Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: It's A Liger!
Date: January 8, 2026
Podcast: Armstrong & Getty On Demand (iHeartPodcasts)

Overview

In this wide-ranging episode, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty deliver their signature blend of news, cultural commentary, and humor. They discuss everything from generational habits and major world events, like the protests in Iran and U.S. strategy in Greenland, to hot-button domestic news such as the controversial shooting in Minneapolis. The show also features lighter fare, highlighting the cultural significance of college football and novelties from the Consumer Electronics Show, all delivered in an irreverent, conversational style.

Main Themes & Discussion Points

1. Generational Shifts: Thrifting & Sewing (02:45–04:24)

• Rising Popularity of Sewing: Jack notes that more men, including his own 16-year-old son, are taking up sewing, driven in part by a thrifting trend.
• Reaction to Earlier Generations: Joe wonders if younger generations’ frugality is a response to Baby Boomer and Gen X excess:

  "Could it be that the insane profligate spending of the boomers and perhaps even Gen X has convinced the youngsters this is not the way to live your life?" (03:18, Joe Getty)

• Jack is optimistic about these trends, seeing it as a hopeful correction.

2. Debt Crisis & Political Apathy (03:52–04:32)

• Jack reflects on historian Niall Ferguson’s take that the mounting national debt, especially in the U.S. and U.K., is the real “biggest story”—one that gets dangerously little attention:

  "It's like, I don't know. I've got a brain tumor and I talk about all kinds of other things all the time, but never talk about my brain tumor." (03:52, Jack Armstrong)

• Joe calls this collective avoidance “whistling past the graveyard.” (04:32)

3. Geopolitics & Greenland (04:58–08:19)

• Trump & Greenland: The hosts analyze former President Trump’s suggestion to buy or seize Greenland, referencing a David Ignatius column as well as bipartisan opinions that the U.S. requires more control over Greenland for strategic reasons.
• Joe cautions against “bullying” allies, saying Trump’s approach is counterproductive:

  "You don't bully your way in. That's gonna make it harder, not easier." (06:26, Joe Getty)

• The hosts question the seriousness of military action regarding Greenland, noting European anxieties about U.S. intentions:

  "They seem to—the European leaders actually are worried that, you know, we're going to land Marines on Greenland and round up the penguins and teach them English." (07:49, Jack Armstrong)

4. Unrest in Iran (08:19–12:58)

• Escalation of Protests: Armstrong notes the unprecedented nature of current protests, with national symbols (the Islamic Republic flag) being torn down.
• Joe distinguishes these protests from earlier ones:
  • Broader geographic spread: "Protests had taken place in 28 of Iran's 31 provinces." (10:05, Joe Getty)
  • U.S. policy change: Contrasts Trump’s aggressive, explicit support for Iranian protesters—threatening retribution if the regime cracks down—against previous presidents’ hands-off stance.

  "Trump has said, no, what's clearly right, what's clearly best for the United States is that these people, the protesters, win. I'm not going to pretend we don't think that. I'm going to state it openly. Not only that, I'm going to threaten the mullahs." (10:05)

• The dire economic conditions (massive inflation) underpinning unrest are highlighted humorously and seriously:

  “People will put up with...being oppressed...if the economy is pretty good. If you're being oppressed and the economy sucks...the chafing of oppression starts to chafe bad.” (12:05, Joe Getty)

5. U.S. Policy in Venezuela & Executive Power (13:10–14:45)

• The hosts comment on Trump’s approach to Venezuela—seizing control over oil profits and establishing an “executive fund side hustle,” with Jack expressing concerns about executive overreach:

  "So the executive branch...has its own source of income outside of Congress, which has the power of the purse" (14:45, Jack Armstrong)

• Joe adds that this creates constitutional issues.

6. College Football and Regional Culture (18:07–22:01)

• Jack recounts the passionate culture of college sports in the South, contrasting it with California’s apathy.
• He describes the atmosphere in Louisiana during bowl season, emphasizing the multigenerational fandom of teams like Ole Miss and Georgia:

  "It's such a major part of the culture in the southeastern U.S....And it's kind of charming, different, interesting." (20:58, Joe Getty)

• Joe offers biting commentary on some universities’ athletic histories and the moral issues surrounding them.

7. Minneapolis Shooting: Protest, Media, and Political Spin (24:03–38:19)

Incident Recap & Protest Dynamics (24:03–26:13)

• The hosts discuss the shooting of a woman by an ICE officer during a Minneapolis protest, the anger it generated, and Governor Tim Walz’s call for calm—while criticizing officials’ premature statements and media framing.

  "He called for calm after declaring it was clearly a murder, by the way." (25:59, Jack Armstrong)

"Decision Dilemmas" and Activism (26:13–29:54)

• Joe connects the tactics of protestors to Saul Alinsky’s “decision dilemma”—provoking authorities into a no-win response to garner outrage and attention.

  "Marxists are trained to put you into predicaments you can't win. They're called decision dilemmas. It's straight out of Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals." (27:58, Joe Getty)

Victim’s Motives & Protest Culture (30:10–31:34)

• Reports indicate the woman was intentionally leading traffic-blocking protests, not just an innocent bystander.

  "She was very successful in blocking traffic. She was doing what she was set out to do." (29:28, witness clip)

• Her personal motivations—a poet and activist—are dissected sympathetically, with Jack lamenting her choices as a mother.

Cautions on Rights & Rushed Narratives (32:12–36:30)

• Both hosts urge nuance: criticizing extreme, fast pronouncements from both the left and the right—whether it’s calling the shooting “murder” or assuming guilt/innocence.
• Joe cautions against allowing authorities to act without strict legal justification, warning about precedents for the future.

  "We've got to make sure we live in a country where that can't happen unless it is, according to the letter of the law, justified." (34:57, Joe Getty)

Media Coverage & Political Harm (36:30–38:06)

• Deep concern is voiced about how quickly the media framed the story and how divisive such incidents are becoming for American society.

8. Consumer Electronics Show & Rise of Household Robots (41:26–44:54)

• Jack and Joe riff on new tech gadgets—robotic mowers, pool cleaners, and adaptive “glance glasses.”
• Jack questions the true benefit of endless automation:

  "What is our goal here? To have more free time to scroll through our phone? Because that's what most people do anyway." (42:43, Jack Armstrong)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On generational shifts:
  "It kind of fits in with the whole thrifting is such a thing now for clothes." (02:54, Jack Armstrong)

• On the Iran protests:
  "In contrast to previous administrations...Trump has said, no, what's clearly right, what's clearly best for the United States is that these people, the protesters, win." (10:05, Joe Getty)

• On protest tactics:
  "Marxists are trained to put you into predicaments you can't win. They're called decision dilemmas." (27:58, Joe Getty)

• On media fast takes:
  "I was really disappointed in the media coverage. I was amazed how far they were willing to go so quickly to, 'This was an unjustified shooting.'" (36:15, Jack Armstrong)

• On AI and automation:
  "If it could, like, do the laundry and take it out and fold it and everything like that, I would dig that…. But are we just freeing up more time to scroll through your phone?" (41:49–42:55, Armstrong & Getty)

• The episode title (with classic A&G dad-joke punch):
  "It's a Liger." (43:54, Joe Getty, riffing on 'lidar' with Napoleon Dynamite reference)

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

• [02:45] – Trends: Men and sewing, thrift culture
• [03:52] – Debt crisis, Niall Ferguson commentary
• [04:58] – Greenland, geopolitics, Trump and world perceptions
• [08:19] – Uprising in Iran, economic factors, Trump’s policy shift
• [13:10] – Venezuela, executive overreach
• [18:07] – College football’s cultural regional divide
• [24:03] – Minneapolis shooting incident, summary
• [26:13] – Tactics of protest and Marxist "decision dilemmas"
• [30:10] – Victim’s personal activism background
• [32:12] – Political reactions, legal and societal implications
• [36:30] – Media criticism, impact on the national mood
• [41:26] – Consumer Electronics Show gadget rundown, automation debate
• [43:54] – “It’s a Liger!” moment & related dad-joke banter

Tone & Dynamics

The episode exemplifies Armstrong & Getty's style—lively, occasionally sardonic, unfiltered, and often darkly humorous. The hosts dive deep into news stories with opinionated candor, tempering outrage and critique with wry asides and pop culture references.

Summary Takeaway

This episode expertly blends topical depth (on serious subjects like Iran, U.S. policy, and domestic unrest) with cultural color and humor. Jack and Joe’s skepticism toward political actors, the media, and society’s trending obsessions is ever-present, making this a quintessential Armstrong & Getty experience for listeners seeking both insight and entertainment.