Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Episode: "He Owns An Incontinent Cat"
Date: January 28, 2026
Podcast by iHeartPodcasts
Episode Overview
This episode covers the political fallout and conspiracy buzz around an attack on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who was sprayed with a foul-smelling liquid at a public event. The hosts riff on the absurdity of the incident, examine America’s rising political incivility, and probe connections to progressive and leftist politics. The discussion veers into New York City’s policies on homelessness, sensationalist media coverage (notably regarding Sydney Sweeney), the threat of war with Iran, and a few trademark Armstrong & Getty comedic digressions.
Key Topics & Discussion Points
1. Ilhan Omar Syringe Attack – Facts, Theories, and Mockery
- Incident Recap: Omar was attacked in Minneapolis by a man with a syringe of "foul smelling liquid," potentially urine.
- Safety & Civility: Concerns over increasing incivility and threats against public officials.
- Media & Political Response:
- Trump and others speculated the attack was staged; hosts criticize this as reckless.
- Hosts emphasize the normalization of violence against politicians is deeply problematic, regardless of personal dislike.
Quote:
“I find Ilhan Omar loathsome in all sorts of different ways, but squirting her with foul smelling liquids is not the way to deal with it.”
— Joe Getty (02:18)
[00:47 - 07:40]
- Speculation on what the substance was.
- Joking about how hard it would be to fill a syringe with cat urine, the mechanics of obtaining it, and references to “cat pervert.”
- Discussion about Omar’s personality, her tough response (moving toward, not away from, attacker).
Quote:
“It’s just a flat out personality difference … Some people just have that personality. She is an ‘I’m coming toward you’ person.”
— Katie Greener (09:58)
[11:12 - 12:05]
- Parodying conspiracy: “He owns an incontinent cat, they connect the dots.”
2. The Normalization of Political Violence & Its Consequences
- Consequences:
- Increasing numbers of public officials no longer holding open town halls.
- Reflection on an “inflection point” where major violence could erupt.
Quote:
“It just feels like there’s gonna be an inflection point of some sort where there’s 20 dead in a place like Minneapolis … or a big-time politician gets assassinated.”
— Katie Greener (06:18)
- Media & Politician Reaction:
- Hosts condemn both left and right for suggesting attacks are staged.
- Satirical questioning of New York Times' pursuit of quotes from distant ex-spouses of suspects.
3. Progressive Politics & Policy Critique – Focus on NYC’s Homelessness Policy
[12:05 - 24:01]
- Zoran Mamdani: Critiqued as “Islamist communist mayor.” His team allegedly filled with anti-Semites; references to “Orwellian” job titles.
- Far-Left Agenda: Hosts argue there’s a refusal in America to see “organized leftism” for what it is—a drive towards crisis and system overload to push socialism.
Quote:
"If you look at progressive policies, like what Zoran Mamdani is starting to do in New York through the filter of 'they don’t want to solve the problem, they want to make it worse and overload the system...'"
— Joe Getty (15:49)
- Homelessness Policy:
- NYC policy: Police instructed not to dismantle homeless encampments.
- Critique: “Misguided compassion” ignores residents, taxpayers, business owners.
- Public health risks: Discussion of leptospirosis (“rat urine,” with ongoing jokes about cat urine).
Quote:
“Where’s the compassion for the taxpayer who lives here?”
— Katie Greener (20:20)
[22:26 - 24:01]
- Homeless used as “political tools” to push for government housing and socialism.
4. Media Critique – Sydney Sweeney Coverage
[24:01 - 26:20]
- Hosts mock overblown media coverage of actress Sydney Sweeney being charged for hanging bras on the Hollywood sign.
- Lampooning TV “news” for running endless montages of Sweeney in lingerie instead of reporting genuine news.
Quote:
“This is one of the newsiest periods in my lifetime … and we’re gonna spend two minutes on Sydney Sweeney just to show her with boobs hoping people will stick around longer.”
— Katie Greener (25:02)
5. Gary Busey Tangent – Is He for Real?
[26:26 - 27:48]
- Hosts ask whether Gary Busey is a real eccentric or putting on an act.
- Old stories resurface (motorcycle accident, public incidents), leading into a classic digression on pop culture oddities.
6. Potential War with Iran – Strategic and Moral Questions
[27:48 - 33:40]
- News Update: Reports on Iran’s crackdown, potential US military action; casualties disputed in Western reporting.
- Iranian Bluster: Iranian leadership’s threats—host dismisses as posturing given their weak air defenses.
- Debate:
- Is Iranian repression enough reason for US military action?
- Whether now is an opportunity to remove a malign regime.
- Acknowledgment that such a war could easily “go sideways.”
Quote:
“If you avoid everything that could go sideways, you will do nothing, whether as an individual or a country. I am no monger of war, but it is a hell of an opportunity and they have been an awful malign presence for a very long time.”
— Joe Getty (34:53)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Civil Unrest:
“We become an uncivilized people.” — Joe Getty (03:23)
- Conspiracy Satire:
“He owns an incontinent cat, they connect the dots.” — Katie Greener (11:26)
- Media Critique:
“I’ve done a fact check. She is hot.” — Joe Getty (25:28)
- Personality Assessment:
“Some people just have that personality. She is a ‘coming toward you’ person.” — Katie Greener (09:58)
- America’s Left:
“The refusal to see organized leftism as what it is really interests me ... They’ve won the day culturally in a lot of ways.” — Joe Getty (14:58)
- War Risks:
“It is a hell of an opportunity and they have been an awful malign presence for a very long time.” — Joe Getty (34:53)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:47–07:40: Ilhan Omar attack, civil discourse, cat urine jokes
- 09:14–11:12: Analysis of Omar’s response, personality under stress
- 12:05–13:59: Progressive politics, anti-Semitism in NYC government
- 15:49–17:00: The “system overload” theory of progressive policy
- 20:20–24:01: Homeless policy, unintended consequences
- 24:01–26:20: Mocking media obsession with Sydney Sweeney
- 27:48–33:40: Iran military posturing, war rationales, policy debate
- 34:47–34:53: Joe Getty’s summation on risk and war
Episode Tone and Style
The episode is classic Armstrong & Getty: irreverent, sarcastic, and quick-moving, mixing news analysis, speculation, and offbeat humor. The hosts toggle between deeply serious concerns (political violence, homeless policies, geopolitical war) and their trademark comic relief, offering both trenchant social critique and breezy comic banter—punctuated by notable deadpan deliveries and running gags (this episode: cat urine, “incontinent cat,” and media cheesecake coverage).