Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Episode: Chipgate
Date: January 16, 2026
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Episode Overview
This episode, titled "Chipgate," covers a broad array of current news topics with Armstrong & Getty's characteristic humor, skepticism, and camaraderie. The hosts delve into NFL playoff injuries and a wild electromagnetic theory, media and public perception on a controversial ICE shooting in Minneapolis, shifting public attitudes towards law enforcement and immigration policy, and sprinkle in lighter banter regarding Tyrannosaurus rex lifespan, "chipgate," and more. The show highlights the divide in how Americans interpret news events and the difficulty in achieving consensus on contentious issues.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. NFL Playoff Injuries & Conspiracy Theories
[03:54–09:03]
- The hosts discuss a Washington Post article suggesting chronic injuries among the San Francisco 49ers may be caused by electromagnetic fields (EMF) from a power substation near Levi’s Stadium.
- Jack Armstrong: Outlines the theory: “There is a power plant there. … It’s causing all the injuries for the San Francisco 49ers.”
- Joe Getty: Calls out the theory’s implausibility, referencing expert opinion from abroad: “‘Oh, we had to go all the way to England to find expert who would deny this being true.’” [07:16]
- The story’s viral nature is attributed to the need for NFL-related content during playoff season.
- Memorable moment: Player endorsement of the theory (“It’s that power plant, man.” [07:00]) and hosts jokingly suggesting aluminum hats for Super Bowl fans.
2. Tyrannosaurus Rex Lifespan
[09:40–11:17]
- New research suggests T. rex lived longer than previously thought.
- Joe Getty: “That means the animals’ lifespans were longer than the 30 years previously thought.” [10:05]
- The segment veers into a humorous riff about how men seem perpetually fascinated by dinosaurs, drawing parallels to obsession with the Roman Empire and WWII.
3. Minneapolis ICE Shooting Controversy
[11:17–16:00, 18:04–22:49, 32:42–40:37]
- Media Coverage & Public Reaction:
- The shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis dominates headlines.
- The difference in public opinion is highlighted: only a slim majority sees the shooting as unjustified, a result the hosts attribute to press framing.
- Video Analysis Bias:
- Joe Getty: Describes a New York Times video feature presenting the incident. He notes extreme bias in the voiceover:
“At every single moment that would tend to impugn the ICE officer, the video is interpreted as being absolutely unambiguously revealing. And in every single moment … that the guy was hit by the car … the person says, quite seriously, ‘At this point it’s unclear whether the vehicle has contacted the officer.’” [11:40–13:26]
- Joe Getty: Describes a New York Times video feature presenting the incident. He notes extreme bias in the voiceover:
- Host Reflection on Bias:
- Jack Armstrong: “Our prior beliefs or the conclusions we want are so powerful that we see things differently now. Some people are just lying. … A lot of people honestly just see it differently because of what you want to be true.” [13:30]
- Joe Getty: Expresses concern about the impossibility of shared reality when media frames diverge so much.
- NPR Coverage Critique:
- Jack recounts an NPR report depicting innocent bystanders caught in tear gas during protests, accusing them of ignoring protest illegality.
- The hosts argue that the leftist media removes individual agency except for presumed “bad guys,” suggesting a skewed victim narrative.
- Immigration Policy and Sanctuary Cities:
- Discussion of Minneapolis being a sanctuary city, and the danger that arises when cities release criminals ICE wants to detain.
- Joe Getty: Details a list of allegedly dangerous criminals shielded by sanctuary policies and calls out the political hypocrisy (“You people need to grow up.” [37:41])
- Jack Armstrong: Points to the shift in state vs. federal authority over immigration enforcement, referencing Obama administration precedent and current Minneapolis leadership defying federal ICE actions.
- Tom Homan on Sanctuary Cities:
- Clip played of former ICE Director Tom Homan outlining the risk: “If they let us in their damn jail … we could arrest the bad guy in the safety and security of a jail. But because they release them, now we gotta go in the community…” [37:41]
- Host outrage at local politicians blaming ICE for violence when city policy created the risk.
4. Public Opinion, Polls, and Media Influence
[19:01–20:23]
- Hosts mock media’s handwringing over public opinion polls.
- Joe Getty: “You spend all day pushing on the scale, then report, ‘Look at that. Turns out a duck weighs more than a bowling ball.’” [20:19]
- They argue poll results are shaped by relentless framing in national news coverage.
5. News Roundup & Headlines
[18:34–22:48]
- Katie Green’s Headlines: Touch on Minneapolis protests, Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize from a Venezuelan activist, historic Dodgers spending in MLB, and a viral story about a man training crows to attack MAGA hats.
- AI-related News: Brief mention of rising cases of “AI psychosis," highlighting human tendency to anthropomorphize AI.
6. Reflecting on the Clinton/Epstein Files Story
[31:11–32:42]
- Hosts discuss apparent public apathy and legal normalization of high-profile figures refusing congressional subpoenas (e.g., the Clintons in the Epstein investigation).
- Jonathan Turley’s commentary is cited: “We have normalized this whole, I’m just not gonna do that thing, which didn’t used to be an option.” [31:20]
- The hosts argue hearings have become political grandstanding and laws must be adapted if subpoenas are routinely ignored.
7. Clips of the Week
[26:21–29:37]
- Brief montage (“Clips of the Week”) recapping major news and memorable moments:
- Federal agent protests and violence
- Pronoun debates and gender identity confusion
- Financial market turmoil as the Fed chair faces criminal probe
- Bill and Hillary Clinton refusing congressional testimony
- Hershey Bears youth hockey brawl
- Iranian political unrest
- Humorous exchange: “What is reality, actually?” [29:21–29:26]—the show's meta-reflection on news chaos.
8. “Chipgate” & Mailbag Segment
[44:42–47:10]
- Listener mails in actual money demanding the name of “the chips” Joe once mentioned, referencing a previous lighthearted on-air joke. The hosts find the literal response both hilarious and baffling.
- Joe Getty: “Sir or madam? That was intended to be ridiculous. It was a joke.” [46:00]
- Segue into a discussion about ICE’s differing hiring standards versus police, with hosts acknowledging the distinction between immigration enforcement and municipal policing.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “It’s that power plant, man.” – 49ers WR Kendrick Bourne, cited by Jack Armstrong, humorously summing up the EMF theory [06:50]
- Joe Getty [On video bias]: “It was a human being watching something with me and taking such a wildly different interpretation of it based on the laws of physics.” [13:10]
- Jack Armstrong: “Our prior beliefs … are so powerful that we see things differently now. Some people are just lying. …A lot of people honestly just see it differently because of what you want to be true.” [13:30]
- Jack Armstrong [On Super Bowl Fan Experience]: “You will be so unimpressed and think, why did I do this?” [07:46]
- Joe Getty: “You spend all day pushing on the scale, then report. ‘Look at that. Turns out a duck weighs more than a bowling ball.’” [20:19]
- Jack Armstrong [On gender debates]: “Progressive researchers claim they are 15 to 20 years away from finding out what a woman is. …Maybe in our lifetimes, that [will be] nailed down.” [22:48]
Timestamps for Significant Segments
| Time | Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------| | 03:54-09:03 | NFL injuries, EMF substation theory | | 09:40-11:17 | T. rex lifespan discovery & gendered interests | | 11:17-16:00 | Minneapolis ICE shooting, video bias, media framing | | 18:04-22:49 | News roundup, polling, AI psychosis, headlines | | 26:21-29:37 | Clips of the Week (news soundbites montage) | | 31:11-32:42 | Clinton/Epstein subpoenas and political hearings | | 32:42-40:37 | Sanctuary city policies & ICE enforcement | | 44:42-47:10 | Chipgate mailbag, ICE/police standards comment |
Tone & Style
Armstrong & Getty maintain an irreverent, skeptical, and conversational approach, openly mocking dubious theories, critiquing partisan media coverage, and expressing exasperation at political double standards. They balance heavy news with lighter content, frequent banter, and listener interaction.
For listeners wanting a robust, critical, and often humorous alternative take on mainstream news events—especially involving law enforcement, media narratives, and American political polarization—this episode is both insightful and highly entertaining.