Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: I Rolled A 6. Do I Go After The Pope Or Those Damn Immigrants?
Date: February 24, 2026

Episode Overview

In this sharply satirical and wide-ranging episode, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty dissect current events with their trademark irreverence, focusing heavily on the relevance (or lack thereof) of the State of the Union address, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the politics of guest selection for political theater, America's fixation on board games, and the latest in political gaffes. Along the way, their banter highlights the absurdities of both history and present-day politics, skewering self-importance, hypocrisy, and the decline of meaningful civic engagement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Ukraine War: Four Years On

[02:59–06:36]

• The episode opens with somber reflections on the ongoing war in Ukraine, marking its four-year anniversary. Armstrong and Getty discuss President Zelensky’s unexpected survival and determination.
• Jack Armstrong highlights Russia’s massive casualties ("currently losing 35,000 men a month" [04:20]) and questions the sustainability of Putin’s ambitions.
• Joe Getty points out how Russia has "gutted their economy and remade it as an arms plant" [04:35], stating, "Putin has murdered the future...they're poisoned for foreign investment."
• Both express frustration at Europe’s inaction, with Jack noting, "Europe allowed a psychopath with the biggest nuclear arsenal on earth to invade a country...I don't understand why there's not more pressure on Europe to do something" [05:33, 06:36].

Notable Quotes

• Joe Getty [04:35]: "Putin has murdered the future...economically, how do you make the transition?"
• Jack Armstrong [05:33]: "Europe allowed a psychopath with the biggest nuclear arsenal on earth to invade a country. And they're like, sure hope the United States does something about this."

2. The State of the Union Preview & Political Guests

[06:36–14:56]

• With the State of the Union imminent, the hosts mock the event as a useless, performative tradition (a "pseudo event" [06:36]).
• Sharp criticism targets both parties for using special guests as political props: Democrats inviting Jeffrey Epstein accusers and Hong Kong dissidents; Trump expected to feature victims of crime by immigrants and the Afghanistan withdrawal.
• They predict "planned walkouts" from Democrats and speculate about various performative protests, mocking past stunts (like colored dresses and Nancy Pelosi tearing up Trump’s speech).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Jack Armstrong [06:36]: "It's just a political. It's a pseudo event now. It's created for the media and then the media reports on it like it needs to happen."
• Joe Getty [13:10]: "They're really pissed off now, Jack."
• Jack Armstrong [15:01]: (Satirically) "She’s going to rip off her shirt and it’s going to say on one boob, EAT THE, and the other boob, RICH."

3. The Spectacle and Misconceptions of Presidential Power

[18:18–22:01]
(With clips and commentary from Bill Maher)

• The show lampoons the hero-worship and unrealistic expectations placed on the presidency during the State of the Union:
  • Bill Maher: "Then he proceeds to tell Congress what he wants them to do, making it look like the President is in charge of everything..." [19:59]
  • Joe and Jack agree the event has veered from its constitutional intent.
• Discussion of how many Americans mistakenly believe the president has total control over prices and economic levers.
• The absurdity of the modern spectacle is compared with the original, far briefer reports delivered by early presidents.

Notable Quotes

• Bill Maher [19:59]: "That's not what it says in the operating manual. You know, the Constitution...Congress creates the laws. The President is just supposed to execute them."
• Joe Getty [21:47]: (Quoting Maher) "What do you expect when we have this big ballyhooed annual event that looks like the President's royal wedding to himself?"

4. U.S. History Through Board Games

[25:43–37:15]

• Armstrong and Getty dive into a Wall Street Journal piece on the evolution of American board games, satirically tracing themes of manifest destiny, capitalism, and societal morals.
• Early American games included "The Game of Pope and Pagan or Siege of the Stronghold of Satan by the Christian Army," which involved attacking Lucifer, the Pope, and immigrants (reflecting 19th-century bigotry) [27:15].
• Discussion of "The Checkered Game of Life" (which included paths like suicide, disgrace, and ruin—even for children).
• The evolution from games promoting moral uplift to those glorifying capitalism ("From Log Cabin to the White House," Monopoly's origins as a critique of concentrated wealth).
• 20th-century gender roles reflected in games like "Marriage Auction" and "Mystery Date."
• Comments on postwar games reinforcing Cold War anxieties, sexual norms (Twister), and family togetherness.
• The resurgence of board games in the digital age, driven by social aspects more than gameplay itself.

Notable Quotes

• Jack Armstrong [28:31]: "Do I go after the Pope or those damn immigrants?"
• Joe Getty [29:07]: "Players navigated a board with spaces identifying the highs of life, like college, success, happy old age, among others, and several frightening lows, including ruin, disgrace, and suicide. This is a game for children, remember?"
• Joe Getty [33:19]: "Wish my wife would play this game" (after describing a thriftiness competition in a 1937 board game).
• Jack Armstrong [34:05]: "I've never had the slightest bit enjoyment playing Monopoly and never finished a game once in my life. But I've played it a lot of times."

5. Eileen Gu Critique & Olympic Guests

[24:59–25:38]

• Briefly discuss Eileen Gu, U.S.-born Olympic skier competing for China, bemoaning her "insufferable" post-event interviews and strategic neutrality on Chinese human rights issues.
• Commentary transitions into who’s being invited to the State of the Union, sometimes for overtly political signaling.

6. Gavin Newsom’s SAT Gaffe & Race

[40:35–42:25]

• The hosts scrutinize Gavin Newsom’s attempt to connect with black voters by referencing his own poor SAT scores.
• Citation of Cornel West’s reaction: "That mindset sits at the core of white supremacy...don't play with us like that" [41:34].
• They critique Newsom as ill-prepared for the "adversarial political run" outside of California's one-party system.

Notable Quotes

• Jack Armstrong [40:44]: "I'm just like you. I got a terrible grade on my SATs. So, I mean, you know, I'm as dumb as black people. Is that what the message was?"
• Joe Getty [41:57]: "When you get a guy who's been anointed and lifted up in a one party system out on the actual field of play...He doesn't have the chops."

Memorable Moments & Humor

• Imaginary State of the Union protests: jokes about AOC’s anticipated antics [14:56], TikTok stunts, and "crazy old man shouting at clouds."
• Running gags about the over-the-top length and tedium of Trump and Castro speeches.
• Skewering board games for their dark child themes (e.g., “suicide” as a possible consequence in The Game of Life) [29:07].
• Repeated lampooning of the disconnect between politicians’ presentations and the constitutional realities of power.
• Ending banter: discussion of the futility and chaos of playing Monopoly ("Monopoly money everywhere" [44:10]), and final thoughts on the current state of U.S. governance.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [02:59–06:36] – Ukraine war, European inaction, Putin's war aims
• [06:36–14:56] – State of the Union spectacle, protest predictions, political guests
• [18:18–22:01] – Bill Maher on the unconstitutional hero-worship of the president, State of the Union history
• [25:43–37:15] – History of American board games, moral messages, Monopoly origins, cultural evolution
• [24:59–25:38] – Eileen Gu and Olympic guests, virtue-signaling at the State of the Union
• [40:35–42:25] – Gavin Newsom’s SAT comments, Cornel West’s reaction, critique of political missteps

Notable Quotes (With Attribution & Timestamps)

• "Putin has murdered the future...economically, how do you make the transition?" — Joe Getty [04:35]
• "Europe allowed a psychopath...to invade a country. And they're like, sure hope the United States does something about this." — Jack Armstrong [05:33]
• "It's just a political...pseudo event now." — Jack Armstrong [06:36]
• "That's not what it says in the operating manual. You know, the Constitution..." — Bill Maher [19:59]
• "Do I go after the Pope or those damn immigrants?" — Jack Armstrong [28:31]
• "Players...navigated a board with highs of life...and several frightening lows, including ruin, disgrace, and suicide. This is a game for children, remember?" — Joe Getty [29:07]
• "I'm just like you. I got a terrible grade on my SATs..." — Jack Armstrong, paraphrasing Gavin Newsom [40:44]
• "That mindset sits at the core of white supremacy...don't play with us like that." — Cornel West (quoted) [41:34]

Episode Tone & Style

The episode maintains Armstrong & Getty’s hallmark irreverence, sarcasm, and sharp wit, balancing pointed critique of political spectacle with playful asides about American culture—especially as reflected in something as seemingly innocuous as board games. Listeners come away with deep skepticism about political theater, a sense of history’s darkly comedic quirks, and the enduring tendency for both the media and politics to prioritize spectacle over substance.