Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "Splatty McPlummet"

Date: January 26, 2026

Host: iHeartPodcasts (Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty)

Episode Overview

This episode of Armstrong & Getty titled "Splatty McPlummet" centers on:

• Rising lawlessness and crime in California (including an elaborate jewel heist and issues in the legal cannabis trade)
• The viral daredevil climb of a skyscraper by Alex Honnold, sparking debate about risk, thrill-seeking, and media responsibility
• Current U.S. immigration enforcement tensions, protest dynamics, and media narratives in the wake of the Minneapolis shooting
• European economic and regulatory stagnation, including notable commentary from German leadership
• NFL playoff recap, the culture of ownership in sports, and officiating controversies
• The science and joy of napping

True to Armstrong & Getty form, the episode weaves in sharp commentary, personal anecdotes, and irreverent humor while addressing trending headlines and deeper cultural themes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Crime and Lawlessness in California

(02:45 - 07:05) Jewel Heist & Legal Weed Woes

• Coverage of a violent jewel heist in Anaheim Hills: car smash-in, crashes during getaway, and seven arrests
• Introduction to lawlessness trends in California, shifting focus to the cannabis trade
• Story from WaPo: Derek, legal weed grower in Santa Cruz, repeatedly robbed, hires PI, arms himself, shootout ensues, and he is arrested
  • Critique of law enforcement’s role and regulatory chaos:
    • "He shared the details with law enforcement, who advised him to educate himself on the Second Amendment." — Jack (04:23)
    • "A month later, the same gang shot and killed a cop in Oakland...but thank God Derek was taken off the streets." — Jack (05:07, sarcastic)

Insights:

• Policing is hamstrung: legal businesses face the same dangers as illicit ones, but often with less support
• Enforcement resources and focus have created perverse business incentives, and the illicit market is winning
• Parallel drawn between cannabis enforcement and the historical effort to catch bootleg moonshiners (06:54)

2. Daredevils, Risk, and Human Nature

(07:05 - 13:34) Alex Honnold’s Skyscraper Climb

• Discussion of renowned climber Alex Honnold's ascent of a 1,667 ft building in Taipei, done "free solo" (no ropes, no restraints)
  • The feat made national headlines and prompted visceral responses
• Hosts viscerally react:
  • "When he gets to the top and then he has to pull himself up over the last bar...just hanging there...that makes my palms sweat." — Joe (07:22)
  • "I have found the last thing on earth I will ever do." — Jack (07:47)
• Media ethics and “splat” debate: Should footage of a potential fall be broadcast?
  • "If my son decides...to climb the world’s tallest buildings freeform...I hope it works out for you." — Jack (10:47)
  • "They'd have to cut...because well, you ever seen anybody drop an egg on a kitchen floor? It's not pleasant." — Jack (09:39)
  • "Why did you show that?...Normal people don’t want to see that." — Jack (09:58)
• BASE jumping, motorcycles, and thrill/risk discussion:
  • "I guess we all have different levels of risk and liking thrill...I'm a motorcycle rider...It's similar." — Joe (12:23)
  • "I can barely get on a step stool before I get dizzy." — Jack (13:18)

Insights:

• Human tolerance for risk is deeply individual
• Most people's barriers to extreme stunts are physical fear ("It's gravity, not the law" — 08:47)
• Media has a “humane” obligation not to broadcast graphic deaths
• Parallels drawn to BASE jumpers, NASCAR drivers, thrill-seekers vs. the rest of us

3. The Science & Joy of Napping

(13:33 - 15:34; 18:40 - 19:09; 44:42 - 44:53)

• Discussion of a widely-shared study showing that short naps (“20 to 40 minutes”) are good for synaptic brain recovery and cognition
  • "Not only is it the most delicious feeling ever...but it’s actually good for me." — Jack (13:37)
  • "The synaptic connections in the brain were able to recover and were better prepared to take in new content after a little nap." — Jack (14:13)
  • Consensus that too-long naps lead to “sleep inertia” (grogginess)
  • "I’ve never once in my life laid down to take a nap and not been able to get to sleep." — Joe (18:54)
  • Final Thought: "Naps are good for the brain...I’m not lazy. I’m taking care of myself." — Michael (44:42)

4. Europe’s Regulatory Malaise & Conservative “Fail Fast” Mindset

(19:09 - 22:30)

• Soundbite from Friedrich Merz, German CDU leader, at Davos
  • "By dragging feet on reforms and unnecessarily and excessively curtailing entrepreneurial freedoms and personal responsibility. We are going to change that now...Instead we have become world champion of over-regulation. That has to end." (19:36 - 20:33)
• Armstrong & Getty endorse “fail fast” American ethos over “safety first” European regulatory culture
  • "Let’s fail fast and learn from it and go from there...I would hate, hate, hate for us to become a Euro style ‘safety first’ ... and then you end up like Europe." — Jack (20:44)
• Trump’s rough style, but the panel notes he forced Europe to wake up to defense responsibilities and Russian threat (21:30)
• Discussion of the trade-off between American “vigor” and European “regulatory stasis”

5. Immigration Policy, Protests, and Media Spin

(25:23 - 34:33)

• Tense situation in Minneapolis as ICE and Border Patrol efforts are met with organized resistance and controversy after a fatal shooting
  • "ICE has a very tough job...agitating rioters...virtually impossible to do without interactions like that." — Joe (25:28)
  • "The agitators are making ICE’s job virtually impossible to do, which is 100% their goal." — Joe (25:54)
• Trump’s political maneuvering: phones Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) saying they’re on the "same wavelength"; indication of attempts to cool the situation
• Media and DHS under criticism for “spinning” events for political points
  • "I'm told there is extreme frustration with [DHS] officials going on TV...claiming that [the suspect] was intending to conduct a massacre of federal agents...Even after numerous videos appeared to show those claims were inaccurate." — Quoting Bill Melugin report, summarized by Joe (31:13)
  • "Specifically, I'm told there is extreme frustration...There is no indication Preddy was there to murder law enforcement, as videos appear to show he never drew his firearm." — Collected federal sources (31:39)
• Democratic officials quickly “condemning” incident as murder, Hitler comparisons ("Anne Frank" analogy)
  • "Tim Walz saying, this is like Anne Frank. This is just like the Nazis...They're not Nazis by any stretch of the imagination. It's horrible." — Jack (33:06)
• Discussion of protest dynamics: agitators provoked to elicit violent response for the news cycle ("Kent State" scenario alluded to repeatedly—34:33)

6. NFL Playoff Recap & Sports Ownership Culture

(37:23 - 43:36)

• Recounting Super Bowl matchups (Seattle Ospreys vs. New England Patriots)
  • Past dominance by Patriots: "Sixteen times, the Patriots have been in the AFC Championship game, and this is gonna be their 12th Super Bowl appearance. Just stunning." — Jack (38:16)
  • Key insight: successful franchises are those where “winning it all” is a true annual goal, contrasted with owners content with mediocrity
  • "Most owners in sports...have no intention of really winning a championship." — Joe (38:57)
  • Anecdotes about the “Kings of Incompetence” (inside joke likely referencing perennial losers)
• Criticism of instant replay and challenges in sports officiating
  • "I’m the only person in the world that hates challenges of calls in all sports...I don’t feel like it’s changed much." — Jack (39:36)
  • "You're a ref out there...everybody’s going to look at this in slow motion 8 million times...then call me stupid." — Joe (40:36)
• Praise for modern football analysis: "Tony Romo and Tom Brady...make you realize how little you know about the game." — Joe (41:09)
  • Reference to the Netflix series Quarterback for behind-the-scenes insight

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "If my son decides...to climb the world’s tallest buildings freeform...I hope it works out for you." — Jack (10:47)
• "Naps are good for the brain...I’m not lazy. I’m taking care of myself." — Michael (44:42)
• "They'd have to cut...because well, you ever seen anybody drop an egg on a kitchen floor? It’s not pleasant." — Jack (09:39)
• "I have found the last thing on earth I will ever do." — Jack (07:47)
• "Let’s fail fast and learn from it and go from there...that’s very, very American and I love that." — Jack (20:44)
• "Heat gets clicks, heat gets votes. The forces for...‘Everybody settle down, we got to do this right’...Man, they're just out of a job right now." — Joe (33:55)
• "We get to keep doing great things. If we're dumb and undisciplined...we lose the chance to do the good things." — Jack (45:33; closing final thought)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 02:45 – Jewel heist in Anaheim & lawlessness in CA
• 03:37 – Legal cannabis and enforcement chaos
• 07:05 – Alex Honnold's skyscraper climb and risk/risk aversion
• 13:33 – Napping and brain health
• 19:09 – Friedrich Merz & European regulation
• 25:23 – ICE protests, Minneapolis shooting, and media spin
• 37:23 – NFL playoff recap, sports ownership culture, instant replay debate

Tone & Style

The episode is a signature blend of irreverent, sardonic humor and substantive cultural/political analysis. Jack’s and Joe’s banter is often self-effacing and skeptical, with a healthy distrust of bureaucratic authority and a preference for personal responsibility and freedom. Even the most serious topics are peppered with quick jokes or dark humor (“Splatty McPlummet”; “Sponsored by Furman’s Funeral Home”).

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode is quintessential Armstrong & Getty: from sharp critiques of government dysfunction and media spin, to existential musings about why people risk their lives for a thrill. Listeners gain both a deconstruction of current headlines and timeless gripes about red tape, sports, “fail fast” culture, and even the restorative power of a twenty-minute nap.

Whether you want biting takes on organized protest tactics, regulatory malaise, or just to hear grown men shudder about climbing tall buildings, "Splatty McPlummet" gives you a lively, no-holds-barred talk show tour through the news and beyond.