United States and China." (Jack Armstrong, 23:06)

  • Joe and Jack reflect on the strangeness of financial markets being so dependent on a handful of companies:

    "These are weird times, I think. Getting weird. And they're getting weird fast, I'd say." (Joe Getty, 23:16)

• Relating to Broader Economic Stress:

  • News of massive layoffs (Amazon, UPS, etc.) prompts Jack to segue into the rise of the anti-work movement.

4. Satire and Social Critique: The Anti-Work Movement

[23:39–24:52, 45:42–52:01]

• Reading from the 'Antiwork' Reddit:

  • Jack shares posts reflecting the radical anti-work philosophy:

    "I didn't go to work today. I don't think I'll go tomorrow. Let's take control of our lives and live for pleasure, not pain." (Jack Armstrong, 23:39)

  • The core anti-work argument:

    "Work is oppression and you shouldn't have to work. Food, water and housing should be guaranteed human rights." (Jack Armstrong paraphrasing, 46:21)

• Host Reactions:

  • The hosts mercilessly lampoon these ideas as naive, unrealistic, and contrary to human history:

    "It's what human beings have done since we emerged from the primordial slop, you morons." (Joe Getty, 24:52) "The stupidest things ever said. Nominations are now closed." (Joe Getty, 46:40)

• Critique of Modern Liberal Education:

  • The hosts tie the anti-work sentiment to failures in education and modern left-wing ideology:

    "My 9th grade English teacher assigned us an essay: 'there ain't no free lunch.' ... He caused the discussion that led everyone to understand there's no such thing as a free lunch." (Jack Armstrong, 48:29)

• Satirical Closer:

  • Joe jokes about the irony of anti-workers needing to work to spread their ideas:

    "'We've got to spread our doctrine of non working around the globe. But it's going to take a lot of work.' 'Oh, no!'" (Joe Getty & Jack Armstrong, 51:48–51:59)

5. U.S. Foreign Policy: Drug Boats and Venezuela

[29:15–36:32]

• American Military Sinks Drug Boats:

  • The U.S. bombs Venezuelan drug boats; the segment opens with a song parody referencing the event.
  • Senator Lindsey Graham justifies the aggressive policy:

    "With Donald Trump, the game is changing." (Lindsey Graham, 31:48)

• Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize Winner's Approval:

  • Maria Karina Machado, Venezuelan opposition leader, thanks Trump:

    "Absolutely, President Trump pledged to dismantle the drug cartels poisoning American families and he is fulfilling that promise." (Joe Getty quoting Machado, 33:16)

• Highlighting Media Bias:

  • The hosts note the paradox: the media ignores a Nobel laureate because she supports Trump’s policy—a result out of step with their usual adulation of peace prize winners.

    "Oh, nobody could be more raised up on a pedestal ... than a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Except for this person who's saying, Donald Trump. Yeah, glad, glad he's bombing these boat people." (Jack Armstrong, 33:46)

• Critique of Venezuela’s Regimes:

  • Comments about Chavez and Maduro running Venezuela as a criminal cartel, allied with Cuba and responsible for the country’s socioeconomic collapse.

    "Under his rule in Venezuela, it deteriorated into a narco terrorist structure that is deeply aligned with and heavily influenced by the Cuban regime." (Joe Getty, 35:09)

6. Satire: Identity Politics Meets the Absurd

[36:32–39:22]

• 'Walking Tomahawk' and the “Trans Indigenous” Bit:
  • A satirical street interview lampooning race, gender, and privilege rhetoric:

    "I'm trans indigenous. Are you CIS American? ... I was assigned white at birth by my parents' bigoted doctor, but I identify as Native American." (Walking Tomahawk, 36:51–37:28)

  • The hosts marvel at the over-the-top application of identity politics buzzwords:

    "It's gender ideology." (Walking Tomahawk, 37:46) "That sort of ridiculous, laughable mumbo jumbo still rules the roost in a lot of blue cities." (Joe Getty, 39:03)

7. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “If you have any problems in New York, it’s because of the Jews in Israel.” (Joe Getty, 06:25)
• "The NYPD's got their boot on your neck is not a good look." (Jack Armstrong, 06:33)
• “We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.” (Walking Tomahawk, 05:55/07:32)
• "He claimed to be African American. Come on." (Jack Armstrong, 12:17)
• "Diseased monkeys rampaging across the landscape." (Joe Getty, 21:51)
• "Food is literally free until somebody puts a fence around it, right?" (Jack Armstrong, 51:44)
• "We've got to convince people…but it's going to take a lot of work. Oh no!" (Joe Getty & Jack Armstrong, 51:48–51:59)

8. Quick Hits & Other Topics

• Brief sports banter about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and casual “finger chopping” for bad predictions. (45:04–45:32)
• Scattered references to the Trump-Xi summit and possible trade/tariff policy shifts. (24:57, 40:55)
• Layoff anxiety and the shifting labor market as a real and present concern. (45:42, 39:35, 41:19)
• Webroot and other cybersecurity pitches in the wake of digital-era anxieties. (40:00–40:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:35] – New York City Mayoral Polls & Candidates
• [05:55 & 07:32] – Mamdani’s Controversial ‘Boot Laced by IDF’ Comment
• [08:55] – Mamdani’s ‘Aunt Hijab Story’
• [15:08] – Bill de Blasio’s Withdrawing Support
• [17:00] – Diseased Monkeys on the Loose
• [23:06] – Nvidia Worth $5 Trillion
• [23:39] – Antiwork Movement Reddit Satire
• [29:15–36:32] – US-Venezuela Drug Cartel Crackdown & Nobel Reaction
• [36:32] – “Trans Indigenous” Satirical Interview
• [45:42] – Antiwork Movement Continued
• [50:13] – Monkeys and Microinjuries Jokes
• [51:48] – Satirical Irony of Non-working Movement

Tone and Style

• Wry, sarcastic, and frequently biting
• Plenty of satire, often digressing into humorous asides and deliberate absurdity
• Content mixes straight news analysis with over-the-top parody and cultural criticism

For Listeners

This episode is a high-energy volley of political updates, satire, and social commentary. It's perfect for listeners who enjoy sharp-tongued humor skewering both the far left and right, cultural trends, and the news of the weird. The show's rapid-fire pivots keep it fresh, while the hosts’ chemistry and unapologetically opinionated tone make it both informative and entertaining.