Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: My Eyes Are Glazin'
Date: February 19, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

In "My Eyes Are Glazin'," Armstrong & Getty unpack the latest news on the Prince Andrew/Epstein files, the rapid evolution and social upheaval posed by artificial intelligence, the high-stakes trials facing social media giants, and poke fun at the quirks of modern society—lawsuits over chicken wings, Olympic dogs, and the ever-declining influence of cable news. With their trademark sharp wit, skepticism, and relatable banter, Jack and Joe weave expert commentary and on-the-ground reporting into a lively episode rich with both headline insight and cultural commentary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Prince Andrew & the Epstein Fallout

• [02:00 - 03:15]
  The episode opens with news of Prince Andrew's alleged arrest on his birthday, stemming from the latest Jeffrey Epstein files. Armstrong compares it to nailing Al Capone on lesser charges when the real crimes are harder to prosecute.

  • Quote [02:26 | Jack]:
    "I've heard it described as like they got Al Capone for tax evasion... Everybody assumes that he was sexing up underage girls, but proving it enough to actually charge it with something... they are able to prove that he was giving away information he shouldn't share, which by definition is a state secret to an American billionaire, which ain't cool."

  • Getty suggests it feels like a "we'll get you for something" charge, noting the severe penalties facing Andrew but asserts they won't linger on the topic.

• [03:15 - 04:10]
  The hosts reflect on the ongoing fascination with the Epstein saga, calling it a glimpse into elite circles and their lack of accountability. They segue into pondering the dullness of traditional economics education and their personal experiences with it.

2. The Head-Spinning Pace of AI Change

• [06:20 - 12:00]
  Armstrong & Getty analyze Matt Schumer's viral essay "Something Big is Happening" about the disruptive rise of AI, sharing reactions from key thinkers:

  • Noah Smith: Praises the essay for alerting people to rapidly accelerating AI capabilities.

  • Gary Marcus: Warns against AI "hype," noting coding is a uniquely automatable task and it's misleading to generalize from it.

  • Tyler Cowen: Compares the current AI hysteria to the early COVID-19 days—change will take longer than many expect due to regulatory bottlenecks (e.g., new drugs still need years of FDA trials).

  • Andrew Yang: Doubles down on his "doomer" view—arguing the social contract is about to "be vaporized" and upward mobility will vanish for most.

    • Quote [09:28 | Joe Getty, citing Yang]: "The social contract of study hard, go to school, get a good job, live a decent life is about to be vaporized. Upward mobility for most will be a thing of the past."

  • London School of Economics Professor: AI will change the world, but most white-collar jobs are too "messy" to be fully automated. Automating tasks isn't the same as automating entire jobs.

  • Jack questions whether a future of universal basic income, endless leisure, and video games is utopian or tragic ("What percentage of people would say, 'sign me the hell up?'"), to which Joe admits many would actually welcome that tradeoff, despite the risk of societal malaise and lack of purpose.

3. Social Media & Society: The Great Trial

• [21:19 - 32:00]

  Key Focus: Mark Zuckerberg on the Stand

  • The episode features CBS tech expert Ian Chernis, reporting on Zuckerberg's trial (Facebook/Instagram defending itself from accusations of harming kids through addictive design).

    • Age Verification Issues [21:19 | Jack]:
      "There is no way to currently really verify age... Does parenting play a role at all?"

    • Zuckerberg's Defense [22:07 | Ian Chernis]:
      "His angle was very much about trying to look reasonable... trying to show that there's a good faith effort happening here."

    • Internal Contradictions [25:57 | Jack]:
      "Zuckerberg got up there yesterday and... saying that they 'are not trying to maximize the amount of time people spend every month on Instagram.' That just seems like an obvious lie to me."

    • Addiction Argument [24:27 | Joe Getty]:
      "Did they get into at all the very murky question of what is addiction versus what is, 'this is really fun, I want to do it some more'?"

    • Chernis stresses the critical nature of internal company documents in these trials, as these often reveal more than prepared executive testimony.

  Larger Themes

  • Armstrong & Getty express skepticism at class action lawsuits blaming social media for kids' woes, parrying the blame between corporate responsibility and parenting.
    • [29:55 | Jack Armstrong]:
      "I feel like everybody intuitively knows that this is just bad. We're spending too much time on it. This isn't doing my life any good, but I keep doing it anyway, and I can't stop, which is the definition of an addiction, really."
    • They worry a not-guilty verdict could send the wrong public message about the known harms of compulsive social media use.

4. Society's Oddities: Lawsuits, Markets & More

• Bizarre Lawsuits [15:23 - 16:16]:

  • A frivolous Illinois lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings for "misleading" boneless wings triggers jokes about America's lawsuit culture.
    • Quote [15:55 | Joe Getty]: "That guy seriously ought to be jailed or something. Or I don't — the lawyers, everybody involved should be jailed."

• Stock Market Puzzles [16:48 - 18:30]:

  • Joe comments on the oddity of only half of market sectors surging while the rest lag, yet the market overall looks stable—remarking that this is historically rare and reminiscent of prior financial shocks.

5. Royal Trivia & Public Perception

• [18:46 - 19:49]
  • The hosts joke about Prince Andrew's jail location ("Tower of London"), then try (and mostly fail) to trace the royal family lineage, with both hosts' "eyes glazing" at the complexity—a callback to the episode title.

6. Cable News Ratings: Fox Dominates

• [37:50 - 39:58]
  • Breaking down the latest cable news ratings:
    • Fox News clinches all top 17 slots, with MSNBC's highest show at #18 and CNN at a distant #34.
    • The hosts reflect on the shrinking viewership and relevance of cable news, observing the general public's disinterest, especially in CNN.
      • Quote [39:42 | Joe Getty]: "They are the 78 rpm record of cable news. I'm aware of its existence and it was a quaint old thing, but yeah, who'd watch that?"

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I've heard it described as like they got Al Capone for tax evasion..."
  — Jack Armstrong, [02:26], on how Prince Andrew was finally nailed for a lesser, but provable, crime.

• "The social contract... is about to be vaporized. Upward mobility for most will be a thing of the past."
  — Joe Getty (paraphrasing Andrew Yang), [09:28]

• "I want those people to be right. I want to be hilariously wrong and embarrassed about it for the rest of my life, but that's not the direction I actually lean."
  — Jack Armstrong, [07:57], on hoping AI skeptics are correct.

• "We are not trying to maximize the amount of time people spend every month on Instagram. That just seems like an obvious lie to me."
  — Jack Armstrong, [25:57]

• "That guy seriously ought to be jailed or something... Or the lawyers, everybody involved should be jailed."
  — Joe Getty, [15:55], on the boneless wings lawsuit.

• "They are the 78 rpm record of cable news. I'm aware of its existence and it was a quaint old thing, but..."
  — Joe Getty, [39:42]

Important Timestamps

• 02:00: Prince Andrew arrested; parallels to Al Capone.
• 06:20: AI’s rapid impact—summary and expert takes.
• 09:28: Andrew Yang’s "The social contract will be vaporized" warning.
• 21:19 - 32:00: Zuckerberg's trial, parent responsibility vs. corporate accountability, and the meaning of addiction.
• 15:23: Boneless wings lawsuit segment.
• 16:48: Discussion of a confounding stock market divide.
• 37:50: Breakdown of latest cable news ratings and public relevance.

Tone & Style

Playfully skeptical, conversational, and analytical, the hosts keep things lively and irreverent, mixing cultural critique with genuine concern about societal trends. Expert guests and real reporting are blended seamlessly with humor, personal anecdotes, and candid hot takes.

Summary Takeaway

Armstrong & Getty serve up a brisk, sometimes sardonic survey of the week's oddest headlines—where royalty, robots, and relentless algorithms collide with the realities of human behavior. Despite the eye-glazing complexity and absurdity of modern life, the duo keep it accessible, questioning, and fun for their dedicated audience.