Surrender the Penny

Summary

Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand Episode Title: Surrender the Penny
Release Date: May 27, 2025
Host/Authors: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Platform: iHeartPodcasts
Description: The official, On-Demand podcast of The Armstrong & Getty Show! Accept no substitutes!

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1. Introduction to Current Events and Pop Culture

The episode begins with Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delving into several lighthearted and current events topics, blending humor with commentary.

• Bill Belichick's Girlfriend:
  Jack Armstrong (01:33): "No wonder he kept trying to have sex with Travis Kelce."
  The hosts jest about the New York Times reporting on Bill Belichick making his girlfriend wear red pants to stand out in crowds, leading to comedic remarks about her engagement rumors.

• Kanye West's Rehab:
  Joe Getty (02:36): "Kanye went into rehab over the weekend, apologized, never-endingly on Twitter to the point that Elon kicked him off Twitter again."
  They briefly touch on Kanye West’s recent rehab stint and his perpetual presence on social media.

2. Political Commentary: The Democratic Party's Struggles

Armstrong and Getty transition into a more serious discussion about the state of the Democratic Party, expressing skepticism about its current direction and leadership.

• Democrats' Leadership Crisis:
  Jack Armstrong (02:04): "The Democratic Party is in a hell of a state. They don't know who they are. They don't know who to follow."
  Joe Getty (03:34): "Trump for a third time. I don't know if the nation can handle that."
  The hosts critique the Democratic Party's lack of coherent leadership and strategy, highlighting internal divisions and the challenges in recapturing working-class voters.

• Focus Groups and Party Perception:
  Jack Armstrong (05:09): "Republicans are seen as apex predators like lions, tigers, and sharks. Democrats are typically tagged as tortoises, slugs, or sloths."
  They discuss insights from a New York Times article about focus groups portraying Republicans as aggressive and Democrats as passive, emphasizing the party’s struggle to redefine its image.

• Potential Democratic Candidates:
  Jack Armstrong (09:48): "Rahm Emanuel... he has been unmistakably anti-woke."
  Joe Getty (11:01): "I knew there was one more thing..."
  The conversation speculates on possible Democratic candidates for the 2028 presidential race, mentioning Rahm Emanuel as a smart, moderately positioned contender capable of challenging the more progressive wing of the party.

3. The Penny's Demise: Economic and Cultural Impact

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the impending discontinuation of the U.S. penny, exploring both economic rationale and cultural implications.

• End of the Penny:
  Joe Getty (16:57): "They'll make the last penny at the US Mint... marking the beginning of the end of the oldest continually printed money piece in America."
  Jack Armstrong (17:11): "The penny should not exist. Now, it's an absurdly small denomination."
  The hosts explain that the penny costs more to produce than its face value and discuss historical precedents where small denominations become obsolete due to inflation and diminishing purchasing power.

• Economic Implications:
  Jack Armstrong (18:13): "If the penny existed when a dollar could buy you a horse... it's an absurdly small denomination."
  They argue that eliminating the penny would simplify transactions and reflect modern economic realities where such small values are less relevant.

4. Mental Health Crisis and Social Media's Role

Addressing a critical societal issue, Armstrong and Getty delve into the mental health crisis exacerbated by social media and digital interactions.

• Loneliness and Mental Health Statistics:
  News Reporter (22:04): "40% of US high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless in 2023 and 20% had seriously considered attempting suicide."
  Joe Getty (22:15): "We know all this stuff as being like a lead story, which it is, should be a lead story."
  The hosts highlight alarming statistics on youth mental health, emphasizing the urgency of the crisis.

• Impact of Social Media:
  Jack Armstrong (26:42): "Online interaction... Porn, social media, Online, quote, unquote, friends. I remember railing about the term friends."
  They discuss how virtual relationships lack the depth and physical connection of real-life interactions, contributing to feelings of isolation and superficial connections.

• TikTok Trends Highlighting Loneliness:
  Joe Getty (33:29): "Someone trying to go viral, but it reeks of a loneliness epidemic."
  The conversation covers a TikTok trend where men pay others to call them goodnight, reflecting the desperation for genuine human connection amidst widespread loneliness.

5. Behavioral Trends: Morning vs. Night Showers

Shifting to everyday habits, Armstrong and Getty debate the merits of showering in the morning versus at night, referencing scientific insights.

• Shower Timing Debate:
  Joe Getty (37:44): "Is it better to shower in the morning or at night? According to science, yes, I've..."
  Jack Armstrong (39:23): "Morning showers help remove dead skin cells as well as any sweat or bacteria you've picked up from your bed sheets during the night."
  They explore research indicating benefits of both morning and night showers, ultimately leaning towards morning showers for better hygiene.

6. Lighthearted Anecdotes and Listener Interaction

Towards the end, the hosts engage in humorous exchanges and interact with listener calls, maintaining an entertaining atmosphere.

• Overturned Truck and Dime Frenzy:
  Jack Armstrong (37:25): "An overturned truck covered a Texas highway... 8 million dimes, sparking a wild frenzy..."
  Joe Getty (37:31): "The dime should be the smallest denomination of American coinage that has been decided."
  They recount a viral incident where an overturned truck scattered dimes, using it to segue back into the discussion about the penny's discontinuation.

• Listener Call on Good Night Trend:
  A caller attempts to engage in the TikTok trend of saying goodnight, leading to humorous confusion and playful banter between the hosts.

7. Concluding Thoughts

Armstrong and Getty wrap up the episode by reiterating the severe state of the nation’s mental health and the societal shifts driven by technology and economic changes.

• Final Reflections on Loneliness:
  Jack Armstrong (35:18): "Humanity is doomed."
  Joe Getty (35:21): "We got like two generations left and there'll be no more human beings on Earth."
  The hosts express a bleak outlook on the future, emphasizing the importance of addressing mental health and fostering genuine human connections.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jack Armstrong (02:04): "The Democratic Party is in a hell of a state. They don't know who they are. They don't know who to follow."

• Jack Armstrong (05:09): "Republicans are seen as apex predators like lions, tigers, and sharks. Democrats are typically tagged as tortoises, slugs, or sloths."

• Joe Getty (16:57): "They'll make the last penny at the US Mint... marking the beginning of the end of the oldest continually printed money piece in America."

• Jack Armstrong (18:13): "If the penny existed when a dollar could buy you a horse... it's an absurdly small denomination."

• Joe Getty (22:15): "We know all this stuff as being like a lead story, which it is, should be a lead story."

• Joe Getty (33:29): "Someone trying to go viral, but it reeks of a loneliness epidemic."

• Jack Armstrong (35:18): "Humanity is doomed."

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Conclusion

In this episode of "Armstrong & Getty On Demand," Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty navigate through a mix of humorous anecdotes, sharp political commentary, and pressing societal issues. From dissecting the Democratic Party's current challenges and bidding farewell to the penny, to addressing the deepening mental health crisis exacerbated by digital interactions, the hosts provide an engaging and comprehensive discussion. Their blend of humor, skepticism, and concern underscores the complexities of modern American life, making the episode both entertaining and thought-provoking for listeners.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast. This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is mental health awareness Month, and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone, let's face it in therapy by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits, or another challenge that you need support to work through. It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers, and most insured members have a $0 copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's S P, a CE80. To match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80. Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio.

[Jack Armstrong]

Studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty. Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and get. According to the New York Times, Bill Belichick used to make his girlfriend, Jordan.

[Joe Getty]

Hudson wear red pants so he could spot her in the crowd.

[Jack Armstrong]

No wonder he kept trying to have sex with Travis Kelce.

[Joe Getty]

Man. Never ending jokes. You're an old, fat rich man. You date a girl 50 years younger than you, and all of a sudden you're a sport for people's comedy.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, that's cruelty, you know. Get a life. Now, she has told at least a couple of people, Jack, that they are engaged. We have. And has that been substantiated?

[Joe Getty]

It has not been. It was. They confirmed it on Thursday. Last time we were on the air on cnn. But I don't. I haven't followed up because who cares?

[Jack Armstrong]

But of course, if I was a. An attractive young woman who was a precious metal extractor, sometimes called gold digger, I could absolutely see saying to people, we're practically engaged. Yeah, we're. It's definitely. We're. We're unofficially engaged and stuff. Just trying to sink the claws in a little deeper.

[Joe Getty]

Everybody shout, who wants prenup? Who wants prenup? So Kanye. Kanye, who's in rehab, by the way. We got to talk about that later. Kanye went into rehab over the weekend, apologized, never endingly On Twitter to the point that Elon kicked him off Twitter again. But Kanye's at $175,000 a month. Rehab, Something like it.

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't know an iota about.

[Joe Getty]

I will bring you up to speed completely.

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't. I don't know where to get better Kanye coverage here, I guess. So. I thought this was interesting. There are a couple of. Oh, stay tuned. In just a few minutes, I'll reveal to you who will be running for president in 2028 on both sides of the aisle. Yes, I do. So stay tuned.

[Joe Getty]

Is it Trump?

[Jack Armstrong]

Beautiful. But it's just absolutely beyond question that the Democratic Party is in a hell of a state. They don't know who they are. They don't know who to follow.

[Joe Getty]

Trump for a third time. I don't know if the nation can handle that.

[Jack Armstrong]

The three Pete. Good Lord, what a nightmare that would be. But they are. They're leaderless and rudderless. The. The only energy in the party is the Bernie AOC wing, which is ridiculous. They're running away from a lot of the policies that. That again, have provide the energy, defund the police, dei, anti white, anti male. The rest of it. They're in a hell of a state. So a couple of things. Number one, this from the New York Times. Six months later, Democrats are still searching for the path forward. And. And they talked to a variety of experts, including this one gal who runs focus groups, which may be one of my least fav. Aspects of modern society. That and leaf blowers. Focus groups and leaf blowers. They're both horrible.

[Joe Getty]

God, I got my son started on this now. So he. The other. But. But what? It was one of the mornings, beautiful day. We're sitting out in the backyard, the palm tree in the pool. And it couldn't be. It's like a resort. Beautiful. Couldn't be. Leaf blower down the street, right? And so like 15 houses have to be subjected to this. And I always want to say. I always want to say, hey, if you turn that off, I can't hear you.

[Jack Armstrong]

Can you speak up?

[Joe Getty]

If you turn that off so I can enjoy the peace and quiet, I'll come over and rake your leaves. It'll take me like 20 minutes. I'll come over and rake your leaves later.

[Jack Armstrong]

I love you. Watch this. The guy standing there got one leaf on the lawn. Just looking at that leaf. He's gonna stand there and then rev.

[Joe Getty]

That thing as long as it takes.

[Jack Armstrong]

To get that one. He could bend over and pick it. He could rake it. He could kick it he could do. But no. But no. He's gonna stand there with his freaking blower. Is there anything in society so ubiquitous and so ubiquitously hated as the leaf blower? I despise them. You know, it'll never get done. But in our. Just in our neighborhood, our development, two days a week, even three days a week. I'll settle. I'll start at two. I'll settle for three. Three days a week you can freaking blow leaves. All right, the other four days.

[Joe Getty]

No. Or everybody time their gardeners the same day, which would be roughly what you're doing. But it seems like now people go out of their way to time it. Let's make sure there's a leaf blower going on one of these houses every day.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? And like every. And you've got an hour shift, you've got 8 to 9am Mondays. All right, let's take it 9 to 10am on Monday. Who's. Are you okay? Excellent. You? Yeah. No, it's just obscene. So anyway, this woman does not run a leaf blower. She runs focus groups. And after about 250 of them of swing voters, some patterns have emerged. She likes to ask the folks to compare the major parties to animals. What animal is the Republican Party most like? What? How about the Democrats? And she said Republicans are seen as apex predators like lions, tigers and sharks. Beasts that take what they want when they want it. Democrats are typically tagged as tortoises, slugs or sloths. Slow plotting and passive. One guy said, yeah, more like a deer in the headlights. But I thought that was an interesting method of trying to figure out what was going on. But it goes on and on. Various study groups and experts and all trying to figure out. It's got to be why the Democratic Party is so lost.

[Joe Getty]

Yes, Democrats got to be a scavenger of some sort. You're eating off of something that somebody else hunted and killed.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow, that's a good one. Yeah, well. And they talk about the trends of working class folks, men, white people, whatever, going away from the Democratic Party and it becoming just a cluster of hyper educated women in a way that I think we've all noticed fear and anxiety. There's one more thing I wanted to mention. Oh. The gender gap. It's swinging more and more in the favor of Republicans for your ideological debates over policies. Whether to push for a stricter stand on immigration, defend transgender rights less forcefully, or embrace anti corporate populism are already playing out on Capitol Hill, et cetera. So they just. They have no idea what they're doing. They're gathering at luxury hotels and spending tons of money trying to figure out how to win back working class voters. Oh, here it is. I knew there was one more thing and one of the things that they're pitching.

[Joe Getty]

I'll tell you how. Get back working class voters use the term Latinx a lot or hear or Herx tree herstory. Talk about Herc's tree, you know, in. In our nation's herstory.

[Jack Armstrong]

And teach little girls they can become boys. With just a little bit of surgery and some powerful hormones, we will carve up your body and turn you into a boy. Keep preaching that. Anyway, so various people were pitching various projects. One was a new $20 million effort aimed to have reversed the erosion of Democratic support among young men, especially online. It is coded code named sam, short for speaking with American men. A strategic plan and promises investment to quote, study the syntax, language and content that gains attention and virality in these spaces.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fancy words. And smart people who couldn't pick up on young men don't dig the whole trans restrooms thing or constantly being being blamed for everything that's wrong.

[Jack Armstrong]

Ah, they do mention quote above all, we must shift from a moralizing tone.

[Joe Getty]

No way.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Brow beating people constantly that they're bad unless they go along with your ridiculous radical ideology. Yeah, yeah. That tends to people off. It wears them out. So here you go. Read in the Wall Street Journal a profile of a man who is so clearly posturing himself to run for president, it is unmistakable. Not Gabby Newsom, not Josh Shapiro. Very, very smart, very savvy, very moderate. Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former chief of staff, Mayor of Chicago.

[Joe Getty]

Good too.

[Jack Armstrong]

He is very, very smart. And he has been unmistakably anti woke.

[Joe Getty]

Right. And he has the spine and the verbal talents to take on the AOC crowd and put them in their place and would have no trouble doing it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, he lost.

[Joe Getty]

He lost his finger at an Arby's. I feel like that's a strike against him. But he's gonna have to explain that to America because he was working.

[Jack Armstrong]

He was a young, hard working teenager trying to get ahead in this great country.

[Joe Getty]

Everybody else was running the sliced beef machine and didn't lose their fingers.

[Jack Armstrong]

But hey, you live and you learn. So he is direct about what he thinks Democrats need to win the national elections again.

[Joe Getty]

Remember when you Wrong. When you point the finger at someone else, he got three and a half fingers pointing back at you.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. Just let me know when you're done. I'll continue on with some solid analysis of America's electoral politics. He, he called the party's brand toxic and weak and woke up.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, that's exactly right.

[Jack Armstrong]

He'll be the headliner at a September fish fry for Democrats in Iowa.

[Joe Getty]

I'd be rooting for him.

[Jack Armstrong]

He must really like Iowa fish.

[Joe Getty]

I hope he runs at the very least in the nomination fight to take on, you know, Gavin Newsom and his crap.

[Jack Armstrong]

So it's going to be Rahm Emanuel versus, and I'm less certain about this one, Marco Rubio, who I believe will be more appealing to the American people than J.D. vance because of the beard, is my prediction. People, mark my words. Mark them.

[Joe Getty]

People can't vote for a president with a beard.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, I think the beard's fine. And the whole mangled finger is also fine. It's, it's a question of policy and connecting with people, but it'll be wrong.

[Joe Getty]

Gotcha.

[Jack Armstrong]

Freaking Gavin. Although watching him torn apart by the electorate and the media will be great fun.

[Joe Getty]

So there's a big Supreme Court breaking news story right now. We're headed into the time of the year, you know, in June, where they announce all their big cases and, and then run out the door so nobody can ask him any questions. But we've, we've got one ruling that has come down today. I want to get back into Russia, Ukraine at some point. Wall Street Journal editorial page with the big statement. Lindsey Graham with a, a major statement about it. And this could be a turning point in the whole war. Lots of stuff to talk about. Hope you can stay here.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Podcast Host]

This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is mental health awareness month, and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone, let's face it, in therapy, by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits, or another challenge that you need support to work through. It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers and most insured members have a zero dollar copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by Insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace. When you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's Spa CE80. To match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80.

[Bob Pittman]

Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. On this week's episode of Math and Magic, I'm sitting down with the one.

[Jack Armstrong]

And only Bobby Bones.

[Bob Pittman]

We're exploring the power of audio.

[Bobby Bones]

The word on the street then was, he's too country for pop. But then once I got to country, it was, he's too pop for country. So I kind of never really had a place to fit in, but that's exactly how and why I fit. I just embraced that. Like, yeah, I don't fit into one specific hole. I think that is what endeared me to listeners. That's why I'm here now, because I talk to people that grew up like me, have sensibilities like me, and have loyalties like me.

[Bob Pittman]

Listen to math and magic stories from the frontiers of Marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get.

[News Reporter]

Your podcast video of President Macron and his wife Brigitte pushing his face as they land in Vietnam is going viral. Later, Macron appears to offer his arm, but France's first lady opts to hold the railing instead.

[Joe Getty]

Right.

[News Reporter]

The Adz palace initially denied anything unusual had happened, calling it a moment of togetherness and playful teasing in a statement.

[Joe Getty]

See, I bought that originally when I watched the video. The door opens on the plane, you got the president of France Macron, getting shoved in the face by his wife, and you see it, and then he sees that the doors open, the camera's on, a big smile. I originally bought the idea because I've known people who are like that. I've not been in that relationship, but I've known people who, like, she might playfully push him like that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Sure. Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

And. And it's no big deal. The fact that he offered her his arm as they headed down the stairs, and she just stared straight ahead and didn't take it. That means that was not some sort of playful push. They were actually having an argument to me.

[Jack Armstrong]

Body language segment. Yeah, absolutely true. I watched it. I. I had no doubt. Yeah. That she was pissed. She was pissed off at him.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. How very French of him. Surrendered to his old wife. Anyway, this headline last week I was worried about reading. It turned out to be a nothing. Jurors at Diddy trial learn of the disgusting way he likes his burgers. Ex employees testify. And given everything that has come out of the Diddy trial, I thought, oh, my God, what does he put on his burgers. What does he make people do? And then the, the leaving. I thought this is going to be. This is going to be so gross. But no, he likes applesauce on his burgers, which is kind of weird. And I've never heard of that. I wouldn't call it. Given the context of the trial and some really disgusting things that are happening. I wouldn't call it.

[Jack Armstrong]

He's a woman beating rapist. That's the burger. The applesauce is not the disgusting partner.

[Joe Getty]

Urination has played roll. I mean there's all kinds of disgusting things in this trial. Applesauce in your burgers doesn't count as disgusting in that context. It's odd. I haven't tried it. I might like it. Also. Breaking news last week. The penny is finally going away. Sometime next year. The penny. They'll make the last penny at the US Mint. The US Mint has placed its final order for penny blanks will stop producing the coin when those run out early next year, marking the beginning of the end of the oldest continually printed money piece in America, the Treasury announced last week. I just think this is such a good example of why can only Trump do some things like this. Why is that.

[Jack Armstrong]

He just lacks everybody else's tendency toward inertia. Inertia plays a huge role in government. You know, we've talked about it. You start a program, it's forever. You start a bureaucracy, all it does is grow.

[Joe Getty]

But whether it's something important like now Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Everybody treat that's the capital. From now on, it's the capital. Whether it's that, that every president in my lifetime has said they were going to do but didn't because focus groups or think tanks or whatever, he just does it. And then the penny, which is not important but just everybody's talked about it.

[Caller]

But what.

[Joe Getty]

What are you afraid you'd be blamed by history or something? I don't know, it just seems so crazy to me.

[Jack Armstrong]

Or that, you know, commerce would come to a halt or something. It's absurd when you think about it. I mean, because way back in the day in England they had the hay penny frequently or, or, or prominently featured in the Christmas Is Coming the Goose is Getting Fat song, if you know that one there. There's no hey penny anymore. You know why? Because that's an absurdly small denomination of money given the current value of the pound or the dollar in this case, there's no reason for it. Likewise the penny. If the penny existed when a dollar could buy you A horse. The penny should not exist. Now, it's an absurdly small denomination.

[Joe Getty]

Sure. Obviously, and has been for quite some time. And then with the most recent inflation, it just took it to the next level. Plus you got the fact that it costs $0.03 to make a penny, which is dumb. It makes. It costs like 7 cents to make a nickel. There's talk of doing away with the nickel. I don't know, boy, a nickel is probably what a penny was not that long ago.

[Jack Armstrong]

If you were to start right now and say to people, all right, here's what you can buy for a dollar. You know, various examples of it, and it wouldn't be much. And said the smallest increment we're going to have is a tenth of a dollar. So what can a dollar buy you? Like a candy bar, maybe?

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't often have a dollar in my mitt looking to buy something, so, I don't know.

[Joe Getty]

I go to the dollar store a fair amount because my son really likes it.

[Jack Armstrong]

So give me, give me an example. What can you buy for a dollar?

[Joe Getty]

A variety of cheap, plastic, crappy things that are worthless.

[Jack Armstrong]

All right, so the smallest denomination we're going to have is one tenth of what it takes to buy a cheap, crappy plastic. Whatever. People would say, yeah, that's. That's plenty small. That's plenty fine enough.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, yeah, the dime is where, yeah, the dime should probably be the smallest denomination. And we actually do okay on the dime in terms of. It's about a break even of what it costs to make a dime.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. And I was shocked the other day. I did an inflation calculator from I think was the 80s to the present day. And it, it was. I don't remember the number and I don't want to mislead, but it was multiples. It was not like, wow, this is a third less. Everybody's more expensive. No, it's like quadruple.

[Joe Getty]

Everybody should do that to have a really realistic view of what your salary is or what your house costs or whatever, compared to, like, when you were a kid and aware of those things, it's shocking.

[Jack Armstrong]

Coming up, some impactful, important stories about the world. Plus, is it better to shower in the morning or at night? There is a clear answer from science.

[Joe Getty]

Okay, well, that was us. Mitt Talk. We'll see you next Tuesday, Armstrong and Getty.

[Podcast Host]

This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is mental health awareness month, and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone, let's face it, in therapy, by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits, or another challenge that you need support to work through. It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider and typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers and most insured members have a zero dollar copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by Insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's SPA CE80. To match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.comand enter promo code SPACE80.

[Bob Pittman]

Hi, I'm Bob Pippman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. On this week's episode of Math and Magic, I'm sitting down with the one.

[Jack Armstrong]

And only Bobby Bones.

[Bob Pittman]

We're exploring the power of audio.

[Bobby Bones]

The word on the street then was he's too country for pop. But then once I got to country, it was he's too pop for country. So I kind of never really had a place to fit in. But that's exactly how and why I fit. I just embraced that. Like, yeah, I don't fit into one specific hole. I think that is what endeared me to listeners. That's why I'm here now, because I talk to people that grew up like me, have sensibilities like me, and have loyalties like me.

[Bob Pittman]

Listen to math and magic stories from the frontiers of marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[News Reporter]

40% of US high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless in 2023 and 20% had seriously considered attempting suicide.

[Joe Getty]

I appreciated that Meet the Press on Sunday did not go with the usual news of the day, particularly around Donald Trump. They went with the crisis that we've talked about a lot and should be treated like a crisis that people, people are lonelier than ever. Young people are killing themselves and taking medications to deal with anxiety and all the blah, blah, blah. We know all this stuff as, as being like a lead story, which it is, should be a lead story. How could the lead story every week be this is what Trump did yesterday.

[Jack Armstrong]

For your cynical about these people. I wonder whether they're doing that for the right reason or if their ratings are just dropping off with never ending Trump hysteria. But anyway, back to the very, very important topic.

[Joe Getty]

Here's let's hear a little more from Christian Walker of Meet the Press laying out some of the facts here.

[News Reporter]

The mental health crisis in America is impacting young people in profound ways and public health officials say it is an emergency. Two thirds of Gen Z report feelings of loneliness and half of young adults report symptoms of anxiety and depression. Youth suicide rates are climbing. It is now one of the leading causes of death in adolescents and young adults. Almost one in five young adults report rarely or never receiving the social support they need. In our super connected times, over 55 million US adults report frequent loneliness. The smartphones and social media apps that connect us to the world are also accelerating the crisis.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, we all know that. That's one thing about this story. I feel like every single time we quickly get to smartphones, social media and everybody's aware of this already, there's like, there's not like the next sentence or the next whatever comes after that. So we should, what, make it have Superman fly around the world really, really fast and turn back time to be four smartphones? If that were possible, I'd be all for it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? I'm trying to remember. There was a great phrase by Caitlyn Flanagan, I think who, who wrote that we're drowning in the stuff. It's killing us, but we like it under the water.

[Joe Getty]

Ah, that's pretty good.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, that's pretty good.

[Joe Getty]

Now, combining a couple of things that are related and not related, I guess. So this Netflix show, adolescence, that's getting a tremendous amount of attention. It's already got 114 million views, which is a lot compared to like regular TV shows. It's based on a horrifying story of a middle schooler boy who murdered his classmate girl. And one of the reasons it's getting a fair amount of attention by the New York Times and Gavin Newsom talked about how he had to turn it off. It was so horrifying. Is because they present a lot of it as right wing toxic masculinity that is caught on, on social media and the Tate brothers and that sort of stuff. But, and it, and it goes too far. All of that stuff is true. But it leaves out, you know, there's, there's plenty on all sides of what's wrong with social media and what it's doing to people and their world views, especially young men. And then this story that also fits into it, I think is this thing, it became a TikTok craze. But I think there's a lot of truth in it. It's the idea of men calling each other at night and saying, hey, just want to say goodnight to you. You know, you're a good friend and saying goodnight. And I thought that's because that's, that's a thing that usually gets taken care of by having a girlfriend or wife or boyfriend or husband. If you're gay, but you have a relationship of somebody that's going to text you good night, call you good night, or is in bed next to you. And so many people don't. Now, it was kind of presented as like a joke, but I could see how that could be a thing. I'm not going to do it, but I could see how that could be a thing because you're lacking that in your life. Nobody at the end of the day that says, yeah, thinking about you, good night, miss you. Something like that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

These are very troubling developments.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right, Right. I'm struck by, and I'm trying to find the right words, how much of this stuff is, is antiseptic, is the closest I'm getting. What I'm, what I'm driving at is online interaction, including everything that we've described so far. And you're going to make fun of this, but go ahead. First they laugh at you, then they laugh at you more, then they really, really laugh at you, but then they hail you as a genius. I think that's how it ends anyway. An online relationship. Porn, social media, Online, quote, unquote, friends. I remember railing about the term friends.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

When Facebook first caught on, I was ahead of my time.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, you're right about that. The, yeah, the, the porn chick you're looking at is not going to text you miss you, good night at the end of the day.

[Jack Armstrong]

But here's what just dawned on me as you were going through these things. All of those quote unquote relationships or being with those people, they have no smell, they have no taste, they have no feelings, physical sensation until the love bots come along and the rest of it, they are incredibly antiseptic and they lack all of the like, like downside. All right, so you're, you're, you're with a girl. Maybe she's got bad breath. Porn doesn't have bad breath, for instance. It all is so lacking in the rough and tumble of real life that I think people can no longer tolerate the rough and tumble of real life, of a lover who's occasionally insensitive or has bad breath. Or is sweaty from the gym or whatever.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

Friends who annoy you and stuff. I don't know.

[Joe Getty]

I don't know if those are the examples that are keeping people. I think it's the.

[Jack Armstrong]

But it's easy. It's also.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I think it's the emotional effort is, is, is a, is a problem if, if, if, if there's a crowd out there and we know that it's true. I've seen this with my own eyes and it horrifies me. They like draw straws to see who's going to call to order the pizza because it's so intimidating. That crowd's not going to ask somebody out and make the emotional risk that is getting into her relationship. I mean, I think pretty clearly true.

[Jack Armstrong]

Or fight through the inevitable part of the relationship where you realize, okay, this person is fully human and has flaws and annoys me at times and, or.

[Joe Getty]

Sometimes I'm going to have to do stuff that they want to do and not just stuff I want to do. I think that's a big part of it. To go back a second. And I don't want to get a hung up on this because the point is not any of this, the whole point is not any of the sex stuff. But apparently because I've read about this, I think I saw it in the New York Post. You can, like a lot of these only fans, women, you can get some sort of setup with them where they text you throughout the day, how's your day going? And text you at night to fulfill that particular desire. That desire is strong enough that dudes are now doing it with each other, at least according to a tick tock trend. You know, just thinking of you. Good night. You can pay somebody to do that. How would that. I can't imagine getting any satisfaction from that whatsoever.

[Jack Armstrong]

You've got to delude yourself.

[Joe Getty]

You'd have to delude yourself. The person I'm paying just texted me to say good night. Hi. Good night, everybody.

[Jack Armstrong]

John Fetterman. He's mine. Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

God, that is horrifying. But I had another point. Oh. So the lead on Meet the Press was the Surgeon general saying a while back that we have a loneliness epidemic. It's cutting years off people's lives. It's, it's a leading killer because it causes all kinds of different problems. So do you think it's just flat loneliness because of all the stuff we just described?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. I think it's a, it's a vicious circle of loneliness for the reasons we've Been discussing. You have this antiseptic simulacrum, a faux relationship with various people from. You know, and that you have your only fans girl text you thinking of you.

[Joe Getty]

Oh my God.

[Jack Armstrong]

And then you begin to think. I mean, it's, it's the stripper saying, oh, you're handsome on steroids. And people are primed to actually believe it. It's like, you know, falling in love with a damn robot. It's, it's, it's, it's awful.

[Bobby Bones]

God.

[Joe Getty]

I would say so. If we're at the loneliness epidemic right when AI is taking off and like only fans has only been around for a few years. It just seems like the timing is the. The cures are coming. Cures. I guess I'll use my finger quote because it's not curing the underlying problem, but the. I don't mean the ointment or the salve for the problem are getting, they're getting better.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. The band aids over the gaping wound are getting better. That's the metaphor I would go with. Yes, yes. Here's a really nice band aid. Look, it completely covers the gaping wound. Yeah. I'm telling you, humankind is, is, is doomed. On the other hand, between now and when the beavers take over, you want to protect your loved ones and stuff. That's why Simplisafe home security is so incredible. This is. I mean, this is five times better than the crappy old security system Judy and I had in our old house. That was way over expensive. It hardly even worked. Simplisafe is incred, affordable and incredibly effective.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I got it at my house. I always say this. I like the sign in the yard when I'm backing out of the driveway that alerts people to the fact. And I mean, they don't need to be alerted. Maybe it keeps them from getting in in the first place, but they'll find out soon enough that I have sensors on all the doors and windows and the lifeguard protection and the cameras and everything else that will keep you out of my home.

[Jack Armstrong]

Human monitors AI technology. If someone's lurking around your house or acting suspiciously, the agents can see and talk to them in real time. Activate spotlights, even call the cops. They smash your door. And not after before. No long term contracts or cancellation fees. And monitoring plans start affordably at around a buck a day. Amazing. Simplisafe.com Armstrong you get 50 off new system with a professional monitoring plan. Get your first month free. That's simplisafe.com Armstrong there's no safe like simply Safe.

[Joe Getty]

I don't know what this is gonna sound like. Let's jam this in real quick. This is from the tick tock trend, which I think is a combination of kind of funny and silly and a serious underlying problem.

[Caller]

I'll just call and tell you good night. Sweet dreams.

[Joe Getty]

What?

[Caller]

I'm about to lay down, bro. I'm about to get in the bed. I just want to kind of tell you good night, bro. Sweet dreams.

[Podcast Host]

Why are you telling me good night?

[Caller]

I hope you sleep tight, bro.

[Jack Armstrong]

What do you have going?

[Joe Getty]

Sweet drink.

[Caller]

I'm a grown.

[Joe Getty]

What?

[Jack Armstrong]

What's going. Are you good?

[Caller]

Yeah, bro, I just. I can't wish that you sleep good tonight. Don't call my phone.

[Bobby Bones]

Which means you gonna sleep tight.

[Jack Armstrong]

Hey, I was just calling to say goodnight. Are you joking? No. Well, thanks, man. I appreciate that. I don't remember the last time someone said good night to me.

[Caller]

I just want to call and tell you good night. Sweet dreams.

[Jack Armstrong]

What are you doing?

[Caller]

I just want to call and say you good night, bro. I hope you sleep tight tonight.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's been so many nights you haven't called me.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay, I think.

[Joe Getty]

I think we get it. So whether it's just. It's just TikTok silliness, somebody trying to go viral, but it.

[Jack Armstrong]

You're calling people guys to freak them out and then post it online, but.

[Joe Getty]

It reeks of a needle. I think that is. Well, I don't think. I guarantee it's out there. Yeah, I guess the loneliness epidemic, which is. Well, Joe. Joe already said we're doomed, so there's no point in going on with the conversation. Humanity is doomed. I think he's right.

[Jack Armstrong]

We love it here under the water. That's the problem. Wow.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. They didn't really have any answers on Meet the Press either as they went through all that stuff of social media and phones and lack of connection and blah blah, blah and all these different sorts of things. They didn't. They didn't really have an answer.

[Jack Armstrong]

Turn the effing thing off. Leave it behind.

[Joe Getty]

People aren't going to do that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Go hang out with your friends.

[Joe Getty]

That's not going to happen and you know it. People.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm not concerned with people, Jack. I'm not concerned with solving the problem, quote, unquote. I'm. I'm throwing starfish back in the water. If. If I listen to me and one other person does. That's great. I can't save society. Forget it. It's doomed. I just want to save as many people as I can, including me. And the people I love.

[Joe Getty]

We got like two generations left and there'll be no more human beings on Earth.

[Jack Armstrong]

Land of the Beavers Yep.

[Joe Getty]

Any thoughts? Industries text line is 415295KFTC ARMSTRONG and GETTY.

[Podcast Host]

This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is Mental health Awareness Month, and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone let's face it in therapy, by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back. Whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits, or another challenge that you need support to work through, it's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers and most insured members have a zero dollar copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by Insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's S P A CE83. To match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80.

[Bob Pittman]

Hi, I'm Bob Pippman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. On this week's episode of Math and Magic, I'm sitting down with the one.

[Jack Armstrong]

And only Bobby Bones.

[Bob Pittman]

We're exploring the power of audio.

[Bobby Bones]

The word on the street then was he's too country for pop. But then once I got to country, it was he's too pop for country. So I kind of never really had a place to fit in. But I that's exactly how and why I fit. I just embraced that. Like, yeah, I don't fit into one specific hole. I think that is what endeared me to listeners. That's why I'm here now, because I talk to people that grew up like me, have sensibilities like me, and have loyalties like me.

[Bob Pittman]

Listen to Math and Magic stories from the frontiers of Marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Jack Armstrong]

An overturned truck covered a Texas highway.

[Joe Getty]

And 8 million dimes, sparking a wild.

[Jack Armstrong]

Frenzy of drivers picking up like three.

[Joe Getty]

Dimes and saying, this is actually hard.

[Jack Armstrong]

Let's just go. The dime should be the smallest denomination of American coinage that has been decided.

[Joe Getty]

Surprising number of texts from your Tease of. Is it better to shower in the morning or at night? I would like to know the answer. According to science, yes, I've.

[Jack Armstrong]

I was always a morning guy. I have become a night guy.

[Joe Getty]

I shower at night.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, well I have to.

[Joe Getty]

If you work out during the day, what are you gonna get in? You're gonna get into bed with your sweaty body.

[Jack Armstrong]

Gross. No, you shower again, play golf, workout, whatever. Double shower. Yeah, absolutely. So it's the question is long been a debate, better shower in the morning or night? Of course, morning shower enthusiasts say that' obvious winner. It helps you wake up, start the day fresh. Absolutely true. Night shower loyalists on the other hand will argue it's better to wash the day away and relax before bed. You get into bed nice and clean.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I don't like into getting into bed not clean. Also, you know, getting back to our previous conversation, I got no companionship and that plays a role. I would be showering more often if I. If I did.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, the microbiologist who wrote this says there is actually a clear answer to the question. This part is really interesting. And their perspective is mostly about body odor. Many of us think body odor is caused by sweat. It is kind of indirectly, but it's actually produced by bacteria that live on the surface of the skin. Fresh sweat is odorless, but skin dwelling bacteria, specifically staphylococci, use sweat as a direct nutrition source. When they break down the sweat, it releases as a sulfur containing compound which is behind pungent VO finding this very gross.

[Joe Getty]

I think. I almost never have body odor. I shower enough to avoid that, definitely.

[Jack Armstrong]

So during the day, your body and hair inevitably collect pollutants and allergens, dust, pollen, etc. Alongside the usual accumulation of sweat and sebaceous oil. While some of these particles will be retained by your clothes, others will inevitably be transferred to your sheets and pillowcases.

[Joe Getty]

I don't want that.

[Jack Armstrong]

The sweat and oil from your skin will support the growth of bacteria that comprise your skin microbiome. They can be transferred onto your sheets. So showering at night may remove some of the allergens. Sweat and oil picked up during the day, so less ends up on your bed sheets. However, even if you're freshly showered before bed, you still sweat during the night, whatever the temperature. Your skin microbes will then eat the nutrients in the sweat and you know what that means. By the morning, you'll have both deposited microbes onto your bedsheets and you probably wake up with some bo.

[Joe Getty]

All right.

[Jack Armstrong]

And what particularly negates the cleaning benefits of the night shower is if your bedding is not laundered regularly. The odor causing microbes present in your bed sheets may be transferred while you sleep on your clean body. So I'll cut to the chase because this is long. Morning showers help remove dead skin cells as well as any sweat or bacteria you've picked up from your bed sheets during the night. Especially important if your bed sheets aren't freshly washed when you went to bed. This microbiologist says clear winter morning showers.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, good for you. I'm going to shower at night. Rejecting science, rejecting that scientist.

[Jack Armstrong]

You're like the priest who tortured Galileo or poisoned him or punched him in the face. I don't remember. You would have kicked Copernicus out of the temple as you reject science.

[Joe Getty]

You know what I noticed coming out of my three week sickness? But usually when you're sick, it's like a week or something like that. Usually when I'm sick, I get into a habit of like, not doing my normal stuff. And so like the bed sheets are all. There's tissues everywhere. My room is not just when you're sick. And then finally when I'm done being sick, it's like, okay, let's get back to real life. Let's wash all the sheets, throw all the stuff away. Let's get everything straightened out again.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. So true. Yeah, okay, so anyway, shower whenever you want.

[Joe Getty]

You're a person who sleeps in socks, so why would anybody take, like a psychopath? Why wouldn't everybody take any advice from you?

[Jack Armstrong]

Tell you what, there's a fire, burglary, I throw my shoes on, which are right next to the bed, next to my gun, my eyeglasses, and I'm ready to go. Some nights I sleep in a tracksuit or anything. You know, there could be action tonight. Gotta be ready.

[Joe Getty]

Like a guy I knew in high school on the wrestling team, he would put on his socks and shoes first. Now you younger people are gonna find this shocking. Like Michelangelo, as, as we've learned over the years, because nobody ever sees anybody naked in the modern world. But back in the day, you played sports and everybody was naked in the locker room at the same time after you showered. Anyway, he would put on his socks and shoes before anything else. And his theory was, what if they're a fire right now? I can run out the door. You, you're barefoot.

[Jack Armstrong]

Socks and shoes.

[Joe Getty]

Socks and shoes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Like, had to work his pants over his shoes. Now that's a psychopath.

[Joe Getty]

He went on to be a marine and a cop, I believe.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. Okay. And he was always ready.

[Joe Getty]

Trump said the strongest things he said about Putin yet yesterday. That's after Putin launched the biggest attacks of the entire war against Ukraine over the week.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, strong, but odd and inconclusive.

[Joe Getty]

We'll talk about Matt now or three Armstrong and Getty.

[Podcast Host]

This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is Mental health Awareness Month and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone. Let's face it in therapy, by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits or another challenge. Need support to work through? It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers and most insured members have a zero dollar copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's S P A CE80 to match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80. This is an iHeart podcast.