Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "That's Freakin' Weak Tea, Man!"
Air date: October 6, 2025

Overview

This episode of Armstrong & Getty focuses on two big topics: the surprising international response to President Trump’s Middle East peace proposal in the wake of nearly two years of war between Israel and Hamas, and a pointed discussion on the controversy over American comedians performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia, calling out what the hosts see as hypocrisy. Along the way, the hosts riff on public opinion, media shifts (highlighting Barry Weiss and The Free Press’s CBS acquisition), conversational hogs at restaurants, and notable news events involving public figures.

The tone is conversational, irreverent, and at times openly critical, especially when discussing perceived inconsistencies and media narratives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Peace Proposal and Middle East Reaction

(03:37 – 13:55)

• Mainstream & International Media Coverage

  • The hosts highlight unusually positive media coverage for Trump's 20-point peace plan, with even traditionally critical outlets praising the potential breakthrough.
    • "The media coverage for mainstream media was more positive on this thing than boy, anything I've heard about a Trump idea in a very long time." (Jack Armstrong, 04:24)
  • Trump is now the most popular politician in Israel, yet also well-liked by multiple Arab leaders—an unusual diplomatic feat.
    • "Trump is the most popular politician in Israel of anybody in the world... He has all these Arab leaders who like him more than any president we've had in forever. How do you pull that trick off?" (Jack Armstrong, 06:24)

• Skepticism About the Deal’s Viability

  • Despite announcements, both Israel and Hamas have unresolved “significant points of disagreement.” The hosts are blunt, calling out political theater.
    • "In every other context in the world, that means we don't have a deal. My goodness, can we stop pretending we have a deal?" (Joe Getty, 07:14)
  • There’s a resigned consensus that, even if a deal is made, Hamas will likely violate it, triggering further Israeli military action.

• Arab Leadership & the "Risky Game of Chicken"

  • The Arab world’s support is perceived as more rhetorical than real, with Trump “calling everyone’s bluff.”
    • "Trump is steaming ahead, calling everyone's bluff by accepting their statements of support without acknowledging their reservations." (Joe Getty, 08:59)

• Public Opinion in Gaza

  • Despite dangers in speaking out, Gazan voices reportedly support the ceasefire out of desperation.
    • "We’ve had enough of Hamas. Please end the fighting. For me, anything that ends the war is good." (Gazan mother, as quoted by Joe Getty, 10:23)

• Disconnect Between Protesters and Peace News

  • The hosts mock protesters purportedly for Palestine who are unaware of Trump’s peace proposal.
    • "So you're queers for Hamas protesters... not paying any attention to the biggest peace effort in the Middle East in 50 years." (Jack Armstrong, 11:47)

2. Riyadh Comedy Festival Controversy – Hypocrisy in Stand-Up

(18:53 – 24:54)

• Comedians Accepting Saudi Money

  • Jack Armstrong shares comedian David Cross’s criticism of American comedians (Dave Chappelle, Louis CK, Bill Burr) for performing in Saudi Arabia despite their political grandstanding in the U.S.
    • "A lot of these comedians, half their act is lecturing everybody about how awful the country is... and then you go over to a country where they have freaking slaves and they stone women to death because they got raped." (Jack Armstrong, 19:44)
  • The contracts explicitly prohibit jokes about religion or government—yet the comedians, known for boundary-pushing, accept these rules for high pay.
    • "So you're gonna strut around the stage as the big tough guy... and then you'll go to Saudi Arabia and sign a piece of paper where they tell you all these things are off limits, and you say, sure, for enough money. That is freaking weak, man." (Jack Armstrong, 22:03)

• Liberalization vs. Pandering

  • Louis CK’s own words, played on-air, try to position the festival as a budding opportunity for cross-cultural comedy, but the Armstrong & Getty team are unimpressed.
    • "Yeah, you like being controversial and getting to say whatever you want. You just said 'no religion, no government.' That's the whole country." (Jack Armstrong, 24:19)
  • Chappelle’s assertion that there’s “more freedom of speech here than in America” is called not just false but “horrifying.”
    • "He is dead to me. Now, it's a country where... [a] blogger received a thousand lashes... Chappelle's over there saying you got more freedom of speech here than in America. F you." (Joe Getty, 22:48)

3. Modern Media: The Barry Weiss / Free Press Story

(29:42 – 39:53)

• Independent Journalism Breakthrough

  • The hosts discuss former New York Times journalist Barry Weiss growing her “Free Press” outlet from 3 staffers to a $150 million acquisition deal with CBS—citing her commitment to non-partisan, old-school reporting.
    • "This makes the Free Press one of the most amazing, entirely organic successes in media history." (Jack Armstrong, 30:34)
    • "That's absolutely amazing... One of the biggest media success stories ever, certainly in this era." (Jack Armstrong, 32:09)

• Audience Support & Editorial Independence

  • The Free Press now has 1.5 million subscribers. The hosts compare Weiss’s philosophy to their own: treat the audience like adults capable of weighing competing ideas.
    • "We would seek the truth and tell it plainly. And we would treat readers like adults capable of making their own choices." (Reading from Barry Weiss, 36:46)
  • Skepticism about “selling out” is addressed by both Weiss and the hosts, who anticipate she’ll remain committed to her principles even within corporate media.

4. Table Talk: Social Annoyances & Parenting

(33:11 – 35:54)

• Joe describes, with exasperated humor, being twice seated next to a table-dominating woman at different restaurants.
• The co-hosts reflect on noticing — and trying to teach their kids not to become — conversational monopolizers.
  • "I say, now, now, I just want you to realize that we all been sitting here and you've done like 90% of the talking since we sat down. So how about you let other people talk a little bit because you don't want to be that person." (Jack Armstrong, 35:12)

5. News Clips & Rapid Fire Topics

(43:59 – 49:32)

• Washington Post Admits Obamacare is Not Affordable
  • Noted in passing as a surprising moment of candor in mainstream media (44:16).
• Mark Sanchez Stabbing Incident
  • The discussion of former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez, now a Fox analyst, involved in an altercation leading to his being stabbed (45:30).
  • The hosts reflect on athlete violence, public intoxication, and the sometimes-unfair rush to judgment.
    • "If you've ever been around an NFL football player, but they are giant freaking human beings... if one of them was angry at you and physically coming after you, you would be scared for your life." (Jack Armstrong, 46:38)
• P. Diddy’s Legal Outcome
  • Quick commentary on P. Diddy's perceived lenient sentencing after severe accusations (47:18).
• Attempted Attack on Justice Kavanaugh
  • Shock at judicial leniency toward an attacker, with the judge focusing on the perpetrator's gender identity journey rather than the severity of the crime (49:09).
    • "I am heartened that this terrible infraction has helped the Rosky family accept their daughter for who she is." (Judge Boardman, paraphrased by Joe Getty, 50:22)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Congratulations, that's difficult to achieve, being perfectly wrong." (Joe Getty, 05:18)
• "Stop hitting snooze on new tech." (Regular humorous riff during sponsor ad breaks)
• "I don't care if you're wrong, if I believe that you're at least trying to get the story out correctly. That's your goal, right?" (Jack Armstrong on journalism, 39:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:37 – Middle East Peace Deal Media Coverage
• 04:34 – Media’s Unlikely Positivity Toward Trump’s Plan
• 05:27 – Andrea Mitchell’s “perfectly wrong” analysis, host critique
• 07:14 – Breakdown of "no deal" despite announcements
• 08:59 – Trump “calls everyone’s bluff” in the region
• 10:23 – Voices from Gaza, real public opinion noted
• 11:47 – "Queers for Palestine" protesters lampooned
• 18:53 – Riyadh Comedy Festival, comedians’ hypocrisy, David Cross’s critique
• 22:03 – “Signing away free speech for money” riff
• 22:48 – Anger at Chappelle’s “more freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia” claim
• 29:42 – Barry Weiss and the Free Press, CBS $150M deal
• 33:11 – Conversation hog at a restaurant, social gripes
• 39:30 – On accuracy, honesty, and mature media audiences
• 43:59 – Washington Post’s admission on ACA affordability
• 45:30 – Mark Sanchez stabbing incident explained
• 47:18 – P. Diddy sentencing comments
• 49:09 – Attempted attack on Justice Kavanaugh, judge’s gender identity remarks

Summary

This episode covers:

• The unexpected coalition and skepticism surrounding Trump’s new Middle East peace proposal, with deep dives on media, political, and public reactions from all sides.
• A fiery critique of American comedians—especially those outspoken on progressive issues—accepting censorship and big money to perform in Saudi Arabia.
• The rise of independent journalism in the hands of Barry Weiss and what her CBS deal could mean for honest reporting.
• Anecdotes about social etiquette (table talkers), major headlines involving public figures, and a few moments of lighthearted, personal banter.

For anyone wanting a fast, colorful, and direct run-through of current events—with equal parts serious breakdown and off-the-cuff commentary—this episode distills the news with Armstrong & Getty’s signature wit and bite.