Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: Sand In Your Ice Cream
Date: October 7, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the controversies surrounding Western entertainers performing in Saudi Arabia, focusing on issues of free speech and hypocrisy. The hosts also explore uproar in the media regarding Barry Weiss’s appointment as CBS News Director and dissect the fallout from violent rhetoric by a Democratic Attorney General candidate in Virginia. The episode closes with commentary on COVID guidelines, doomscrolling, and a humorous look at LeBron James’ penchant for self-promotion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Comedians & Celebrities Performing in Saudi Arabia

(03:04–09:00)

• Context: Big-name American comedians like Dave Chappelle and Kevin Hart are participating in the Saudi Riyadh Comedy Festival for massive payouts. This invites criticism because of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.

• Hypocrisy Argument:

  • Joe Getty: Criticizes comedians for taking money from the Saudis while claiming to support progressive values, quoting David Cross's frustration.

    "You sign a contract, I won't badmouth Islam or the government here. Do jokes about camels, what's the deal...?" (04:23)

  • Jack Armstrong: Argues that unlike contractors or business deals, comedians' entire personas are often about exposing hypocrisy and championing progressive causes, making this a more pointed contradiction.

    "The thing that bothers me about comedians is the nature of what they do. A concrete contractor...doesn't spend their entire life trying to root out hypocrisy...The comedians do bother me..." (08:27)

• Dave Chappelle's Free Speech Comments:

  • Quoting CBS, Chappelle reportedly said it's "easier to talk here [Saudi Arabia] than it is in America."
    Jack: "That's one of the most idiotic things I have ever heard in my life." (05:13)

• Broader Business Hypocrisy:

  • Jack: Highlights that U.S. companies do business with China and other problematic regimes, raising the question of why Saudi Arabia is singled out.

    "I don't get how you have a gigantic contract with China and it's hunky dory, but it's...awful to do business with the Saudis. I don't see the difference." (07:03)

2. Barry Weiss at CBS News & Media Freakouts

(09:32–16:32, 22:24–24:48)

• Media Overreaction:

  • The appointment of Barry Weiss, a centrist, former New York Times writer and Substack entrepreneur, as CBS News Director prompted backlash from progressive journalists.
  • Quotes from Jamel Bowie, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and Lydia Polgreen expressing outrage and questioning Weiss's credentials.
    • Jack:

      "Barry Weiss was a junior editor who occasionally wrote opinion pieces...not a columnist." (10:44)

  • Joe: Defends Weiss’s accomplishments, noting she built a news empire with significant reach.

    "She started with three people and built an empire...revenue of $150 million a year...but no, she shouldn’t be running CBS News?" (11:27)

• Double Standards Highlighted:

  • Jack: Compares dismissing Weiss’s qualifications to saying, "Barack Obama had zero talent as a politician...that’s just stupid." (12:29)

• Impact on Iconic Programs:

  • Concern expressed about how much influence Weiss will have on “60 Minutes,” referencing a previous segment about German speech police that praised censorship.

    "Hopefully Barry Weiss has some influence on that sort of news story." (13:45)

• Salon.com and Staffer Reactions:

  • Satirizes the hyperbolic reactions from CBS staffers, arguing many newsrooms confuse advocacy with journalism.
    • Jack: "You're entirely one sided. You are an advocacy wing of the Democratic Party. You don't do journalism anymore." (15:52)
    • Joe: "You people need to quit. If you work at CBS and you have that attitude..." (15:34)

3. Virginia Attorney General Candidate’s Violent Rhetoric

(28:29–34:53)

• Backstory:

  • Democratic AG candidate Jay Jones is under fire for texts fantasizing about shooting a GOP lawmaker and wishing for his child’s death as motivation for gun control.
    • Jack: "If these guys go before me, I will go to their funeral to piss on their grave...Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head." (29:45)

• Democratic Response:

  • The party rallies around Jones despite his apology and extreme rhetoric.
    • Joe: "Can you do something completely abhorrent and then just say, I’m sorry. I take full responsibility and get...now that it's causing negative consequences, I would like to apologize and get any credit for it?" (32:36)
    • Jack: "I would never say something like that because I never have and I never would." (33:19)

• Larger Implications:

  • Armstrong emphasizes how prosecutors and AGs wield significant power over policies, particularly regarding woke agendas and the importance of scrutinizing state races. (34:53)

4. Political Tribalism & Media Ecosystems

(35:28–38:14)

• Left-Leaning Emotionalism and Intolerance:

  • Discussion on data showing more liberals than conservatives cut off relationships over politics—questioning the emotional tenor and sometimes extremism of progressive politics.
    • Jack: "Leftist politics tend to be much more emotional and emotionalistic..." (36:40)
  • Refers to studies suggesting “triple” the number of Democrats ended friendships over politics as compared to Republicans. (46:16)

• Impact of Political Rhetoric:

  • Warns about narrative that 'the other side is evil' feeding political violence and deepening division. (37:10)

5. Doomscrolling & Digital Health

(23:42–24:48)

• Doomscrolling Defined:
  • The hosts discuss their own digital habits:
    • Jack: "I would call it more anger scrolling because everybody’s angry all the time online." (24:00)
    • Joe: Notes he turned off his phone’s screen time report out of self-disgust.

6. COVID Guidance: From Mandates to ‘Individual-Based Decision Making’

(43:44–48:36)

• CDC Shifts Position:
  • The CDC moves to “individual-based decision making” and the hosts dissect (and mock) the notion that people needed to be told to decide for themselves.
    • Joe: "Anybody who's so into the government being in charge...the government should make an announcement: we're now in favor of...individual-based decision making!" (45:53)
    • Jack: Satirizes dependence on government prescriptive orders.

      "Making my own decisions is so confusing. Tell me what to do, Joe Biden, right? Kamala, you hero." (47:10)

  • Both criticize dependence on centralized, one-size-fits-all health advice and media melodrama.

7. Pop Culture & Sports Lighter Moments

(38:14–39:06, 48:36–50:15)

• LeBron James’ ‘Big Announcement’:

  • Satire of the famous “Decision” TV special, only for LeBron to announce a liquor partnership.
    • Jack: "We met, we hit it off, we realized we were both with the wrong person. We’re getting married." (38:50)
    • Joe: "It's hard to take you seriously, dude. Anyway, I know that sucked the will to live." (50:01)

• NFL Stadium Hawks:

  • Brief commentary on the surprising use of trained hawks at SoFi Stadium to scare away pooping birds. (43:03)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dave Chappelle’s Saudi Arabia remarks:

  • Jack Armstrong:

    "That's one of the most idiotic things I have ever heard in my life. And I've heard some idiotic things." (05:13)

• On business with dubious regimes:

  • Jack Armstrong:

    "America does trillions of dollars of business with China, not to mention several other loathsome regimes. And it seems to me that the Saudis get singled out in kind of a weird way." (07:03)

• On media double standards for Barry Weiss:

  • Joe Getty:

    "She started with three people and built an empire in a couple of years where she’s got a revenue of $150 million a year...But no, she shouldn’t be running CBS News..." (11:27)

• On violent political rhetoric:

  • Joe Getty:

    "Can you do something completely abhorrent and then just say, 'I’m sorry. I take full responsibility,' and get [forgiven]?" (32:36)

• On CDC COVID guidance:

  • Joe Getty:

    "Anybody who's so into the government being in charge that thinks that they should, the government should make an announcement. 'We're now in favor of what we call individual based decision making.' Yeah, I'm in favor of that. All day, every day, my whole freaking life." (45:53)

Important Timestamps

• 03:04–09:00 — Celebrities and comedians in Saudi Arabia - hypocrisy and free speech
• 09:32–16:32 — Barry Weiss as CBS News Director and media blowback
• 22:24–24:48 — Doomscrolling and digital health
• 28:29–34:53 — Virginia AG candidate’s violent rhetoric and party response
• 35:28–38:14 — Political tribalism, intolerance, and media ecosystems
• 43:44–48:36 — COVID guidelines, CDC's new stance, and government guidance parody
• 38:14–39:06 & 48:36–50:15 — LeBron James and lighter moments

Episode Tone & Style

• Direct and often sarcastic—the hosts relentlessly satirize media overreactions and virtue signaling.
• Conversational and opinionated, peppered with self-deprecating humor and cutting asides.
• Pop culture references and asides intersperse heavier news and media criticism.

This summary covers the main themes, important debates, and the distinctive voices of Armstrong & Getty, making it accessible for those who missed the episode but want to understand its content and spirit.