Armstrong & Getty On Demand – “That Would Be A Good Rumor To Start”

Episode Summary: March 13, 2026

Overview

In this episode, hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty deliver their signature blend of humor, irreverent social commentary, and current events banter. The show moves from reflections on childhood innocence and viral news stories, to a spirited discussion of a controversial court ruling involving gender and traditional spaces. Listeners are treated to lighter moments about Bigfoot sightings and Oscar buzz, before a final meditation on media consumption and modern technology’s effect on privacy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Childhood Innocence, Exhaustion & Viral Kid Content

(03:30–05:29)

• Jack recounts his son’s new appreciation for how exhausting young kids can be after volunteering to lead a group of kindergarteners:

  "He said little kids, their innocence. I thought that was funny from a 14 year old. It's just their innocence is so nice. He said, but they're exhausting." (03:58, Jack)

• The hosts discuss the universal charm of young children, segueing into a chat about viral videos of adorable childhood moments.

2. Clips of the Week – A Satirical Snapshot

(05:29–08:23)

• The “Cow Clips of the Week” segment offers quick takes on the week’s headlines, pop culture snippets, and political oddities, mixing genuine news with tongue-in-cheek commentary.
• Notable quote:

  "That was a good week or a horrible week. Depends on which clips you want to focus on." (08:23, Jack)

3. Judicial Dissent and Gender Policy at a Korean Spa

(08:59–13:45)

• Joe highlights a controversial Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision about a women-only Korean spa forced to admit transgender women, sharing parts of Judge Van Dyke’s dissent.
• The hosts express exasperation at the legal complexities and criticize what they call “social experiments” imposed without nuance.

  "This is a case about swinging dicks. ... The Christian owners of Olympus Spa, traditional Korean women only nude spa, understandably, don't want them in their spa." (09:20, Joe)
  "There's just so many things where I just don't know why you just can't just say, ‘Cause. Cause you can't have a guy walking around naked in front of 13 year old girls. Why? Because. Next case." (12:30, Jack)

• Joe riffs, only half-seriously, on his “heroic” admiration for Judge Van Dyke:

  "I'm gonna find out what Judge Van Dyke looks like and get his face tattooed on my chest." (13:39, Joe)

4. Bigfoot Sightings in Ohio & Cryptozoology Culture

(18:22–24:13)

• The hosts have fun discussing a recent cluster of Bigfoot sightings in northeast Ohio, as covered by the Bigfoot Society Podcast.
• They joke about dressing up as Bigfoot (“my retirement plan,” says Jack) and consider the subculture’s overlap with flat-earthers.
• Example:

  “If you're in the area, keep your eyes open and maybe your door’s locked because there could be a Bigfoot in your general vicinity.” (20:09, Joe quoting a Bigfoot Society post)

5. Ambulance Bills, Tech Costs & Economic Grievances

(28:57–31:23)

• Jack vents about a nearly $5,000 ambulance bill not fully covered by insurance, lambasting the system as confusing, unfair, and predatory.
• He shares a listener’s strategy for disputing such bills.
• Joe references rising prices for computers and airline tickets, linking it to supply shortages and global instability.

6. Military Movements & Defense Technology

(28:05–33:13)

• Recent deployments of U.S. Marines to the Middle East and the visibility of submarine-hunter planes over California are discussed, with some speculation and wry jokes about government secrecy.
• Jack mentions plane-spotter apps and the intrigue of military aviation.
• Soviet jokes get a moment, reflecting the hosts’ skepticism toward nostalgia for socialism.

  “We pretend to work and they pretend to pay us.” – Soviet joke (32:24, Jack)

7. Oscars Preview: Movies, Swag, and Celebrity Culture

(34:26–37:52)

• The hosts preview the Oscars, discuss hyped movies (“the ping pong Timothy Chalamet movie” and “Sinners”), and laugh about swag bags and celebrity behavior.
• Notable moments include Paul Newman’s quote on Oscar futility and the frivolity of “awards for art.”
• They joke about starting rumors of ICE going after Oscar attendees:

  "If I had the capability ... to start a rumor that Trump is going to send ICE to apprehend a lot of the people who attend the Oscars. ... That’d be a great rumor to start." (38:13, Joe) "Anybody with a foreign sounding name, right?" (38:27, Jack)

8. Meta Glasses, Privacy, and Tech’s Unintended Consequences

(42:19–44:21)

• A segment discusses the creepiness and future implications of “meta glasses”—wearable tech capable of recording video discreetly.
• Cindy Crawford shares a story of being secretly recorded, prompting concerns about privacy and social norms.
• Joe predicts:

  “Modern world, one star, cannot recommend.” (44:21, Joe)

• Jack notes the inevitability:

  “I think you're just going to get, get used to the fact that anybody wearing glasses might be recording you.” (44:04, Jack)

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On exhausting kids:
  “Little kids are exhausting.” (03:58, Jack)
• On legal common sense:
  “'Cuz you can't have a guy walking around naked in front of 13 year old girls. Why? Because. Next case.” (12:30, Jack)
• On Bigfoot sightings:
  “He’s walking on two feet. That ain’t no bird.” (19:45, Jack and Joe)
• On ambulance bills:
  “What is the point of medical insurance that doesn’t cover the $5,000 ambulance ride?” (29:06, Jack)
• On tech and privacy:
  “Would you feel like that's an invasion of your privacy? Where is this tech going to take us?” (43:07, Cindy Crawford)
• On speculative rumors:
  “That’d be a great rumor to start.” (38:13, Joe)
• On modern media:
  “We all need to figure out the happy medium ... of being informed but not dwelling. You take in a lot of media and you start to be convinced the world is just rotten ... and that ain’t true.” (47:37, Jack)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Childhood Exploration: 03:30–05:29
• Clips of the Week: 05:29–08:23
• Judicial Dissent / Olympus Spa Case: 08:59–13:45
• Bigfoot Sightings: 18:22–24:13
• Ambulance Bill Rant & Cost of Living: 28:57–31:23
• Oscar Buzz & Celebrity Culture: 34:26–38:13
• Meta Glasses & Privacy Concerns: 42:19–44:21
• Final Thoughts & Media Reflection: 47:37–48:16

Tone and Style

The episode maintains Armstrong & Getty’s trademark blend of sardonic wit, cultural skepticism, and everyman exasperation. Their banter oscillates between pointed and playful, managing to tackle both significant legal/social issues and the trivial oddities of modern life—with plenty of self-deprecating humor and gentle mocking of the news cycle throughout.

Concluding Thoughts

The show ends with the hosts affirming the value of real-world joys over doom-scrolling, emphasizing community, humor, and living in the moment. Joe summarizes:

“We’re going to watch some pretty good hockey, eat questionable stadium food, drink a couple beers and yell like crazy ...” (48:16, Joe)

Listeners are reminded to balance media intake with genuine life experience—while always being wary of anyone in meta glasses recording it all.