Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: Come See the Cavemanboy!

Date: November 4, 2025 | Host(s): Armstrong & Getty | Podcast by: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

"Come See the Cavemanboy!" explores the scientific, ethical, and societal implications of resurrecting Neanderthals in the modern era. Prompted by lighthearted banter about a one-man play and recent scientific claims, Armstrong and Getty take a deep dive into whether reviving an extinct human species is possible, what the challenges are, and—most importantly—whether we should even try. The conversation is peppered with humor, hypotheticals, and thoughtful questions about personhood, belonging, and ethics in genetic engineering.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Scientific Background: Could Neanderthals Return?

• Setting the Scene: The episode opens with Armstrong referencing a speculative "one man play" about a Neanderthal living today. They clarify recent headlines about the supposed feasibility of resurrecting a Neanderthal.
• Science Update ([01:12]):
  • Past attempts to resurrect extinct animals (like the dire wolf and mammoth) have fallen short.
  • Neanderthals are one of several human species; modern humans have up to 4% Neanderthal DNA.
  • Armstrong mentions, humorously, that Getty has a high percentage of Neanderthal DNA:

    "Jo Getty at one point was in the 99th percentile... which explains my fits of rage and my enormous head. No, it really doesn't." (Armstrong, [01:31])

• Intelligence & Misconceptions ([02:41]):
  They dispel myths about Neanderthals being dumb, noting that “racist scientists” shaped early negative views.

2. Scientific & Technical Challenges

• Major Hurdles ([03:49]):
  • Technical limitations: you can’t just insert Neanderthal DNA into a human egg.
  • Immune incompatibility is a significant barrier in cross-species pregnancy—such pregnancies usually fail.
• CRISPR & Alternatives ([07:32]):
  • Direct cloning is impossible without a live Neanderthal cell.
  • CRISPR could potentially modify human embryos to have more Neanderthal traits, but this would produce a human with Neanderthal characteristics, not a pure Neanderthal.
• Complexities of Human/Neanderthal Hybrids ([05:27]):
  There’s debate over whether Neanderthals and modern humans should even be considered separate species.

3. Ethical Objections & Moral Dilemmas

• Unethical to the Core? ([03:41]):
  • Cloning a Neanderthal is considered "one of the most unethical things I can possibly think of"—potential for suffering, short lifespan, and incapacity for consent.
  • Experiments like Dolly the Sheep led to numerous deformed or non-viable embryos before success ([10:13]).
• What Kind of Life? ([04:44], [10:44]):
  • “All these experiments have that... deformed human or... a human being that dies very early.” (Getty)
  • A revived Neanderthal would likely face isolation, lack of peers, and exploitation as a sideshow or scientific curiosity.
• Personhood & Rights ([12:26]):
  • The hosts muse about whether such a being would "belong" to anyone, ponder legal status and rights, and joke about mascot-like or celebrity roles.

  • "Who does this person belong to? Who's this person belong to?" (Getty, [12:26])

  • "Is it a human? ... Does it have the rights of a ... The fact that you even asked. Who would it belong to? Who do I belong to? Nobody." (Armstrong, [12:54])

4. Hypotheticals, Humor, and Social Commentary

• Celebrity Status or Sideshow? ([11:04]):
  • The revived Neanderthal could be a worldwide sensation:

    "The world's only Neanderthal comes out... Ooga booga, Ooga booga. Just kidding, Jimmy. It's great to be with you tonight." (Armstrong, [11:14])

  • Jokes about endorsement deals and reality TV for the Neanderthal ensue.
• Zoo or Integration Debate ([13:10], [15:31]):
  • Getty and Armstrong express discomfort at the idea of exhibiting a Neanderthal in a zoo-like setting.
  • Discussions on possible exploitation, both humorous and serious, highlight questions of dignity and autonomy.

5. Legal Perspective & Geopolitics

• Is It Legal? ([16:58]):
  • Human embryo editing is illegal in the US and EU, but not universally regulated worldwide:

    "It's unlikely that every country in the world has relevant laws on their books." (Armstrong, [16:58])

  • Concerns are raised about countries like China or North Korea disregarding such ethical boundaries ([17:29]).

6. Fun Facts & Quiz Segment

• The Neanderthal Quiz ([18:41]):
  Armstrong quizzes Getty on the origin of the name "Neanderthal" (Germany’s Neander Valley) and discusses recent discoveries about multiple simultaneous human species.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Higher Neanderthal DNA:

  "I, Jo Getty at one point was in the 99th percentile of modern people in terms of how much Neanderthal DNA I have, which explains my fits of rage and my enormous head. No, it really doesn't." (Armstrong, [01:31])

• Skepticism About Motives:

  "Other than to charge people to look at it in a cage. I can't come up with any reason why you would do this." (Getty, [07:59])

• On Rights and Belonging:

  "Who does this person belong to?... It belongs to all of us." (Getty, [12:26])

• Celebrity Neanderthal:

  "Would be the biggest celebrity on planet Earth that planet Earth has probably ever seen." (Getty, [12:00])

• Zoo-ification and Dignity:

  "The darker possibility is that we would keep any de extincted Neanderthals in zoos. Like animals." (Armstrong, [15:31])

• Humorous Stereotypes:

  "Some chicks going to want to get with the Neanderthal just so she can brag or become like a Kardashian, sort of have a sex tape. You know, the whole thing." (Getty, [18:09])

Important Segments & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Topic/Event | |-----------|------------| | 00:30 | Armstrong introduces the "caveman boy" play and the Neanderthal premise | | 01:47 | Explaining real Neanderthal lineages & DNA in modern humans | | 03:41 | Ethical concerns voiced by scientific experts | | 04:44 | Risks of deformed or short-lived experimental subjects | | 05:05 | Brief segue into China’s gene editing ambitions | | 10:44 | What would life be like for a single Neanderthal among humans? | | 11:04 | Celebrity and media exploitation scenarios | | 12:26 | Questions about personhood, rights, and belonging | | 15:31 | Grim hypothetical: Would revived Neanderthals be caged? | | 16:58 | Legal ambiguity across countries | | 18:41 | Neanderthal quiz: name origin and history |

Final Thoughts

This episode of Armstrong & Getty masterfully mixes scientific curiosity with bemused skepticism, keeping the tone lively as they wrestle with complex bioethical issues. For listeners, the big takeaway is not whether it’s possible to revive Neanderthals, but should we—given the ethical, scientific, and cultural minefields involved. The hosts’ humor and conversational chemistry make a dense topic accessible and thought-provoking.

Recommended For:
Anyone interested in genetics, ethics, or science-inspired hypotheticals—especially those who appreciate offbeat humor paired with real-world implications.