Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: If My Socks Slide Down, I Won't Show My Genitals To The World
Date: February 18, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts - Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode Overview

This episode dives into two main themes:

1. The decay and evolution of media, news coverage, and public debate in America — especially around serious topics like the U.S. potentially going to war with Iran.
2. A deep-dive into the landmark social media addiction trial, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the stand, and broader questions about technology’s effects, personal responsibility, and how online platforms are engineered for compulsion (especially in kids).

There’s the usual Armstrong & Getty comedic banter throughout, reflections on parenting, personal anecdotes, and discussion of current events.

Key Discussion Points

Saggy Pants, Quitting Socks, and TMI (02:23–03:11)

• Opening Banter: Jack Armstrong comments on forgetting his belt ("I'm gonna be pulling up my pants all day long like a rapper." [02:23]), which leads to a humorous exchange about what’s worse: "saggy pants or quitter socks."
  • Memorable moment: "Well, if my socks slide down, I’m not going to show my genitals to the world." – Jack [02:46]

How News Has Changed: War with Iran and Media Coverage (03:11–06:55)

• Media Criticism:
  • Joe Getty laments that serious, world-changing news (like a possible war with Iran) receives scant coverage, while fluff stories dominate:
    "Endless coverage about winter snowstorms and a missing woman and all kinds of stuff that has zero really relevance to the future of the world or you." – Jack [04:25]
  • Contrast with the pre-Iraq War era — then, media was full of debate. Now, apathy and lack of real-life debate are the norm.
• Why the Shift?
  • Network news divisions used to be "a basic of operating" — not profit centers. Now, everything is profit-driven.
  • Serious outlets like NPR and PBS are “utterly captured by the progressive left," according to Joe Getty [06:50].

Social Media Addiction, Parenting & Public Trials (06:55–16:00, 25:10–40:09)

• Mark Zuckerberg’s Social Media Addiction Trial:
  • Zuckerberg takes the stand amid over 2,000 lawsuits. The trial centers on defining addiction, company responsibility, and the impact of product design on mental health.
  • Key question: Where do we draw the line between loving a product and actual addiction? Can companies design products to maximize compulsion?
• Parenting & Technology:
  • Anecdotes about pot use in parenting circles ("The amount of moms defending smoking pot while pregnant is unbelievable." – Kat [09:08]), and parenting in the era of vaping ("Looks like a USB drive... no smell... flavored like candy to make it more palatable for the kids." – Jack [10:33])
  • The challenges of controlling teens’ screen time and substance use when products are designed to bypass parental oversight.
• Personal Responsibility vs. Corporate Culpability:
  • Legal roots of the trial: A plaintiff’s (Kaylee, now 20) mom argues social media caused or worsened her daughter’s depression and “addicted” her as early as age six.
  • Evidence from internal emails:
    • "Oh my gosh, y'all. IG is a drug. Lol. I mean, all social media, we're basically pushers." – Internal Meta employee message [29:10]
    • Zuckerberg email: "If we tell teens' parents about their live videos, that will probably ruin the product from the start. We'll need to be very good about not notifying parents/teachers." [30:12]
  • Platform design questions (Autoplay, Infinite Scroll, dopamine loops, slot machine comparisons) and their role in user compulsion.
  • Jack on company defenses: "You made the candy delicious and she just couldn’t stop eating it because she’s freaking six. I don’t know what to say about that one." [33:02]
  • Joe’s take: “It’s a big fat both things are true scenario: terrible parenting and evil companies that know the damage they’re doing.” [39:47]
• Broader Reflection on Technology Use:
  • Discussion on how constant dopamine stimulation from devices may be leading to “emotional flattening.”
  • Jack notes: “We’re not designed to get dopamine hits 500 times a day. ... The normal dopamine hits that we used to get from nice stuff, probably like a puppy or a baby or a flower or a nice sunset ... doesn’t work anymore.” [35:32]

Lighter Moments and Social Commentary

• Olympic TMI:

  • Discussion of a Norwegian biathlete who confessed to cheating (on his girlfriend) live on TV. "It was an Olympic level TMI." – Joe [13:25]
  • Joke: "Here's another gold medal for TMI. Nobody has ever revealed so many things nobody else needed to know at a weird moment than you." – Jack [13:29]

• Parenting Extremes Anecdote:

  • Contrast between the super-cautious and ultra-casual parenting styles:
    "You got people that are so far over here...won’t drink tap water when they’re pregnant...and then the, you know, the drink and smoke pot crowd." – Jack [09:31]

• Mailbag & Listener Interaction (43:11 onwards):

  • Miscellaneous listener observations on current events, behavioral annoyances (slow sidewalk walkers), and humorous cultural tidbits.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tech Addiction:
  • "Instagram is a drug. Lol. I mean, all social media, we’re basically pushers." – Internal Meta message [29:10]
  • “If we tell teens' parents about their live videos, that will probably ruin the product from the start. We'll need to be very good about not notifying parents/teachers." – Zuckerberg email [30:12]
  • "People are binging on Instagram so much, they can't feel the reward anymore." – Internal Meta memo [34:38]
  • "You're creating a product that you know could be used in a negative way and trying to hide that from parents. That ain't cool." – Jack [31:15]
• On Parenting Responsibility:
  • “You made the candy delicious and she just couldn't stop eating it because she's freaking six.” – Jack [33:02]
  • "It’s a big fat both things are true scenario: terrible parenting and evil companies that know the damage they’re doing." – Joe [39:47]
• Classic Armstrong & Getty Snark:
  • “If my socks slide down, I’m not going to show my genitals to the world.” – Jack [02:46]
  • "He should have gotten the gold medal for TMI." – Jack [13:29]
  • "We’re not designed to get dopamine hits 500 times a day." – Jack [35:32]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:23–03:11 – Opening humor: saggy pants, socks, and a genital joke
• 03:11–06:55 – News media evolution, war with Iran, decay in coverage
• 06:55–11:17; 25:10–40:09 – Social media addiction lawsuit, parent tech challenges, Zuckerberg trial
• 09:08–10:24 – Pot use in parental circles, vaping among teens
• 13:04–13:40 – Olympic TMI confession
• 35:32 – Effects of digital dopamine on human reward
• 39:47 – Both parents and companies bear blame for tech overuse/addiction
• 43:11 onward – Listener mailbag, cultural commentary

Episode Tone & Style

Armstrong & Getty mix humor, sarcasm, and earnest cultural critique. The tone is conversational, irreverent, and frequently self-deprecating. While broaching serious societal dilemmas — like tech addiction, media decline, and threats of war — they remain accessible through banter, personal stories, and a skeptical look at both institutions and personal responsibility.

Summary Takeaway

This episode exemplifies Armstrong & Getty’s sharp, comedic dissection of serious cultural and societal shifts. Through stories about saggy pants, Olympic TMI moments, and harried parents, they frame larger issues: the erosion of trustworthy, vital media coverage; the double-edged sword of personal vs. corporate responsibility in an age of addictive technology; and the challenges of parenting in a world where both substances and devices are easier to hide and harder to regulate. Their message: “It’s a big fat both things are true scenario: terrible parenting and evil companies that know the damage they’re doing.” [39:47] — and, as always, it’s all up for smart, funny debate.