Pick Up The F-ing Trash

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand Episode: "Pick Up The F-ing Trash" Release Date: January 10, 2025

Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts

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1. Arson and Wildfires in Los Angeles

The episode opens with a discussion about the alarming increase in wildfires in Los Angeles, spurred by rumors of arsonists allegedly incited by various celebrities.

• Henry Winkler (00:24): "Fonzie thinks an arsonist is causing all these fires... Henry Winkler, the Fonz tweeted out yesterday there's an arsonist here in LA. May you be beaten. Unrecognizable."

• Joe Getty (00:54): "Wow. Hey Fonz, we're with you."

Henry elaborates on the situation, highlighting that aside from a homeless individual arrested with a lighter, no arsonists have been conclusively identified for the major fires. He questions why terrorist groups like Al Qaeda or ISIS haven't exploited these wildfires for their agendas, suggesting strategic intelligence on their part.

• Henry Winkler (01:48): "I have always wondered why Al Qaeda or ISIS, whoever, didn't take this tactic with terrorist activity over the years."

Joe acknowledges the chilling nature of the situation, leading into a broader commentary on local governance.

2. Dysfunction in Blue Cities

The hosts delve into a critical analysis of blue-state municipalities, particularly focusing on California's struggles with governance amidst idealistic policies.

• Joe Getty (02:14): "A thought-provoking think piece on why virtually every blue city in America has gone completely sideways... Got a lot of stuff to squeeze in final hour of the week."

They reference Noah Rothman's article from the National Review, which cites Nat Glaesner's 1993 lecture on urban dysfunction. The discussion emphasizes how cities have abandoned their fundamental responsibilities—like infrastructure maintenance and public safety—in favor of lofty, often unattainable goals such as eradicating racism and income inequality.

• Noah Rothman Quote (18:XX): "New York... stopped trying to do the kinds of things a city can do and started trying to do the kinds of things a city cannot do."

3. Climate Change Debate

A significant portion of the episode critiques how climate change is frequently invoked as a catch-all explanation for various crises, arguing that it diverts attention from tangible governance failures.

• Henry Winkler (07:59): "You can't just say it's Karen Bass the mayor. You can't just say it's Gavin Newsom."

• Joe Getty (10:29): "It's so weak. Anytime a politician cites climate change because of a crisis, you can't look at that neutrally."

They discuss data from Los Angeles Airport showing historically low rainfall, challenging the common climate change narratives. The hosts argue that even if one accepts human-driven climate change, the solutions are neither immediate nor within the scope of municipal governance.

• Henry Winkler (09:26): "There's nothing. If Donald Trump went full Al Gore today, you couldn't affect, I'm assuming, the worldwide temperature by a tenth of a degree over the next decade."

4. Political Critique and Local Governance Failures

The conversation shifts to specific political figures and decisions impacting Los Angeles, particularly Mayor Karen Bass's budget cuts to the fire department.

• Joe Getty (22:08): "California is a prime example of this woeful phenomenon... Angelenos have long elevated."

• Henry Winkler (24:07): "Joe Scarborough blamed LA's fire hellscape on slashed spending... a complete failure of government as he ripped government at all levels for causing this problem."

The hosts criticize how political agendas overshadow essential services, leading to inadequate responses to emergencies like wildfires. They argue that prioritizing ideological goals over basic public safety and infrastructure has led to California's current predicament.

5. Technology and Robotics at CES 2025

Shifting gears, the episode covers highlights from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, focusing on advancements in humanoid robotics.

• Henry Winkler (28:23): "Realbotics, the company behind Aria and other humanoid robots, say it's focused on social intelligence, customizability, and realistic human features."

They discuss "Aria," a humanoid robot designed for companionship and intimacy, critiquing its design and the implications of such technology in society.

• Joe Getty (30:20): "They couldn't find a tracksuit that fit... Did they get down south?"

The hosts humorously speculate about the robot's functionalities and societal impacts, highlighting both fascination and apprehension towards increasingly human-like robots.

6. Final Thoughts: The Need for Basic Governance

In their concluding segment, Joe Getty and Henry Winkler reinforce the episode's central theme: the failure of current governance models to address fundamental public needs.

• Joe Getty (34:11): "Anytime a politician starts to launch into their grand plans for fixing what's wrong with humanity, ask them if they're gonna pick up the trash, if they're gonna have enough cops on the streets to keep your family safe."

They advocate for a return to "blocking and tackling" of essential services, urging voters to demand competency and prioritize basic governance over ideological purity.

• Henry Winkler (34:35): "Armstrong and Getty wrapping up another grueling four-hour workday."

The episode closes with a call to action for listeners to prioritize fundamental public services and hold elected officials accountable for providing basic necessities.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Henry Winkler (00:24): "Fonzie thinks an arsonist is causing all these fires... May you be beaten. Unrecognizable."

• Joe Getty (02:14): "A thought-provoking think piece on why virtually every blue city in America has gone completely sideways."

• Henry Winkler (09:26): "If Donald Trump went full Al Gore today, you couldn't affect the worldwide temperature by a tenth of a degree over the next decade."

• Joe Getty (10:29): "It's so weak. Anytime a politician cites climate change because of a crisis, you can't look at that neutrally."

• Henry Winkler (24:07): "You can't just say it's Karen Bass the mayor. You can't just say it's Gavin Newsom."

• Joe Getty (34:11): "Anytime a politician starts to launch into their grand plans for fixing what's wrong with humanity, ask them if they're gonna pick up the trash."

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Conclusion

"Pick Up The F-ing Trash" serves as a critical examination of modern urban governance, particularly in blue states like California. Armstrong and Getty, with insightful commentary and sharp wit, dissect the interplay between ideological policies and the erosion of fundamental public services. Coupled with discussions on climate change and technological advancements, the episode underscores the urgent need for competent local governance focused on essential public needs over abstract political agendas.

For those seeking a candid and comprehensive analysis of contemporary urban challenges, this episode offers a compelling listen, enriched with poignant quotes and thought-provoking insights.

Transcript

[Joe Getty]

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio Studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center.

[Jack Armstrong]

Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty.

[Henry Winkler]

Fonzie thinks an arsonist is causing all these fires. Among other celebrities. The police and fire department are trying to combat their rumors or accusations. Henry Winkler, an actor better known for more recent shows than what he starred in in the 70s, I guess. Yes. On Netflix and whatnot. But Henry Winkler, the Fonz tweeted out yesterday there's an arsonist here in la. May you be beaten. Unrecognizable.

[Joe Getty]

Wow. Hey Fonz, we're with you.

[Henry Winkler]

Yeah, cool.

[Joe Getty]

Thumbs up.

[Henry Winkler]

Singer Chris Brown, who I believe has beaten people. I don't know if I'm recognizable or not. Girlfriends or whatnot.

[Joe Getty]

Including girlfriend. Yeah.

[Henry Winkler]

Took to his Instagram stories on Thursday and wrote someone starting these fires s don't add up. Some Dancing with the Star celebrity I've never heard of said there are five men going around, ski masks starting the fires. Keep an eye out in all caps. Anyway, other than a homeless guy that was arrested with a lighter for the Hollywood area fire which they got under control, I believe there haven't been arsonists nailed down for the two biggest fires. I have always wondered why Al Qaeda or isis, whoever didn't take this tact with a terrorist activity over the years.

[Joe Getty]

Interesting question. I don't know. They haven't as far as I can tell.

[Henry Winkler]

Yeah. And I'm not in the business of giving him ideas. I just assume that there, there's a reason why they haven't, that they're smart enough. They put a lot of thought into this. But it seems like if you had a dozen guys in the country and you picked a particular day and did a little research. California, Arizona, where you know, wherever fires get completely out of control, you could do a hell of a lot of damage.

[Joe Getty]

Sure. Yeah. Yeah. Chilling stuff. So a little closer to home and manageable I think is the question of who is in what office. And an absolutely thought provoking think piece on why virtually every blue city in America has gone completely sideways. And it's, it's, it's more than just kind of the obvious ABC 1, 2, 3 stuff. It's kind of a philosophical view of their jobs that I think you'll enjoy. Got a lot of stuff to squeeze in final hour of the week. But first let's take a fond look back at the week that was. It's cow clips of the week.

[Henry Winkler]

And I know a lot of.

[Joe Getty]

There's a lot of freak out. This is cow quips of the week.

[Jack Armstrong]

The country is on edge.

[Joe Getty]

Inside they discovered a steel galvanized pipe with two end caps surrounded by two dozen rolls of nails. This is not a terrorist event.

[Henry Winkler]

We also need to be stronger together by overcoming an addiction to def divisiveness and negativity. The Palisades fire. Burning homes and forcing thousands to run for their lives. A word to describe what we're seeing is just apocalyptic.

[Jack Armstrong]

And emergency personnel had to take a.

[Henry Winkler]

Bulldozer to just bulldoze them out of the way.

[Joe Getty]

They put up the hoses, the water ran dry. The local folks are trying to figure that out.

[Henry Winkler]

There were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation that we were dealing with.

[Joe Getty]

Imagine all the people.

[Henry Winkler]

And one of the best ways to demonstrate that they were regular folks is to take them by that home. First of all, it looks like they might have built it themselves. Second of all, my grandfather was likely to show up at the door in some 70s short shorts and crocs. Character, character, character. What were you talking to Barack Obama about? It did look very friendly. I must say it's one of most awkward moments in American politics.

[Joe Getty]

Donald J. Trump of the state of Florida has received 312 votes. Kamala D. Harris.

[Henry Winkler]

We're gonna get back to our roots.

[Joe Getty]

We're eliminating the third party fact checking system.

[Kate Sanchez]

I'm a little concerned. I mean this is like Chipotle announcing that it's ending health inspections. You know what I'm saying?

[Henry Winkler]

We need Greenland for national security purposes. We were talking to him yesterday. So he says, hello everyone in Greenland. We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

[Joe Getty]

President Biden, meanwhile, says he thinks he.

[Henry Winkler]

Could have beaten Donald Trump. I think it's nuts to think that he would have won that election. I know more world leaders than any one of you ever met in your whole goddamn life. I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister. And you know, we really need to pace ourselves if we're going to freak out over last tweet.

[Joe Getty]

We will fight hard.

[Henry Winkler]

Fight hard for the freedom to vote.

[Joe Getty]

Why are you such a nerd, bro? Who shot who? Somebody shot me. Everybody. Everybody.

[Henry Winkler]

Good.

[Joe Getty]

That it won't be the clip of the year but who shot who?

[Henry Winkler]

That whole exchange. Somebody got shot. Very, very nonplussed about the whole sit.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Henry Winkler]

For some reason this popped into my head during eclipse week. There's a bunch of stuff there earlier in the week. Like that was this week that wasn't Six months ago, the terrorist attack and all that sort of stuff. Geez. Oh, the way we turn the page on stories. You know, the fire is such a big story. It wiped out everything else. And I want to talk about climate change in a second, but first on this. We were watching and laughing at an AI fake video of Kamala and Jill fighting each other in the pew at the Carter funeral. It's not real. But the real part where Joe and Dr. Jill come in and sit down next to Kamala. Man, that is chilly. Kamala doesn't even look at her. She doesn't look at them. I mean, you're sitting right next to people that are supposed to be your close co workers, and you don't even look at them. Kamala handled handing the presidency over to Donald Trump and announcing the votes and everything like that better than she handled, easier than she handled having to sit next to Joe Biden and his wife.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. I think just like Biden has a deep and abiding hatred for Obama, Kamala can't stand old man Biden.

[Henry Winkler]

It's just interesting. She was able to stuff down her disappointment, resentment, everything about losing to Donald Trump, the election much easier than she was able to stuff it down sitting next to Joe and his wife. And it's got to be that his wife, because she probably thinks the same thing. I think his brain don't work. You're the evil bee that kept him running. You're the one that caused all this. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. That's what she was thinking.

[Joe Getty]

Well, and to recap a couple of discussions we've had in recent days, her ego is kept intact in spite of the fact that she got absolutely waxed by Donald Trump by the fact that, well, Biden got out too late and he screwed her and the campaign was short. So that's her excuse for herself, but her excuse was sitting next to her Biden and his evil, evil wife. So, yeah, she can't. She despises them.

[Henry Winkler]

You can't get away from the climate change discussion on any of the mainstream news around the fire or any other. Any other. Anything that happens, really. Pretty much anything that happens. Somehow climate change plays a role. Two things on that. One, and I'm not a climate denier or proponent, as I've said many times on this show, for whatever reason, it's a topic I've decided not to look into. I just don't I topics I look into to great depth. Not this one, but it did come across this, and this is accurate reporting. It's from Los Angeles Airport's own data. It's not unusual for Los Angeles to be bone dry in December into January. Since 1944, since they've been keeping records in the 30 days prior to January 9th, 13 years have received between none and a tenth of an inch of rain, including this year. But it happened in 54, 61, 64, 67. We had quite a run there in the mid-60s where you would have been able to make some sort of argument about climate change or something. Lots of years. So there's always the data that gets very confusing on the are we having more hurricanes or not or is it drier or not or whatever. But even without that, even if you buy into the whole climate man made change, everything like that, there's no turning it around quickly. Not a chance. So why waste any time in the midst of a crisis discussing that? It seems like such an easy out for the conversation.

[Joe Getty]

Well, right. That's exactly what it is. That's the answer of why on msnbc.

[Henry Winkler]

Excuse on MSNBC or CNN or wherever to once they get to the climate change thing, then it's the evil Republicans or Trump or whoever who's stopping things. There is nothing. If Donald Trump went full Al Gore today, you couldn't affect, I'm assuming the worldwide temperature by a tenth of a degree over the next decade, let alone fix what's going to happen this summer fire wise. So why even talk about it?

[Joe Getty]

You know, it's the Simpsons were not now a show of the left ought to have a scene where, you know, Marge comes home and and Homer's left the bathtub running and the house is flooded and ruined and the dog hasn't been fed for a week and Bart hasn't gone to school or whatever. When she asks him why, he says I don't know climate change. Because that is the all purpose, all encompassing excuse for bad policy. This happened because of climate change and so the soft headed voters are distracted from mismanagement and bad government and. Oh right, climate change. I've heard about that.

[Henry Winkler]

Yeah, I don't know. It's not like a lot of policy decisions where you decide you're against the war. We could pull the troops out tomorrow or something. You could really make a radical change. There's no radical changes to be made on the whole climate thing. Even if you believe in it.

[Joe Getty]

Right. Even if you had superpowers, it would take ages to make a real difference and we don't have superpowers and India and China. End of discussion. Yeah, it's so Weak. Anytime a politician cites climate change because of a crisis, you can't look at that neutrally. You know, some people look at it positively, oh, I'm glad he's standing up for climate change. Well, you're an idiot and shouldn't vote. But don't even look at it neutrally. Say, oh, I know this one, this is their dodge. And then think about the things that they're dodging because that's almost always the way it's used. You've been talking about climate change for like 15 years now. So why didn't you do something about the XYZ we're talking about? Well, climate change.

[Henry Winkler]

It's easy to be susceptible to these arguments because I even have fallen for the. Yeah, it does seem colder, wetter, drier, windier, whatever than it used to. But then I'll see some stats laid out like the ones we just talked about and thought, okay, you have yours where this is worse, that's better. Sometimes a couple years row, then it goes back to normal. This is the way it is.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. Yeah, indeed.

[Henry Winkler]

Hey.

[Joe Getty]

It's frustrating, is it? Well, yeah. I'm just thinking about the electorate and our leaders and the way it's supposed to work and how it doesn't if you're.

[Henry Winkler]

I just saw the least sympathetic couple from the fire thing that I've seen yet. I thought cnn, you're not doing a good job here because just because you're rich you don't deserve to have your home burnt down or doesn't mean it's not awful. It's a lot less awful for you than the paycheck to paycheck people. No doubt you can go to a hotel and it's a headache as opposed to a disaster. I mean there's just no doubt the more money you have. But anyway, they're interviewing this couple in there, one of those Mercedes SUVs that are designed to climb mountains but people only drive them to yoga.

[Joe Getty]

One of those that are crazy like.

[Henry Winkler]

A quarter of a million dollar car. So you got a couple sitting in there. He, they're both like 60, he's got ridiculously long blonde hair for a 60 year old rich guy wearing a puffy vest in his Mercedes. And she's got the big giant lips and her skin's way too tight. And I thought this is not the right couple to have on CNN to get your crowd to feel all sympathetic and warm and fuzzy about it.

[Joe Getty]

Just.

[Henry Winkler]

It ain't, it ain't even working for me.

[Joe Getty]

I don't, I don't know that that's what CNN ought to be doing anyway. But no, I, I see your point.

[Henry Winkler]

We got a lot more on the way. Our text line is 415 295-K-FTC-PMSTRONG and GETTY. According to the odds makers, closest game of the NFL playoffs this weekend, the Monday night game. Vikings Rams in Arizona because they can't play a game in Los Angeles. The Vikings are just two and a half point favorites. All the other ones are a little wider than that.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, yeah, there's some great games too. I'm a newly minted Detroit Lions fan.

[Henry Winkler]

Oh, how do you not find?

[Joe Getty]

I got a couple of friends who are native Detroiters who are just dyed in the wool. I mean have suffered for years. So anyway, enjoy the feats ball over the weekend folks. Thought we'd lend a hand here to a kindred spirit trying to do a good thing. This is calunicornia Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez. Kate, take it away.

[Jack Armstrong]

Hello, I'm Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez. Women's sports have long been a symbol of dedication, perseverance and opportunity. As a former high school athlete, I know this is a space where young women can compete fairly, achieve their dreams and showcase their talents. But today that fairness is being stripped away. When biological men are allowed to compete in women's sports, it creates an unfair playing field. Young women who have spent years training, sacrificing and earning their place to compete at the highest level are now being forced to compete against individuals with undeniable biological advantages. It's not just unfair, it's disheartening and dangerous for girls. This is about more than competition, it's about safety. Whether in contact sports, locker rooms or shared spaces, these policies place our daughters at risk. We cannot ignore the physical and emotional toll this takes. I will always advocate for fairness, opportunity and protection of women and girls in sports. It's time to restore integrity to women's athletics and ensure that every young woman has a fair and safe chance to compete.

[Joe Getty]

I'm not sure why everything has to have a musical background these days, but thank you. AB12. I'm sorry. That was the old law that let boys play against girls in sports. But she's trying to pass a law that changes that.

[Henry Winkler]

So I would think.

[Joe Getty]

I think there's overwhelming support for that even in calunicornia. Yeah, I think I gotta believe it's.

[Henry Winkler]

Easily a majority position.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, yeah. This. The law has existed in California since 2013, signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown letting a people be permitted to participate in sex segregated school programs and activities consistent with their gender identity, letting boys play against girls and beat the hell out of them. It's just unbelievable. And they quote a couple of high school coaches. California Globe has some great coverage of the story. Talking about this law did was suddenly have men saying they were transgender identifying as women to compete on their teams. We've had a lot of wrestling teams suddenly have huge wrestlers who now identify as women dominating women's wrestling and swimming and other physical sports.

[Henry Winkler]

Wow.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Henry Winkler]

My favorite one to hate was that like 40 year old giant dude who played junior college basketball in the Bay area for a community college team just.

[Joe Getty]

Backing over poor little girls who were trying to play college basketball.

[Henry Winkler]

He still had eligibility because he didn't go to college. So he goes to juco, is a 40 year old dude and plays women's juco basketball.

[Joe Getty]

If you're in favor of that, you have a mental illness and should get it treated. And I say that with compassion and love. But get it treated. Why do all the lefty cities go sideways? Great explanation coming up.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Kate Sanchez]

Well, guys, some big news from Washington tomorrow. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether the federal government can ban TikTok. It's expected to be the first time a Supreme Court justice says the word skibidi toilet should be an interesting case. The justices will start scrolling through evidence, then two hours later look up like, what was he doing again?

[Henry Winkler]

It'll be interesting to follow this whole TikTok thing. I have no idea how it's going to turn out.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, really interesting set of legal questions there that we won't get into now. But nobody wants to ban TikTok, by the way. They just want to not let the Chinese Communist Party run it. And there are laws against hostile foreign powers running things that happen in the United States. So we'll, you know, we'll consider that as it goes. Can't wait to hear the, the arguments. Ah, so this is terrific. I'm going to quote some of a piece by Noah Rothman, who writes for the National Review and is an incredibly smart guy. He has a vocabulary, vocabulary that makes mine look like an 8 year old. One of those guys who apparently swallowed a dictionary as a small child and knows all the words. He's talking about why cities are so dysfunctional. And he quotes a 1993 lecture from a guy by the name of Nat Glaesner who's actually Talking about the 1960s and the dysfunction in American cities. And he says New York by way of an example, stopped trying to do, well, the kinds of things a city can do and started trying to do the kinds of things a city cannot do. The city subordinated keeping its streets and bridges in repair, building new facilities to accommodate the new needs in a shifting population, picking up garbage, policing the public environment, that sort of thing. It gave those up in favor of grander objectives. But in the pursuit of these lofty goals, cities stopped doing the things cities know how to do and started trying to do things no one knows how to do. I'm quoting. Among the things it can't do are redistributing income on a large scale and solving the social and personal problems of people who, for whatever reason are engaged in self destructive behavior. He added. And Rossman writes, even if America's municipal officials did know how to end the scourge of racism, eradicate poverty and change the weather, that is not within their job descriptions. And Glazer concluded his lecture with the prophetic observation that cities can quickly restore elementary governmental functionality if that's what the people vote for.

[Henry Winkler]

Including obviously fighting fires, which is hot feel, pardon the expression this week. You know, on that one part, I don't know if you get anywhere with the argument that the government shouldn't be doing these things because there's just too many people that want the government to do those things. I think maybe the better argument is the first part of they're unaccomplishable. It's not something anyone could do, whether you think it's in their job description or not.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, boy, either way, it's tough to convince people. Maybe you can convince them, no, city government can't cure all human suffering. Leave that to the Fed.

[Henry Winkler]

Oh God.

[Joe Getty]

But anyway, Glazer obviously and Noah hint that, you know, Rudy Giuliani came along and did precisely what he's talking about, said, yeah, we don't have grand, you know, ethereal goals. We're gonna get the garbage picked up. And they point out, only when voters no longer accept excuses from their government leaders does the public see proficiency in municipal government. And we'll get to that broader theme in a second. But there's more great writing. Democratic elected officials at the highest levels of local, state and federal government excel when they are tasked only with wax grandiloquent about the metaphysical ills that plague American society. That is their core competency, making grand promises and inciting these insurmountable problems that they're going to fix. Indeed, they're often prone to subordinate the elementary functions of government to virtuous abstractions. And when those misplaced priorities give way to a level of maladministration their constituencies resent those abstractions, provide a convenient excuse to justify their failures. The scourge of climate change, the rapacious capitalist enterprises, the prejudice in men's hearts, it's all just too much to overcome. So they like make these speeches about how if you elect me, I'll overcome the prejudice in men's hearts. And then when your country, when your city rather goes to crap, you say, well, it's because of the prejudice that lurks in men's hearts. It like works before and after, right?

[Henry Winkler]

I mean, there's too many places where you can't get elected by saying, if I'm elected person in charge, we will continue to pick up the garbage on the stated day for your neighborhood. We'll continue to have clean water and we'll have a parade every Fourth of July. The end, right?

[Joe Getty]

And we won't let scumbags rob your children on the way to school. We'll get junkies out of the park. No, you gotta solve racism.

[Henry Winkler]

Yeah, I, I, maybe it's because so many people take for granted the garbage getting picked up and, you know, the cops trying to keep your neighborhood safer, whatever. Because I was thinking about a lot of places in the Middle east and Africa, for instance, where things go to hell. And the reason an ISIS or an Al Qaeda or some other scumbag group can come in and get the support of the population is they pick up the trash and they make the neighborhood safe. Like the very core things that government should do. That's what people want done.

[Joe Getty]

They chop off a couple of arms and the thieves quit.

[Henry Winkler]

ISIS didn't take over a village and get their support because they said, we're going to end income inequality or racism or anything like that. Pick up the garbage and make it safe.

[Joe Getty]

Right. So getting back to Rothman's piece, California is a prime example of this woeful phenomenon Angelenos have long elevated. Politicians believe they have a writ to, for example, quote, eliminate racial disparities and achieve equality and equity by disrupting harmful trends and transforming systems and policies. Those are the very words of Cynthia Mitchell Herd, president of the LA Urban League. It was that outlook that led LA Mayor Karen Bass to treat the fire's department. I'm sorry, to treat the city's fire department as a social experiment. The deadly wildfires that have leveled whole neighborhoods this week have made her decision. Bass decision to cut the city's fire department budget by almost $18 million seemed pretty short sighted. That was in fact a compromise on her part. She had sought $23 million in cuts amid the city's efforts to contain its growing bums and junkies problem, he says. Homelessness. I use the proper term. Bass inherited from her predecessor, Eric Garcetti, an initiative designed to solve the problem of too few women vol to be firefighters. A problem that persists perhaps because too few women want to be firefighters. The city seemed focused more on ensuring that the LAFD flatter its leaders ideological pretensions than on whether it was optimized to fight fires. And he makes fun of Karen Bass a bit more. Go ahead.

[Henry Winkler]

So you expect that out of the National Review they're right. But you expect that from them. What we're excited about is all these celebrity types in LA who are starting to say the same sort of thing. Or Joe Scarborough. I actually saw this this morning on msnbc. He's a lifelong Republican conservative, as you all know. He's abandoned all that stuff since he got rich and famous and all that. But Joe Scarborough blamed LA's fire hellscape on slashed spending, quote, a complete failure of government as he ripped government at all levels for causing this problem and went on to say, you can't just say it's Karen Best the mayor. You can't. You can't just say it's Gavin Newsom. This has been a trend for 30 years in California. It's a failure of the government at all levels. Glad to hear that.

[Joe Getty]

Right in Karen Bass defense. Then I'll skip to the end she was she ran on eliminating racial disparities and achieving equality and equity by disrupting harmful trends and transforming systems and policies. Anyway, to get to the Noah's conclusion, which I think is great, for years, the boutique priorities of influential but minority interests have crowded out elementary good governance. The problem is pronounced in California, but is apparent any in any locale where the blue state model is practiced, Democratic elected officials stopped doing the things municipal officials know how to do the unglamorous work of public life and made themselves champions of the glossy causes that reward them with attention and donor contributions. Democrats are wildly overconfident in their ability to not just govern competently, but to solve intractable conundrums that plague modern life. That delusion has produced intolerable dysfunction. Until voters in blue locales start demanding basic competence of their politicians first and ideological purity second, they will be rewarded with more of the same.

[Henry Winkler]

That's 100% true. I don't like our chances.

[Joe Getty]

No, it reminds me of that brilliant piece Nellie Bowles wrote. Before I knew who Nellie Bowles was, she's the wife of and co person in charge of the Free Press now, which is doing great journalism. But she was the one who wrote that incredible piece about San Francisco and how it becomes so incredibly dysfunctional. And she is a dyed in the wool liberal. Had to admit that, look, policies have results. People are dying on the streets. This is not kindness, this is cruelty. This does not work. Good for her and good for Noah Rothman. They're both 100% right.

[Henry Winkler]

Well, there's the never let a crisis go to waste thing where maybe you take this opportunity to point this stuff out. I'm just kind of hoping that people becomes obvious to people on their own. Well, this isn't working. So we got to change, try something different. I don't think it's going to be turning to Republicans, but maybe even just moderate Democrats as opposed to whack jobs.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, there are plenty of examples where somebody's really an R, but they call themselves a D. Like the, the guy who just got elected mayor of San Francisco in, in San Francisco, he's an R. Oh, absolutely. That's fine. Put whatever letter next to your name. Just get the blocking and tackling of government. Right?

[Henry Winkler]

Yeah. I don't, I don't remember, did I talk about this for the whole network or just for our local stuff that I was in San Francisco day after Christmas, two days after Christmas. It was the cleanest I'd seen the city streets maybe ever, certainly in a very, very long time. I mean, the streets were physically clean. Like they'd been scrubbed. They were shiny and clean. And you would look down alleys and see zero trash. And I saw like two street people the whole time when I was bumping around. And I. One street person that I saw by the cable cars, all the tourists were lined up to get on the cable cars and there were tourists there because it was day after Christmas, two days after Christmas, there was somebody from the city talking to the homeless guy, telling him where he needed to go, convincing him where I need to go, the one homeless guy that was there. So I don't know if already the new mayor has had that in sort of influence or what.

[Joe Getty]

But, but, but, but, but the city hasn't cured racism. They haven't ended inequity. They haven't cured all hunger. Pick up the effing trash.

[Henry Winkler]

No kidding. We will finish strong.

[Jack Armstrong]

Next, Armstrong and Getty.

[Henry Winkler]

I've never been to the ces, as they call it, the Consumer Electronics Show. It's going on in Las Vegas right now where companies roll out their latest, greatest everything and you know, it used to be laptops and it was the Internet of everything for a long time. And then, you know, various trends come and go. Drones were really big. A couple years ago reading one of the reviews in CNET from their tech person. This $175,000 robot is almost human. We interviewed it at CES 2025. They're speaking with Aria. This is one of the robots I showed you a picture of Joe. Like, oh, super hot 23 year old blonde chick. It's a robot. Robots were around every corner during CES 2025 this week. But there was one, but there was one that got very close to sounding and looking actually human. They interviewed real Botics is the name of the company's Aria, a blonde female, they put in quotes robot who answered questions which just a touch of robotic awkwardness. I found this kind of funny. Aria, dressed in a black very tight track suit, hesitated briefly after each question before launching into a speech with long responses. She came across as a weird blend of attentive and mildly inebriated. That might be on purpose. So the hot blondes comes off as.

[Joe Getty]

Slightly drunk, but really attentive.

[Henry Winkler]

I don't think that's an accident. And realbotics, it sounds like here, is kind of trying to pretend they don't know what these are going to be used for. Realbotics, the company behind Aria and other humanoid robots, say it's focused on social intelligence, custom customizability and realistic human features. They're also designed specifically for companionship and intimacy. Arya actually told them that when they interviewed her. I'm for intimacy.

[Joe Getty]

Katie.

[Michaelangelo]

I, I watched the video of this chick and it's 2025. Can we get away from the Pirates of the Caribbean animatronics things? She does a lot of robot movements.

[Henry Winkler]

General artificial intelligence is behind the robot's ability to engage in real time conversations. Though Arya wouldn't reveal the details about the programming since a robot is designed for more emotional interactions and other robots, they could find their niche working in hospitals and theme parks. Yeah, okay, yeah, possibly that's not what this guy's. That's not why this guy's designing this one to look this way and dressing it that way so it can work in a hospital somewhere and clean bed.

[Joe Getty]

Tight, tight little tracksuit that bears its belly. Yeah, that's funny. They couldn't find a tracksuit that fit.

[Henry Winkler]

Right or a nurse's outfit to drive home the point that it'd be great for working in hospitals.

[Joe Getty]

I don't, I don't want to steal Your thunder. But did they get down south?

[Henry Winkler]

No.

[Joe Getty]

Do they have functioning robogenitals?

[Henry Winkler]

I'm sure that's an option. Clamp that baby right off. Things go wrong. There are around 17 motors from the neck up to create mouth and eye movements. If you don't like Arya's face, you can replace it with others that magnetically attach to the head. You want some strange? You can switch out hairstyles and colors, too.

[Michaelangelo]

So you could, like, go through a breakup and then bring out a new robot, like, this is my new girlfriend.

[Joe Getty]

But then be ashamed of it and call the original robot back and say, I didn't. I don't know what I was thinking.

[Henry Winkler]

That is hilarious. Katie. Go through a breakup. Whatever the hell that would mean. You have an argument and you put a different face on her. That's it. I'm done with you. Tired of your face.

[Joe Getty]

I'm tired of your algorithms. I don't know. I just need something different.

[Michaelangelo]

What planet are you?

[Joe Getty]

Me? That's bull crap.

[Henry Winkler]

So the loaded version that they showed there was $175,000. Hmm.

[Joe Getty]

But they don't mention the. The RGS.

[Henry Winkler]

The what?

[Joe Getty]

The Robo genitals.

[Michaelangelo]

You think that would be a big part of this?

[Henry Winkler]

It. If it isn't, it will be. Hey, kids. It's that time again.

[Joe Getty]

With Armstrong and Getty.

[Henry Winkler]

Hey, Aria. You're sque. Squeezing a little hard. Squeeze a little hard. Ow. Ow.

[Michaelangelo]

I hold you to a higher standard than Robo genitals.

[Joe Getty]

What? That was informative.

[Henry Winkler]

And I just. Drama. Dramatize. Did a drama of how things could go wrong.

[Joe Getty]

That was great.

[Henry Winkler]

Here's your host for final thoughts. Joe Getty.

[Joe Getty]

Hey, let's get a final thought from everybody on the crew to wrap things up for the day, which is obviously overdue. Michelangelo, our technical director, will lead the way. Michael. Okay, I'm giving you a quick scenario. Joe, you got a best friend. Best friend in the world. He wants you and Judy to go out with him and his robotic girlfriend.

[Henry Winkler]

You do it. That's when we've crossed a line where I've got to pretend your girlfriend is real somehow. Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

No, I make a mistake. Unless there's some wild extenuating circumstances. I'm sorry. I make an excuse and just. No, no, I'm sorry. I can't. We're busy that day. I didn't tell you what day. And we're busy that one, too. Katie Greener. Steven named Newswoman. As a final thought.

[Michaelangelo]

Katie, we'd have an influx of 911 calls because these things malfunction and guys get stuck in her.

[Henry Winkler]

Oh, wow.

[Joe Getty]

That's not funny. It's. It's painful. Jack, a final thought for us.

[Henry Winkler]

As I said the other day, I. I became aware of a group of people that have kind of like relationships with some robot girls they just chat with. I mean, this is not even the robot. This is just the voice on a computer. So I. For real, no joking at all. I think this is going to be a thing and soon.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. Wow. My final thought is to recap the stuff we were talking about earlier in the hour. Anytime a politician starts to launch into their grand plans for fixing what's wrong with humanity, ask them if they're gonna pick up the trash, if they're gonna have enough cops on the streets to keep your family safe, that sort of thing. Back to brass tack Tax America.

[Henry Winkler]

Armstrong and Getty wrapping up another grueling four hour workday.

[Joe Getty]

So many people. Thanks. A little time. Go to armstrongandgetty.com you can buy one of these fabulous hoodies I'm wearing right now. The Ang Adidas hoodie at the store. Drop us lines. There's something we ought to be talking about. [e-mail] we will see you Monday.

[Henry Winkler]

God bless America.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Henry Winkler]

And I said, boy, they look like two people that like each other. These are the kind of guys you like to smack in the ass. Gets nuts. It's just the way it is. I can't imagine a more beautiful thing.

[Joe Getty]

And I'll just say this and I mean it.

[Kate Sanchez]

It's calm in particular.

[Joe Getty]

Why are you such a nerd, bro? Whatever you say.

[Henry Winkler]

D. And again, thank you so much for sharing that. Bye bye. Have a great Friday. You Armstrong and Gettysburg.