Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Episode: "I Don't Like Their Chances"
Date: August 25, 2025
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Episode Overview
This episode offers a lively recap of co-host Joe Getty's trip to London, peppered with observational humor about British culture, candid political banter, and tongue-in-cheek commentary on recent news headlines. The show blends personal anecdotes, especially about Getty’s travel in the UK, with cracking jokes about politicians and current events. Armstrong and Getty’s inimitable style is irreverent, energetic, and informed, never shying from off-script riffs or pointed asides.
Main Topics & Key Insights
1. Joe Getty Checks In Live from London
- Joe Getty calls in from London to share his experiences and impressions of the city. He’s jetlagged but energetic.
- Armstrong and Getty riff on British geography (UK vs. Great Britain, England, etc.):
- Jack Armstrong: “Great Britain means England, Scotland, and Wales. But if you say UK, it’s those places plus Northern Ireland.” (04:17)
London Observations
- British Museum Visit
- Joe Getty is in awe: “I saw the oldest book that exists and the oldest library, and I was gazing at the Rosetta Stone. The actual thing—just amazing.” (05:58)
- Weather & Culture
- “It’s balmy. It’s absolutely beautiful. 75. There are no bugs.” (06:31)
- Confusion over Celsius and Fahrenheit is a running joke.
- Food & Drink
- "A lot of fish and chips. No joke…And had a couple of pints..." (09:24)
- On English pubs: “I love the atmosphere. Quietish, unless there’s a football match going on.” (10:42)
Social & Political Observations
- Immigration a Hot Topic
- “Every Londoner we have talked to…has mentioned the immigration situation.” (07:44)
- Getty hears “a lot of so many Arabs,” reflecting real tension.
- Armstrong notes protests sparked by immigration and cultural clashes, referencing recent news (24:41).
- Crowds & City Life
- “It is more teeming with humanity than…Times Square in New York in the summertime…just millions and millions of human beings everywhere. It’s unbelievable.” (08:43)
- Fashion in London
- “I’ve never seen so many navels in my life before. But it’s very summery here in London.” (12:53)
2. British History, Politics & Pension Woes
- Getty discusses insights from a history professor/tour guide:
- “The country’s growing broke…over-promised pensions to all the civil service. Just like…the pension bomb in California.” (15:20)
- Post-Covid, a worker shortage persists in the UK. “They can’t get anybody to work…nobody wants to work.” (16:05)
- On Colonial Guilt:
- “Every square inch of the earth has traded hands so many times through the millennia…As I’m always lecturing people, it’s not about justice…it’s a tool of takeover.” (17:18)
3. Armstrong’s Sailing Lesson Story
- Jack Armstrong recounts a misadventure at sailing lessons, sharing a boat with “an old man” who tried to boss him around:
- “I yelled at him: ‘Sir, I’m going to do what the instructor told me to do, Sir.’” (12:09)
- Humorously likens the story to “The Old Man and the Sea.”
4. Anecdotes & Wit
- Samuel Johnson Quote:
- Armstrong: “As Samuel Johnson said, ‘When a man is tired of London, he’s tired of life.’”
- References to Karl Marx:
- Getty: “I stood next to the desk where Karl Marx wrote Das Kapital.” (13:10)
News & Politics Roundup
1. Trump’s Press Conference & Chicago Crime
- Armstrong plays audio from Trump’s latest media appearance, critiquing Illinois Governor Pritzker with classic Trumpian flair:
- Trump: “He ought to spend more time in the gym, actually.” (30:07)
- Crime Stats Debate
- Discuss claims by Chicago officials that crime is down, skepticism, and the politics of deploying National Guard troops.
2. FBI Raid on John Bolton
- Analysis of DOJ’s raid of Bolton’s home, with surprising nuance from Chris Christie:
- Christie (paraphrased): “You have to have some evidence of probable cause…a judge doesn’t sign off for no reason.” (33:18)
3. Trump’s Body Shaming Banter
- Trump criticizes Christie physically:
- “Look, Chris is a slob. Everybody knows it. I know Chris better than anybody…” (34:45)
- Armstrong and Katie joke about Trump’s penchant for physical insults:
- “Trump always presents being overweight, or having a thin neck, or not being able to hit a golf ball, or being a slob, as evidence of the other thing you’re about to say.” (35:08)
4. Social Media Fails: Politicians & Physical Feats
- Story about a Brooklyn politician (Zohran Mamdani) who fails to bench press at a public event:
- Armstrong: “He lays under the bar…they have to help him get it up off his chest or he would have died. They should have just left him there.” (37:58)
- Katie Green: “I’m happy it happened. He is a scrawny little communist man.” (38:52)
Memorable Quotes & Funniest Moments
- On Immigration Tension in London:
- Getty: “You hear a lot of…‘so many Arabs.’ It's interesting. There is tension, no doubt.” (08:20)
- On Museum Wonders:
- Getty: “I saw the oldest book that exists and…the Rosetta Stone.” (05:58)
- On Navigating the Metric System:
- Armstrong: “Honey, the air conditioner’s set at 22. What do we do? We’ll die!” (06:44)
- On Trump's Physical Insults:
- Armstrong: “He’s just working Trump’s side of the street. I guess that’s the way you do things—you constantly body shame people.” (34:39)
- On Prison Assassination Economics:
- Armstrong, referencing Ghislaine Maxwell’s interview: “Would she have knowledge that the going rate for a hit in prison is $25 worth of stuff at the commissary? I find that hard to believe.” (46:07)
Key Timestamps
| Time | Segment / Topic | |--------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:17 | UK/Britain definitions & London travel check-in | | 05:58 | British Museum highlights | | 07:44 | Londoners’ views on immigration | | 08:43 | Crowds & city atmospheres | | 12:09 | Armstrong’s sailing lesson/Old man story | | 15:20 | British pension problems/Post-Covid worker shortage | | 24:41 | Immigration protests around London hotel | | 30:07 | Trump’s Chicago press conference & Pritzker jab | | 33:18 | Chris Christie on FBI raid of John Bolton | | 34:45 | Trump on Chris Christie (“Chris is a slob…”) | | 37:58 | Zohran Mamdani weightlifting fail | | 45:07 | Ghislaine Maxwell: Did Epstein kill himself? |
Notable Quotes (with Attribution & Timestamps)
- “I saw the oldest book that exists and…the Rosetta Stone. The actual thing—just amazing.” – Joe Getty (05:58)
- “Every Londoner we have talked to…has mentioned the immigration situation.” – Joe Getty (07:44)
- “I yelled at him: ‘Sir, I’m going to do what the instructor told me to do, Sir.’” – Jack Armstrong (12:09)
- “He ought to spend more time in the gym, actually.” – Donald Trump on Gov. Pritzker (30:07)
- “Chris is a slob. Everybody knows it. I know Chris better than anybody…” – Donald Trump on Chris Christie (34:45)
- “In prison, where I am, they will kill you…for $20, $25 worth of commissary is about the going rate for a hit with a lock today.” – Ghislaine Maxwell (46:07)
- “I’m happy it happened. He is a scrawny little communist man.” – Katie Green, after Mamdani’s weightlifting fail (38:52)
Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up
- British culinary and pub culture and relentless walking in London amuse the hosts.
- Sharp, irreverent takes on political maneuvering (Trump, Christie, body shaming, crime, and more).
- Ghislaine Maxwell interview analysis: Skepticism about claims related to Epstein’s death in prison.
- End-of-show banter: Michael, Katie, and Jack share closing thoughts, circling back to Armstrong’s sailing class fashion, London walkabouts, and Trump’s new “Make America Shipbuilding Great Again” hat.
- The tone remains sharp and playful: “You couldn’t eat enough calories to counterbalance how much walking you’re doing.”
Summary
This episode offers listeners a meandering but richly textured tapestry of current events, political satire, travelogue, and unscripted group therapy, all in the Armstrong & Getty signature style. If you like your world news with a side of dry wit and personal storytelling, this episode delivers. Listeners get a sense of place, a roundup of big national stories, and the hosts’ distinctive opinions—often irreverent, sometimes insightful, always entertaining.