Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "Some People Like Cockfighting..."

Date: September 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Armstrong & Getty dive into the oddities of human entertainment, exploring everything from cockfighting and dogfighting to Major League Baseball, Dancing with the Stars, and the mysteries of why some people just can’t dance. With their signature mix of irreverence and self-deprecation, they reflect on personal preferences, the limits of judgment, and the peculiarities of popular culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. On Cockfighting, Dogfighting, and Personal Judgments

• The episode title stems from Armstrong’s tongue-in-cheek comment about cockfighting, which pivots into a broader talk about what people enjoy watching and when judging others is warranted.
• Armstrong quickly clarifies his humor:
  “I am anti cock fighting. That was just an attempt at humor.” (00:39)
• Getty distinguishes his feelings between animal sports:
  “Dog fighting I find like disgustingly abhorrent. I want you locked away forever,” (01:07)
  but he feels less passionately about chickens:
  “I don't care about chickens that much.” (01:07)
• Story of a friend’s cockfighting experience:
  Getty shares how a friend was blindfolded and taken to a clandestine rural arena, complete with stands and concession stands, for a cockfight. (01:44–02:14)
• Both agree that attending a dog fight is unthinkable, while watching unusual entertainment is, at some level, relatable.

2. Diversions and Mindless Entertainment

• The hosts transition to examining varying tastes in entertainment, using Armstrong’s own golf-watching habit as a point of reflection:
  • “I watch other men play golf on television. I mean for hours. So who am I to judge?” – Armstrong (01:22)
• They discuss the explosion of dance shows and reality TV, like "Dancing with the Stars," and how celebrity status has diluted over years:
  • Getty observes: “They seem to be running out of even D list entertainers…they're down to like L list entertainers.” (02:55)

3. Dancing with the Stars: The State of Celebrity

• The hosts read through a roster for the new season:
  • They riff on social media stars (“a hottie chick of some God knows what brand of Internet hot chick she is…” – Armstrong, 03:35),
  • Robert Irwin, the son of Steve Irwin, whom Armstrong calls “Super handsome, charming. He does the same gig as his dad but with a modern media twist.” (04:06)
  • The infamous Hilaria Baldwin:
    “Plus going back and forth to see her family in Spain, of which there is none. Of course, she's from Boston. Anyway. Yeah, she has hilarious accents.” – Armstrong (05:02)
    • [Memorable Moment: Playful mocking of Hilaria’s infamous accent confusion, with a direct quote from her:
      “We have very few ingredients. We have tomatoes, we have, how do you say anything? Cucumber, cucumbers. It's not easy.” (05:12)]
  • They riff on relationships, referencing Alec Baldwin and Hilaria (“God, I was lonely. I was on the rebound. She is young and hot…” – Getty, 05:59) and make edgy jokes.

4. Judgment and Mindless Entertainment

• Getty says he’s become nonjudgmental about people’s mindless distractions, so long as it’s reasonable in quantity:
  “I have become very, very nonjudgmental on what your particular choice is of mindless entertainment...But if every night you come home and spend several hours on that... I think there are better things you could do with your life.” – Getty (07:03–07:27)
• Quick run-through of more Dancing with the Stars cast: Corey Feldman, Andy Richter, and others.

5. The Inability to Dance: Talent, Intelligence, and Gender

• The conversation pivots to personal tales about learning to dance:
  • Armstrong recounts his total inability:
    “I sucked so bad. I was like borderline handicapped… It would be like a dyslexic kid trying to read War and Peace.” (08:08)
  • Both agree rhythm and dance are not the same skill:
    “If you've ever seen Ringo Star dancing...He looks like a guy with no rhythm. He was the drummer for the freaking Beatles, right?” – Getty (09:28)
• Armstrong references Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences:
  “At the time they thought seven, seven different kinds of intelligence. And one of them that really caught my ear was athletic intelligence...That is neurological excellence... The ability to dance is a particular part of your brain.” (09:54)
• Getty shares stories of natural dancers he saw as a nightclub DJ:
  “Just were so naturally gifted at that. It was amazing. I would watch them. It’s just stunning.” (10:46)
• Both hosts wish they could dance, seeing it as a valuable talent both socially and for self-expression.

6. Dancing and Gender Stereotypes

• They ponder if women who can’t dance actually exist:
  • “Have you ever known a woman that couldn't dance? That, like, really couldn't?” – Getty (12:36)
  • Armstrong references the classic "Seinfeld" Elaine dance bit, and Getty expands:
    “Gay men tend to be able to dance. So there’s something there, right?” (12:47)
  • They humorously solicit emails from “a woman who’s a terrible dancer or a gay dude who can’t dance a lick”. (12:55)

7. Cultural Moments and Human Nature

• The show repeatedly circles back to the subjectivity of interests and the importance of not taking oneself too seriously. There is a running appreciation for human quirks and pop irrationality.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Who am I to judge? It's one more thing.” – Armstrong, opening line (00:04)
• “I don't care about chickens that much. Dog fighting I find like disgustingly abhorrent. I want you locked away forever.” – Getty (01:07)
• “If you've ever seen Ringo Star dancing... He looks like a guy with no rhythm.” – Getty (09:28)
• “The ability to dance is a particular part of your brain... Has anybody ever studied that?” – Armstrong (09:54)
• “If every night you come home and spend several hours on that... I think there are better things you could do with your life.” – Getty (07:26)
• “It would be like a dyslexic kid trying to read War and Peace. I just was utterly incapable, no matter how hard I tried, of learning and memorizing dance steps.” – Armstrong (08:08)
• “Gay men tend to be able to dance. So there's something there, right? The fact that all women can kind of dance and gay men.” – Getty (12:47)
• [On Hilaria Baldwin:] “How do you say in English? Why are you asking me your native language there, Hilaria?” – Armstrong (05:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:04–02:14: Cockfighting, dogfighting, personal lines on entertainment
• 02:44–05:02: Dancing with the Stars cast rundown & Hilaria Baldwin clip
• 07:03–07:27: Nonjudgmental attitude toward “mindless” entertainment
• 08:08–09:54: Armstrong’s inability to dance & discussion of types of intelligence
• 10:46–11:15: Getty’s experience as a nightclub DJ, natural dancers
• 12:36–13:10: Gender, sexuality, and the stereotype of who can dance

Episode Tone

Witty, irreverent, and self-deprecating, with the hosts riffing honestly about their own shortcomings and cultural observations. They blend humor with a sincere curiosity about human nature and society, making fun of themselves and pop culture without ever getting mean-spirited.

Useful for listeners:
This episode offers a lighthearted, critical, and sometimes philosophical look at pop culture, judgment, and human foibles—mixing funny anecdotes with deeper musings on what intelligence and skill really mean. If you want to feel better about what you enjoy (or don’t), this conversation’s for you.