Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: Hockers & Seals

Date: September 5, 2025

Host: iHeartPodcasts
Featured Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Armstrong & Getty shift from humorous commentary on current events to a riveting discussion of national security, sports controversies, and politics—especially focusing on a dramatic, never-before-reported SEAL Team 6 mission in North Korea, the fallout from an NFL game marked by a spitting incident, and a combative Senate hearing involving Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The tone alternates between irreverent, insightful, and genuinely serious, frequently veering into lively, unscripted exchanges.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Double United Airplanes Incident (04:08–04:30)

• A lighthearted segment opens the episode, joking about two United planes in San Francisco accidentally bumping on the tarmac.
  • Joe Getty: “United calls that an accident, while Southwesters calls it a high five.” (04:12)
• They riff about repeating jokes, memory lapses, and comedic timing.

U.S. Job Market Update (04:51–05:08)

• Joe Getty: Notes that new jobs numbers are “about a third of what they were projecting,” indicating a sharply deteriorating job market.
• Michael: Adds that Donald Trump and his camp dispute government statistics.

Exclusive: SEAL Team 6 North Korea Mission (05:08–16:49)

NYT Revelations and Media Ethics (05:08–06:41)

• The New York Times reports on a secret 2019 SEAL Team 6 operation in North Korea, never acknowledged by any government.
• Michael: Explains the Times published the story to highlight the hidden risks and failures of special operations, not just their successes.
• Joe Getty: “I wonder how many of these happen around the world that we never hear about. You think of lots.” (05:46)
• Michael: Skeptical about media motivations, humorously refers to global covert operations.

Mission Context & Desperate Intelligence Measures (06:41–09:47)

• Under Trump, U.S. intelligence struggled to access North Korean secrets amid unpredictable relations.
• A new electronic listening device needed precise placement in North Korea—hence the risky SEAL operation.

The Operation—Daring and Disaster (09:47–16:30)

• Two mini-subs, each about the size of a killer whale, deployed SEALs who endured hours in near-freezing “wet subs.”
• Mission challenges:
  • No live drone coverage; only satellite images and old spy planes.
  • Operations done "almost blind" in extremely hostile territory (11:14).
• Joe Getty: “I’m surprised this got signed off on as a, like, likely success.” (11:26)
• The mission:
  • SEALs practiced for months, timed the incursion for minimal local activity.
  • As they neared their target, a North Korean boat—the occupants invisible to thermal imaging—unexpectedly appeared.
  • The team, fearing discovery, killed the crew (who turned out to be fishermen/divers) and disposed of the bodies to hide evidence.
  • Michael: “Officials familiar with the mission said the seals pulled the bodies out of the water to hide them from North Korean authorities. One added that the seals punctured the boat crew's lungs with knives to make sure their bodies would sink.” (16:28)
• Neither the U.S. nor North Korea ever acknowledged the event.
• Joe Getty: “Wow, those poor fishermen.” (16:30)

NFL Spitting Incident & Sports Culture (22:13–24:44)

Jalen Carter’s Ejection (22:13–23:05)

• Jalen Carter, Eagles defensive star, ejected before his first snap for spitting on Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott.
  • Michael: “Hawker Shocker sets Eagles back. They won anyway, but barely.” (22:54)
• Back-and-forth about whether this was retaliation or provocation, recounting Dak’s own spitting habits.
• Joe Getty: “This is... it’s gonna be like the Kennedy assassination. Jack back and to the left, back and to the left. People are going to be arguing for generations.” (23:56)

Reflections on Professional Athletes’ Self-Control (24:05–24:44)

• The hosts comment on the intensity and aggression necessary in professional football and the surprising restraint most athletes display.
• Joe Getty: “These young dudes get so incredibly amped up. It’s amazing they stay as in control as they do.” (24:05)

European Military Support for Ukraine & Escalation with Russia (24:44–25:41)

• Reports that 26 Western nations (including France and the UK) pledged troops to Ukraine as a reassurance force.
• Joe Getty: “Putin announced yesterday any Western forces would be legitimate targets if they arrive in Ukraine. That's pretty... this is getting pretty dicey.” (25:18)
• Hosts debate the complexities of escalation and diplomatic resolve.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Senate Hearing: Science, Vaccines & Credibility (29:25–43:02)

Media Portrayal and the CDC’s Data Problems (29:25–34:08)

• RFK Jr. faces a hostile Senate committee, clashing with both Democrats and Republicans.
  • Michael: “There were also times I thought he came off as a crackpot or wildly inconsistent... I find myself thinking of RFK in similar terms [to Trump]...” (30:31)
• The pandemic’s death toll is debated, with Kennedy and the hosts claiming COVID death numbers are unreliable due to data chaos.
  • Joe Getty: “Nobody freaking knows. That is documented.” (33:11)
  • Michael: “What a brilliant encapsulation of the state of our politics. How many people died of COVID? It’s impossible to know because the data is so corrupt...that is not the way you run a republic.” (33:43)

Vaccine Policy & Political Theater (34:08–39:18)

• Both parties’ doctor-Senators criticize RFK Jr.’s positions as dangerous. The hosts agree some Kennedy statements are “ridiculous,” like claiming the vaccine killed more people than COVID itself.
  • Joe Getty: “He said at one point the vaccine killed more people than Covid did. Well, that's a ridiculous thing to say.” (35:13)
• RFK’s inconsistencies are highlighted—praising Trump’s “Warp Speed” yet also branding the resulting vaccines a “crime against humanity.”
• J.D. Vance’s black-and-white rhetoric and Republican caution about tackling vaccine debates are discussed.

The Real Issues with American Health (39:18–43:02)

• RFK Jr. criticizes Congress and health agencies for not addressing America’s chronic health crisis in children.
  • RFK Jr. via Michael: “We are the sickest country in the world. That's why we have to fire people at CDC...” (39:59)
• Hosts lament the lack of middle ground on vaccines and express wish for a balanced approach (essential vaccines vs. over-vaccination).
• Commentary that Kennedy is acting independently rather than as a Trump loyalist in the cabinet (41:30–43:02).

Offbeat Segment: Prunes & Digestive Health (47:23–52:13)

• Jack Armstrong candidly shares personal struggles with constipation, prompting a comedic but honest health segment on fiber, prunes, and digestive regularity.
  • Jack Armstrong: “I went and visited the restroom... and it was the first time a certain natural function had occurred in five days. No. Five days.” (49:09)
  • Discussion about remedies and taking doctor’s advice—adds levity to the episode’s heavier earlier themes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Joe Getty on SEAL ops: “I wonder how many of these happen around the world that we never hear about. You think of lots.” (05:46)
• Michael, on intelligence realities: “We were not able to work our spy craft... because the North Korean leader seemed increasingly unpredictable and dangerous...” (07:38)
• On civilian deaths in the SEAL raid: “The seals punctured the boat crew’s lungs with knives to make sure their bodies would sink.” (16:28)
• On COVID death chaos: “Nobody freaking knows. That is documented.” (33:11)
• RFK Jr. (via Michael): “We are the sickest country in the world. That’s why we have to fire people at CDC.” (39:59)
• Jack Armstrong, on prunes: “I don’t know what a prune is. I’ve never seen a prune or had a prune. What is a prune?” (50:26)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:08 | United planes "accident"/jokes | | 04:51 | U.S. jobs report & market concern | | 05:08 | NYT report on secret SEAL Team 6 mission | | 09:47 | Detailed description of the North Korea operation | | 16:30 | Reflection on civilian casualties in the mission | | 22:13 | NFL: Jalen Carter spitting incident | | 24:44 | European troops and Ukraine escalations | | 29:25 | RFK Jr. Senate hearing: vaccine policy & science debate | | 33:11 | COVID data chaos discussed | | 39:59 | RFK Jr. tirade on child health and CDC failures | | 47:23 | Jack’s constipation/prunes discussion |

Tone & Style

Armstrong & Getty’s signature blend of irreverent humor and sharp political commentary is on display, moving fluidly between grave geopolitical revelations and lighthearted, sometimes self-deprecating banter. They are skeptical of government and media narratives, often playing devil’s advocate and challenging political orthodoxies with wit and candor.

Summary Takeaway

This episode is a rollercoaster of insightful analysis, black comedy, and honest personal storytelling—from the shadows of covert military operations to the glaring lights of professional sports and the chaotic halls of the U.S. Senate. Armstrong & Getty punctuate their news breakdowns with skepticism, empathy, and, above all, the everyday weirdness of American life.