Some Sort Of Jelly Dog!

Summary

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Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: Some Sort Of Jelly Dog!

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

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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]

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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.

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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.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

This is an iheart podcast, guaranteed human.

[Joe Getty]

Broadcasting live from the abraham lincoln radio studio at the george washington broadcast center, Jack Armstrong and Joe getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and getty. And now, here's Armstrong and getty.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Hey, everybody. It was a year ago today that one of the most expensive natural disasters in U. S. History started.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Jan. 7, 2025, 10:30am the smoke and.

The ash is so thick you can't even see.

[Jack Armstrong]

Everything is on fire.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Fire breaks out in the pacific palisades.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, no.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Hours later, another ignites in altadena under a transmission tower. This man nearly catches fire trying to save someone inside. 31 killed. 12,000 homes destroyed in my bedroom.

[Jack Armstrong]

Everything that we built here to just be gone in hours. Just an awful feeling to lose everything that you had all those years.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

12,000 homes. And I remember texting with friends in both of those locations who were fleeing for their lives at the time.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, unbelievable loss. But we will rebuild maybe someday.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Despite no rain for eight months and a dire weather forecast, mayor Karen bass leaves the country. The water department drained a major reservoir above the palisades for a maintenance project. Firefighters are literally using the garden hose to fill up their truck. And the fire chief, despite claims to.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

The contrary, we pre deployed the resources.

[Guest or Analyst]

In very, very calculated ways.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Throughout the city, staffed and Pre deployed just three of more than 40 available engines while 75 more sat idle in the maintenance yard.

[Joe Getty]

There were so many places still standing on the eighth and no fire trucks.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

To put them out.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Sue pasco lost her home in the palisades.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

It's been a whole year of coverups.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. Yeah. Where do you even start with it?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

We don't do a good job. I guess because we're so comfortable and safe in this country, we really don't do a good job of holding, I can't say people's feet to the fire in this story.

[Jack Armstrong]

Unfortunate.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Holding people accountable. When screw ups happen, we just, we just don't. Part of is our attention span. We move on to the next thing. Part of it is just an ingrained, you know, whichever side it is politically, their side rallies round them until you can. Until everybody's attention span moves on to the next thing or something.

[Jack Armstrong]

But we don't do a good job.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Of holding people accountable for failures of the state.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right, right. You mentioned one aspect of this in which the priorities are upside down and that's bureaucracy to protect bureaucracies and not people from being burned to death and their houses burning down. The other thing is, and this is a bit of a tangent, but I'm distracted. I'm absolutely sure there are some great female firefighters in the world, but this is California we're talking about. And of course the fire chief is a woman. Of course, of the very pretty small percentage of firefighters in the world and cops in the world, it seems in your big blue cities it is always a woman and if possible a woman of color who heads up the department, never mind whether they're an ass kicking administrator who won't take no for an answer and protects the people because that's their job. Now it's a DEI hire and to those 100% qualified women in those jobs, I apologize, but that's the perception that forms when you have dei. Of course it does. Anyway, back to the main thread of the thing. William lajeuness for Fox News goes on.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

So the COVID ups that she is referring to, among other things, is number one, the fire that ignited the Palisades fire. They never put it out. They didn't use bulldozers because they were worried about an endangered plant. They pulled up hoses while the fire was still smoldering. But most importantly, there was this after action report they have now admitted, the city admitted that they watered it down, they changed critical elements of it that were critical of the agency to save people at the top from embarrassment.

[Jack Armstrong]

How do you like that?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Well, you either put up with that or you don't. Voters and people put up with that if it's their party.

[Jack Armstrong]

You've almost got to have an independent private commission get to the bottom of it and the bureaucrats get 00 right to edit the reports or just have a private organization run your fire department and if they suck, you fire them.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

And even if you could put together this commission, independent commission, and they really laid out the truth, do you think people would vote differently and you'd end up with a different crew in charge.

[Jack Armstrong]

Or would they say, I hate Trump, I'm going to continue to vote Democrat. Things have to get really, really bad stupid? Is that what you're implying?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Well, voters are partisan, man, and it takes a lot to get them to change. I use San Francisco as an example. I spent a couple of nights there before Christmas, my son's birthday. We stayed at the nice hotel there on Union Square. And it's fantastic. It's like San Francisco used to be. A lot of the stores aren't there anymore, but I didn't see a single homeless person. I mean, but that city had to get so bad before voters were willing to try something different. I mean, it was, it was, it was ridiculous how Far it had to go before voters were willing to try something different. And then there's something different when was able to improve things very quickly with some reasonable policies because policy does matter. But I don't know how bad things would have to get in LA before they'd be willing to try something different.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm curious to hear this as well. This is Rick Caruso and somebody else on CNN's the Story is talking about the same story.

[Guest or Analyst]

This fire we know now was completely preventable. Just think about that now. Some of us were talking about that months and months and months ago and we were sort of looked at like, no, it was the wind, you couldn't have stopped it. The fire on January 1st was never put out.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Right.

[Guest or Analyst]

So there was, there was. For people that don't follow this that closely, there was a smaller fire that happened on January 1st. Some firefighters said we need to stay behind and we're worried about the hot spots. They were pulled away from that told.

To abandon the site.

There was no pre deployment to the Pacific Palisades when in the forecast was 80 to 100 miles an hour winds. Fire explodes in Pacific Palisades. There's no firefighters there. Eventually the firefighters get there and eventually they run out of water.

[Jack Armstrong]

And then as I interjected in the middle of it, the moment this happened, Gavin Newsom was on TV saying this was climate change. I don't know what else to say there.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

It's just, it's depressing.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah, it is. I'm depressed. So that's your evidence? It's depressing. I think a lot of it might.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Come down to our current partisan situation where just nobody gives an inch of on their side ever. So if your side to something that's demonstrably awful, you still, you're still not gonna go, you know, you're not gonna be one of those people, right?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, 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 during war of somebody on your side who's plainly a baddie. So you just let it go till later. But later never comes because you're always at war. And it's worth pointing out, look, there's a lot of money in always being at war. Most of talk radio stokes it as hard as they can and most of politics does because there's so much money to be made at it. People don't donate a fraction of what they do. When you convince them the other side are going to ruin the country and Their evil doors, which in some cases I actually believe, but in some cases it's not true. Like, and this is a perfect example, we need fire services in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles area and your area, to my friends, wherever you happen to be, that serves the people and is not a fat, rich bureaucracy that protects itself. Life and death is at stake here. Can we all agree on that? And if the answer is, well, that means getting rid of, excuse me, a Democrat, the answer is no, we can't agree on that. I'm gonna keep voting or I'm gonna pretend that those Democrats weren't horrifically incompetent, because I'm always at war, even when there's no war to be fought. Government waste is your favorite example. Why aren't Democrats who want, like, extensive social programs, help for the mentally ill, drug counseling, whatever, why aren't you anti government waste? Why you want to spend the money to do good stuff. Right.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

The whole Minnesota thing, where it turns out a lot of those billions of dollars were specifically autism programs. That was the easiest way to rip off the taxpayer was to claim you were doing some sort of autism school or something. Steal the money and nobody'd pay any attention. God. 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.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

100%.

[Jack Armstrong]

And not be more adamant or as adamant than conservatives.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Yes, you should be more adamant than conservatives because in many cases, conservatives don't like some of these programs. They think they're a waste of money or not the state government or federal government's job or whatever the situation is. But you'll immediately go with, Trump is trying to turn the, you know, he's racist. It's because Somalis and racism. It's not because people were stealing money.

[Jack Armstrong]

From autistic kids by the billions.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Don't turn it into a Trump thing. And the same thing with the fire.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right, Right. Very frustrating. Is there any bouncing back from this? Who knows?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I don't know. That's. I mentioned this the other day. Mark Halpern in his newsletter to kick off the year on January 1, said, you know, the story of our times and whether or not we can overcome it, I do not know, is we are also dug in on our. Our partisan beliefs and unwilling to give an inch that. Can anything be solved or done ever? I don't know. And I don't know either. And does this change when Trump leaves the scene? I don't think so.

[Guest or Analyst]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. You want to circus super uncomfortable example on the other side, all the people in the last couple of days on the right saying January 6th was a peaceful protest. It was fine.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Ridiculous. That's absolutely ridiculous.

[Jack Armstrong]

And Trump pardoning those people. I thought it was horrible. I can give you the tweets of Trump's cabinet and his family on January 6th when it happened. They're all horrified. You know, it's weird. We still have the same opinion we did on January 6th and 7th. Oh, yeah. That we, you know, now, you know. If that appeals to you, great. If it doesn't, goodbye, Godspeed, and I wish you a long and happy life. No, that's the way we roll around here.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

That was a dark, dark day and an awful, awful thing. And Trump handled it, but I don't know if you could have handled it more poorly than he handled it.

[Jack Armstrong]

And if you're smashing cops in the face with flagpole, you are not a friend of mine, and you never will be unless you dropped your knees, weep with shame, and beg to be forgiven. I was horrible, and it was anti American. And if you're claiming otherwise, I suggest you take a long look at yourself.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

And thank God Kamala Harris isn't president right now. Are you capable of having all those thoughts happen at the same time? Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

What. What America really decided to continue on this point is not that January 6th was fine. Only a very few vocal people think that they thought it sucked. But we've got a binary choice, and the chick's as dumb as a dog. She can't be president. And Trump's got a lot of great policies. He's a tough guy, and we only have two real choices. So Trump it is. That's reality.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Oh, man.

[Jack Armstrong]

Dumb as a dog.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

That's a criticism.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, it's spineless as a jellyfish. Some sort of jelly dog.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

It's disgusting. Stay here.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Gettysburg.

[Guest or Analyst]

The new quarter is out, celebrating the United States 250th anniversary. This year, the US Mint has rolled out the Mayflower Compact Quarter. It features two pilgrims on the front and the Mayflower ship on the back. Four more quarters on the way this year, marking the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I'm looking forward to all of the founding stuff, history stuff that's going to happen this year. Anniversaries and everything like that. Gonna be good.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I agree. I'm weirdly looking forward to some of the backlash against it, too, because I am ready to go. Let's get it on.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It'll be good to have that Argument. So I did over vacation, I did what I do every single year. We call it cousin Christmas. It was used to be little kids getting together and running around and open presents. Now everybody's practically a grown up. My kids are the youngest with the extended family getting together in Wichita, Kansas. And I was looking for something that we could all do at our current ages. You know, to kill some time is wrong, but spend some time. There you go. Spend some time. So I suggested bowling. So we all went bowling. Everybody went bowling. The only people didn't bowl, my mom and dad. They are 88, 88 and 82. They're not bowling but they did go and watch us all bowl and everybody else. And it was pretty fun. Various levels of athleticism and inflexibility and, and you know, and just ability to bowl. But I quoted you many times, probably somewhat inaccurately, but the gist I think I got right is that 10 year old, 28 year old and 48 year old you bowling would tie every time.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's correct. I've never gotten any better at bowling. Even a brief period of my life when I tried.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Yeah, I know. So. And it's just, it's. Golf can be like this. Playing pool, a lot of games can be like this. If you don't do them regularly is you do good for a little bit and you start to think, you know what I should, I should get into this. That'd be kind of fun because I, I won the first round with. I don't know, there's like 10 of us playing and I, and I beat everybody.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well done. You're a stud. You're strutting a little bit, maybe talking some trash.

[Guest or Analyst]

Oh yeah.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

And I had, I think they had three strikes in a row at one point or something like that. It still had a paltry score at the end, but. But it's hilarious. My son did the same thing. Having a little streak where he was doing it. I wonder, you know there are bowling teams for kids and that could I get a pass at the local bowling place and I could go whenever I want. It's funny how it hooks you in. Like.

[Jack Armstrong]

Longtime listeners know this story. God is my witness. This is true. Let Rich the bass player from the dead flowers be my witness along with God. We bowled three games and he's a hardcore bowler. I rolled a 97, a 221 and a 93.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Jeff's my brother's girlfriend was there bowling and she's bad like the rest of us. And she said one time, for whatever reason she's throwing all strikes. And it ended up at the end when it looked like she might get a 300 game. The whole bowling alley was gathered around her watching. Everybody stopped everything to watch her throw, like, four gutterballs to finish her.

[Guest or Analyst]

What?

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, my God. Thank God nobody was aware of what I was doing. I would have thrown it into the next down.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

That would be horrible. Tell everybody, look, this is just some sort of weird fluke. I mean, it's all gonna fall apart.

[Jack Armstrong]

To your games. Go back to the bar. There's nothing to see here.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I think I'd throw. I think I threw a 128 in the next game, like a 94 or something like that. And then I was back to thinking, yeah, I'll do this again in 10 years when there's nothing else to do.

[Jack Armstrong]

Do you guys want our favor? Bowling clip.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Yes.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I brought this up, and most of my family had never heard of it. When a professional bowler wins a match, throws a strike to finally win it. This is a great one.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

A strike to claim it.

[Guest or Analyst]

And he got it. Yes. That is why I did it. That's number five. Are you kidding me? That's right. Who do you think you are? I am. Did it right.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

That's right.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I did it. Whoever you think you are, I am Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

Words to remember.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

That's what I said. But here's what I thought about with bowling. People often talk about the rental shoes and how gross that is and what's that spray that they spray in there and what the disgusting thing is the bowling balls. What's going on down in those holes where everybody puts their wet, dirty fingers, what festers in there.

[Jack Armstrong]

Plus, war with Greenland.

[Joe Getty]

We'll talk about it strong and getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

Man.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Is there a more interesting story then RFK Jr and the whole health thing and all that sort of stuff? I mean, it really. The whole trajectory of it, you know, Trump considering him a nut job, but meeting that chunk of people who believed in him and just the whole thing. And then the very stuff that he's so incredibly right about. And then the various stuff that he's so incredibly wrong about.

[Jack Armstrong]

I think he's a crackpot on a lot of stuff. Yeah. Here's. Here's my take on rfk. He's right about some stuff.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Oh, definitely.

[Jack Armstrong]

And the medical establishment has very little credibility in the wake of COVID On the other hand, what if I were to offer you this? Just, you know, you specifically, Jack or anybody listening, you got to leave your field, your career for a couple of years max. Couple of Years max. Then when you come back to it, it'll be way easier and way more profitable. You would think, wow, you know, I got plenty of years left in me. Yeah. What, what is this deal exactly? RFK Jr is a. Not an ambulance chaser, he's a lawsuit chaser. He has made his living suing companies, pharmaceutical companies, medical companies, and he's getting inside the administration, changing laws to make that easier so he and his cronies can make more money. He also happens to be right about some stuff. But I don't know, whatever. I give up, I'm not going to argue that point. I have. I have crusades. I feel like we can win and that one will correct itself at some point.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

And. And how much of the. I'll get to RFK Jr. And they announced the new food guidelines. Dietary guidelines. And I'll get to that in a second.

[Jack Armstrong]

But.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

So we've got the worst flu situation in 25 years.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, is that right?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

It's been. It's been decades since the flu has been this bad. The superflu and everything like that. Now they're putting that on the percentage of people that have gotten the flu shot, which is way down from previous years. It's been trending down for the last four or five years. I think because of the whole vaccine controversy. Why the COVID vaccine, which they lied to us about all kinds of things, turned into also childhood vaccines and now the flu vaccine the same way. I'm not exactly sure, but it has. How much of that is got to do with the flu spread? Because every once in a while you get a bad flu. Sure.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Right. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I don't know either. But the percentage of people who got the flu shot this year is way, way down from previous years. I'm going to.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm actually going to do a little AI inquiry while you're talking. I am paying attention, but this could be interesting.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

So the Trump administration, particularly RFK Jr. Released the new dietary guidelines today for Americans. They do this every five years. They update it every five years. It has been basically the same since the 80s, by the way. But it's. The current one that they put out is to limit highly processed foods, such as those high in sugar and sodium. Nobody would argue with that. And that endorsed products that had once been discouraged by nutritionists, such as whole milk, butter and red meat. That will be very controversial. All day long. You'll hear all kinds of stuff from unfortunately, probably from partisans, people that would have hated what RFK Jr said no matter what it was, along with people who would have backed what RFK Jr said no matter what it was. That's what's so frustrating to me. I want to hear from people who just break it down based on the knowledge, not on whether or not they're for Trump or against Trump. But anyway, the recommendations out today emphasize eating whole foods such as fruits and vegetables in their original forms. Can't argue with that. Foods rich in protein and whole grains. They call for avoiding packaged, prepared, or other ready to eat foods that are salty and sweet, such as many chips, candies, and cookies. There's no arguing that they're easy, they're cheap, they stay in your cupboard for a month, and they'll still be fine. And you finally open them, and there's all kinds of advantages to them, but, man, I shouldn't ever eat them ever again.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know, this is the worst thing that happened to me over the holidays. And those of you who, like, lost a loved one or were in a car wreck are probably gonna hate me for saying this. I discovered the best potato chips that have ever been produced by the hand of man.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I need to know this.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, I mean, I love potato chips. I love. There.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

There are times in my life where my dinner was a bag of potato chips. I've done that as a single man. When I was younger, big bag of lay's potato chips. That's what I had for dinner.

[Jack Armstrong]

And Judy and I, who are both struggling with our weight. No, we need to lose some. We're just. We got to. We got to get through the bags that we bought.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

It's not a lot. You could give them to the downtrodden.

[Jack Armstrong]

Shut up. And then. Then we will reform. What are the chips?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

You gonna tell us?

[Guest or Analyst]

No.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Why won't you tell us?

[Guest or Analyst]

What? What?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I'm not gonna.

[Jack Armstrong]

No. Number one, I'm ashamed. And when they're gone, they're gone. Number two, that's what we do for a living, and I'm not being paid. And three, I don't know if you can get them where you are.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Okay.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's. It's a niche brand. It's like. Okay, it's a microchip, if you will.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Jack, you're some sort of fancy, bespoke potato chip person.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's exactly right.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Put lays in front of me, I will turn on my heel and leave.

[Guest or Analyst]

Wow.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Okay. Yes. Katie, you have a chip thought. Nah, I. I just think you can find anything on Amazon, and you're being a gatekeeper. That's all.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Yeah.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

You're a gatekeeper. You're a denier. I'm pregnant and you're not telling me.

[Jack Armstrong]

About a type of chip.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

That's delicious.

[Guest or Analyst]

What is wrong with you?

[Jack Armstrong]

I will tell you privately. It will be our secret.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

This is something. And thereby thereby raising slightly the chance that your new baby will be named Joe.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Anyway, so.

[Jack Armstrong]

So here's my AI search that I did. I asked how well does. And keep in mind, this could be completely made up. The answer. Excuse me. How well does the current flu shot match up with strains that are going around for the current 2025, 2026 flu season, followed of course by the flu playoffs? The match between the vaccine and the circulating strains is a bit of a mixed bag. While the vaccine is a Great match for two or three of the main viruses, a new variant of H3N2 has created some challenges. It's all about subclade K, Jack.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

That's what I was afraid of. The news report I saw this morning is the big super flu, the latest variant super flu the vaccine does not match up with very well.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I think you're Talking about the H3N2 subclade K, of course, which has become the dominant strain US and Europe. Because of the mismatch with that, the early data suggests the vaccine is roughly 30 to 40% effective at preventing hospitalizations in adults. While that's lower than some years, that's pretty typical for years when H3N2 dominates. 30 to 40% effective at preventing hospitalization in adults.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I'm not. I'm not good at being an adult. I never get the flu shot shot. I've never ended up in the hospital, so I don't know. I'll probably just keep doing what I've been doing until I'm dead. You do what you want to do. Under the new guidelines from the FDA just announced, we're not supposed to eat those chips that Joe mentioned or anything like that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Venmo me $10. I'll email you the name.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

But.

[Jack Armstrong]

Looking out for number one, baby.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

That's hilarious.

[Jack Armstrong]

Looking for a side hustle. I think I found it.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Chip broker. This is where it's going to get controversial though. Okay. You said stay away from sugar sweetened bever sodas, fruit drinks and energy drinks. Obvs like my son is into the energy drinks. I'm more worried about the fake sugar than the caffeine. That fake sugar is supposed to be horrible for you.

[Jack Armstrong]

I agree. I'm not A health nut.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Look at me.

[Jack Armstrong]

But I agree. Everything I've read suggests that the fake sweeteners are no worse for you or no better for you than sugar. Just you shouldn't take a lot of that stuff in. We're not made to but under the.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Guidelines, Americans should eat 3 servings of dairy products a day that include full fat without added sugar. That's a shift from decades of saying eaten to take drink, skim or low fat options of milk as opposed to the whole milk. I'm a whole milk guy, so I can just keep doing what I've been doing the whole time. I drink whole milk with my cereal or whatever. But that's what the new guidelines are. They also should eat ample protein from animal and plant sources, including red meats that nutritionists had long told Americans to limit, limit amount of sugar, blah, blah.

[Jack Armstrong]

I need to know. I mean red meat, really? Is there a rationale for that or scientific data they can share? That seems really counterintuitive to me.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Well, the Washington Post breakdown this all just came out does not have an argument for why the red meat. I'm sure we'll hear it throughout the day. RFK Jr. Speaking as we are on the air right now. So maybe he's making the argument right now, but I love red meat and maybe I'm a bad person. I'm going to eat whatever the hell I want to eat. Regardless of what this is. It's going to have zero effect on me.

[Jack Armstrong]

So I'll engrave that on your gravestone. People want the beef.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

That's fine. You can put on my Gravestone. He ignored RFK Jr.

[Jack Armstrong]

He ate red meat or followed RFK Jr.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

But I like red meat and I ate a fair amount of it and I stop eating it when I'm full. That's pretty much the way.

[Jack Armstrong]

And then a heck of a lot of the people we're talking to, like us, grew up with the food pyramid that said eat lots of carbs, carbs all day, be very careful, don't take in protein.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

It's dangerous for you.

[Jack Armstrong]

Just carve out, baby.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Yeah, it is kind of interesting that he's decided whole fat dairy products and red meat are a good idea. I would like to hear the argument.

[Jack Armstrong]

For why I'm getting into selling stints when he's out of office.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I'm probably not going to change what I eat for better or worse. But I am interested in why he's made the the change. But the pro the ultra processed food saying that's the thing. We all got to get on board with, I've got to get on board with. I'm trying, actually. If it comes in a plastic sack and it's something that will keep for.

[Jack Armstrong]

50 years and has ingredients you've never heard of and would never have in your kitchen, don't eat it.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

I am following that rule that you've talked about a lot lately. If it's got a long list, I don't eat it. If the list is like two things or three things that I eat it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, you know what?

[Guest or Analyst]

Dang it.

[Jack Armstrong]

I've got this one kind of protein bar that I gotta talk to Judy and tell her, don't get it anymore. It's got plenty of vegetable glycerin in it if you're looking for that. You ever had vegetable glycerin in your. Your cupboard? No, of course not. Oh, well, all right.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

It is kind of interesting that that even happened little by little, I'm sure. When did they start putting the ingredients on packages? Did they even have them on there on their one when we were kids?

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm not sure they did, no. No, no. I can't remember when that was, but I remember it vaguely happening.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

So that's probably the only reason it ever even got started. Because if you had started way back when we're, you know, more people were on the farm or whatever and eaten, you know, red meat and eggs and butter and all that sort of stuff, and then you started giving them things that the ingredients listed on there were like, what the hell is this? I don't think people would have eaten it.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, no. It came about through, you know, urbanization and the incredible expense of fresh food being introduced into those urban centers in numbers big enough to. For everybody to eat them. It's just incredibly expensive. And so if you have something that can be preserved and maintains its shape and its look and its taste and everything over an extended period, just makes a lot more sense, economically speaking. Turns out it'll kill you. But.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

So what is it you had coming up?

[Jack Armstrong]

Will we be at war with Greenland by the end of the week?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes. Not. Well, with Denmark, I guess, over Greenland.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Yeah. I took in a lot of info on this yesterday. I do think we are going to end up with, using my finger quotes, Greenland. It's not going to be a state or whatever, but we're going to. We're going to have our way with Greenland, I think, whatever it costs.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. That's a very romantic, sexual framing of the issue there. We're going to be with Greenland. We're going to have our way with Greenland. Wow. I picture you with ants around ankles with Greenland. I mean, it's just disturbing. But we'll have some geopolitical analysis for you.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Okay, that's coming up next.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

This has been a huge flashpoint. Taking over Greenland is certainly an idea we've heard President Trump float before, but especially so in recent days. And now the White House is refusing to rule out using the military to accomplish that goal. So, taking it a step even further, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt did emphasize that in a new statement saying, quote, acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States. Also adding, quote, utilizing the US Military is always an option.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

It's a national security. It's a. It's a worldwide security move. It's good for the whole world. Well, not the world that includes Russia, China and Iran, but all the rest of the free world. It's a good thing. If we're heavily, heavily involved with Greenland, there's zero chance we're going to take it militarily. I don't know why he pretends that's an option.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. And as we discussed yesterday, I just. I hate that aspect of Trump's negotiating style. You're talking about a friend here. Now, granted, the Euros can be intransigent, lazy and useless at times, but Denmark's a friend. You don't walk in and say, I'm going to beat the crap out of you unless you gimme a Coke. Because then they're perfectly inclined to maybe give you a Coke. Sell you a Coke. Talk about giving you a Coke.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

But now they're like, no, no, you'll.

[Jack Armstrong]

Get no Cokes here. Get out.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Did you see the map? Just don't make it hostile unless you need to make it hostile. Did you see the map I tweeted out yesterday as a good view from the top of the globe, as opposed to the way we usually look at the map. You look at the top of the globe and see where Greenland is. It's pretty important that we have Greenland.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, yeah. I'm not sure I didn't see it, but did that include the critical Arctic routes from Russia and China? Absolutely, yeah. Oh, yeah. It's so important. Incredibly important. But anyway, putting aside the idea of invasion, invading Denmark, invading Greenland, I guess, and then when Denmark came to take it back, we would beat the hell out of them.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Well, just. Just to humor that idea for a little bit, since what's his name over the weekend? Steven Miller. Put it out there. Yeah, I think Stephen Miller is right. I think if we landed marines on Greenland, I don't think they would fight us. And I don't think NATO would say Article 5 invoked and fight us either. I think everybody would be like, oh, come on, you can't do this. But it would, it would work. Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know, it was funny.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Very bad politically though, internationally.

[Jack Armstrong]

Marco Rubio saw off in the good cop to Trump's bad cop is. We've got a statement which we're about to play for you, but Stephen Miller, is the little scene insane cop in that cinema? Well, no, he's not insane. He is just absolutely unfiltered, pure maga. He is the ID of, of the MAGA White House. And, and I get how a guy like him is necessary. It's a little over the top. There's no reason to get in the face of the Denmarkians, also known as the Danes, unnecessarily, as I said. But here's, here's Marco standing up for what's probably going to happen in 59.

[News Reporter or Correspondent]

Michael, can you clarify your comments to lawmakers?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Does the US intend to buy Greenland?

[Jack Armstrong]

Does the US intend to buy Greenland?

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Can you clarify your comments to lawmakers this week?

[Guest or Analyst]

Well, that's always been the President's intent from the very beginning. He said it very early on. I mean, this is not new. He talked about it in his first term and he's not the first US President that has examined or looked at how could we acquire Greenland. There's an interest there, but. So I just reminded them of the fact that not only did Truman want to do it, but President Trump's been talking about this since his first term.

[Jack Armstrong]

So Marco is making it clear we want to buy Greenland and not, not invade it.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

We could throw so much money at the Danes that they'd say we'd be nuts not to sell Greenland.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

And then I don't know why the. But the people of Greenland would be upset with that. There's nothing. You'd be very happy being under the protection of the United States. Ask the people in Guam how they feel about it.

[Jack Armstrong]

They're happy. Yeah. I haven't talked to any Guamians lately, but yeah, I don't, I don't know. I think they, again, they resent being used as a pawn and being told what their fate is going to be. They think they should have self determination. There are towns that don't even have their own police force bigger than the entire population of Greenland. So it's all kind of cute when you talk about the incredible geopolitical importance of it right. One more. Rubio 59B. Michael.

[Guest or Analyst]

Guys, military operation. What I think the White House said yesterday is what I will tell you now. And I've always said the president always retained the option.

[Jack Armstrong]

If he.

[Guest or Analyst]

Every president, not this president, Every president always retains the option. I'm not talking about Greenland. I'm just talking about Global. If the president identifies a threat to the national security of the United States, every president retains the option to address it through military means. As a diplomat, which is what I am now, and what we work on, we always prefer to settle it in different ways. That included in Venezuela. We tried repeatedly to reach an outcome here that did not involve having to go in and grab an indicted drug trafficker. Those were unsuccessful, unfortunately.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know, he makes an excellent point about the ridiculousness of. Will you rule out military action? Well, maybe. Unless stuff happens that causes it to be necessary. Then we'll roll it back in again.

[Co-host or Guest Commentator]

Yeah. What is the ham kick? You'll find out in hour four. If you get the podcast Armstrong and Getty on Demand.

[Jack Armstrong]

Subscribe.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.