Don't Be A Jerk. That'd Be My Rule.

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand - Episode Summary: "Don't Be A Jerk. That'd Be My Rule."

Release Date: April 16, 2025
Host: Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

---

Introduction

In this engaging episode of "Armstrong & Getty On Demand," hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delve into a variety of pressing social, political, and economic issues. The conversation is marked by sharp critiques, passionate opinions, and a blend of humor and seriousness, aiming to shed light on contemporary challenges facing higher education, free speech, economic policies, and social dynamics.

1. Higher Education and Policy: The Case of Harvard

The episode opens with a discussion on the U.S. Supreme Court's precedent regarding tax-exempt status for charitable organizations, specifically referencing the 1983 case Bob Jones University vs. United States. The hosts highlight how institutions like Harvard could jeopardize their tax-exempt status by violating fundamental public policies, such as non-discrimination.

Jack Armstrong initiates the discussion by questioning the rationale behind substantial federal funding for elite universities:
"Why are we giving so many federal dollars to these universities at all?"
(04:18)

Ryan responds by emphasizing the societal benefits of university research:
"Because it benefits we the people."
(04:58)

However, Jack Armstrong remains skeptical, questioning why these wealthy institutions can't self-fund their research endeavors despite their vast endowments:
"If you've got billions, there's enough support to fund research without federal dollars."
(05:03)

The conversation pivots to the Trump administration's stance on enforcing viewpoint diversity within universities. The Wall Street Journal editorial board criticizes Harvard for not complying with federal mandates to hire a more ideologically diverse faculty.

Ryan underscores the ideological capture of elite universities by progressive agendas:
"Our universities... are so horribly infected with anti-Western civilization, anti-American activists."
(06:24)

2. Free Speech and the Democratic Conundrum

The hosts explore the inherent tensions within democratic societies regarding free speech and the protection of fundamental principles. Ryan draws parallels with democracies in the Middle East, highlighting the dilemma of protecting parties that might seek to undermine foundational societal values.

Ryan elaborates:
"The great conundrum of democracies is whether to protect those who would end everything you hold dear."
(08:00)

Jack Armstrong adds to the complexity by discussing the challenges of enforcing cultural and ideological conformity through federal incentives:
"You can't write out a recipe for cultural change. It's not possible."
(11:03)

They debate the effectiveness of the Trump administration's strategy of imposing rules to curb racist and anti-Semitic behaviors on campuses, with Ryan suggesting that social pressure and growing awareness are more sustainable solutions:
"Get rid of your DEI programs. They're illegal, immoral, unconstitutional."
(12:10)

3. Economic Policies and the Threat of Recession

Shifting focus to economic matters, Armstrong and Ryan discuss the implications of the 145% tariff on toy companies and its potential to jeopardize the Christmas season's toy supply.

Ryan mentions an economic expert's warning:
"Christmas is at risk. Toy companies can't handle the 145% tariff."
(41:13)

They explore broader economic concerns, including the debate over whether the U.S. is in a recession. Drawing from a Wall Street Journal article, Ryan explains the National Bureau of Economic Research's (NBER) criteria for declaring a recession, which includes significant declines in economic activity across various sectors.

Jack Armstrong shares a personal anecdote illustrating the subjective nature of recession declarations:
"I remember a guy who said, 'We're in a recession,' before it was officially declared."
(44:23)

The hosts critique the politicization of economic terms, suggesting that under different administrations, the same economic indicators might be interpreted differently:
"I don't think a recession is an all-encompassing diagnosis. It's just things aren't good."
(46:00)

4. Social Issues: Gender Identity and LGBTQ+ Dynamics

A substantial portion of the episode addresses contentious social issues surrounding gender identity and the LGBTQ+ community. Armstrong and Ryan discuss a British Supreme Court ruling that excludes trans women from the legal definition of women under equality legislation, sparking debates on gender balance and protected spaces.

Jack Armstrong reacts strongly to the decision:
"He used terms like 'biological women,' which is like saying a 'biological lion.'"
(27:08)

The conversation shifts to internal conflicts within the LGBTQ+ movement. An audio clip from an OG lesbian criticizes the expansion of the acronym to include numerous identities, arguing that it dilutes the movement's original goals and introduces divisions.

Ryan reflects on the fragmentation:
"The acronym LGBTQ is not a representation of a united community for what was once a legitimate civil rights movement."
(31:05)

They discuss alarming trends such as the use of puberty blockers on minors and the inclusion of marginalized groups under the broader LGBTQ+ umbrella, expressing concerns over societal and institutional complicity in these practices.

5. Celebrity News: Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel's Divorce

Adding a lighter note, the hosts cover the high-profile divorce announcement between supermodel Christie Brinkley and musician Billy Joel. They humorously speculate on the dynamics of their troubled marriage, focusing on Joel's well-documented struggles with alcoholism.

Jack Armstrong comments:
"He is taking it. He's willing to take it to the end."
(35:06)

Ryan empathizes while adding humor:
"Imagine waking up to the sound of Billy crashing into your house again."
(36:47)

6. Tariffs and Their Impact on Small Businesses

Furthering their economic discourse, Armstrong and Ryan critique the administration's tariff policies, emphasizing their disproportionate impact on small manufacturers and mom-and-pop businesses. They argue that while large corporations can negotiate carve-outs, smaller entities lack the resources to survive the financial strain.

Jack Armstrong highlights the systemic issues:
"Tariffs enrich the swamp by creating reasons for people to get special treatment."
(42:24)

Ryan warns of the broader economic fallout:
"All the small manufacturers... they’re gonna be put out of business."
(42:26)

7. Recession Definitions and Media Portrayal

The hosts revisit the topic of recessions, dissecting the NBER's criteria versus popular perceptions influenced by media portrayals. They question the utility of national economic statistics when localized economic conditions can vary significantly.

Ryan suggests a more individualized perspective:
"If your industry is suffering because of something, you're in a recession just as much."
(46:14)

Jack Armstrong concurs, emphasizing the disconnect between official declarations and personal experiences:
"They come and go, and we're all fine. It's not the end of the world."
(47:06)

8. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

In concluding the episode, Armstrong and Ryan reflect on the intertwining of economic policies, social issues, and higher education's role in shaping societal values. They call for listeners to engage in the conversation by sharing their thoughts via email, aiming to brainstorm solutions for preserving foundational principles amid evolving cultural landscapes.

Ryan closes with a call to action:
"If you have thoughts on how to preserve what we hold dear without empowering future progressives to ruin any progress we've made, jot us an email."
(35:38)

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Notable Quotes

• Jack Armstrong (05:03):
  "If you've got billions, there's enough support to fund research without federal dollars."

• Ryan (08:00):
  "The great conundrum of democracies is whether to protect those who would end everything you hold dear."

• Jack Armstrong (11:03):
  "You can't write out a recipe for cultural change. It's not possible."

• Ryan (31:05):
  "The acronym LGBTQ is not a representation of a united community for what was once a legitimate civil rights movement."

• Jack Armstrong (35:06):
  "He is taking it. He's willing to take it to the end."

---

Conclusion

"Don't Be A Jerk. That'd Be My Rule." serves as a thought-provoking episode where Armstrong and Getty confront multifaceted issues affecting American society. Through incisive analysis and spirited debate, they challenge listeners to critically examine the forces shaping education, economic policies, and social norms. The episode underscores the importance of safeguarding foundational values while navigating the complexities of modern societal changes.

Transcript

[Ryan]

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[Joe Getty]

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[Ryan]

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[Joe Getty]

No, I got it. Seriously, I insist. I insisted first.

[Jack Armstrong]

Don't be silly.

[Ryan]

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[Joe Getty]

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[Ryan]

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[Mark Goldfeeder]

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[Wink Martindale]

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[Ryan]

Get this. Adults with financial literacy skills have 82% more wealth than those who don't. From swimming lessons to piano classes. Us parents invest in so many things to enrich our kids lives. But are we investing in their future financial success? With Greenlight, you can teach your kids financial literacy skills like earning, saving and investing. And this investment costs less than that. After school treatment Start prioritizing their financial education and future. Today with a risk free [e-mail] iheart greenlight.com iheart broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln Radio Studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty. Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty. Absolutely clear. The U.S. supreme Court has already had that a charitable organization, including specifically a university, can lose its tax exempt status if they are violating fundamental policy. That was Bob Jones University versus the US in 1983. They lost their tax exempt status because their racist discriminatory policies were contrary to a compelling governmental interest and to public policy. Harvard has said they will not comply with what the federal government says they need to as it relates to enforcing non discrimination policies. Of course they can lose their federal exempt tax status. I've read through the letter that the task force sent to Harvard and all they're asking is to come up with solutions to its own problems. That is a fellow by the name of Mark Goldfeeder Goldfeder. He's a professor. He's obviously of a conservative bent. He may be the only conservative professor in America apparently, which is part of the reason we got to where we are. The Trump administration versus Harvard. One more news clip and then we will discuss these universities are idled and they will not stop this behavior on their own accord. The only thing they seem to respond to is financial incentive. That seems to be the only lever that we can pull to stop the racist and anti semitic conduct on their campuses. So I would tend to agree with his point of view. How to affect the change is where the devil is in the details. Super interesting topic.

[Jack Armstrong]

Let me ask a very broad question before you get into the details or the intricacies. And that's where you always end up with them. The, you know, the law. But on a very broad level, just on like a macro level, why are we giving so many federal dollars to these universities at all? I mean like, particularly like the Harvards and the Princetons of the world that have endowments of billions and billions of dollars and how much money does that generate every year, you know, with the investments and everything like that. Why aren't they funding themselves then? Secondly.

[Ryan]

Do we just. The brief answer to that before we get to question two is we're paying them to do research.

[Jack Armstrong]

They wouldn't do research. Why can't they do research with their own money?

[Ryan]

Because it benefits we the people. I'm not arguing in favor of that point of view. That would be the answer anyway.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, I know that's what people would say. But I just don't understand that if you've got billions of billions of dollars, I mean, there's enough people that believe in Harvard and the work you do that have donated enough money over the years and part of what you do is research, then spend your own damn money on research. I just don't quite understand why the federal government has to give the money if there is a reason. I don't understand. Feel free to text or email then if you are going to give a bunch of the money. Do we think it's okay that, you know, an administration comes in and it doesn't have to be like a specific. You're not allowing, like at UCLA where they weren't letting Jewish kids go to the library or whatever, even not a specific thing, like on that the current administration just doesn't like the politics of the college. Why do you have to give them the money? Why don't you? Why, why wouldn't it swing back and forth, administration by administration?

[Ryan]

Well, you made the point earlier, and it's a good one, that the, when the shoe was on the other foot, the Biden administration, Obama, you name the Democratic administrations through the years, absolutely insisted on the universities toeing the line of progressive policies and, and to the point that they were a huge aid in the journey of American universities to the far, far left where they are right now.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, it didn't become an issue because all the universities are so far left and agree with what the Democratic administrations were wanting them to do. You didn't hear anything about it. They're like, sure, we'll make Di part of her thing. We'd love that.

[Ryan]

Right? Yeah. Well, certainly a lot of Marxists have been on university campuses forever and they were more than in favor of that. But yes, it's an unholy alliance. So I couldn't decide whether to end with this thought or to frame the discussion with it. Believe it or not, we're making this up as we go. So I think I'll throw it out right now. You know me. I mean, I believe, as I said yesterday, our universities, our colleges and universities, really, education K through PhD level is so horribly infected with anti Western civilization, anti American activists, it's the only real threat to the health and safety of the United States. I think it is a virulent infection coursing through our veins that could kill us. I honestly think that could be too late. If we teach generation after generation to despise the country and the principles on which it's founded, how is that experiment Going to end, do you suppose? I hope maybe what's good about America will cure the disease of what's bad. But, man, you can't crank out your young people generation after generation hating ourselves anyway. So here's the way I want to frame this. This reminds me so much of the great conundrum of democracies. And I learned about this first, particularly looking at democracies in the Middle east, trying to get democracies up and going in some cases. And that is. And the United States is a decent enough example, too, if we can just use our country, we have freedom of speech. You can advocate whatever ideas you want, no matter how repugnant, except for the violent overthrow of the government overturning the Constitution. You can advocate voting the Constitution out, but you can't advocate the violent overthrow. That free speech protects a party, for instance. And Reid Holabeck, is that his name who wrote submission about Islam in France. That freedom of speech protects a fundamentalist Muslim party who wants to institute Sharia law across America. And don't worry, I'll get back to the college in a minute. So you say, well, our principles are. You get to run your Sharia law party because we. There are sacred founding principles and we will not violate them. And then as soon as those people get elected, they end all of the sacred founding principles and decree Sharia law. That is the great conundrum of democracies. Do you protect those who would end everything you hold dear? Because you hold protecting them dear.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? It's the, it's the, it's the, it's the problem with the whole coexist bumper sticker. One of those symbols on there doesn't want to coexist with the rest of the symbols.

[Ryan]

Right. And would slit its throat. All of their throats. Yeah. To get supremacy. So how exactly you gonna coexist again? Anyway, the reason I brought all this up is the Wall Street Journal editorial board, which remains, you know, pretty staunchly conservative. I don't agree with them all the time, but their big piece today is Donald Trump tries to run Harvard. Many of his demands on the school exceed his power under the Constitution. And so it's kind of the other side of the coin. You have now these elite universities. I almost want to vomit when I say that. These elite universities who are totally ideologically captured by those who would end Western civilization. So when we, the sane, are trying to fix that problem, can we, for instance, have what the Trump administration is. Is decreeing? There has to be viewpoint diversity which they don't define. And The Wall Street Journal asks, does this mean English departments must hire more Republican faculty or Shakespeare scholars? If a monitor finds insufficient diversity, however you want to define it, the university must hire, quote, a critical mass of new faculty within the department or the field who will provide that diversity and admit a critical mass of students who will provide the same. So do Harvard have applicants have to say whether they support Trump or not or impose ideological quotas in hiring and admissions?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, the trouble with this, I think, is just you can't, I don't think you can write out a recipe for a cultural change. I just, I don't think it's possible.

[Ryan]

And then enforce it at the end of the government's gun or their finance gun. And trust me, don't worry, I'm not rushing towards some sort of. Let the universities do whatever they want because they are claiming we've got to have academic freedom, they're violating our academic freedom. There is no effing academic freedom. That's what we're mad about.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right, Exactly. The fact that culturally, it got to a point where these elite universities are all one extreme side of politics is so culturally weird and not in step with the country and bad for the country. But I don't know how you, I don't know how you write out a list of rules to fix it.

[Ryan]

Well, right. And they say the Trump team is shooting first and investigating later, imposing these new rules. Here's what I would suggest in terms of rules, enforceable rules.

[Jack Armstrong]

Don't be a jerk. That'd be my rule.

[Ryan]

Don't be a jerk. Be nice. The, the stuff about antisemitism, enforcing civil rights laws to the letter, 100% in favor of that. That's one of the things Trump administration is insisting in. No masks on demonstrators punish kids who violate the rules. These are civil rights rules. You can't say, oh, Johnny, now, come on, stop punching Jews in the face. No, you have to enforce the rules. Hundred percent legit, all of that stuff. Get rid of your DEI programs. They're illegal, they're immoral, they're unconstitutional. I love all of that. But the faculty diversity thing, I think has got to come through growing awareness and social pressure, which is already building, I think.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, yeah, like I said yesterday, I think the damage has been done. Lots of employers, they see Harvard grad on that resume, they're not thinking, yes, a Harvard grad applied. They're thinking, oh, what kind of nut job might I have here? That's going to make my workplace very difficult.

[Ryan]

Right. Start mocking Harvard constantly and Columbia and Penn and Stanford, which have lined up to support Harvard because Harvard, I should have told you that. No, I guess it was in that news report, said, no, we're not, we're not agreeing to these conditions Trump administration has asked of us.

[Jack Armstrong]

I use this example a lot.

[Ryan]

Call it Harvard marks University for the rest of your life.

[Jack Armstrong]

I use this example a lot because it bothers me a lot. But it's been going on for decades. There are, at least according to Bloom, who's the Yale University. He's dead now, but expert, the biggest expert in America in the history of Shakespeare. He was so upset in the 90s that there were no Shakespeare classes being taught at elite universities where the whole point was to say just, you know, talk about Shakespeare being great and the greatest maybe writer in the history of the world. They were all Shakespeare and racism, Shakespeare and misogyny, Shakespeare and, you know, this sort of stuff, class, blah, blah, blah. It was all criticizing Shakespeare for all those things I just mentioned and it bothered him so much. How are you going to legislate that out of the colleges? How would you possibly do that? Right. It's ridiculous that that is what they teach about Shakespeare. They teach you to think Shakespeare was bad. If they teach Shakespeare at all.

[Ryan]

Well, that's Marxism. All Western civilization is bad. Capitalism is bad. Representative democracy is bad. They're all frigging Marxists who want to tear down the country. But how do you fight the most successfully? If you have thoughts because this is so important, jot us an email, would you? Mailbag at Armstrong&getty.com you know, make the subject colleges and universities or something like that. I want to paw through them tonight and tomorrow before the show and search out ideas, particularly if you're in education or you have, you know, a well formed opinion of this stuff. I would love to read your thoughts because I'm still working on how do we preserve the things we hold dear and not empower President AOC to go in and ruin, for instance, the University of Austin, which is doing such great work in academic freedom right now. How do we solve this problem without empowering future progressives to ruin any progress we've made?

[Jack Armstrong]

That's A good question.

[Ryan]

Mailbagarmstrongandgetti.com is our email address. MailbagarmstrongandgettI.com Good stuff on the ways to here. Armstrong and Getty. Hello, it is Ryan. And we could all use an extra bright spot in our day, couldn't we? Just to make up for things like sitting in traffic, doing the dishes, counting your steps. You know, all the mundane stuff. That is why I'm such a big fan of Chumba Casino. Chumba Casino has all your favorite social casino style games that you can play for free, anytime, anywhere with daily bonuses. So sign up [e-mail] that's chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary. VGW Group void. We're prohibited by law. 21 plus terms and conditions apply.

[Joe Getty]

Wasn't that delicious?

[Ryan]

So good. Your bill, ladies. I got it.

[Joe Getty]

No, I got it. Seriously, I insist. I insisted first.

[Jack Armstrong]

Don't be silly.

[Ryan]

You gonna be silly? People with The Wells Fargo ActiveCash credit card prefer to pay because they earn unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. Okay.

[Joe Getty]

Rock, paper, scissors for it.

[Ryan]

Rock, paper, scissors. Shoot. No. The Wells Fargo Active cash credit card. Visit Wells Fargo.com ActiveCash Terms apply.

[Claude]

Hey everybody. So when you get asked, what is Odoo? What comes to mind? Well, I'll tell you. Odoo is a bit of everything. Odoo is a suite of business management software that some people say is like fertilizer because of the way it promotes growth. But you know, some people also say that Odoo is like a magic beanstalk because it grows with your company and is also magically affordable.

[Wink Martindale]

Ooh. But then again, you could look at Odoo in terms of how its individual software programs are a lot like building blocks. Whatever your business needs, manufacturing, accounting, HR programs, you can build a custom software suite that's perfect for your company. So what does Odoo? Well, Odoo is a bit of everything. Odoo is a fertilizer, magic beanstalk. Building blocks for business. Yeah, that's it.

[Claude]

Which means that Odoo is exactly what every business needs. Learn more and sign up [e-mail] that's O D O-O dot com.

[Mark Goldfeeder]

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[Joe Getty]

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[Ryan]

It's time for what's this song? And here's the star of the show, Win Markdale. The star up here come the mother in laws. Can you top this? And now, from television city in Hollywood.

[Wink Martindale]

Here'S your host on Gambit, Wink Martindale and Tic Tac.

[Ryan]

Go. You'll win some heavy cash on Headline Chasers when you play Frank Gold, high roller. And here are two good words to get us started. Welcome to our show. The country's in debt, you're probably in debt.

[Jack Armstrong]

But most importantly, our three players, Sue.

[Ryan]

Gary and Heather have come to us.

[Jack Armstrong]

With their real life debt.

[Ryan]

And one of them just might be.

[Jack Armstrong]

Lucky enough to get out of it.

[Ryan]

By the end of the show.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, that's a good one. That's a good premise. Wink Martindale has died, whoever that is.

[Ryan]

The great Wink Martindale.

[Jack Armstrong]

I watched, I watched a lot of game shows when I was a kid because I was sick now and then and I'd be home or in the hospital and I watched all. But I can't place Wink Martindale. The name is familiar.

[Ryan]

He was omnipresent. He was. As we just heard, he hosted all of them. It was funny when the news was brought to us and sorry, we should have told you to sit down before I'm plumbing you of the great loss. Executive producer Hansen behind the scenes says, yeah, Wheel of Fortune killed Gambit. Like he's still butthurt about it. Oh, boy. Hey, that's the creative destruction of capitalism, Hanson. That's the way it goes.

[Jack Armstrong]

They had one.

[Ryan]

How about that debt show? Yeah, that's these three contestants are all miserable because they're so deep in debt they can never dig themselves out of. One of them will see that debt be relieved.

[Jack Armstrong]

And the couples that don't win, probably a divorce or suicide. Let's see who wins.

[Ryan]

Let's play the game. Oh, my God, that's funny. Wow. So just a quick follow up to the previous segment. I was thinking about it during the commercial break and one thing, the Trump administration does that, that I don't love sometimes because I think sometimes it's counterproductive. But they do a very elon musky thing. They, they, they fail fast and learn faster. Or in terms of like the college policy thing, I can picture Trump saying, look, set out a bunch of policies that make them come to heel. I know they'll reject them. I know they'll be complained about. Let's stir up some dust. Let's start the discussion. Let's do something other than holding hearings for six months. Then some Republican politician makes a grim faced speech and nobody ever thinks about it again. Let's stir us up. You know that that doesn't always work.

[Jack Armstrong]

You, you saying that while in the midst of Putin tariffs, I mean, you name so many different things. Mark Halpern writing in his newsletter today. One of the most important ways in which Trump defies convention is that he thrives by picking the maximum number of fights possible. Most White Houses would be in overload if they had one tenth of the number of simultaneous conflicts that initiated. But Trump personally, and the ready for war infrastructure he's arrayed both inside government and outside are in fact built for taking on many, many brawls at the same time.

[Ryan]

And we won't know until we're looking through the rear view mirror how it all works out.

[Jack Armstrong]

God, the way his personality and brain works, that he can be involved in this many skirmishes at one time would make most people crazy.

[Ryan]

And especially at his age, right?

[Jack Armstrong]

Old fat guy who eats fast food. Bring it on. He says yeah, they need to study him when he passes, figure out his genome or something.

[Ryan]

No kidding.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty wasn't that delicious?

[Ryan]

So good. Your bill, ladies. I got it.

[Joe Getty]

No, I got it. Seriously, I insist. I assisted first.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, don't be silly.

[Ryan]

You don't be silly. People with The Wells Fargo ActiveCash credit card prefer to pay because they earn unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. Okay.

[Joe Getty]

Rock, paper, scissors for it.

[Ryan]

Rock, paper, scissors. Shoot. No. The Wells Fargo Active cash credit card. Visit Wells Fargo.com ActiveCash Terms apply.

[Claude]

Hey, everybody. So when you get asked, what is Odoo? What comes to mind? Well, I'll tell you, Odoo is a bit of everything. Odoo is a suite of business management software that some people say is like fertilizer because of the way it promotes growth. But, you know, some people also say that Odoo is like a magic beanstalk because it grows with your company and is also magically affordable.

[Wink Martindale]

Ooh. But then again, you could look at Odoo in terms of how its individual software programs are a lot like building blocks. Whatever your business needs, Manufacturing, accounting, HR programs, you can build a custom software suite that's perfect for your company.

[Ryan]

Company.

[Wink Martindale]

So what is Odoo? Well, Odoo is a bit of everything. Odoo is a fertilizer, magic beanstalk building blocks for business. Yeah, that's it.

[Claude]

Which means that Odoo is exactly what every business needs. Learn more and sign up [e-mail] that's o d o o.com.

[Mark Goldfeeder]

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[Ryan]

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[Joe Getty]

Millions of people have turned to Claude, the AI assistant from Anthropic because it just feels different. Where other AIs often sound a little robotic, Clawd has been designed with special research that informs its character, meaning that Claude just gets it when it comes to empathy and emotional intelligence. That's why Claude has become the if you know, you know choice for dating advice, career coaching, gathering your thoughts for those important life decisions, and more. Give Claude a try for free at clawd.com that's C-L-A-U--E.com and let us know how you feel the difference.

[Ryan]

This message comes from Greenlight. Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely and invest with your guardrails in place. With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores, automate allowance and keep an eye on what your kids are spending with real time notifications. Join millions of parents and kids building healthy financial habits together on Greenlight. Get started risk [e-mail] iheart the authorities are investigating a jewelry store heist in Los angeles. At least $5 million in jewelry stolen. Police say the family owned store was ransacked. Owners say the thief stole jewelry and gold bars knocked out the surveillance cameras. Authorities believe thieves broke in right through a wall. The owners are offering $100,000 in cash reward for any information.

[Jack Armstrong]

And they stole how many millions of dollars worth of stuff and they're still on the loose? I mean it was a successful heist so far anyway, going right through the.

[Ryan]

Wall that's thinking outside the box, isn't it? Oh, that reminds me. I tweeted out a new video. People cleaning out the shelves of a Walgreens in San Francisco. Just unbelievable. You too can have this in your town. Vote Gavin Newsom in 2028. Disgusting.

[Jack Armstrong]

Major ruling in Great Britain. Their Supreme Court ruled that trans women do not fall within the legal definition of women under the country's equality legislation. It was a unanimous decision. The deputy president of the court, Lord Hodge. I can't believe they use the terms lord in a democracy. Seems so.

[Ryan]

Love it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Anyway, he said the monarchy. Actually, the. The unanimous decision of this court is that the terms woman and sex in the Equality act of 2010 refer to biological women and biological sex only.

[Ryan]

Because of course they do.

[Jack Armstrong]

Because of course they do. I can't believe we had to discuss this. He didn't say okay.

[Ryan]

He meant, you know me. I object to the term biological women. It's like saying a biological lion. I mean, that's the only kind of lion there is. That's. It's entirely a biological question. What is a woman? What is a man? Yes, we know. It's a biological woman. Anyway, yeah, the. So the. The Scottish Parliament Scots have lost their mind. You're supposed to be tough and. And your climate sucks and the food's terrible. You're supposed to be realistic people. You invented golf anyway.

[Jack Armstrong]

You invented golf.

[Ryan]

I don't know exactly how that fits into my argument, but it popped into my head. But anyway, so Scotland has gone nuts. They're so progressive, but they passed this idiotic law that there has to be gender balance on public sector boards. Excuse me. And some of the women who said, yes, there ought to be balance, no matter who's qualified not. Or who gets elected or whatever. You got to have a balance noticed. Hey, wait a minute. There's a bunch of dudes claiming to be women taking up the women's slots on these boards. And so the worm turned and they said, no, no, no, by women, we meant women.

[Jack Armstrong]

Excellent Shakespeare drop on a British story.

[Ryan]

Also read three Shakespeares. Thank you, Mr. President. So who is this? The women? Scotland co founder Susan Smith welcomed the court's decision, but said the fight was likely to continue. Quote, today the judges have said what we always believe to be the case, that women are protected by their biological sex. That sex is real. Oh, my God. We have to actually say that out loud. These are odd times. And that if you don't know that men and women are different and it's real, you got something wrong with you Anyway. And that women can now feel that services and spaces designated for women are for women. What our politicians need to get their heads around this law. They need to stop putting faulty guidance into schools and hospitals. Amen to that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. It's interesting that they did that. I don't feel like we're ever going to do away with all gender bathrooms in the United States. I feel like it's here to stay my wrong.

[Ryan]

No, I don't think you are wrong. It's if that prevents lunatic states and lunatic cities from letting men into women's private spaces. If that's what it takes. You want to present as a woman? Here's a bathroom for you. You're not going in the women's locker room. If that's the solution. Okay. Until this madness washes over anyway. Katie. Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

A tease and 40 year old breaking celebrity marriage news.

[Ryan]

Good lord.

[Jack Armstrong]

Christie Brinkley reveals why she left Billy Joel. Full team coverage to come. Stay tuned.

[Ryan]

I'm making my what the hell face just sits radio. You can't tell. So Katie brought us this audio. It is a gal, an old school lesbian talking about what we've been talking about. That the whole LGB thing has suddenly blossomed into like 13 letters, a half dozen numbers and the division symbol or something. And everybody with any gripe is supposed to be grouped together. Well, she's not buying it. This is a message from an OG lesbian. The acronym LGBTQ is not a representation of a united community for what was once a legitimate civil rights movement. Gay rights has been hijacked quite literally by the TQ and used as a.

[Jack Armstrong]

Trojan horse to mainstream their degeneracy.

[Ryan]

First we have the trans cult who want to sterilize children with puberty blockers. Then we have the cues. Young men feminized by sissy porn furries and pups who fetishize bestiality. All accepted and protected by the rainbow umbrella that magically transforms all scrutiny into bigotry. But the thing that requires the most scrutiny is the unspecified plus at the end. A placeholder for what's coming next.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, that's pretty good. That was really.

[Ryan]

Yeah. Oh, that was brilliant.

[Jack Armstrong]

Do you think that's what she's hitting at?

[Ryan]

Yeah, I. I suspect so. I don't know. So. But yeah, minor attracted individuals is the new term you're supposed to use for pedophiles. They're trying to normalize that too.

[Jack Armstrong]

Mais.

[Ryan]

M AI. Yes. Yeah, Katie, just like you, you just nailed it.

[Joe Getty]

I had to edit it down for.

[Ryan]

Time, but she kind of alluded to that's. What's coming.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. She used, like, terms like you used to hear from, you know, right wingers about gay marriage, degeneracy, stuff like that. That's pretty strong stuff from an OG lesbian.

[Ryan]

You know what I appreciated from her and, and other folks like her, Gays Against Groomers, for instance, which is a group that has an online presence, is that she is standing up against the horrors of these experiments on children with the hormones and puberty blockers and cutting off healthy breast tissue because the. The confused girl thinks she's a boy for, you know, a cup of coffee, just all of that stuff. And how perverse it is that the gay rights movement is being frog marched into supporting that stuff when a lot of it is you've got a. A fairly effeminate boy, probably gay, and the message is, you're not gay. You need to be fixed with surgery. You need to be, oh, you're gonna get with guys. We need to cut off your penis and turn you into a girl. I mean, can you imagine if a conservative group said, okay, you're a bit of a tomboy, you know what, off with your breasts, and we're gonna make you a penis because if you want to be a boy, we're gonna make you look like a boy. What horrific bigotry would that be?

[Jack Armstrong]

No kidding.

[Ryan]

And that's, that's what a lot of gay people are saying. They just, they can't get echoed in the media because the media are such friggin morons and such soft heads and such sheep. They think, well, lgbtq, RMLF over the power of three. I gotta include all of those. And the other great phrase she used was any skepticism is called. Or any. What did she say? I can't remember the word, but essentially any skepticism is bigotry. Oh, yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, it would be a huge benefit to society if there was a break between the first three letters and the rest of those letters. That'd be really good for the country.

[Ryan]

Do I want anybody beat up or demonized or hurt or anything? No, of course not. I just don't want dudes whooping up on girls in sports. And I would like the Social Contagion, which is the neo Marxist activist around radical gender theory to get the hell out of schools. That's what I want.

[Jack Armstrong]

That was a good one. Where was that? Where is that woman from? Or what is she?

[Ryan]

She's a Brit, clearly. If there's more of her, Katie, let's. Let's have it. Let's hear it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, she had it. Okay, here's your breaking 40 year old celebrity divorce news as it was one of the odder pairings in the history of celebrities. I think for some people, when the hottest woman on the planet at the time, model Christy Brinkley, wed Billy Joel.

[Ryan]

Why? Because he was kind of, I mean, the whole rock star and model thing could not be more common, but yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

They just didn't look like a couple to me. First of all, she's two feet taller.

[Ryan]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Anyway, I was in music radio at the time and I know it was mocked a lot. So she says that she left him over his drinking, which I had never heard before, and that it was very painful and she did not want the marriage to end.

[Ryan]

But he's a hell of a drunk.

[Jack Armstrong]

He is. And that's one of the reasons I brought it up. He is taking it. Apparently. He's going to take it to the end. I mean, he's pretty old now. He's, you know, he crashed into the same house multiple times, famously there in Long island. And he ruined a couple of marriages, I would guess, over this and just keeps on trying. Maybe I can make it work or something, or nobody's going to tell me to quit or something. I don't know what. But he, you know, he's willing to take it to the end. Maybe you have to admire that in some way.

[Ryan]

I don't know. Yeah, I, I have no idea what it's like to be with Christie Brinkley. I mean, because a marriage is a hell of a lot more than physical attraction. But if Christie Brinkley says, you gotta reign in the sauce or I'm leaving, I'm at least gonna give it the old college try.

[Jack Armstrong]

God, you think? You would think so, yeah.

[Ryan]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

And he had it going on there for a while, huh? It's like, oh, hit after hit after hit after hit. And he's married to Christie Brinkley.

[Ryan]

Well, he's married to an uptown girl.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. How do you. I think the second time you crash into the same house, I would think, you know what, I should get a driver. Maybe he did after that. I don't know.

[Ryan]

Let's look at the other side. You're living in that house. You wake up to a horrific crashing sound and just say, oh, it's Billy again.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, my God.

[Ryan]

Did the piano drunk.

[Jack Armstrong]

What was that? Honey? Piano man hit a house again. Okay.

[Ryan]

Oh, for God's sake. We just got it fixed, Billy.

[Jack Armstrong]

No kidding. Okay. We got more on the ways there.

[Ryan]

Armstrong and Gettysburg.

[Joe Getty]

Wasn't that delicious?

[Ryan]

So good. Your bill, ladies. I got it.

[Joe Getty]

No, I got It. Seriously, I insist. I insisted first.

[Jack Armstrong]

Don't be silly.

[Ryan]

You don't be silly. People with the Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card prefer to pay because they earn unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. Okay.

[Joe Getty]

Rock, paper, scissors for it.

[Ryan]

Rock, paper, scissors. Shoot.

[Jack Armstrong]

No.

[Ryan]

The Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card. Visit Wells Fargo.com ActiveCash terms apply.

[Claude]

Hey, everybody. So when you get asked, what is Odoo? What comes to mind? Well, I'll tell you. Odoo is a bit of everything. Odoo is a suite of business management software that some people say is like fertilizer because the way it promotes growth. But you know, some people also say that Odoo is like a magic beanstalk because it grows with your company and is also magically affordable.

[Wink Martindale]

Oh. But then again, you could look at Odoo in terms of how its individual software programs are a lot like building blocks. Whatever your business needs, manufacturing, accounting, HR programs, you can build a custom software suite that's perfect for your company. So what does Odoo? Well, Odoo is a bit of everything. Odoo is a fertilizer. Magic beanstalk Building blocks for business. Yeah, that's it.

[Claude]

Which means that Odoo is exactly what every business needs. Learn more and sign up [e-mail] that's O D oo.com.

[Mark Goldfeeder]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have supervision, enhanced hearing, extraordinary reflexes? To be, dare we say, superhuman? Well, Roku's new Pro series TV can't do any of that for you. But with a 4K screen, side firing speakers, and a blazing fast refresh rate, it'll sure feel like it. Elevate your entertainment using all your favorite apps like iHeart and Play all your music, radio and podcasts. With the new Roku Pro series, your senses aren't better, your TV is.

[Joe Getty]

Millions of people have turned to Claude, the AI assistant from Anthropic, because it just feels different. Where other AIs often sound a little robotic, Claude has been designed with special research that informs its character, meaning that Claude just gets it when it comes to empathy and emotional intelligence. That's why Claude has become the if you know, you know, choice for dating advice, career coaching, gathering your thoughts for those important life decisions more. Give Claude a try for free at Claude.com that's C-L-A-U--E.com and let us know how you feel the difference.

[Ryan]

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[Jack Armstrong]

When you think about these businesses and.

[Ryan]

A 145% tariff being put on them, it's untenable for them. They don't have the cash flow, they don't have the access to capital and it's basically locking up production in the toy industry. No toys are currently being produced in China and there are reports that major retailers here in the US are starting to actually cancel orders. So.

[Jack Armstrong]

So Christmas is at risk. That's some economic expert on CNN yesterday on the lead. Christmas is at risk. Toy companies can't handle the 145% tariff. At some point, the rubber is going to meet the road on this, isn't it? I mean, we all were relieved, I guess, to find out iPhones aren't going to triple in price.

[Ryan]

But there is all the other stuff, right? You know, part of me wants to urge that guy to watch how the Grinch Stole Christmas Christmas and be reminded that it came, it came, it came without boxes and bushels and bags. The rest of it, yeah, Christmas isn't at risk. But he was talking about toy retailers. So I get that, you know, the ready, fire, aim nature of the tariffs is I think going to be counterproductive. Although I suspect it's just going to lead to better trade deals. But it was pointed out by some learned folks that if you're a giant multinational conglomerate with lobbyists and perhaps a Tim Cook who can pick up the phone and call Donald Trump, you get a carve out. But all the mom and pop businesses, all the small manufacturers, they don't they're gonna be, you know, put out of business.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right.

[Ryan]

Because they can't unsure their inputs fast.

[Jack Armstrong]

Enough to avoid bankruptcy, which is the main. From the right. Big critique of tariffs in general that it ends up being. I mean, you're like creating a reason for people to get special treatment or do things to get special treatment.

[Ryan]

Right? Yeah, it enriches the swamp.

[Jack Armstrong]

I was just texting with somebody who said they were about to do something, it doesn't matter what, and I said, you're brave, Gayle King brave. I wonder if that will catch on. It's like, wow, you're like Gayle King brave there. Congratulations.

[Ryan]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, speaking of economic currents and stuff like that, there's a lot of talk of recession because of the tariffs and all and how it shakes out. Nobody knows exactly.

[Jack Armstrong]

We might already be in one of many, according to many economists.

[Ryan]

Well, that's right. And I came across this from the Wall Street Journal, which I thought was kind of a good reminder. What is a recession and when will we know if we are in one? Okay, now that common rule of thumb is that two consecutive quarters of declining gross product counts as a recession.

[Jack Armstrong]

Unless if it's during the Biden administration.

[Ryan]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

Then that doesn't count.

[Ryan]

But the GDP is not the criterion used by the National Bureau of Economic Research, which is the long standing arbiter of US recessions among economists, government officials, policymakers and news organizations, including the Wall Street Journal. The NBER recession dates are determined by its prosaically named, quote, Business Cycle Dating Committee, a group of eight academic economists, some of whom have been members of the committee for decades. What they look for in order to make a recession call is, quote, a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and lasts more than a few months.

[Jack Armstrong]

What hurting employment wishy washy.

[Ryan]

Oh, it's very wishy washy, yeah. The main indicators they watch are, are employment, inflation adjusted personal income, real consumer spending, real manufacturing and trade industry sales and industrial production.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, that's interesting.

[Ryan]

There's a Democrat in office.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, yeah, that's interesting. So it's a little bit of like. That's just your opinion, man. And I always remember a guy I knew ran his own business. He was a very successful. Ran his own business. And this was years ago, like mid-2005, I can remember, and him saying, we're in a recession and we weren't like officially in a recession. And he said, we're in a recession. And I was like, wow, that's interesting that you just said that out loud. When you know it hasn't been declared. And in this case it ended up being declared the next quarter. He had already felt it, but I thought at the time, well, even if it's not for the rest of the United States, if it is for your industry here, that's all that matters to you. So this is kind of a stupid term. It's kind of like we always talk about when they give you a national real estate statistics. What's the point of that? More homes were sold last year than this year. Well, that's, I don't even know if that number's useful to anybody, but it's certainly not useful to your state, county, neighborhood or whatever.

[Ryan]

My only argument against that would be that if your policies cause one, those policies should be reviewed and criticized.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Ryan]

So it helps to be able to say in even a semi concrete way, hey, this isn't working. It's hurting the economy.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. But yeah, yeah, that makes sense.

[Ryan]

But, but, but it's not, it's not what the media portrays it to be, some sort of all encompassing. It's not a diagnosis with cancer. It's just, okay, things are not good. Growing economic or if I wonder what's going on.

[Jack Armstrong]

If your industry on the entire west coast is suffering because of something, the weather, whatever, you're in a recession every bit as much as if they declared a national recession.

[Ryan]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

So, yeah, I'm not, I'm not sure that term means that much to me anymore. What you said makes sense. And again, they changed the definition of it or went with the specific definition of it when it applied to Joe Biden because by the definition we'd all been using our entire adult lives. We were in a recession and they didn't want that to be true.

[Ryan]

Right. Yep.

[Jack Armstrong]

Whatevs.

[Ryan]

Yeah, I know.

[Jack Armstrong]

And I've lived through. I can't even tell you how many in my life. 10, 12, I don't know, 30. I don't even know. Which is part of my point. They come and go and we're all fine. And you know, I don't want it to happen, but it's not like the end of the world old.

[Ryan]

Well, right. And there have been upsides. Like I've gotten used to the taste of human flesh. There's been so much cannibalism during the recessions. But you know, it's old hat for me. It's the other white meat as far as I'm concerned. It's.

[Jack Armstrong]

And reminds me, I got an update on that New York Times subway story that I won't Put any more details on a man who passed away on the subway and then some unfortunate things happened.

[Ryan]

Oh, really?

[Jack Armstrong]

After his passing. You don't know this story? Were you here for this story? Maybe you weren't here from the story. Were you not here from the story?

[Ryan]

Was I at the Masters? I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

You couldn't have forgotten it. No way you forgot this story. Okay, so we'll get to that now. Or four, which is a good reason to mention that if you don't get our four or any segment, get the podcast Armstrong and Getty on Demand.

[Ryan]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Mark Goldfeeder]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have supervision, enhanced hearing, extraordinary reflexes? To be, dare we say, superhuman? Well, Roku's new Pro Series TV can't do any of that for you, but with a 4K screen, side firing speakers and a blazing fast refresh rate, it'll sure feel like it. Elevate your entertainment using all your favorite apps like iHeart and Play all your music, radio and podcasts. With the new Roku Pro series, your senses aren't better. Your TV is.

[Wink Martindale]

You know, some people say that Odoo business management software is like fertilizer, the way it promotes growth and all. But other people say Odoo is like a magic beanstalk because it grows with your company and is also magically affordable. And there's some people who would even say Odoo's individual software programs come together to build the perfect suite, like building blocks. Well, Odoo is all of these things. Fertilizer, magic beanstalk, building blocks for business. So sign up [e-mail] o d o.

[Joe Getty]

O millions of people have turned to Claude, the AI assistant from Anthropic, because it just feels different. Where other AIs often sound a little robotic, Claude has been designed with special research that informs its character, meaning that Claude just gets it when it comes to empathy and emotional intelligence. That's why Claude has become the if you know, you know, choice for dating advice, career coaching, gathering your thoughts for those important life decisions, and more. Give Claude a try for free at Claude.com that's C-L-A-U--E.com and let us know how you feel. The difference.

[Mark Goldfeeder]

Asking the right questions can greatly impact your future, especially when it comes to your finances. So if you're looking for a financial advisor you can trust, certified financial planner professionals are committed to acting in your best interest. That's why it's gotta be a CFP. Find your CFP professional at letsmakeaplan.org.

[Ryan]

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[Joe Getty]

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[Ryan]

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[Joe Getty]

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