Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: A&G Replay Tuesday Hour Three

Date: November 25, 2025
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

This replay episode features Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty curating and riffing on recent headlines and cultural moments. The main themes covered in this hour include the effectiveness of modern political protests, a critical look at Kamala Harris’ media appearances and political positioning, changes in credit card fee structures, and issues surrounding unqualified commercial drivers in the U.S. They approach these topics with trademark irreverence, skepticism, and quick banter, offering both dry humor and pointed critique.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Modern Political Protests: The "No Kings" Rally

[04:24 – 13:48]

• The hosts analyze and lampoon the recent "No Kings" anti-Trump protests, questioning both their effectiveness and the coherence of participants’ motivations.
• Joe Getty: “Protests are way overrated. It was a big deal...in the '60s with civil rights, but I’m not sure it’s done anything since then. Protests are just overrated.” (05:50)
• They critique the protest as an “omnicause” gathering—a mashup of every progressive or anti-Trump issue lacking a focused message.
• Audio clips highlight protesters unable to articulate why they’re participating:
  • “Any particular reason why you don’t like him?”
  • Protester: “No clue at all. I’m just going with everybody else.” (09:42)
• Jack Armstrong: Emphasizes that energy might be better spent on voter registration or real civic engagement.
• Dangerous rhetoric is also addressed, including calls for violence against government agents, with the hosts noting that such commentary would receive far more media attention were it from the right.

2. Social Aspects & Ineffectiveness of Protests

[11:26 – 13:48]

• The hosts reflect on the “warm and fuzzy” social nature of political demonstrations, suggesting many attend more for community than policy change.
• Joe Getty: “It’s not about policy, it’s not about governance, it’s not even about personalities, really. It’s just about the feeling of togetherness.” (12:11)
• Armstrong and Getty recount anecdotes about how attending protests has become a social or quasi-recreational event for families and friends.

3. Credit Card Fees & Payment System Changes

[15:04 – 20:50]

• They break down a recent legal settlement between Visa, MasterCard, and merchants that could usher in new, more complicated tiered pricing at checkout.
• Merchants may soon charge varying fees depending on the kind of card used—a reverse of cash discounts.
• The conversation is punctuated by Joe’s comic irritation over complicated checkout situations ("Can I just pay for it all? And then you get the hell out of my way." [16:05]) and jokes about getting rid of coins entirely.
• Discussion touches on how these changes may adversely affect low-income, unbanked shoppers.

4. Kamala Harris Book Tour & Media Interviews

[25:27 – 37:43]

• In a lengthy segment, the hosts dissect recent interviews with Kamala Harris, particularly her evasive answers regarding President Biden’s health and political future.
• The hosts mock Harris’ rhetorical pivots and her inability (or unwillingness) to answer even pointed questions about Biden’s “frailty.”
• Notable exchange:
  • Australian Interviewer: "Was it Joe Biden's decision—his failure to recognize his own frailties—that put you in the position that made it almost impossible to win that race?"
  • Kamala Harris: “He was not frail as President of the United States...” [28:22]
  • Joe Getty (riffing): “Utterly charisma free and unwilling to answer any question about anything ever.” (30:48)
• They reference both Jon Stewart and the Australian interviewers pressing Harris, with Armstrong and Getty doubting the credibility and effectiveness of her defenses.
• Armstrong observes that Harris’ chronic hedging—never taking clear stances even on safe issues—makes her an unusually cautious, unappealing politician.

5. Trucking Industry Safety and Unqualified Drivers

[42:45 – 46:59]

• The hosts relay a story of an Arkansas police officer stopping a big rig truck driver who cannot speak English, and is found pantless in his cab ("Put your pants on. Pants. Put some pants on." [43:50]).
• They discuss the broader issue of states allegedly awarding commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants—including those unable to speak or read English—without appropriate testing or safety checks.
• The problematic incentives for trucking companies and state agencies are highlighted, as is the potential risk to public safety.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On protest effectiveness:
  "Protests are way overrated. It was a big deal...in the ‘60s with civil rights, but I’m not sure it’s done anything since then."
  — Joe Getty [05:50]

• On protester motivations:
  "Any particular reason why you don’t like him?"
  "No clue at all. I’m just going with everybody else."
  — Protester [09:42]

• On togetherness vs. change at protests:
  "It’s not about policy…just about the feeling of togetherness. In the '70s, they called it the warm and fuzzy feeling, man."
  — Joe Getty [12:11]

• Regarding Kamala Harris' evasions:
  "Utterly charisma free and unwilling to answer any question about anything ever."
  — Joe Getty [30:48]

• On the surreal truck driver stop:
  "Put your pants on. Pants. Put some pants on."
  — Arkansas police officer [43:50]
  (Repeated and laughed about by both hosts)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Protest & “No Kings” Rally Analysis: [04:24 – 13:48]
• Credit Card Tiered Pricing Story: [15:04 – 20:50]
• Kamala Harris Interview Critiques: [25:27 – 37:43]
• Unqualified Truck Drivers Segment: [42:45 – 46:59]

Tone & Style

• The hosts maintain a sardonic, skeptical tone, with quick, irreverent back-and-forth and a willingness to lampoon all sides.
• Regular self-aware asides (“That was a joke, friends. Just Joe being silly. These are serious times. Confusing, dark, threatening times. Just trying to have a little fun.” [20:50]) keep the mood light amid serious topics.
• Politically, the tone is anti-establishment and highly critical, especially of the purported failures and hypocrisies among politicians and bureaucracies.

Summary

This replayed hour offers a rapid-fire blend of the Armstrong & Getty show’s signature formula: cultural and political critique, pointed ridicule, and gallows humor. The hosts challenge the purpose and efficacy of modern protests, call out politicians’ evasions, express skepticism about evolving payments infrastructure, and spotlight flaws in U.S. licensing policies for truckers—all while inviting listeners to laugh at the absurdities of the day.