Armstrong & Getty On Demand – "I've Never Actually Had a Jelly Roll"

Date: February 2, 2026
Hosts: Armstrong & Getty
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode of Armstrong & Getty’s “One More Thing” dives into contemporary music culture, artist activism at the Grammys, and the social commentary of modern performers. Lighthearted banter over desserts leads into a pointed critique of political rhetoric from celebrities, spotlighting Billie Eilish’s viral Grammys statement, reactions to on-stage advocacy, and a fresh perspective from country artist Jelly Roll on musicians’ roles in social discourse.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jelly Rolls and Weekend Indulgence

• Dessert Banter: The show opens with Getty revealing he’s never had a jelly roll, sparking playful food talk and a segue into dietary confessions.
  • "I've never actually had a jelly roll." — Getty [00:04]
  • Armstrong jokes about healthy eating: "Well, I've been disciplined this year. Really, really, really good so far." [00:34]
• Both hosts reflect on overindulgence and the temptations of sugary treats.

2. Jelly Roll (The Musician): Redemption and Change

• Jelly Roll’s Backstory: Discussion shifts to the music artist Jelly Roll and his journey from troubled beginnings, crime, and addiction to fame, faith, and physical transformation.
  • Armstrong: "Jelly Roll as a guy who got off track in drugs and jail and crimes... Found God, lost weight, became a giant dog." [00:50]
• A brief aside on weight loss medications (GLP-1s) and skepticism about long-term success without major lifestyle or genetic interventions.

3. The Grammys and Political Activism in Music

• Critical Lens on Award Show Activism: The conversation turns sharp as Armstrong & Getty dissect artists’ political messaging at the recent Grammys.
  • Focus on Billie Eilish’s slogan: “No one is illegal on stolen land.” — Billie Eilish (via Armstrong) [02:19]
  • Memorable Moment: Getty reacts: "Rapturous applause to that communist style, Maoist style slogan." [02:24]
• The hosts express exasperation with what they see as naïve activism by young stars and the repetitive nature of political statements at entertainment events.

4. Notable Celebrity Remarks from the Grammys

• Replay & Reaction:
  • Kehlani’s call to action quote:
    “Everybody is so powerful in this room... together we're stronger in numbers to speak against all the injustice going on in the world right now.” — Kehlani [02:42]
  • Getty quips about the youthfulness of the presenters: "Are they all 15 years old?" [03:08]
  • Armstrong: “Art is so overrated by the artists. I like art... but it’s so overrated by the artists themselves... you're just not [having that much social impact].” [03:10]

5. The Artists' Perspective and Self-Importance

• Getty wonders aloud if Bob Dylan’s reluctance to embrace a “voice of a generation” role was a reaction to similar overblown rhetoric:
  • "I wonder if this is the sort of thing... that made Bob Dylan say, 'Would you stop it? I’m a guitar player.’" [03:48]
• Armstrong notes the difference between artistic talent and meaningful activism, feeling that many entertainers overestimate their societal influence.

6. Reaction to Billie Eilish’s Statement

• Armstrong gives a first-hand account of audience reaction during the awards:
  • “In the crowd, she's like, crazy. And, like two thirds of the people stand up ... and I was like, how dumb are you people? ... You said that's such a dumb freaking statement.” — Armstrong [04:48]
• The hosts distinguish between reasonable arguments about border enforcement and simplistic slogans, dismissing the latter as childish.

7. The Music Industry and Political Statements

• Armstrong argues that overt political commentary limits the music industry's appeal:
  • “We’ve cut off half of our potential market by coming out here and saying all these political things. Why would we want to do that?” [06:57]
• Getty points out naiveté and lack of awareness among young musicians about alternative viewpoints:
  • "You haven't even considered it, much less decided that it's a worse argument than the argument you made. So you're really out of your depth..." [06:33]

8. Jelly Roll’s Refreshing Honesty

• Jelly Roll’s Response to Press: The musician offers a candid, self-effacing take on why people shouldn’t look to him for political analysis:
  • “I can tell you that people shouldn't care to hear my opinion, man. You know, I'm a dumb redneck. I haven't watched enough. I didn't have a phone for 18 months. I've had one for four months and don't have social media... We're just trying to find a way to survive, man, you know.” — Jelly Roll [07:28]
• The hosts praise Jelly Roll’s authenticity and outsider perspective.

9. Emotion vs. Reason in Public Discourse

• Getty and Armstrong debate how emotion drives much of the activism they critique, contrasting emotional appeals with reasoned policymaking.
  • Getty summarizes: “The great divide of people who... are governed by their emotions and those who have their emotions as one of the tools in the toolkit.” [08:38]

10. Billie Eilish’s Image and Cultural Shifts

• The hosts poke fun at Billie Eilish’s various public personas and draw contrasts between past and present pop culture attitudes.
  • Armstrong references a Norm MacDonald bit lampooning solemn land acknowledgments at award shows and reflects on how dramatically the cultural reception has shifted over 30 years. [09:58]

Notable Quotes and Timestamps

• Getty on eating sweets:
  “I've never actually had a jelly roll.” [00:04]

• Armstrong on Jelly Roll’s transformation:
  “Jelly Roll as a guy who got off track in drugs and jail and crimes... Found God, lost weight, became a giant dog.” [00:50]

• Billie Eilish (via Armstrong):
  “No one is illegal on stolen land.” [02:19]

• Getty reacting to political slogans:
  “Rapturous applause to that communist style, Maoist style slogan. Oh, you cut off the end.” [02:24]

• Armstrong on the music industry’s impact:
  “Art is so overrated by the artists... you're just not [changing the world].” [03:10]

• Jelly Roll on being asked for political opinions:
  “People shouldn't care to hear my opinion, man. You know, I'm a dumb redneck... I just... I'm so disconnected from what's happening.” [07:28]

Memorable Moments & Tone

• The episode mixes dry humor, pointed cultural criticism, and moments of genuine reflection—with a tone that is equal parts sardonic and self-aware.
• Noteworthy: Armstrong’s story of the Norm MacDonald bit from the 1990s comparing it to the straight-faced gravitas of modern award show messaging. [09:58]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jelly Roll banter/diet talk: [00:04–00:34]
• Jelly Roll’s rise and transformation: [00:50–01:33]
• Grammys reactions & Billie Eilish slogan: [02:19–04:48]
• Music, activism, and Bob Dylan: [03:48–04:16]
• Armstrong’s critique of political messaging: [04:48–06:57]
• Jelly Roll’s statement: [07:28–08:15]
• Emotion vs. reason in activism: [08:38–09:36]
• Norm MacDonald award show anecdote: [09:58–11:11]

Final Thoughts

This episode takes aim at the gap between musical stardom and informed social activism, roasting both the content and tone of celebrity political statements. While the hosts enjoy plenty of light, irreverent banter, they ultimately call for humility and caution around the “self-importance” of Hollywood and music stars—applauding Jelly Roll’s honesty while critiquing what they see as the shallow activism dominating the industry’s biggest stages.