Armstrong & Getty On Demand – "Glad Your Exes Had A Nice Nourishing Meal"
Release Date: February 24, 2026
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty (with guests and contributors)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into several current events and perennial issues, starting with a sharp critique of the modern State of the Union address and misconceptions about presidential power in America. The hosts then pivot to international stories, especially the death of notorious Mexican drug kingpin El Mencho and its fallout, before sprinkling in lighter moments, personal anecdotes, and odd voicemails. Throughout, Armstrong and Getty maintain their signature tone—irreverent, insightful, and occasionally off-color.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of the Union: Presidential Power & American Misconceptions

• Timestamps: 00:58–09:00

• The hosts and guest pundits rail against the performative nature of the State of the Union, comparing it to a royal coronation.

  • Mark Mars Quote: "Nearly a third think he [the president] controls gas prices and the unemployment rate... What do you expect when we have this big ballyhooed annual event that looks like the President's royal wedding to himself?" (01:00)

• Jack Armstrong: Bemoans the "king-walking-in" treatment given to the president, arguing that it misleads Americans about the actual structure of government.

  • “Congress is the most powerful entity in our government. But that’s not the way it’s portrayed in the State of the Union or in anything in the news.” (01:20)

• Joe Getty: Laments Congress's abdication of its constitutional role, further fueling presidential misconceptions.

• They reflect on the decline of congressional power and cite historical anecdotes (e.g., LBJ, Sam Rayburn) to illustrate how differently the branches once related.

• Joe Getty: Quotes Thomas Sowell’s idea that the electorate's demand for impossible promises creates dishonest politicians. (06:17)

• Modern expectations of the president are called “nuts”—Americans put “all your hopes and dreams in one human being,” which increases political contention.

2. Pre-State of the Union Predictions

• Timestamps: 09:05–10:41

• The hosts guess President Trump’s State of the Union will be lengthy and probably focused on the economy rather than foreign policy (like Iran).

  • “Suspend most of the speech on that [the economy]. Oh, that’s right. Trump said yesterday the speech is going to be long and if he announces ahead of a time that it’s going to be long, I can’t imagine how long it’s going to be…” (09:09)

• Brief comic asides about Congress’s performative responses (e.g., “cane shakers,” disruptive protests).

3. Lighter Segment: Hockey & Dental Work Analogies

• Timestamps: 10:44–12:54

• The group riffs on the entertaining names of hockey penalties, comparing the sport’s violence with mundane penalties in football.

  • “Hockey? Spearing, slashing… Hooking. I mean, those are penalties.” (11:03)

• Discussion turns to dental injuries in hockey and personal experiences with modern dentistry, with Armstrong joking, “I go to the dentist to relax these days.”

• Memorable moment: The segment causes Katie to exclaim, “That was the worst moment in a really long time.”

4. Political Punditry: AOC & the Munich Security Conference

• Timestamps: 13:14–17:40

• Hosts play and react to AOC’s rambling response at an international security conference about China and Taiwan, critiquing her lack of preparation.

  • Jack Armstrong: “She looked like she’d never thought about it before in her life, which is…” (14:11)

• AOC’s late-night response is examined, with Mark Halperin suggesting every politician should have a phone breathalyzer before posting on social media.

• Halperin: Criticizes AOC for being naïve about media priorities:

  • “You are so naive that you shouldn’t even be a member of the House.” (17:20)

• Hosts question whether AOC has presidential potential and reflect on the nature of social media-driven politics.

5. Big Story: El Mencho’s Death and Mexico’s Cartel War

• Timestamps: 17:56–28:54

• El Mencho, major cartel leader, killed in an operation abetted by US intelligence.

  • Local significance noted—San Francisco was once his base because of lax drugs laws:
    • “A city known for its lax attitude toward drug dealing had him on the street multiple times through the 90s.” (18:35)

• Aftermath: Cartel vengeance includes attacks against Mexican authorities (27 attacks, 25 Nat’l Guards killed).

• Analysis of why cartel wars erupt after a kingpin is eliminated.

  • “When there is a power vacuum in a Mexican cartel, generally lots and lots of severed heads follow.” (19:12)

• Comic/Crude Aside:

  • El Mencho was caught due to meeting a girlfriend—a lewd text is referenced.
  • Joe Getty: “That is not elegant.” (20:43)
  • The hosts reflect satirically on how “it is always the snatch” that brings down powerful men—“a tale as old as time.” (21:03–21:11)

• The conversation loops to the consequences: increased violence, the risk of cartel wars spilling into the US, and the irony that love/lust topples even the most ruthless.

  • Joe Getty: “This is not like a gang of 25 people. This is a giant sprawling corporation with an army and factories and scientists and salespeople…” (27:33)

  • Jack Armstrong: “Love, or a combination of love and lust, is just so incredibly powerful… Even with all of the women and cars and money and power… there still was somebody that got to him…” (28:19)

6. Cartel Violence at the US-Mexico Border

• Timestamps: 29:52–31:14

• Cartel violence spills into border areas—cars torched in Tijuana, highways shut down, American tourists told to shelter in place.

• Discussion:

  • Cartels likely don’t want violence to hit the US, but it’s hard to control.

  • If chaos crosses into the US, America will be forced to respond.

  • Joe Getty: “You give away the rule of law, law and order, you will have to fight a war to get it back.” (31:04)

7. Should the US Get Involved in Mexico’s Cartel Wars?

• Timestamps: 31:11–32:16

• Armstrong & Getty ask why the US wouldn’t intervene in Mexico if it did so in Venezuela, given the impact of cartel violence and drugs on the US.

• Getty notes that the US has only provided intelligence so far—no “boots on the ground.”

8. Humor & Human Moments: Voicemail Fails & Bag Recovery

• Timestamps: 32:53–36:43

• Katie introduces a voicemail fail where an Equinox employee realizes mid-message she can’t undo her botched call.

  • Caller: “How do I delete this?… Please just give me some human amount of grace and if you never want to come in, I completely understand. Thank you.” (33:05)

• Armstrong recounts losing luggage over vacation and struggling with customer service’s Kafkaesque cycle. After two months, his bag is found—a rare win.

  • “They kept saying, ‘We don’t know where it is.’ How do you not know where it is? There’s a tracking number…” (35:03)

• Episode Title Reference:

  • Joe Getty: “Glad your exes had a nice nourishing meal and are no longer hungry, right?” (36:43)
    (A comedic, roundabout reference to FedEx returning Jack’s bag.)

9. Upcoming Segments and Final Thoughts

• Timestamps: 36:43–37:11

• Brief notes on further topics: lawsuits over tariffs, Pentagon vs. AI companies, and a promise that more is to come ("…the fight between the AI Giants and the Pentagon next hour…").

• A plug for the show's podcast version.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Mark Mars, on the State of the Union:
  “Nothing has misled the American people to the warped belief that the President can act like a king more than this stupid bul. Performative after dinner speech from hell…” (02:35)

• Joe Getty, on US expectations of politicians:
  “It’s our fault that our politicians are such liars because when we demand that they promise the utterly undeliverable to elect them, what do you think they’re gonna do?” (06:17)

• Jack Armstrong, on El Mencho's downfall:
  “It has brought down many a great man… a country is burning down over a tale as old as time…” (20:48 & 21:03)

• Joe Getty, on criminal organizations:
  “You gotta remember that this is… a giant corporation with an army and factories and scientists and salespeople…” (27:33)

• Caller, voicemail fail:
  “Please just give me some human amount of grace and if you never want to come in, I completely understand.” (33:05)

• Joe Getty, episode title reference:
  “Glad your exes had a nice nourishing meal and it’s no longer hungry, right?” (36:43)

Overall Tone & Takeaway

Armstrong & Getty's blend of political criticism, gallows humor, and candid personal stories provides a lively, unpredictable listen. From serious reflections on the American presidency’s inflated role, to the tragicomic saga of cartel violence, and humanizing tales of everyday screwups, this episode captures both the absurdity and gravity of current events—with laughter never far away.