Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "It's Like Writing A Soap Opera"

Date: September 22, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this episode, Armstrong and Getty deliver an in-depth, reflective, and at times darkly humorous discussion about the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination, its impact on conservative and religious America, and the complex media and cultural narratives spinning from the tragedy. The hosts dissect forgiveness in the face of hate, explore reactions from key public figures, and take a sardonic look at conspiracy theories, the mainstream media, America's political rifts, and the bizarre cultural frays revealed after such a seismic event. The second half of the episode shifts toward levity, featuring wild animal stories, retail culture, and quirky personal anecdotes, anchoring the show's characteristic blend of thoughtful commentary and irreverence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Charlie Kirk Assassination: Media, Mourning, and Meaning

• Erica Kirk’s Forgiveness & Christian Faith
  • The show opens with emotional clips from Erica Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, at the Turning Point CEO succession:
    • "But I will miss him. I will miss him so much because our marriage and our family were beautiful. They still are." (03:53, Erica Kirk via Jack Armstrong)
  • Erica’s remarkable act of forgiveness toward the accused:
    • "That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate...the answer we know from the gospel is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us." (05:16, Erica Kirk via Jack Armstrong)
• The Religious vs. Political Legacy of Charlie Kirk
  • Hosts note how mainstream media misunderstood Kirk's religious motivations, focusing instead on his political activities.
    • "People who were not in the Charlie Kirk world, certainly the mainstream media...have missed the spreading the gospel part of this, as opposed to the he helped Trump get elected part, which is also big. Very big." (06:30, Joe Getty)
  • Observations on the religious tone and sheer scale of the memorial:
    • "There were 80,000 people in that stadium at the memorial. So many of them with their hands in the air...That had to be new to a lot of your mainstream media..." (08:25, Joe Getty)
• Conservative vs. Liberal Understanding Across the Divide
  • The hosts assert that conservatives better understand leftist perspectives than vice versa.
    • "Conservatives are vastly more able to describe accurately the point of view of lefties than vice versa..." (07:22, Jack Armstrong)

Presidential & Public Reactions: Trump, Musk, and the Media

• Trump’s Eulogy—Unfiltered, Divisive, Human
  • Trump’s speech at the memorial drew laughter and surprise:
    • “He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That's where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don't want the best for them. I'm sor. I am sorry, Erica, but now Erica can talk to me... But I can't stand my opponent.” (09:39, Trump via Joe Getty)
  • Armstrong & Getty highlight Trump's lack of political filter, even at a somber event:
    • “Donald Trump is...at a memorial where people are crying and talking about Jesus and forgiveness, and he still says, I know I shouldn't say this, but I hate my opponents. Yeah, he is not focus grouped to death, I'll tell you that.” (10:44, Jack Armstrong)
• Elon Musk's Dramatic Statement & Turning Point's Growth
  • Musk’s cryptic, almost menacing post-memorial statement:
    • "They murdered our emissary of peace in cold blood. Message received. Is there any way to take that other than, you know, you brought a knife to a gunfight sort of talk?" (13:09, Joe Getty quoting Musk’s post)
  • Armstrong points out, despite tragedy, the movement’s resilience and growth:
    • “There are 18,000 new chapter requests for Turning Point USA... The darkness has not put out the light. Now, it's awful and horrible that Charlie was murdered and we've lost a unique and valuable voice. But, no, the dark didn't put out the light.” (13:09–14:11, Jack Armstrong)
• Media Coverage, Free Speech, and Conservative Majority
  • The hosts decry efforts to use the event to justify government intervention against ‘hate speech’:
    • "If, when he was still with us, you had said to Charlie Kirk, hey, you know what? We could have the administration intimidate TV networks into taking off people who agree with Trump, he'd have gone crazy, right?" (11:14, Jack Armstrong)
  • Armstrong asserts the conservative viewpoint is not a marginalized minority:
    • "A lot of you are convinced that you are in the minority. . . But no, in terms of, like, the American people...we're in a huge majority... We have better ideas, so we don't need to resort to, you know, unprincipled crap like...violating the principles of free speech." (11:16)

Social Phenomena, Conspiracy Theories, and the 'Soap Opera' Mindset

• Details & Rumors About the Killer
  • Discussion on the background and internet persona of Kirk's killer—described as a “furry,” discussions of odd online behaviour, and skepticism about the authenticity of his communications.
  • The hosts highlight generational differences in digital communication (punctuation, sincerity), and the weird online subcultures that have been dragged into the news.
• Conspiracy Theories & Cultish Thinking
  • Delving into the phenomenon of conspiracy influencers and their continuous inventiveness:
    • "It's like writing a soap opera." (38:20, Jack Armstrong)
    • "That's a great description of what they do. Well, they invent scenarios to explain the non fruition of the old scenario... none of it is falsifiable." (37:39, Jack Armstrong)
    • Comparison of Candace Owens and similar personalities to the “Paul McCartney of conspiracy stuff”: "It's a gift to design a conspiracy theory that strings along a certain personality type." (39:30, Jack Armstrong)
  • Direct debunking of extreme conspiracies (CIA/Mossad killed Kirk):
    • "Guaranteed it wasn't the Jews that killed Charlie Kirk, by the way. It just, it just wasn't. It doesn't make any sense.” (40:26, Joe Getty)

Public Health Bombshell: Autism & Tylenol

• Trump's Autism Announcement
  • Trump claims a breakthrough on autism origins; suggests a new study linking Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy to higher autism risk (26:39–29:17).
  • Skepticism from the hosts and news team about the science:
    • “My question is...to do the sort of study that you would need following lots and lots of pregnant women and their use of acetaminophen and autism in their children... that would be a years long process.” (29:17, Jack Armstrong)
    • "Is somebody just talking out their hind end? Right, that's the question." (30:03, Joe Getty)

Lighter Moments & Listener Relief: Animal Antics & American Life

• Crazy Animal Stories
  • Bear breaks into a Dollar General; tiger kills caretaker at animal preserve. Amusement over odd news coverage and American proclivities for “flimsy Chinese crap” in bargain stores (19:22–21:57).
  • Armstrong & Getty’s classic blend of black comedy and bemusement at the randomness of life.
• Camping and Close Encounters
  • Joe Getty recounts a harrowing bear encounter while camping (20:57–22:39).
• Convenience Store Culture
  • Musings on 7-Eleven’s Japanese ownership and how Japanese convenience stores focus on quality food, not just “energy drinks, lottery tickets, cigarettes.”
    • “In Japan, the 711 stores have lots of pretty damn good quality prepared foods... You don't get a Slim Jim. You get a really good egg sandwich or something like that.” (45:41, Jack Armstrong)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote / Context | |---------------|-------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:53 | Erica Kirk (via Armstrong) | "But I will miss him. I will miss him so much because our marriage and our family were beautiful. They still are." | | 05:16 | Erica Kirk (via Armstrong) | "That man, that young man, I forgive him...The answer to hate is not hate...the gospel is love and always love." | | 09:39 | Trump (via Getty) | "He did not hate his opponents...I hate my opponent, and I don't want the best for them...I'm sorry, Erica..." | | 13:09 | Joe Getty (on Musk) | "They murdered our emissary of peace in cold blood. Message received." | | 14:11 | Jack Armstrong | "The darkness has not put out the light...it's awful and horrible that Charlie was murdered...but the dark didn't put out the light." | | 29:17 | Jack Armstrong | "To do the sort of study...following lots and lots of pregnant women and their use of acetaminophen and autism in their children...that would be a years long process." | | 38:20 | Jack Armstrong | "It's like writing a soap opera." (on the constant reinvention within conspiracy theory circles) | | 40:26 | Joe Getty | "Guaranteed it wasn't the Jews that killed Charlie Kirk, by the way. It just, it just wasn't. It doesn't make any sense." | | 45:41 | Jack Armstrong | "In Japan, the 711 stores have lots of pretty damn good quality prepared foods..." |

Segment Highlights & Timestamps

• [03:45–08:54] – Reflections on the Kirk memorial, the religious undercurrent, media misconceptions
• [09:00–11:16] – Trump’s eulogy and authenticity, contrast with political calculation
• [12:14–14:39] – Elon Musk at the memorial, Turning Point’s continued growth, the resilience of the movement
• [26:39–30:08] – Trump's autism "breakthrough" announcement and skepticism toward the Tylenol-autism claims
• [19:22–22:55] – Bear and tiger attack stories; personal camping mishap
• [45:03–46:35] – Discussion on American vs. Japanese convenience stores, reflections on everyday life and culture
• [37:01–39:42] – Critical (and humorous) analysis of conspiracy theory mechanics (“writing a soap opera”)
• [40:26] – Explicit debunking of the Mossad/CIA assassination conspiracies
• [47:03–48:15] – Final thoughts: life, friends, and Armstrong’s absence for golf

Overall Tone and Takeaways

• Tone: The episode blends emotional gravity, realism, sarcasm, dark humor, and an insistence on authentic conversation over media caricature or cultish oversimplification. Hosts Armstrong and Getty are skeptical, brash, but also reflective, emphasizing both the seriousness of recent events and the need to keep a critical, evidence-based perspective.
• Main Takeaways:
  • The narrative around Charlie Kirk’s assassination is far deeper—and more spiritual—than political headlines suggest.
  • Public figures (especially Trump and Musk) oscillate between meaningful eulogy, political opportunism, and off-the-cuff candor.
  • America’s political and cultural divides are complicated, with misunderstandings running both ways, worsened by media simplification and online echo chambers.
  • Conspiracy theories are alluring because they function like serialized fiction—a "never ending plot" that appeals to certain audiences.
  • Even amid tragedy, everyday absurdities—from wild animals to retail rituals—anchor the show in humor and relatability.
  • The hosts urge openness and skepticism, especially when politicians or pundits announce world-changing “breakthroughs” without robust evidence.

For listeners seeking context, clarity, and unvarnished reaction to one of the year’s most controversial national tragedies, with trademark Armstrong & Getty irreverence, this episode is essential listening.