Armstrong & Getty On Demand – "Bring The Hot Back!"

Date: November 7, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong, Joe Getty, with Katie Green

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the looming holiday travel chaos caused by widespread flight cancellations linked to the government shutdown, the political gridlock fueling that crisis, and broader kitchen table issues like affordability and healthcare. The hosts balance their characteristic banter with frustration over partisan politics, public misinformation, and cultural trends, shifting in the second half of the episode to lighter fare—new dating lingo, AI relationship stories, and the lack of “hotness” in modern America.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Airline Shutdown & Holiday Travel Chaos

[03:16–06:06]

• Armstrong proposes several tongue-in-cheek titles for a “travel horror” movie about the massive holiday flight cancellations (“Airpocalypse”, “Plane Pain”, “Departure to Hell”).
• 250 flights cancelled that day, with a projected 4,500 per day if government shutdown persists.
• Unique insight: Flight disruptions will have long-lasting impacts, even if shutdown resolves quickly. Airlines will burn through reserve pilot hours—critical for holiday weather emergencies.
  • “Even if the shutdown ends on Tuesday, it will take weeks or beyond Thanksgiving to get caught back up in the building up the pilot hours…” – Jack Armstrong [05:36]
• Media underreporting: 500 tourism businesses, including the US Travel Association, urge Congress for a clean resolution, yet it barely registers in major news outlets.

2. The Government Shutdown Stalemate

[06:06–10:45]

• Hosts criticize both political parties for prioritizing their base over effective compromise:
  • “Both sides are desperately afraid…of being killed by their base if they are the ones that cave.” – Joe Getty [08:05]
• Obamacare subsidies (portrayed as corporate welfare) at the center of gridlock.
• The public’s confusion over the term "clean CR" (continuing resolution) versus tangible issues like healthcare costs.
  • “CR… some congressional thing I've never heard of.” – Jack Armstrong [09:17]
• Lack of pragmatists (“Gang of Eight” types) in Congress now, making statesmanship rare.

3. Weight Loss Drugs Revolution

[11:12–13:28]

• Trump’s deal purportedly dropping a popular weight loss drug from $1,350 to $250/month.
  • “That takes it from affordable to only a few to affordable to quite a few.” – Joe Getty [11:33]
  • Drugs expected to revolutionize American health—mass adoption predicted.
• Banter about “bringing sexy back” to America:
  • “Means there’s going to be a lot more hot looking people.” – Jack Armstrong [13:14]
  • “Make America thin again… Make America hot again.” – Joe Getty [13:19]
  • “We’re no Sweden, but we’re an attractive people… Bring the hot back.” – Jack Armstrong [13:23 & 13:28]

4. Affordability & Inflation

[22:00–23:53 | 30:57–35:39]

• Affordability may be the campaign “word of the year.”
• Hosts share sticker shock stories—routine purchases at CVS and a grocery trip cost $170 total.
  • “I feel like I’m living in some sort of South American banana republic…” – Jack Armstrong [22:31]
• New York Post article rebuts Trump’s claims of having “whipped inflation;” prices up 5–12% at major stores.
  • “Target’s prices are up 5.5% nationwide this year. Walmart’s are up 5.3%. Amazon’s are up 12%...” – Joe Getty [31:37]
• Discussion on how inflation and border control are the key voter issues; affordability slaps people “in the face every day”—drives elections.

5. Katie’s Headlines and News Rundown

[16:39–20:51]

• Assorted stories:
  • Trump administration ordered to deliver full SNAP benefits to states [16:51].
  • Death toll from UPS plane crash rises [17:17].
  • Ford may terminate the electric F-150 due to poor sales, making it the “first major EV casualty.”
    • “People don’t like electric cars, you can say whatever you want… Most people, by far, don’t want an electric car.” – Joe Getty [17:54]
  • Trans controversy at Gold’s Gym; criminal background revealed [18:19].
  • Dating terms: shreking, throning, banksying—teased for segment two.

6. Clips & Cultural Reflections

[23:53–26:38]

• "Clips of the Week" montage—a rapid-fire review of odd stories: bear attacks in Japan, Ferris wheel rescue, debates on trans issues, “romantic kissing bots.”
• Reflection on cultural decline and political performativeness:
  • “Everything is performative and jokey and trolling… You just don’t sit down and have...a really serious conversation.” – Joe Getty [27:14]
• Elitist/anti-ignoramus voting rant:
  • “Your bottom 25% should not vote… I know that sounds elitist, but why?” – Jack Armstrong [28:24]

7. New Romance: People Dating AI Bots

[29:36, 37:01]

• Preview of hour two’s deep-dive: New York Times story about people in committed relationships with AI chatbots.
  • “It’s 100% serious. Wow.” – Joe Getty [30:05]
  • “That’s not going to help me have any faith in humanity in the future.” – Jack Armstrong [30:12]

8. Mailbag and Listener Letters

[39:45–41:44]

• Celebrating LGBTQ students—are schools promoting rather than accepting? [40:06]
• Party control, Pelosi’s iron grip, and recommendations for Republicans to target AOC [41:41].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On news and bias:
  “This ought to be leading every newscast in America. But it's not, because of their overt bias…” – Jack Armstrong [06:06]

• On Congress:
  “There’s no Gang of Five or Gang of Eight… The people that are friends across the aisle and can be the grownups—it just doesn’t exist anymore.” – Jack Armstrong [10:16]

• On the weight loss revolution:
  “Make America thin again was what Dr. Oz said yesterday… If just as a whole we lose a bunch of weight, just hundreds of diseases would be affected.” – Joe Getty [11:53]

• On performative culture:
  “Everything is performative and jokey and trolling.” – Joe Getty [27:14]

• On elitism and voting:
  “It’s not elitist, it’s anti-ignoramus.” – Jack Armstrong [28:59]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:16] – Movie title gags & intro to flight cancellations
• [05:36] – Explanation of pilot hours and hidden crisis
• [06:06] – Skewering political media bias and shutdown politics
• [11:32] – Trump’s weight loss drug plan
• [13:14] – “Make America hot again”
• [16:39] – Katie Green’s news headlines segment
• [22:00] – Affordability sticker shock stories
• [23:53] – “Clips of the Week” & performative politics critique
• [29:36] – Tease: AI romance story
• [31:37] – NY Post article: affordability numbers
• [37:01] – Deeper look at AI romantic relationships (teased for next hour)
• [39:45] – Mailbag and listener letters

Tone & Style

Armstrong & Getty blend biting satire, cultural exasperation, and offbeat humor with frank social commentary. They stray frequently into digressions but always return to core issues driving American politics and daily life. Banter is rapid, mocking, but rarely mean-spirited.

Useful For

Anyone looking to catch up on the episode’s central themes (government shutdown, travel headaches, inflation, new political divides, cultural decline, and oddities like AI dating) without slogging through the full audio—and to get a taste of Armstrong & Getty’s distinctive style.