Armstrong & Getty On Demand – “I Am So Uncomfortable With Gushing”
Date: October 7, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts
Overview
In this episode, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty tackle a whirlwind of current events and cultural debates. The show weaves through the latest developments in the Middle East, the polarized climate on college campuses, rising antisemitism in Europe, the American response to unrest in major cities, the lasting cultural power of Taylor Swift, and thoughts on the decline of live music. Their trademark mix of wry humor, cynicism, and candid skepticism runs through every segment.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Middle East Peace Talks: Trump’s Involvement & Media Spin
- Segment Start: [02:51]
- Joe highlights what he sees as an abrupt shift in mainstream narrative around President Trump’s engagement in brokering a new Israel-Hamas deal, noting an uncharacteristically positive tone among commentators.
- Jack expresses skepticism that parties like Hamas are negotiating in good faith, or that a real two-state solution is imminent.
- Joe Getty ([03:39]):
“I continue to be amazed at the mainstream coverage's fawning over this deal that Trump has put together … as opposed to, you know, being his lackey or something, which used to be the narrative.”
- Jack sarcastically requests a list of Islamist militant groups that have actually surrendered, implying the futility of expecting Hamas to do so ([04:54]).
- Discussion broadens into the challenges Israel faces even if top Hamas leaders capitulate while fighters on the ground refuse.
2. Campus Protests & The Rhetoric of "Decolonial Struggle"
- Segment Start: [05:25]
- The hosts delve into reports of nationwide pro-Hamas protests on the anniversary of October 7th. Columbia University, UCLA, and others see heated actions.
- Jack critiques the logic of land acknowledgements and the “decolonial struggle” framing, emphasizing the inescapable history of conquest and violence by all groups.
- Jack Armstrong ([07:10]):
“What happened briefly in 1948… that must be permanent for all time? That doesn't stand up to the slightest, you know, questioning.”
- Joe notes the disconnect between protest rhetoric and Hamas’s own explicit goals:
“It would be a lot easier to buy that argument if Hamas themselves didn't openly state, no, we want Israel to go away. We want all Jews to die.” ([06:23])
- The segment also covers polling among Israelis, media framing, and the persistence of hostage-related preconditions.
3. Rising Antisemitism in Europe & The “Optimist/Pessimist” Paradox
- Segment Start: [09:25]
- The conversation shifts to a Wall Street Journal editorial about growing antisemitism in Britain and France. A dry joke is cited: the “optimists died in the gas chambers, the pessimists have pools in Beverly Hills.”
- Jack Armstrong ([10:19]):
“For their sake, I hope there aren't many optimistic Jews left in Europe. Their thinning ranks will surely have been reduced farther by last week's murder of a man at the synagogue in Manchester, England.”
- They criticize European elites’ embrace of a “self-annihilating multicultural nation building” policy, and draw parallels to American debates on assimilation and tolerance.
- Joe and Jack discuss the tendency of institutions to prioritize not “fueling racism” over confronting serious crimes, referencing Britain’s grooming gang scandals.
- Jack ([11:52]):
“This atrocity indicts the self annihilating, multicultural nation building they have pursued for decades.”
4. Taylor Swift: Pop Phenomenon, Culture Wars, and “Gushing”
- Segment Start: [19:49]
- Following a clip from Taylor Swift’s appearance on Fallon, Jack admits to unease at “gushing” media coverage, preferring a level-headed view.
- Jack ([20:56]):
“I'm so uncomfortable with gushing. Yeah. Just in general.”
- The show lampoons efforts by online critics to find Swift’s new album offensive, citing absurd claims of racism, homophobia, and even “secret conservative dog whistles.”
- Joe ([22:43]):
“I love the fact that these people are exposing themselves for the lunatics that they are. It's actually kind of helpful to... the sane part of America.”
- Discussion touches on political litmus tests in friendships and the cultural expectation to “disavow” those with differing views.
- Joe ([23:20]):
“You're supposed to disavow friends who have different views... Unfortunately it is, you know, had effects on my life.”
5. Urban Unrest & The Insurrection Act Debate
- Segment Start: [27:29]
- The hosts address unrest in Portland and Chicago, speculation about Trump invoking the Insurrection Act, and the complex optics of “troops versus unrest.”
- Joe and Jack point out that while Trump is often accused of lawlessness, he has generally followed legal boundaries when ordered to by courts.
- Joe Getty ([29:10]):
“All this talk about all the things Trump might do... so far he hasn't broken the law. And anytime a judge steps in and tells him he can't do anything, then he doesn't do it until a different judge rules.”
- They emphasize the power of political rhetoric and threats as negotiating tools.
- Jack ([30:53]):
“Ultimately, when people see violence against cops and vandalism...they really dislike it. So I just, I just think the JB Pritzkers of the world are putting way too much confidence in... the online world, as always.”
6. Antifa, Protest Journalists, & Portland’s Radicalism
- Segment Start: [33:16]
- A segment features audio from journalist Nick Sorter and commentary on the dangerous dynamics he faces from Antifa in Portland.
- Jack explains the “decision dilemma” tactic—provoking conflict so as to claim victimhood.
- Jack Armstrong ([35:54]):
“They put you... in what Saul Alinsky called the decision dilemma... They intentionally provoke you so they can assault you. I abhor political violence. But... if somebody stages that sort of like second-degree assault against you, I would like to put them in a stitches dilemma.”
- The hosts argue that when polite society refuses to defend order, the public will embrace anyone who promises it, even if “unsavory.”
- Joe ([37:46]):
“People like law and order… if it’s not safe for your kid to walk down the street… you’ll put up with a lot of authoritarianism for that to go away.”
7. Concerts, Nostalgia, and Disappointing Experiences
- Segment Start: [45:07]
- Jack shares his growing disappointment with aging musical acts and stadium concerts, preferring to remember bands at their peak.
- Several listener anecdotes blend into a discussion about why younger, passionate openers often outperform legacy headliners.
- Joe ([48:07]):
“I've seen Bob Dylan twice. Was a complete waste of money and time. I wish I had done something else that night, even if I had just rearranged my sock drawer.”
- Both hosts wax poetic on the complexities of jazz and progressive rock drumming.
Notable Quotes
-
Jack Armstrong ([10:19]):
“For their sake, I hope there aren't many optimistic Jews left in Europe. Their thinning ranks will surely have been reduced farther by last week's murder of a man at the synagogue in Manchester, England.”
-
Joe Getty ([33:36]):
“You're no longer allowed to walk down the sidewalk in Portland or else you're gonna get jumped and pushed and, and shoved and assaulted here.”
-
Jack Armstrong ([35:54]):
“They intentionally provoke you so that they can assault you... I would like to put them in a stitches dilemma.”
-
Joe Getty ([48:07]):
“I've seen Bob Dylan twice. Was a complete waste of money and time. I wish I had done something else that night, even if I had just rearranged my sock drawer.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Middle East Peace Talks / Trump Media Spin: [02:51]–[09:25]
- Campus Protests / Decolonial Struggle: [05:25]–[09:25]
- Antisemitism in Europe: [09:25]–[15:32]
- Taylor Swift, Phenomenons, and Culture Wars: [19:49]–[23:48]
- Insurrection Act, Urban Unrest, Law & Order: [27:29]–[33:16]
- Antifa & Portland Journalism: [33:16]–[39:40]
- Concert Disappointments & Musical Observations: [45:07]–[49:26]
Memorable Moments & Tone
- The hosts mix dry sarcasm with genuine concern, especially on global and political topics.
- Frequent jokes about “gushing” over celebrities highlight their aversion to media hysteria.
- They mock both right and left ideological extremes—satirizing “coexist” slogans, “dog whistle” accusations, and the Antifa “decision dilemma”.
- Personal touches (live music woes, anecdotes about friends and family) keep the show grounded in real experience.
Final Thoughts
This episode showcases Armstrong & Getty’s blend of pointed political skepticism, social commentary, and good-natured grumpiness. Regular listeners will find plenty of familiar riffs, while new audiences get a crash course in the show’s wry but deeply concerned take on a world that often, in their view, seems to have lost its mind.