Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Episode: "Mansplaining To Lady Boys Would Be Inappropriate"
Date: October 22, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Producer: iHeartPodcasts
Overview
This episode showcases Armstrong & Getty’s signature blend of topical humor, cultural critique, and provocative commentary. The conversation winds through sports news, political polarization, societal “feminization,” changes in historical narrative, the influence of gender in American institutions, and listener reactions—often delivered with irreverence and pointed sarcasm. Notably, the episode revisits and expands upon a controversial essay discussed the previous day about the "feminization" of American institutions, dives into the shifting narrative around civil rights history, and touches on current culture wars and gender norms.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. NBA Season Returns & LeBron’s Longevity
[00:28 – 01:29]
- Excitement about the NBA’s return to NBC; big headlines around Victor Wembanyama (“his defense is so good, France just asked him to guard the Louvre”).
- Praise for LeBron James entering his 23rd season and still being a top-10 player.
- “LeBron's going to his 23rd season still a top 10 player, but for the first time in his career, not the best player on his team…” — Joe Getty [01:20]
2. Political Discourse & Threats Against Moderates
[01:29 – 02:13]
- Mention of Barry Weiss, a moderate liberal, needing bodyguards due to threats from the far left.
- Reflection on risks and intolerance coming from ideological extremes.
3. The Ongoing Debate on “Feminization”
[02:13 – 03:06, 11:12 – 35:50]
- Teasing the continued discussion of Helen Andrews’ essay “The Great Feminization.”
- Summary of the essay: America’s unique situation with women leading major institutions, and how this impacts cultural and political trends (empathy over rationality, safety over risk, cohesion over competition, etc.).
- Numerous listener emails, with overwhelming support (especially from women), agreeing that a balance of masculine and feminine traits is necessary in business, education, law, and religion.
- “Zero pushback and stacks of emails from women saying yes, yes, yes.” — Jack Armstrong [22:42]
- “We operate best as humans with a balance of masculine and feminine attributes and play with each operating in their own place.” — Email from Melinda in Idaho [22:54]
- Discussion of lowering firefighter fitness standards as an example of unintended consequences when diversity mandates override other criteria.
- Critique of discipline’s decline in schools, connecting shifts in school administration gender to less traditional disciplinarian approaches.
- Reflection on rites of passage for boys and girls:
- “I wish I had heard this when I was a dad of young kids. … I love the idea of having an event to signify a change in vision for the kid.” — Email from Josh in Kentucky [32:41]
- In religion, especially Christianity and liberal Judaism, a shift toward emotional and relational focus alongside declining male participation.
4. Shifting Narratives in Civil Rights History
[05:55 – 10:07]
- Review of a new book (“Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope”) arguing that classic histories of the civil rights movement are too optimistic and now considered whitewashing by new progressive critics.
- “So now you have the New York Times reviewing books saying that multiple prize winning books about the civil rights era that lefties loved back when they came out... is now seen as trying to whitewash history.” — Jack Armstrong [06:42]
- Concern that revered figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. may be recast as insufficiently radical by newer activist standards.
- “I just wanted to put this on your radar that I think there's a possibility a turn is going to happen to where Martin Luther King Jr. is seen as kind of a sellout squish.” — Joe Getty [09:48]
5. The “Mansplaining to Lady Boys” Segment
[03:06 – 04:15]
- Anecdote about a murderer in the news referencing an altercation with “lady boys” (Thai transgender women), leading to tongue-in-cheek cultural commentary on terminology and the importance of not “mansplaining.”
- “What am I going to be? Some belligerent western white man to tell the Thais how to refer to their transsexuals?” — Jack Armstrong [03:59]
- “Mansplaining to lady boys what they should be called. That's not appropriate.” — Joe Getty [04:07] (Episode title moment)
6. Kids & School Attendance
[04:15 – 04:54]
- California encourages students with mild illnesses to return to school, challenging COVID-era norms.
- “They're now advocating go to school with a cough or sneeze. You gotta come to school.” — Joe Getty [04:15]
7. Cultural & Political Center vs. Extremes
[11:27 – 12:40]
- Discussion of New York Times editorial calling for Democrats to move to the center, contrasted with ultra-progressive positions in other NYT departments.
- “The partisans are wrong. Moving to the center is way to win.” — referencing the NYT editorial [11:38]
8. Drag Queens & Gender Culture Wars
[14:03 – 15:31]
- Satirical recounting of Jimmy Kimmel’s show featuring a drag queen reading to kids, with hosts mocking the rationale and the cultural battle over gender boundaries.
- “The kids later said, I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. And the drag queen was creepy too. So wow.” — Jack Armstrong [14:26]
- “Radical gender theorists want to erase the lines between men and women. Say there's 55 genders. Those people.” — Jack Armstrong [14:56]
9. Masculinity, Embarrassment, and Social Norms
[15:31 – 17:08]
- Light-hearted segment about fly mishaps and the anxiety of adolescence.
10. Python Hunt in Florida & Reflections on Hunting
[17:09 – 18:54]
- Discussion of the annual Florida python hunt, contrasting recreational hunting and the environmental necessity of removing invasive species.
- “Do I have bloodlust that I don't want to recognize in myself? I want to hunt invasive species.” — Jack Armstrong [18:13]
- Playful banter about making clothing from python skins.
11. Quick Hits & Cultural Observations
- Matcha Mispronunciation — [20:21 – 20:50]
- “What the hell is Matcha? ... That doesn't have those little disgusting balls in the bottom, does it though?” — Joe Getty [20:33]
- Origin of Wokeness & Gender in Institutions — [20:50+]
12. George Santos, Lies, and Redemption (Satire)
[37:01 – 39:20]
- Clips and discussion of disgraced politician George Santos’ (satirical) pledge to mentor youth on truth-telling, recitation of his most egregious lies.
- “When I think of a mentor for my kids, I think of George Santos.” — Jack Armstrong [37:17]
- “He claimed his grandparents were... Holocaust survivors. He's not Jewish and therefore obviously his parents did not survive the Holocaust.” — Joe Getty [38:54]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Civil Discourse & Backlash:
“Larry Summers was not fired from Harvard for saying men and women have different innate abilities in STEM fields... He was fired simply for saying the possibility was worth considering when trying to understand the statistical under-representation of women in STEM fields.” — Email summarized by Jack Armstrong [23:26] -
On Ideological Extremes:
“How can you radicalize black people if they've made tremendous progress in the greatest country for their aspirations that will ever exist? You can't. So you have to convince them that this is a miserable hellhole and they don't have a chance. That's the motivation of these people.” — Jack Armstrong [08:38] -
On Workplace Gender Norms:
“You get a workforce full of under qualified personnel who otherwise wouldn't have been hired. And he's responding to the point that Ms. Andrews makes in her essay that it's an entirely one sided set of standards.” — Jack Armstrong (summarizing an email from a firefighter) [25:10] -
Listener’s Rites of Passage Idea:
“The Bible talks about iron sharpening iron. Men need to challenge other men. So I came up with the idea of selecting three men that I highly respect to have one on one conversations with my son who's about to turn 13 years old... The whole event really had an impact on him.” — Email from Josh in Kentucky [32:41] -
On School Administration & Wokeness:
“Woke curriculum decisions and discipline policies are directly related to the fact that more and more schools are now led by the ladies. As we turn away from having true disciplinarians in our head offices and toward being led by pseudo school psychologists, it's no wonder that our students are suffering from the soft bigotry of low expectations.” — 20-year school marm email [34:42]
Key Segment Timestamps
- NBA & LeBron: 00:28–01:29
- Barry Weiss & Threats: 01:29–02:13
- Feminization Discussion (Setup): 02:13–03:06, 11:12–35:50
- "Mansplaining to Lady Boys": 03:06–04:15
- Schools & Attendance: 04:15–04:54
- Shifting Civil Rights Narratives: 05:55–10:07
- NY Times Editorial & Democrats: 11:27–12:40
- Jimmy Kimmel & Drag Queen Segment: 14:03–15:31
- Listener Emails on Gender & Institutions: 22:41–35:50
- Florida Python Hunt: 17:09–18:54
- George Santos Satire: 37:01–39:20
Tone & Language
The hosts employ their usual irreverence, blending comic exaggeration, biting sarcasm, and serious analysis. Listeners are drawn into controversial topics with humor, directness, and an appeal for discussion over dogma.
Summary for Listeners
This episode is a quintessential Armstrong & Getty installment, combining current events with deep dives into cultural trends and societal shifts. If you’re interested in how the “culture war” is reframed through humor and blunt analysis—and want to hear real listener reactions to challenging ideas—this one’s a can’t-miss. For the full backstory on the “great feminization” theme, check out the prior day's episode as well.