Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: An Alleged Crank & Antisemitism
Date: October 13, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Armstrong & Getty delve into the phenomenon of viral internet rumors, their often-absurd origins, and the deeper psychological mechanisms and social costs behind public accusations—especially those designed to humiliate or harass. Using recent, oddball examples—such as the claim that Patrick Mahomes will play trumpet at Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s wedding and the conspiracy theory swirling around the First Lady of France—they explore how such stories take hold, why they’re effective, and how they can be weaponized, including against marginalized groups through mechanisms like antisemitism. The conversation includes references to a piece by Kat Rosenfield in The Free Press, highlighting the dynamics of rumor, accusation, and the toll of disproving falsehoods.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Absurd Online Rumors and Their Spread

• Patrick Mahomes & the Trumpet Wedding Prank:

  • The hosts discover and dissect an online "headline" claiming that NFL star Patrick Mahomes will play trumpet at Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s wedding.
  • They quickly realize the image is AI-generated and the claim is a social media prank, noting how easy hoaxes are to create and spread.
  • Quote:
    • Joe: “If that's fake, I love it because it's so stupid... the utter lack of any motivation anybody could possibly have to make that claim. That's what makes it funny.” (03:34)

• The Mechanics & Fun of Online Hoaxes:

  • Michael and Joe muse about starting their own viral rumors, wondering how easily such fake stories catch on and why people create and spread them.
  • Michael: “I gotta start thinking up just random things like that and see if I can get them going.” (05:09)
  • Joe adds that with “faked-up graphics,” anyone can make misinformation go viral now. (05:14)

2. From Trolling to Malice: How False Accusations Become Harmful

• Introduction to the Macron Conspiracy & Kat Rosenfield:

  • The conversation shifts to the persistent online conspiracy about the First Lady of France, Brigitte Macron, with rumors alleging she is transgender—spurred by figures like Candace Owens.
  • Joe introduces Kat Rosenfield’s article, which discusses how “trolls” and “outrage junkies” manufacture and amplify unfounded, humiliating claims.

• The Real Harm of "Humorous Outrage":

  • Quoting Rosenfield, Joe explores the emotional burden placed on those falsely accused, tying it to a famous saying attributed to Jean Paul Sartre:
    • Quote:
      • Joe: “The anti Semite does not accuse the Jew of stealing because he thinks he stole something. He does it because he enjoys watching the Jew turn out his pockets to prove his innocence... The point is not the lie themselves. The point is the burden it places...to perform the exhausting, undignified, humiliating exercise of refuting the allegations.” (07:10-08:45)

• The Undignified Dance of Refuting Lies:

  • Michael underscores the lose-lose situation victims face: "It does put you in the undignified position of proving she's wrong or even responding to it right, which would be unpleasant." (08:54)
  • Joe: “It's about stealing their time and energy, about the power trip of setting little fires in someone else's house and sitting back laughing while they run around trying to extinguish [them].” (09:11)

3. The Repetitive Power of Rumor: Perception Becomes Reality

• Why Repetitive Lies Work:

  • The discussion expands on how repeated allegations—no matter how unfounded—eventually create suspicion, often referenced as the “Streisand effect.”
  • Joe reads from Rosenfield, illustrating how eventually, “repeated allegations of wrongdoing start getting treated like proof in and of themselves.” (09:23)
  • Michael personally connects this to the persistent Michelle Obama “conspiracy jokes,” noting how constant repetition can even make the skeptical pause:
    • “Greg Gutfeld has made that joke so many times that I start thinking... is there something I'm missing?” (09:52)

• Public Denials Fueling the Fire:

  • They discuss the Armie Hammer allegations as an example of how public denial (e.g., "Armie Hammer Denies Cannibalism Claims") paradoxically cements the rumor in the public mind.
  • Michael: “Because of the denial... everybody found out Barbra Streisand’s address because she was arguing so much about... not telling people her address. You end up with that situation.” (11:23)

4. When to Respond and When to Ignore Falsehoods

• “Let it Lie” or Fight Back?

  • The hosts reflect on the dilemma for public figures: whether to ignore slander (risking it festers) or confront it (amplifying it further).
  • Joe: “The question of when to turn out your pockets to fight back and when to just turn away has no easy answer. Refuting a falsehood means dignifying it...” (10:11)

• Their Own Policy on Addressing Rumors:

  • Both hosts prefer to “publicize our sins,” addressing embarrassing stories themselves before they become rumors.
  • Joe: “It’d be hard to imagine coming up with a headline that would be more embarrassing to me than things I’ve admitted I’ve done. So that helps.” (12:36)

5. Humor as Defense

• The conversation ends on a lighter note, with Joe making a playful (if dark) joke referencing cannibalism rumors and the First Lady of France.
  • Joe: “Me and Mrs. McCrone nibbling on a nice calf together. And I don't mean the... I mean the kind that says moo.” (12:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the absurdity of fake news:
  Joe: “If that's fake, I love it because it's so stupid. ...The utter lack of any motivation anybody could possibly have to make that particular claim.” (03:34)
• On why trolls target people:
  Joe (quoting/ paraphrasing Sartre via Rosenfield): “The point is not the lie themselves. The point is the burden it places on the person being lied about...” (08:45)
• On the futility of denying rumors:
  Michael: “Because of the denial... You end up with that situation.” (11:23)
• On repeated innuendo and rumor:
  Michael: “Greg Gutfeld has made that joke so many times that I start thinking... is there something I'm missing?” (09:52)
• On their approach to personal rumors:
  Joe: “We publicize our sins.” (12:16)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 03:02 – Discovery & dissection of the Patrick Mahomes-wedding trumpet hoax
• 05:35 – Transition to Macron/First Lady rumors
• 06:07 – The Kat Rosenfield article and its take on trolling and humiliation
• 07:54 – Sartre's quote on antisemitism, illustrated
• 09:23 – Why repeated rumors start to feel “real”
• 10:11 – The conundrum: refute the falsehood, or ignore it?
• 11:18 – Armie Hammer, the “cannibalism denial” and the Streisand effect
• 12:16 – Armstrong & Getty’s “publicize our own sins” policy
• 12:52 – Humorous sign-off referencing cannibalism rumors

Tone & Style

The conversation moves quickly between satire, social observation, and serious cultural commentary. There is frequent self-deprecating humor and irreverence, even as the hosts tackle the darker implications of rumor-mongering and organized online harassment. They cite credible sources, use memorable analogies, and keep the discussion accessible with pop culture references.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a comprehensive understanding of this episode’s core discussions and takeaways.