Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: Some Sort Of Jelly Dog!

Date: January 7, 2026
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Producer: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode takes listeners through reflections on the anniversary of the catastrophic California fires of January 2025, government accountability and political partisanship, the new dietary guidelines, the role of processed foods, and the ongoing strange saga of US foreign policy with Greenland. Armstrong & Getty balance heavy topics with lighter personal stories and comedic banter, keeping true to their signature irreverent yet thoughtful tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Anniversary of the 2025 California Fires

[00:27 – 06:26]

• Recap of the disaster: A recounting of last year’s devastating fires that destroyed 12,000 homes and killed 31 people, recalled in a news montage and with personal anecdotes.
  • “Everything that we built here to just be gone in hours. Just an awful feeling to lose everything that you had all those years.” – Jack Armstrong [01:04]
  • Co-hosts reflect on the trauma, and Jack shares how friends were “fleeing for their lives.”
• Institutional Failures:
  • The city drained a reservoir before the fire and failed to deploy enough fire engines, exacerbating the disaster.
  • Bureaucratic incompetence cited; after-action reports were “watered down” to protect agency leaders from embarrassment. [04:20]
• Lack of Accountability:
  • “We really don’t do a good job of holding people accountable. When screw ups happen, we just, we just don’t.” – Co-host [02:35]
  • Discussion of political tribalism overriding real scrutiny—voters not holding their own party accountable.

2. Political Partisanship and the Failure of Self-Correction

[06:26 – 12:32]

• Partisan Entrenchment:
  • Political parties, media, and citizens are so dug in that even catastrophic mistakes don’t change voting patterns.
  • “It takes a lot to get [voters] to change...the city had to get so bad before voters were willing to try something different.” – Co-host on San Francisco [05:31]
• National Trends:
  • Jack and Joe connect disaster response to national patterns of self-protective “war footing” within parties.
  • “You feel like you’re in a never-ending war against the evil doers on the other side. So there’s no time for a court martial… but later never comes because you’re always at war.” – Jack Armstrong [07:52]
  • Both note the lucrative nature of endless partisanship for talk radio and political fundraising.
• Accountability Examples:
  • Reference to the Minnesota autism program scandal, where billions were misappropriated.
  • “Those of you who care about kids and autism, you should want them, no matter what their political party is, to end up in jail.” – Co-host [09:27]
• Binary Choices and Leadership Critiques:
  • Critique of both parties’ handling of crises.
  • Jack’s infamous zinger on political options: “The chick’s as dumb as a dog. She can’t be president...” [12:03]
  • “Spineless as a jellyfish. Some sort of jelly dog.” – Armstrong & Getty riff off the episode title [12:32]

3. Lighter Segment: Bowling, Potato Chips & Holiday Traditions

[13:03 – 15:59]

• Holiday Bowling:
  • Hosts share stories about family bowling events and the timeless mediocrity of amateur bowling scores.
  • “10-year-old, 28-year-old, and 48-year-old you bowling would tie every time.” – Jack Armstrong [14:26]
  • They relive the viral bowling clip, “Who do you think you are? I am!” much to their amusement [16:40].
• Snack Talk:
  • The dangers of communal bowling balls vs. rented shoes are debated with comic disgust [17:00].
  • The discussion seamlessly launches into a snack food confession: Jack’s “discovery of the best potato chips ever made,” which he won’t reveal publicly.
  • “It’s a niche brand. It’s like. Okay, it’s a microchip, if you will.” – Jack Armstrong [22:32]
  • “Jack, you’re some sort of fancy, bespoke potato chip person.” – Co-host [22:37]

4. Health, Vaccines, and New Dietary Guidelines

[17:23 – 27:42]

• RFK Jr. and Public Health Debates:
  • Discussion of RFK Jr.’s odd political trajectory—right about some things, “crackpot” about others.
  • Skepticism about the credibility of the medical establishment post-COVID.
  • “He’s right about some stuff. And the medical establishment has very little credibility in the wake of COVID.” – Jack Armstrong [17:50]
• Flu Season and Vaccine Efficacy:
  • Joe investigates how well this year’s flu shot matches the prevalent strains; effectiveness is mixed (about 30-40% against the dominant super-flu variant, H3N2 subclade K) [24:00].
  • Lower vaccination rates discussed, linking it to COVID vaccine distrust and general public skepticism [19:07]
• New Federal Dietary Guidelines:
  • For the first time, guidelines now include whole milk, butter, and red meat as acceptable; processed foods and sugar discouraged.
  • “Eat 3 servings of dairy products a day that include full fat... That’s a shift from decades of saying drink skim or low fat.” – Co-host [25:27]
  • Hosts express skepticism but also note cultural whiplash and product marketing: “People want the beef.” – Jack Armstrong [26:34]
  • Some discussion on the economic practicality of processed food in modern lifestyles, despite health drawbacks [28:43]

5. Foreign Policy Farce: The Great Greenland Debate

[29:12 – 35:20]

• US Interest in Acquiring Greenland:
  • Discussion of President Trump’s revived push to buy Greenland, with the White House refusing to rule out military options:
    • “Acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States. Utilizing the US Military is always an option.” – Press Secretary Caroline Levitt [30:26]
  • Armstrong & Getty lampoon the idea of a US military invasion of Denmark/Greenland, noting the absurdity of threatening allies:
    • “You don’t walk in and say, I’m going to beat the crap out of you unless you gimme a Coke.” – Jack Armstrong [31:10]
• Geopolitical Importance:
  • Denmark’s perspective, Greenland’s strategic Arctic routes, and public attitudes in Greenland at play.
  • Marco Rubio reassures that buying rather than invading is the goal, noting even Truman wanted Greenland: “Not only did Truman want to do it, but President Trump’s been talking about this...” [33:17]
  • Final thoughts on US power, diplomacy, and global precedent.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Everything is on fire.” – Jack Armstrong [00:42]
• “But we don’t do a good job... of holding people accountable for failures of the state.” – Co-host [03:00]
• “You feel like you’re in a never-ending war against the evil doers on the other side.” – Jack Armstrong [07:52]
• “Those of you who care about kids and autism, you should want...to end up in jail.” – Co-host [09:27]
• “Who do you think you are? I am!” – Professional bowler Pete Weber, replayed by co-hosts [16:42]
• “The chick’s as dumb as a dog. She can’t be president... some sort of jelly dog.” – Jack Armstrong [12:03, 12:32]
• “It’s a niche brand. It’s like. Okay, it’s a microchip, if you will.” – Jack Armstrong, on secret potato chips [22:32]
• “Acquiring Greenland is a national security priority... Utilizing the US Military is always an option.” – Press Secretary Caroline Levitt [30:26]
• “You don’t walk in and say, I’m going to beat the crap out of you unless you gimme a Coke.” – Jack Armstrong [31:10]

Important Segment Timestamps

• California Fire Disaster & Accountability: [00:27 – 06:26]
• Partisanship & Political War Mentality: [07:52 – 12:32]
• Bowling & Snack Talk: [13:03 – 17:00]
• Health, Vaccines, Diet Guidelines: [17:23 – 28:10]
• US-Greenland Foreign Policy Satire: [29:12 – 35:20]

Tone & Style

Armstrong & Getty’s trademark mix of straight-shooting political skepticism, cultural commentary, and wry humor is on full display. They don’t shy away from criticizing all sides—holding both local and national leadership to account, lamenting public apathy, and skewering political absurdities—while keeping the mood light with personal stories and in-studio banter.

Summary

For listeners who missed this episode, Armstrong & Getty deliver an incisive postmortem on California’s governmental failures amid disaster, lament the state of endless partisan “war,” riff hilariously on bowling mediocrity and snack food obsessions, examine shifting nutrition wisdom, and take a surreal detour through the revived US obsession with acquiring Greenland. The show is at its best—sharp, funny, occasionally exasperated, and always ready for jelly dog-level analogies.