Good Luck!

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand: Episode Summary – "Good Luck!"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Armstrong & Getty On Demand
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
• Description: The official, On-Demand podcast of The Armstrong & Getty Show! Accept no substitutes!
• Episode: Good Luck!
• Release Date: February 5, 2025

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1. Opening Remarks and Social Media Commentary

The episode kicks off with Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delving into humorous and satirical takes on recent social media trends. Joe shares his favorite humorous Twitter comment mocking the U.S. government's hypothetical invasion of Gaza juxtaposed with funding for transgender musicals (00:31). This sets the tone for the episode, blending political commentary with humor.

Notable Quote:

Joe Getty ([00:31]): "I can't believe the United States is about to invade Gaza, but our government has $0 to put any transgender musicals there. That's hilarious."

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2. President Trump's Statements on Gaza

A significant portion of the discussion centers around President Trump's controversial statements regarding Gaza. Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty analyze Trump's offhand remarks about the U.S. taking control of Gaza, interpreting them as either indicative of ignorance or strategic signaling.

Key Points:

• Historical Context: Joe references Trump's 2015 announcement to boycott Apple, highlighting how bold statements often go unnoticed (04:07).
• Media Reaction: The hosts critique mainstream media's disproportionate alarm over Trump's remarks, suggesting it’s a tactic to boost ratings by amplifying sensationalism (07:08).
• Implications for Foreign Policy: They discuss the potential long-term consequences of such statements on U.S. foreign relations, particularly with countries like China concerning the Panama Canal (05:32).

Notable Quote:

Jack Armstrong (02:59): "The president having in an offhand manner at a press conference said we ought to take over the Gaza Strip. Us ought to run the place. Everybody's freaking out..."

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3. Media's Role and Public Perception

The duo critiques how the mainstream media handles presidential statements, arguing that reporters struggle to balance taking Trump seriously without endorsing his rhetoric. They highlight the media's tendency to sensationalize, which reinforces tribal loyalties among viewers.

Key Points:

• Journalistic Challenges: Jack emphasizes the difficulty journalists face in interpreting Trump's statements accurately without overreacting (07:22).
• Public Influence: Joe notes that media perpetuates a cycle where viewers are constantly anxious about Trump's next move, similar to the energy it provided during Trump's first term (07:20).

Notable Quote:

Joe Getty (07:20): "They are trying to get ratings, and their viewers want to freak out. They want to get up every day and say, oh my God, what did he do today."

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4. U.S.-Mexico Relations and Drug Cartels

Armstrong and Getty shift focus to U.S.-Mexico relations, particularly the administration's efforts to combat drug cartels. They discuss the recent executive order aimed at designating Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, which includes increased funding for intelligence and potential military actions.

Key Points:

• Policy Analysis: The hosts commend the administration's strategy to intensify pressure on cartels through intelligence and possible drone strikes on drug labs (21:00).
• Risks and Benefits: They acknowledge the potential strain on U.S.-Mexico relations but believe the move is necessary to curb the imminent threat posed by the cartels (25:03).

Notable Quote:

Joe Getty (22:53): "Straining ties with Mexico, whatever."

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5. Crime and Luxury Goods Theft in the U.S.

The conversation transitions to domestic issues, specifically the rise in luxury goods theft targeting professional athletes. They discuss a recent FBI operation in Manhattan that resulted in the arrest of individuals involved in brokering stolen high-end items.

Key Points:

• Incident Overview: A pawn shop was raided, leading to the seizure of numerous luxury watches and jewelry stolen from athletes like Joe Burrow (17:29).
• Broader Implications: The hosts link this rise in theft to the broader issue of crime legalization and societal decay (18:20).

Notable Quote:

Jack Armstrong (18:08): "Gee, a pawn shop that specializes in NFL star stuff. I hope there aren't any others."

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6. Social Commentary on Teenagers and Parenting

Armstrong and Getty offer lighthearted yet critical observations on teenage behavior and parenting challenges. They discuss the evolving slang among youth and the frustrations parents face in keeping up with generational changes.

Key Points:

• Language Evolution: They highlight the constant influx of new slang, making it difficult for parents to stay informed and understand their teenagers (34:58).
• Parenting Struggles: Joe shares personal anecdotes about dealing with entitled behavior in teenagers, finding solace in hearing other parents' similar experiences (27:13).

Notable Quote:

Joe Getty (27:13): "I'm trying to do. It's very, very difficult. Dry January, not drinking alcohol. Very simple. No wine February, as in W H I N E. No whining is hard for me."

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7. Technology and Crime: The Case of Stolen Apple Products

Discussing the intersection of technology and crime, the hosts explore the surge in stolen Apple products being sold on platforms like Facebook Marketplace. They humorously speculate on the origins of these items and criticize the lack of stringent security from companies like Apple.

Key Points:

• Stolen Goods Market: Joe notes the high volume of Apple products, such as Apple Watches and Vision Pros, available second-hand, suspecting many are stolen (18:49).
• Corporate Responsibility: They question Apple's security measures, suggesting the need for better protection against theft (19:10).

Notable Quote:

Jack Armstrong (18:58): "Apple doesn't discount like that. That's got to be stolen stuff."

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8. Language and Slang Among Youth

The hosts delve into the rapid evolution of slang among teenagers, referencing a study noting a drastic decrease in daily word count due to texting. They discuss the generational gap in language comprehension and the challenges it poses for communication.

Key Points:

• Study Findings: A reported decline of 3,000 words per day in daily talk as texting becomes more prevalent (34:01).
• Parental Frustration: They empathize with parents struggling to keep up with and understand the new slang, often leading to miscommunication (36:13).

Notable Quote:

Joe Getty (34:18): "What are we doing? And we just talked. It was so dumb."

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9. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

Towards the end of the episode, Armstrong and Getty wrap up their discussions with final humorous exchanges and reflections on the topics covered. They underscore the importance of staying informed amidst the chaotic media landscape and express skepticism about the actual implementation of Trump's Gaza-related propositions.

Key Points:

• Final Reflections: They reiterate the significance of understanding the underlying intentions behind political rhetoric (29:33).
• Humorous Banter: The episode concludes with light-hearted interactions, maintaining the show's signature blend of humor and commentary.

Notable Quote:

Jack Armstrong (30:53): "If you take away the nut job brand of Islam that runs so hot through that region of the globe, the Gaza Strip would be incredibly wealthy, comfortable."

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Conclusion

In "Good Luck!", Armstrong and Getty navigate through a myriad of topics ranging from international politics and media criticism to domestic crime and generational language shifts. Their engaging banter provides listeners with a blend of humor, insight, and critical analysis, making complex issues accessible and entertaining.

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Note: Timestamps correspond to the podcast transcript provided and are included to attribute notable quotes within their respective sections.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

Foreign 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.

[Joe Getty]

I think this is my favorite comment, My favorite jokey comment on Twitter. I can't believe the United States is about to invade Gaza, but our government has $0 to put any transgender musicals there. That's hilarious. That's good. I know. Live from Studio C Senior, a dimly lit room deep within the bowels of the Armstrong and Getty Communications compound. Today we're under the tutelage of our.

[Jack Armstrong]

General manager, who my real estate agent. We this close to getting me a beautiful beachfront estate in Gaza and I'm really excited about it. Wow. Just beautiful views and everything. There's a bit of rubble. We're just working through who's gonna clear the rubble, but it is exciting.

[Joe Getty]

Here's my favorite. I don't even know who this person is, but here's my favorite comment that I. I can't believe is not before.

[Jack Armstrong]

We go much further. There probably are people who had busy evenings. They have lives. You're listening and you haven't heard.

[Joe Getty]

I can't. I don't have time for you. You got to stay in tube. You got to stay plugged in. Stay plugged in, people. You need to be on your phone all the time. You need to sleep with your phone in your hand, maybe set your alarm, wake up every hour and check what the latest Twitter thread is. Go to trending folks.

[Jack Armstrong]

He's insane. He's a monster. Imagine working with him. See if you can pick up from the context what we're talking about. If you don't know yet, it'll be fun to play along at home.

[Joe Getty]

So I like this, and I'm amazed that this isn't happening. Having watched Fox this morning where they're chuckling nonstop and watching MSNBC where they're practically crying. I mean, we're back to the old days of you take him literally but not seriously, or seriously, but not literally. I mean, we're 100% there. But anyway, this person, I don't know who they are, but I thought this was really good. I genuinely don't understand how you don't all understand this yet. He makes an enormous ask or takes an enormous shocking position, then negotiates down to a moderate total victory, gets everything he wants and keeps doing it and everybody keeps freaking out. I'm assuming we'll find out what the Gaza thing's all about in the next 24 hours or so. Reacting to the first gesture in some kind of deal we clearly know nothing about would be pretty silly given this is like our fifth or sixth rodeo since last Monday.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's well crafted.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, this is our fifth or sixth rodeo since last Monday is exactly right.

[Jack Armstrong]

The president having in an offhand manner at a press conference said we ought to take over the Gaza Strip. Us ought to run the place. Everybody's freaking out in the manner described here is my prediction. And I will bet you remember how. I bet my thumbs to Ian Bremmer and one. But he didn't. I can't remember. I can't remember what he was going to pay off and he never did. The chiseler. Anyway, I will bet my, my left arm that in roughly five years it'll go something like this. This is a reverse Gladys. This is into the future. Hey, you remember when Trump said that we ought to like take over the Gaza Strip? Oh right, at the press conference. That's right. Hilarious.

[Joe Getty]

I commented on this one at the time. This was back when he was running in 2015. He made an announcement at one of his stops to boycott Apple, which at that point was the most valuable company in the world, obviously an American company. And he said we're going to ask everyone to boycott Apple. It barely made the news. It was never mentioned again. I mean that would be an enormous deal, obviously.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, shock.

[Joe Getty]

You go back years earlier, the candidate for one of the major parties announcing, you know, if Carter had said boycott gm, I want all Democrats. That would have been the biggest news story in America.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh yeah, yeah. And to make grand pronouncements like this is so strange. And so I'll just say atypical of any other president. On the other hand, I've been doing a bit of reading about the Panama Canal situation and the idea that we're gonna retake the canal if, if necessary by force is just a crazy thing to say in the context of like every other president. But there are serious issues about Chinese incursion into places and things where they could have shut down the canal, they could run the canal and the way it kind of got there inch by inch by inch. I mean it's the boiling frog in terms of the Chinese control of the canal. And it was to a point that was completely unacceptable. And you know, the more I learn about it, the more I'm convinced of that. And Trump went in with his big we're just going to take it over. And even I said that would be like a decade long guerrilla war. We don't want that. But no he's just making the point very, very strongly to the Panamanians. Hey, look, this has gone way too far. We need to talk seriously. And we did, and it's moving in a great direction. So.

[Joe Getty]

I was reading my favorite political newsletter today, in which he pointed out that Trump made all kinds of news yesterday, other than this, that is getting obliterated. He did his thing where he signs executive orders and takes questions and just rambles while he does it and says things. And as the newsletter said, he answered more questions yesterday than Joe Biden did in six months. Gets no credit for that. But he mentioned that he has a standing order that he signed that if he is assassinated by Iran, we will obliterate the country.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes. Reduce it to dust.

[Joe Getty]

You think that make the news. I mean, that's a heck of a thing to say.

[Jack Armstrong]

It might be Trump postmortem dead hand edict. Yeah. Yes. Yeah, I know. I reacted to that. Right, you react to it initially with your normal president. Oh, my God. What? Then you're. Oh, that's right. It's Trump. Okay, all right. Yeah, I get it.

[Joe Getty]

Anyway, so he's just trying to tell.

[Jack Armstrong]

Him it'd be a very, very bad idea.

[Joe Getty]

Right. So what do you think of the whole mainstream media freaking out about all these things? I think it's genuine to a certain extent. There's also, you know, they're trying to get ratings, and their viewers want to freak out. They want to get up every day and say, oh, my God, what did he do today? I know. I personally have known people like that first. First Trump term that was like, they get up every day. What did he do now? It was just part of their life. It, like, gave them energy.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, absolutely true. Yeah. It reinforced their tribal loyalties and enthusiasms.

[Joe Getty]

So the media can play to that, but they seem to be completely serious about it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, they do, I think, partly.

[Joe Getty]

Like, we're going to have U.S. troops in Gaza holding that land. Not a freaking chance.

[Jack Armstrong]

Probably right after the Super Bowl.

[Joe Getty]

But they talked about it for a full half hour on the MSNBC show. I was watching last night what it would be like having troops there and how difficult that would be. And. What are you talking about?

[Jack Armstrong]

He is the only thing keeping those stations alive.

[Joe Getty]

I suppose I should throw this in. On the other hand, I suppose it's not crazy if the President of the United States says something to take him at his word.

[Jack Armstrong]

Exactly. Which brings me. Brings us to the point I wanted to make. And I. I sympathize somewhat with. With, like, straight media guys, reporters Um, I, as a, something quasi commentator, humorist, I can get over this a lot more easily than they can. The idea that, oh, we have a president who says crazy stuff that we don't need to take seriously or literally, we just need to take it directionally. That's very hard for journalists to do because they have been trained, they have lived their entire lives to not only take presidents of the United States quite literally, but to look for hints and words be to behind the words, you know, reading between lines and then taking those tiny little hints completely seriously. It's the opposite. It's like you go from being near sighted to farsighted. With Trump, they gotta say, all right, he's talking about taking over Gaza. Of course nobody could, nobody would want to do that. That's ridiculous. And relocating all the Palestinians would never happen. None of the countries around her. So Trump's either wildly ignorant of the situation, which, given the work on the Abraham Accords, I kind of doubt, although he does have huge blind spots, but. So he's either wildly, insanely ignorant, or he's sending a signal of which way stuff ought to go.

[Joe Getty]

I'll tell you what the signal is, I think, to be perfectly serious for a moment, I think the signal is to, hey, Egypt, hey Jordan, hey, other countries around there, you need to start helping on this situation and being willing to take in Palestinians or I'm going to make a mess for you. Because that has been the underreported story of the entire Palestinian thing, going back to when I was a tiny kid, is the media never talks about how, hey, there's a bunch of Arab countries around there, they don't like Muslim countries around there, they don't let Palestinians in.

[Jack Armstrong]

They have a couple of times, and it's caused revolution and death and blood in their countries. As one of the points I was going to make later, but let's make it now, is that you know what the problem is with the Palestinian territories, the Palestinians and their leadership and their 9th century Islam and their hatred of Jews. That's the issue. You get rid of that. They live in peace, harmony and wealth. Wealth, folks, not just no bombs falling on their heads. Wealth. If they could forget about their Muhammad directed loathing, the Jews, they'd be great.

[Joe Getty]

Back to the funny part. So when watching Benjamin Netanyahu stand there, I have no idea how much of that he was given a heads up on or not, but I mean, he was standing there at that press conference next to Trump when Trump so uncomfortable drops, the United States is going to take over Gaza and yeah, we'll send troops if we have to. Where the Palestinians going to go? I don't know, somewhere else. We'll find him another spot of land. And Benjamin Netanyahu is just smiling and kind of nodding along. And then when he gets asked questions, he says things like, you know, Trump mixes things up and, you know, you have to consider these things. I mean, he allows an opportunity to think about things, phrases like that.

[Jack Armstrong]

On that score, I have the official White House statement on the proposal and all the people praising it. It is strange and hilarious. They're taking it serious, literally, seriously, while trolling everybody. Half serious. It's, it's, we're through the looking glass of presidential communications here.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, it seems like it. I mean, if you watch the news last night and this morning, it seems like a really big news cycle. I don't think it is. I mean, really, it's, it's, it's, it's just another step in the whole, we're into a new world or Trump's a new guy, just a new way to follow things where he says wild things but he means something else. Just.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, it's akin to, and I was just reading about how the administration's doing wonderful things, planning on doing just awe inspiring stuff on school choice. That just gladdens my heart for all of his flaws. The other guys weren't doing this. It's as if Trump said, we're going to fire every schoolteacher in America. That's the only way to clean out the system. That's the way to start fresh with government schools. We're going to fire every teacher in America. That is a signal. You Beaches think I'm playing? You think I'm. Oh, you Beaches Bush over here. You think I'm Jebush.

[Joe Getty]

I'm not Jeb Bush.

[Jack Armstrong]

I am. You think I'm playing about reforming schools? Here's a little shot across your bow.

[Joe Getty]

Let's start the show. Officially, we're running out of time. I'm Jack Armstrong, he's Joe Getty with a funny clip from the press conference yesterday where Armstrong and Giddy.

[Jack Armstrong]

What is it?

[Joe Getty]

It's Wednesday, February 5th, year 2025. We're Armstrong and Getty and we approve of this program.

[Jack Armstrong]

When my Gaza house is built, I'm going to learn to surf. I've just decided New Year's resolution. All right, here we go. Officially, according to FCC rules, regulations at Mark, any comment about Afghanistan?

[Katie Green]

What's your future plan for Afghan people, especially Afghanistan?

[Unnamed Caller]

I have a little hard time understanding you. Where are you from? Actually, it's a beautiful voice and a beautiful accent. The arrows. The only problem is I can't understand the word you're saying. But. But I just say this. Good luck, live in peace. Go ahead, please.

[Joe Getty]

I can't understand you, but good luck.

[Jack Armstrong]

Good luck, live in peace. I thought that was hilarious. Yeah, you have a lovely voice, but.

[Joe Getty]

I can't understand you, so.

[Jack Armstrong]

Can't understand a word.

[Joe Getty]

I kind of deal with that that way myself. How does mailbag look?

[Jack Armstrong]

It's too bad too, because it was a great question, but it's outstanding. We may have to squeeze it in later.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, boy. Geez, things are already out of control. Six pound show at a five pound bag. Stay tuned.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, thank God. The US Postal Service just said it will resume accepting parcels from China. If you got that alert yesterday. Last night that they canceled it, I had. I got a bunch of fortune cookies on the way and I need them.

[Jack Armstrong]

What Was that, like 12 hours? Yeah, that policy existed.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, the heck I know.

[Jack Armstrong]

Here's your freedom loving quote of the day. Our series on change Victor Hugo. Change your opinions, keep to your principles. Change your leaves, keep intact your roots.

[Joe Getty]

Change your leaves, keep intact your roots. Metaphor from a writer.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, old Victor Hugo. He knew his way around a sentence. That's a thought provoking one. That's why I liked it so much. Change your opinions, but keep to your principles. That does exist. Change your leaves, keep intact your roots. Think about it. Mailbag. Let's see. Drop us a Note [e-mail]. this is from John with no H. Sorry they got to you. Your tortured in hour two of today's show. Yesterday was funny and a little sad. He's talking about when I was discussing the gender bending madness movie Emilia Perez. Oh, more news on that.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I saw that.

[Katie Green]

Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

Hollywood has be clowned itself beyond all be clownment. This is a beautiful thing anyway, but he says it was funny and a little sad. Not long ago, you had vowed many times not to call a man a woman. I guess someone had big enough leverage to drag that out of you. Condolences. I love it when listeners try to shame us. First of all, unless that was tongue in cheek, I really don't like you and we can never be friends.

[Joe Getty]

I think it's just low level trolling.

[Jack Armstrong]

I think so too. The problem I ran into is I was trying to describe who was doing what in a scene involving budget transgender people. And I was trying to get it through my head, this will be completely unfollowable almost no matter how I describe. Anyway, moving along David on the topic of China taking over the United States. She is really going to be disappointed when he takes over the US and enslaves the Americans and finds out they won't do farm labor, clean motel rooms or work in slaughterhouses. It's just too beneath them. Yeah, I'm sorry Xi Jinping were very lazy and entitled here, but in China.

[Joe Getty]

To take to take all the fun out of it, which is what I do. But in China they would starve you until you work because that's the way they roll as the Communist Chinese Party.

[Jack Armstrong]

Exactly. Yeah. And it works. Another Jay in San Jose writes Musk's in charge. Lol Dems now think Musk is taking over the government from Hitler the fascist dictator. Well wait a minute. Let's count the number of dictator fascists who willingly gave up all their power. I'll wait. They wanted both ways. Maybe we can call them by Democrats. I don't know. I get his point though. He's Hitler, he's a fascist. He's willingly given up all of his power and that's worse. What?

[Joe Getty]

Man, there are a bunch of stories to update you on and then obviously we're sending our troops to Gaza to take that piece of land as MAGA had promised. Getting involved in more Middle Eastern wars? No, that's not going long.

[Jack Armstrong]

Long term, yes. That was part of the promise that.

[Joe Getty]

That'S not gonna happen. It'll never even come close to happening. So don't worry about it. More news on the way. Stay here. If you missed a segment, get the podcast.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Katie Green]

The FBI searching this pawn shop in Manhattan's Diamond District where they say they track some of the luxury items stolen in a rash of recent burglaries at the homes of professional athletes, including Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Two men are under arrest, charged with brokering the sale of watches, jewelry and handbags that prosecutors say were stolen by South American gangs targeting athletes and other wealthy homeowners across the country for nearly five years. Authorities say Dmitry Nazinsky and Juan Villar were the middlemen, buying the loot from the burglary crews and then selling it at their pawn shop. Officers and agents raiding the place. They say they seized dozens of high end watches and pieces of jewelry.

[Jack Armstrong]

Gee, a pawn shop that specializes in NFL star stuff. I hope there aren't any others. And if there are, I hope somebody will send me the address. That had to be a good store.

[Joe Getty]

So much thievery going on over the last couple of Years by, by all kinds of people, including plenty of U.S. citizens as we made crime legal. But I've been.

[Jack Armstrong]

Because George Floyd died.

[Joe Getty]

I was thinking about buying the Apple Vision Pro. I mentioned this a while back a couple weeks ago and I'm on Facebook Marketplace looking for a used one. There's a high number of Apple watches. The expensive headphones that I have the Apple Vision Pro unopened in boxes for sale at like. What is that?

[Jack Armstrong]

Are those all. They fell off the back of a truck.

[Joe Getty]

What's going on there? It's got to be, doesn't it?

[Jack Armstrong]

Gotta be. Yeah. Apple doesn't discount like that.

[Joe Getty]

No.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, that's got to be stolen stuff.

[Joe Getty]

I just wonder, you know, I've always, I've always wondered, you know, when people clear off those shelves of stuff, whether it's an Apple Store or Walgreens, where are they selling this stuff?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, I guess someplace Tim Cook doesn't have a team of people who just go through those ads every single day. And then a private army, right. Of thugs that he's hired from around the globe to go and ex, you know, East German Stasi or whatever that storm into places and get their stuff back and crack some heads or you.

[Joe Getty]

Shoot them between the eyes with the Cupertino death ray.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. What? Oh, I thought that just ruins my battery life. It kills people too. Wow. So anyway, back to the idea of Venezuelan gang members perpetrating crime waves. And it's not them, it's the Chileans and whatever. And as Jack makes the point, there are plenty of domesticated criminals who have been sent the message from progressives that it's fine unt dandy, but if I might blow aside the smoke of the Trump Gaza stuff for the moment and we'll go big on it next hour and play you some of the tape from the. The press conference. Cuz it was, it. It was like satisfying on every level. It was serious and important. It was bizarre, it was hilarious. It was thought provoking. It was like one of those seven layer cakes.

[Joe Getty]

Anyway, our Secretary of State actually used the phrase. I was trying to find it to make sure I didn't get it wrong, but I'm pretty sure this Right. He actually used the phrase make Gaza great again.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes, yes, exactly. Marco showing that he is fully on board with the Trump method, which I think is. Is going to be good, I hope. Anyway, some more statements to that effect next hour as well. The White House put out pages of people, many of whose names you know from foreign policy, senators, whatever Congressman saying this is a Great idea. I love this idea, so stay tuned. But anyway, we're going to clear the smoke of that away and talk about something seriously important. That is one of the many stories Jack referenced that are getting covered up with the oh my God, can you believe he said that? Bluster, which never seems to get old on the left, and that is. Trump wants to add the Mexican cartels. I always want to call them drug cartels, but they're giant criminal syndicates that do a lot of different crimes. Anyway, he wants to add them to a list of terrorist groups that include the likes of Al Qaeda and Hamas. The White House laid out the executive order actually last month. It's going to increase pressure on the cartels by directing more money to intelligence gathering. And departing from the text of the article here, the stuff going on in the shakeup in the CIA is really interesting too in that the new director wants to devote significant time and energy of the CIA to penetrating the cartels. The reasoning being they're a direct and imminent threat to the lives and happiness of America and its citizens. So what, they're off bounds, out of bounds, just because they, they operate in Mexico, which is putatively an ally anyway. I think it's a great move. Uh, it could also lay the groundwork for going after cartel financiers and allied businesses and for unilateral US military such as drone strikes on drug labs, according to officials and security experts. We've talked about this in the past. See, when the CIA gets empowered to actually like do the taking out of the drug labs, things can get a little crazy. But I don't mind a little bit of it. But that risks straining ties with Mexico. Jack, thoughts good?

[Joe Getty]

Straining ties with Mexico, Whatever.

[Jack Armstrong]

The two countries are in a delicate, in delicate talks over ending drug smuggling and migration to avoid a trade war. I don't think it's that delicate a talk from our point of view. I think Mexico's in terrible trouble. We talked about this yesterday towards the end of the show, how President Sheinbaum reacted with horror. How dare you slander us saying that the Mexican government is in bed with the cartels. I would say the, the most innocent description I can give you of the relationship. The most innocent. No, it's too innocent. I'll go ahead, I'll say it anyway. Mexico, legitimate Mexico is in a situation that is very much like the Israelis surrounded by Hamas and Hezbollah and other militant Palestinian and Iranian backed factions at times. Like prior to October 7th, they had this uneasy truce going on. All right, we're not Going to slaughter yours. You're not going to slaughter ours. Everybody keep cool. Maybe we can live side by side. But then it always goes kerblowy just because it's. It's not. It's not a relationship that can work. And then you're back to open warfare. The difference being Gaza, or. I'm sorry, not Gaza. Hamas and Hezbollah haven't, like, deeply penetrated Israeli politics and Israeli politicians and mayors and governors and maybe even up to Netanyahu himself, like, is happening in. In Mexico.

[Joe Getty]

Well, part of the deal, Trump's deal with. To end the. The tariff standoff the other day was, okay, they're gonna put 10,000 troops on the border and try to stop fentanyl from getting across. We're going to try to help stop guns from crossing down into there. Is that a big thing? I mean, do we. Are there a lot of guns that go from the United States into Mexico? Do you have any sense of that? I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Oh, yeah, it's huge. Huge. I mean, it's just so easy to get guns here illegally and illegally, and then you just bring them across the border. Because, as you know, having gone from the US To Mexico, nobody gives a crap what you bring into Mexico.

[Joe Getty]

Right. Just by, man, that's a dicey job. That's a dicey way to make a living going down there and hooking up with cartel people and selling them guns.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay. Yeah, I would watch my. Whatever the Spanish word for back is at all times, but if you're providing a service, you know, they'll. They'll be your. Be your buddy for now until they're not. Yeah, no kidding. But anyway, so the beauty of this is that, especially with the help of the CIA, if you could really nail down where the money goes. I've told this story before, but got word that the CIA was on campus when I was in college and I was a. I was a student of foreign governments and government systems and foreign relations and stuff like that. And I thought, wow, the CIA, wait a minute, maybe that's my path. And I looked into it, and they're like, only accounting majors. All we want are accountants. I was like, what? Anyway, if you can unleash the CIA's accountants, figuring out where do all the dollars flow from and to with the Mexican drug cartels and anybody who's involved with that, you are aiding and abetting a terrorist organization, and we are going to shut you down. That has an effect. So I love this.

[Joe Getty]

That's what Jason Bateman was doing for the cartel in Ozark, he was the accountant that was figuring out a way to launder the money and hide it and all that sort of stuff.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right.

[Joe Getty]

There's a light.

[Jack Armstrong]

While. While trying to maintain an uneasy marriage and. And his adolescent kids, who are teenagers of passage.

[Joe Getty]

Teenagers. Are they difficult or what?

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, they're hard as hell. You got the cartel over here. You got your bitchy daughter over there. It's like, oh, my God, give me a break.

[Joe Getty]

They're so spoiled. They're feel beef. They're so entitled.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. The cartels are the kids. You entitled kids.

[Joe Getty]

Now I gotta go deal with the cartels again.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right, Exactly. It'll probably kill me soon. Any moment now. So anyway, that's a. That's a huge move. An important move both for Mexico and the US but it's getting overshadowed by some of the other. But usaid, we're not gonna be able to cure AIDS anymore. Yeah, I think we will. I think it'll be fine.

[Joe Getty]

I've mentioned no wine February that I'm trying to do. It's very, very difficult. Dry January, not drinking alcohol. Very simple. No wine February, as in W H I N E. No whining is. Is hard for me. But I was thinking this yesterday because somebody told me about their teenagers. I think it might be better if more parents whined about their teenagers. So all the other parents are dealing with their teenagers. Think, okay, good. I'm not the only one, because I find it relaxing when I hear some other parent talk about their teenagers. It's not whining to me. It's like, oh, thank God my kid's not an outlier. Your kid's doing exactly the same thing. I thought I had completely failed.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes. Yes. We call that sharing, Jack. Sharing.

[Joe Getty]

Good lord.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. There's an empty nest version of that.

[Joe Getty]

Is there any that would make you happy? Is there anything on planet earth at this moment that would put a smile on your face? Because I can't imagine what it would be.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, no, no, indeed. Expressing my discontent is my raison d'etre, papa. The only reason I draw breath is to expel it. Bitching about things. That's the only reason I bother. So a quick word from our friends at prize picks. The big game is almost here, and thank God guacamole hasn't tripled in price like old Chuck Schumer was trying to warn us. Don't miss out on last football action of the season with prize picks super easy. You just pick more or less on at least two player stat projections. But listen to this. They're giving you one for free. Quarterback just has to throw for a yard and you win.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. For the big game, Patrick Mahomes only needs a 1 passing yard for you to win the 1x square. So you need to download the prize picks app today to get on board. You, you know, you go more or less on a couple of projections and you can win money. It's really, really cool. It's a lot of fun. And you know, the biggest event of the year is coming up Sunday and.

[Jack Armstrong]

It'S, it's easy is the thing. I used to like fantasy sports, but I didn't like like managing a team and having to study all the time, like a second job. This is easy and fun. Download the prize picks app today. Use the code Armstrong. You get 50 instantly just for playing a five dollar lineup. You don't have to win. It's automatic. You play five, they give you 50 to play around with again. Prize picks is the app. The code is Armstrong. Prize picks. Run your game.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, here's. I found the tweet from Marco Rubio, our Secretary of State. Gaza must be free from Hamas as opposed to share. Today the United States stands ready to lead and make Gaza beautiful again. With capital letters. Okay. Make Gaza beautiful again. I'll get a hat printed up today. I might actually just so people would ask, make Gaza beautiful again. Are you not on board? You must have voted for Kamala Harris.

[Jack Armstrong]

I admire religious conviction generally speaking. Although it's undeniable, I don't quite have the fully turgid for the real estate distraction that Trump does because he sees a spit land like that and he just, he's like an 18 year old next to a beautiful woman. He just can't help himself. On the other hand, it's his un undeniable. It is a true fact that if you take away the nut job brand of Islam that runs so hot through that region of the globe, the Gaza Strip would be incredibly wealthy, comfortable. The p. The kids would be educated. The old folks would recline in their chairs at the shore and. Or they'd sell their places for a zillion dollars and move somewhere else.

[Joe Getty]

Half the the people you know would have vacationed there at some point in their lives and talked about how wonderful it was.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, and it been torturing you with their Instagram pictures of their perfect lives from Gaza. Yeah, exactly. It'd be that kind of place.

[Joe Getty]

We've got Katie's headlines on the way. Stay here.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Joe Getty]

I just realized I've got Mud on my pants. Which is a kind of a low rent look.

[Jack Armstrong]

Nice job. Muddy pants.

[Joe Getty]

There's a giant dog with muddy paws. Jumped on me, man.

[Jack Armstrong]

I was dealing with a guy I think highly of, but he had the cracked phone glass.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

I mean like really quick sketch. And I almost told him that is the missing front tooth of the digital era.

[Joe Getty]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

Friend really is. Don't. Let's just. It's, it's a low class look.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

What are you gonna do?

[Unnamed Reporter]

Wow, you guys are judgy.

[Jack Armstrong]

Hey, you see somebody phone and I've.

[Joe Getty]

I've been cracked phone guy your life. You don't have your act together. Right. Then if you got the crack phone. Well, no. Things are not going well.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, exactly. All right, let's figure out who's reporting what. It's the lead story with Katie Green. Katie.

[Unnamed Reporter]

Starting with NBC, quote, deranged and problematic bipartisan group of lawmakers bashes Trump's Gaza proposal.

[Joe Getty]

That was our original air names. We were doing a soft ac show. Deranged and problematic.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, it was, it was a poor match with the music. It really was. Yeah. You know, as we've been discussing and will soon going crazy over. Trump is a profitable cottage industry and I get why it endures. But in terms of, if you are the sort of person who just wants to understand exactly what's going on and where it's probably headed. Yeah. Don't, don't worry about the crazy stuff.

[Unnamed Reporter]

From abc. Trump to sign executive order banning transgender athletes from women's sports.

[Jack Armstrong]

Love it. To the extent that it's possible from his seat. Love it. Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

So what, what would that cover? Could he do that for your local grade school or community colleges or what does he have the power to ban?

[Jack Armstrong]

Check your local listings. It's. That's a long and complicated answer and I could not do it accurately.

[Joe Getty]

Okay.

[Jack Armstrong]

He can do some stuff on the collegiate level. Anything that gets federal funding, blah, blah, blah.

[Unnamed Reporter]

From Fox News, Trump education department launches probe into, quote, explosion of antisemitism at five US Universities.

[Jack Armstrong]

This is another great thing flying under the radar. We can tell you about it in detail later on in the show. But he's making the universe. Universities enforce their own standards. If they're getting federal funding because they're allowing stuff against Jews they would never allow against anybody else. And he's calling them on it.

[Unnamed Reporter]

From Breitbart.com the Biden administration wasted $236 billion in improper payments throughout 71 federal programs in 2023.

[Joe Getty]

Not surprised.

[Unnamed Reporter]

From study finds. Daily talk time plummets. 3,000 words since 2005 as texting takes over.

[Joe Getty]

So what was that stat? What are we. What are we measuring here?

[Unnamed Reporter]

Daily talk time has gone down by 303,000 words a day. Because we're texting.

[Joe Getty]

The other day I was texting with one of my oldest friend and he pretty soon my phone rings. He said, what are we doing?

[Jack Armstrong]

You're right. What are we doing?

[Joe Getty]

And we just talked. It was so dumb. I mean, we were like our 15th text. Like, what? What are we doing?

[Jack Armstrong]

That's so crazy. Yeah, call it word count, not talk time. That's just confusing.

[Unnamed Reporter]

From CNN. 100,000 eggs were stolen from a trailer in Pennsylvania.

[Joe Getty]

How Many thousand eggs?

[Unnamed Reporter]

100,000.

[Joe Getty]

It's the new gold bars.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's a logistical mystical nightmare.

[Unnamed Reporter]

Yeah, from the Wall Street Journal. Mewing, betamaxing, gigachad and batty parents are drowning in teenage new lingo.

[Jack Armstrong]

We're gonna dive into that later on. Oh boy.

[Joe Getty]

I need help.

[Jack Armstrong]

So it's a. It's a part time job.

[Joe Getty]

No kidding.

[Jack Armstrong]

Keeping it up. We're keeping up with all of it.

[Unnamed Reporter]

So your meme of the day is not a meme, but if you go to armstrongandgetty.com and you click on my new section called Katie's Corner, I found a video of people driving by these deportation protests blasting Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby.

[Joe Getty]

I saw that. I feel like you're looking for a fight, but I did laugh, I must admit.

[Jack Armstrong]

So for our country. That's right.

[Joe Getty]

Jeez. Oh my God.

[Jack Armstrong]

Look at you. Ashamed to be American or something or other. I'm on the offense now. I'm just going to keep saying stuff. You're a traitor.

[Joe Getty]

And what is your vehicle for justice? Vanilla Ice.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes. American hero.

[Unnamed Reporter]

Finally. The Babylon Be taxpayer funded illegal immigrant gender surgeon is having a really bad week.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

The thing on the slang for the high schoolers. I'll catch on to one. Because I'll hear my son and his friends using it, then I'll use it. What seems to me like a week later. Nobody says that anymore. Dad, that is so lame.

[Jack Armstrong]

What?

[Joe Getty]

He used it like a month ago.

[Jack Armstrong]

And the journal article's talking about nine year olds. I mean, parents, little kids are trying having to keep up with this mostly to figure out if they're being insulted or not in casual conversation. Right, right.

[Joe Getty]

We've had that problem. If you missed a segment of the podcast. Armstrong and Getty on demand.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.