The A&G Replay Friday Hour Three

Summary

Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand – The A&G Replay Friday Hour Three

Release Date: January 7, 2025
Host: Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty
Podcast: Armstrong & Getty On Demand

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1. Listener Story: An Unexpected Evening at the NFL Playoff Weekend Show

The episode kicks off with Michelangelo sharing a personal experience about attending a live show that turned out to coincide with the NFL playoff weekend. Expecting an entertaining, high-action event, Michelangelo and his wife found themselves disappointed as the show lacked the anticipated excitement.

• Michelangelo recounts his initial expectations and subsequent disappointment:

  "[00:02] ...we thought it would be high action, entertaining, musical, very cool. And so I didn't realize it was the NFL playoff."

• The situation escalates when Michelangelo's private conversation with his wife about the show's shortcomings is interrupted by a fellow attendee. This leads to tension and an eventual hasty exit from the venue.

• Joe Getty empathizes with Michelangelo's frustration:

  "[02:01] ...it's like Elmo on Ice, but there's the freaking blue thing again."

• The discussion highlights the challenges of managing personal expectations versus reality and the discomfort of unsolicited interruptions in public settings.

2. Navigating Social Etiquette: Was a Scene Caused?

Following Michelangelo's story, the hosts delve into the nuances of social interactions and perceptions of causing a scene.

• Jack Armstrong humorously suggests the need for precise volume measurements:

  "[05:18] ...I almost need to get a decibel reading to know where to come down on this one."

• Joe Getty reflects on the subjective nature of causing a scene:

  "[05:32] ...whether you caused it or not is I don't know."

• The conversation underscores how personal actions can be misinterpreted by others, emphasizing the importance of context and perception in social dynamics.

3. Saturday Night Live: The Balance Between Humor and Professionalism

The podcast transitions into a discussion about the behavior of Ryan Gosling on Saturday Night Live (SNL), specifically his tendency to break character and laugh during sketches.

• Joe Getty shares his enthusiasm for SNL and his observations:

  "[09:41] ...more than I've ever seen ever combined in 40 years of watching the show in one episode."

• Jack Armstrong comments on the impact of such behavior on the show's quality:

  "[15:09] ...he's probably a part of some nosy person that decided."

• Katie questions whether the laughter seems forced or genuine:

  "[11:06] ...do you think he's laughing because it's genuinely funny?"

• The hosts compare current SNL moments with classic sketches, highlighting the delicate balance between maintaining professionalism and embracing spontaneous humor.

4. The Bear: A Deep Dive into a Highly Acclaimed TV Show

The conversation shifts to "The Bear," a TV show garnering significant praise for its storytelling and soundtrack.

• Joe Getty expresses intrigue about the show's popularity:

  "[17:55] ...it's a story about a guy who takes a trained bear around the country playing county fairs."

• Jack Armstrong provides clarity on the actual plot:

  "[19:08] ...a brilliant, gifted chef, and his brother, who runs a Chicago sandwich shop, dies, and he has to take over the family business."

• The hosts discuss the show's realistic portrayal of kitchen dynamics and its appeal to both culinary enthusiasts and general audiences.

• Katie humorously likens a character to Gordon Ramsay:

  "[21:14] ...he's like a deli version of Gordon Ramsay."

5. Julius Caesar’s Oratorical Mastery: Lessons in Persuasion

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to analyzing a Twitter thread that breaks down Julius Caesar's influential speech during the conspiracy of Catiline in 63 BC.

• Jack Armstrong summarizes the historical context and key points of Caesar's speech:

  "[23:22] ...Roman Senate declared martial law to avert the danger and said essentially that the danger is so severe there's no time for trials."

• The discussion highlights nine strategic lessons from Caesar's speech, emphasizing emotional intelligence and tactical empathy:

  1. Name the Emotions: Acknowledge the audience's feelings to create space for reason.

     "[25:10] ...members of the Senate must see to it that the villainy... does not have more weight with you than your own dignity."

  2. Tell Compelling Stories: Use relatable narratives to reinforce points.

  3. Clarify the Story’s Meaning: Explicitly connect stories to the overarching argument.

  4. Affirm Emotions, Yet Set Them Aside: Validate feelings while steering towards rational decisions.

  5. Praise Opponent’s Good Intentions: Build common ground by recognizing the merits of opposition.

• Joe Getty relates Caesar's strategies to modern-day political and persuasive tactics:

  "[25:38] ...another person can convince me of something when I'm angry, but I can convince me of stuff that later I think that's not true."

6. Ben Affleck’s 2003 Vision for the Entertainment Industry

In the latter part of the episode, the hosts discuss a clip featuring Ben Affleck from 2003, where he forecasts the future of the entertainment industry, particularly focusing on digital distribution and subscription models.

• Joe Getty reflects on Affleck's foresight:

  "[33:05] ...file sharing is pushing the industry toward that balance because of its availability right now."

• Jack Armstrong muses on the accuracy of Affleck's predictions regarding streaming services:

  "[33:57] ...if I'd been listening to that and had some cash around, I might have thought, wow, people are going to be streaming music instead of buying it physically."

• The hosts discuss the evolution of piracy, digital consumption, and the sustainability of traditional media models in the face of technological advancements.

• Michelangelo adds personal anecdotes about the enduring nature of digital piracy:

  "[34:39] ...you can definitely do it today."

7. Closing Remarks and Teasers for Future Episodes

As the episode wraps up, the hosts tease upcoming content and encourage listeners to engage with the podcast's online platforms.

• Jack Armstrong mentions an analysis of Julius Caesar's political strategies available on their website:

  "[23:22] ...we'll post a link for you at Armstrong&getty.com."

• The hosts hint at future discussions, including a potential episode on Leonardo DiCaprio's persona:

  "[35:27] ...how smart is that celebrity. Wednesday. Next Wednesday we'll do Leonardo DiCaprio. Idiot. Or genius."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Michelangelo on the unexpected nature of the show:

  "[00:02] ...I didn't realize it was the NFL playoff."

• Joe Getty on the nature of causing a scene:

  "[05:32] ...whether you caused it or not is I don't know."

• Jack Armstrong emphasizing the importance of volume in social perceptions:

  "[05:18] ...I almost need to get a decibel reading to know where to come down on this one."

• Katie on Ben Affleck’s appearances:

  "[31:16] ...in all, a lot of the photos I've seen of him, at least recently, he always looks mad."

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Conclusion

This episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand offers a blend of personal stories, analytical discussions on historical speeches, and contemporary pop culture insights. From navigating awkward social scenarios to dissecting the persuasive techniques of Julius Caesar and reflecting on Ben Affleck’s early predictions, listeners are treated to a diverse range of topics presented with humor and depth. The inclusion of notable quotes with timestamps enhances the engagement, providing highlights that encapsulate the essence of each discussion.

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For more detailed discussions and exclusive content, visit armstrongandgetty.com and subscribe to the Armstrong and Getty podcast on your preferred platform.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty. Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty.

[Joe Getty]

Not live from Studio C. We're taking a break for a couple of weeks. You know why? Because 2024 was an exhausting year and we need to come back fresh for 25.

[Jack Armstrong]

So enjoy this carefully curated AR Armstrong and Getty replay. And while you're here, drop by armstrongandgetty.com Get a late gift, perhaps for your favorite AMG fan at the Armstrong and Getty store. Or subscribe to the Armstrong and Getty podcast. Armstrong and Getty on demand. Either way, enjoy. Thanks for being.

[Joe Getty]

I didn't pay off one of my teases during the Armstrong and Getty radio show. If you enjoyed these bitter foods, you might have psychopathic tendencies. And the list is gin and tonics.

[Jack Armstrong]

Love them. Black coffee every day.

[Joe Getty]

And dark chocolate.

[Jack Armstrong]

Love it. Yes. Virtually the only thing I'll eat for dessert.

[Katie]

All right, I'm two out of three.

[Joe Getty]

Which one don't you like? You don't drink coffee.

[Katie]

I'm not a. I'm not a gin drinker.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, you're not a gin drinker.

[Jack Armstrong]

See, at the psychopath party, though, Katie, two out of three is plenty. Welcome.

[Katie]

I'm excited.

[Joe Getty]

And if you don't, if you're not a psychopath, you. You probably have everyday sadism, it says here, which is a person who takes pleasure from ordinary experiences in which cruelty is vicarious.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Vicarious cruelty gets me through the day.

[Joe Getty]

That and a little dark chocolate to nibble on.

[Jack Armstrong]

Exactly. I wash down my cruelty with a nice gin and tonic in a little dark chocolate. So satisfying.

[Joe Getty]

Or a cup of coffee to help you stay up later to watch more of the cruelty.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know, if there's good cruelty on tv. Yeah, I want a cup of coffee to keep my eyes wide open.

[Joe Getty]

All right, now, your story, Michelangelo.

[Michelangelo]

Okay, let me go back about six months ago. My wife and I purchased these tickets to a show that was, we thought would be high action, entertaining, musical, very cool. And so I didn't realize it was the NFL playoff.

[Joe Getty]

Elmo on Ice.

[Michelangelo]

No, nothing like that. But I didn't realize it was the NFL playoff weekend. I didn't think ahead.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, yeah, I've done that before, too. Yes, I've done that before, too.

[Michelangelo]

So of course, this thing comes up and I realize it's now the NFL playoff weekend. And I say, you know, look, I really don't want to go. She goes, don't worry. About it. It's gonna be great. You know, we bought these tickets. They're a hundred, you know, it's gonna be fantastic. You're gonna really enjoy it. I thought, all right, I'm gonna enjoy it. I'll go along. So we get to the show, and the show's not what we expected. It's not any action at all. In fact, it's people talking on stage, doing an occasional song, talking on stage, doing.

[Joe Getty]

It's super too much Grover. Not enough Elmo for Elmo on Ice.

[Jack Armstrong]

Exactly. Yeah. You call it Elmo on Ice, but there's the freaking blue thing again. Wow.

[Michelangelo]

So intermission comes, they say, hey, we got more great action for you in the second half. Hang around. And I'm thinking, I don't want to hang around. So I tell my wife, I say, hey, listen, this isn't my cup of tea. This is not what you sold it as. And she goes, yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I thought it was something different. I thought it was, you know, different type of show.

[Joe Getty]

Were you just missing a game, though, over this, or is that what's going on?

[Michelangelo]

So meanwhile, you know, and we live about five minutes away, and I'm missing the Cowboys and Packers game. And, yeah, I'm just trying to. What? I enjoy NFL football.

[Joe Getty]

Sure.

[Michelangelo]

And so I tell her, listen, I want to get out of here. And she goes, really? You didn't enjoy any of this? I said, no, I haven't enjoyed any of this at all. I think it's slow. I think, you know, the music's not very good, et cetera, et cetera. And so I'm listing this off. Well, I guess I was talking too loud. And I must mention that during part of the show, one of the speakers talks about gratitude and being grateful. So I'm just having a private conversation with my wife. You know, it's loudly.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, boy.

[Katie]

Screaming in the lobby.

[Michelangelo]

No, I'm not being loud. I'm being, you know, just regular. Regular voice. And all of a sudden, a woman in front of us turns around and says to my wife, well, I guess he missed the part about gratitude.

[Joe Getty]

Oh.

[Michelangelo]

So she has decided to interject herself into a private conversation.

[Joe Getty]

Wow.

[Michelangelo]

And so I kind of looked at her, and I didn't say anything.

[Joe Getty]

How many teeth did you knock out?

[Michelangelo]

No, I didn't, but it just made me more angry. And I said to my wife, we're getting out of here now. Let's go, let's go, let's go. Grab her by the arm. And I said, you know, and she goes. And we, you know, we go storming out, and I'm not happy.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow.

[Katie]

Michelangelo, get me out of here before I punch a woman.

[Jack Armstrong]

No.

[Michelangelo]

And she says, I caused the scene. Well, wait, but I was trying to explain to her. I said, you know, your wife said.

[Joe Getty]

You caused the scene, or that lady said you caused the scene.

[Michelangelo]

My wife said I caused the scene. But mind you, I was had. I had a regular voice. It was a private conversation, and this stranger decided to interject into. Obviously, they were eavesdropping into our conversation. She apparently was upset because I didn't like the show.

[Joe Getty]

Well, yeah, it's a fine line between somebody eavesdropping on a private conversation or being so loud that you are. They are part of your conversation. That's a fine line. It's a. It's in the eye of the beholder.

[Michelangelo]

Well, I almost need to get a.

[Jack Armstrong]

Decibel reading to know where to come down on this one. Exactly.

[Joe Getty]

I mean, you know, I think by definition, a scene happened. Whether you caused it or not is. I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. I think that's why we've convened this court of hasty opinions.

[Michelangelo]

Well, this is why I'm here. I want to know, did I cause a scene or was this. I thought the woman, you know, the strange woman was completely out of line. I would never interject myself into somebody else's conversation. Do you ever do that?

[Katie]

Yes, Katie, that's what I was just going to go with. You have to think about the person who is standing there listening to a couple have a conversation and goes, I'm jumping in there.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I want to.

[Katie]

I want to get in that. I mean, that. That's some nosy. I don't think you started it.

[Joe Getty]

That is a certain sort of person that decided. You're right. Decides. Hey, there's a. Looks to be a married couple. I think I'll jump into the middle of their argument.

[Jack Armstrong]

Not only that, but the superior tone she strikes.

[Michelangelo]

Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

I guess you missed the part about gratitude.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Katie]

Oh, I'll show you some gratitude.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. Yeah, I hear that. Yeah, I think that. That. That's one of those things. She showed her who she is with that comment. I mean, not, hey, dude, some of us are really enjoying this. Can you let up on the negativity? Even that would be like, what are you. What. Mind your business, ignore me. Or stand there thinking, boy, this a hole has no appreciation for fine art.

[Michelangelo]

I mean, I didn't tell her to leave.

[Katie]

Yeah, you didn't say anything to her, period.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, my God.

[Jack Armstrong]

You didn't say anybody who likes this is an effing idiot or anything like that.

[Michelangelo]

No.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right.

[Michelangelo]

Nothing like that at all.

[Joe Getty]

Now I'm getting into dangerous territory. How long was this uncomfortable between you and your wife?

[Michelangelo]

Oh, it was just like, a minute. Okay. Not very long conversation.

[Joe Getty]

This wasn't a steely silence all the way home.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, no, no, no. But our disagreement was, who made the scene, me or this woman? I argued. This woman created the scene, not me.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. Volume is the key. Key question.

[Katie]

I just can't see you causing a scene. Michelangelo and causing a scene don't go together.

[Joe Getty]

No, they don't.

[Jack Armstrong]

I know. Yeah. Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

I'm glad it was a minor thing, because the whole steely silence all the way home is a. Oh. Oh, that's a rough one.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah. He wants to know more about the show in question, but I. I don't want to go there. I get the feeling you don't want to go there, so. So I won't either.

[Joe Getty]

So how old was the woman that butted in?

[Michelangelo]

Oh, I'd say she was in her 50s. Late 50s.

[Joe Getty]

Man, that is certainly an interesting personality trait to do that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

Now, one thing about the theater is I noticed that as soon as we sat down, everybody was much older than us. And so I was like, okay, this is a different type of crowd. I mean, everybody was older.

[Katie]

Did that woman look like she might have participated in, like, a woman's march?

[Joe Getty]

I can see that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Meow hat.

[Michelangelo]

I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm sorry.

[Joe Getty]

What's that?

[Jack Armstrong]

Sorry. That there was a rancor.

[Michelangelo]

But there was two things that bothered me. The two things that ranked me was, first of all, I don't like having my time wasted. And second, condescension. Those two things, I think bug me more than anything.

[Joe Getty]

Well, just not digging the show. I mean, that's. That's a tough one. I mean, if you're. If you're. The person you're with is digging it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Through that I wasn't exactly digging. Or innumerable. Oh, but she wasn't digging it either.

[Joe Getty]

No.

[Michelangelo]

So that wasn't. Yeah, that wasn't the issue.

[Katie]

She was screaming that the show effing sucked.

[Joe Getty]

I mean, you know, I'm gonna start doing that when I hear people arguing. I'm just gonna jump in the middle. I think he's right.

[Katie]

You know what I think?

[Jack Armstrong]

You didn't ask me, but I think I'm with him. Armstrong and get.

[Joe Getty]

La Ventura tienung nuevo nombre.

[Jack Armstrong]

Nissan Rogue.

[Joe Getty]

Rock Creek con la rogue Rock Creek.

[Jack Armstrong]

Estaras listo para conquistad el camino Quebenga sies todo terreno Antuna gran bajada Control Paradise Cuando la vida teofrese aventura tu tienes la Nissan Rogue Rock Creek.

[Joe Getty]

So it's getting some attention in some circles for people who watch Saturday Night Live, Saturday night this last weekend that there was so much of the cast of breaking up and laughing during sketches. I mean, more than I've ever seen ever combined in 40 years of watching the show in one episode. And. Well, an interesting thing about that, Katie, you're not old enough to. To have lived through the Carol Burnett show, which was a big popular sitcom, like the number one show in America back in the 70s, but legendary. These various clips where Harvey Corman and Tim Conway would break each other up and laugh. And as a kid, I really enjoyed it, and a lot of people enjoyed it. And there's still popular YouTube clips, but it would seem that there's a limit to how much of that you can take based on Saturday Night Live. And we're going to play you some examples. There's some famous Saturday Night Live clips. I mean, Jimmy Fallon used to break up a lot. I mean, he just. For some reason, some people can't hold it together as well as other people. And I've watched those clips over and over again and cried, laughing. It was so funny, him breaking up. But it's just like. It's a good flavor. It can't be the whole thing or something. Ryan Gosling, the host, for whatever reason, he can't make it through 30 seconds of any sketch without starting to laugh. That's an interesting personality thing, isn't it?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I think it is. I don't. I don't think it's like a question of discipline.

[Joe Getty]

No, no, no, no, no, no. I don't think so either. But it's pretty interesting that you're just so giggly, even though you've got the script, you've rehearsed it over and over again. You know, it's coming and you can't keep from busting up.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? Yeah. And.

[Joe Getty]

Well, I should have maybe started with this. I've. I'm a Saturday Night Live freak. I've been so into it since the first year. I've watched documentaries about it. I watched the podcasts where the old cast members talk about various sketches. I mean, just. I'm super into Saturday Night Live. And Lorne Michaels hates it when people break up. Like, that's his rule number one, do not break up during a sketch. We Wrote these sketches in a certain way to be funny in a certain way. They'll be funniest if you don't break up. Do it the way you're supposed to. I mean, he. He hates.

[Katie]

So I haven't seen these. This Ryan Gosling thing, is the laughter. Does it seem forced or is it genuine?

[Joe Getty]

No, it's definitely genuine. Really. And most of it makes me laugh because it's funny stuff happening and then he can't get from, like. But there. So. So the. The one that's getting so much attention. And I read the article in the Hollywood Reporter. Heidi Gardner, who's one of the regular cast members, completely lost it during the Beavis and Butthead thing, and which you're going to hear a clip of here in just a little bit. And it's really visual. I don't know how well this is going to come across. Very funny sketch. It's just. It was. It was a news program. It was like one of those town halls, political town halls like you'd see on CNN or something like that. And the host is talking to Inan Thompson about AI and stuff like that. Well, Ryan Gosling is over her shoulder looking exactly like Beavis from Beavis and Butthead. I mean, like the hair, the outfit, the everything like it. And he's just sitting there very intently listening and everything like that. And then. And when Kenan Thompson points out, I. Sorry, just the person behind you looks just like Beavis. And Ryan Gosling is looking around like, who's he talking about? But when the Butthead character comes out, who's really got makeup on, Heidi Gardner turns around and sees him for the first time. And then she can't talk for like a minute. And. And at some point, the whole thing falls apart and it just doesn't work anymore. But. And I've got some of her quotes about that from a Hollywood Reporter I could hit you with. But let's listen to the clip first.

[Jack Armstrong]

But if human beings created the AI, can't we just program it to not do that?

[Joe Getty]

Well, it depends. Oh, my God.

[Jack Armstrong]

Are you serious? What? I think that's a valid question. No. Now, there's a gentleman behind you that looks like Butthead. Professor, just because our audience members aren't as informed on the issue as you doesn't make them butt heads. Butt head from the cartoon.

[Joe Getty]

He's Beavis friend.

[Jack Armstrong]

I really like to move on and discuss AI so would you like him to move. Yes, thank you. The man with the gray shirt and.

[Joe Getty]

Exposed gums, sir.

[Jack Armstrong]

Kindly, kindly move seats.

[Unnamed Guest]

What she's talking to you.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, I'm sorry. Me.

[Joe Getty]

I am so sorry. I. I'm confused. I. I'm just here to learn about.

[Jack Armstrong]

AI but.

[Joe Getty]

So, you know, and then they set to get him out of the line of view of the AI experts. So he's not. They're not distracting. They sit the person who looks like Beavis, whose name is, like, Ralph and the guy. Because they don't. They don't even know what they're talking about. I've never heard of this cartoon, they say, but they sit him next to each other, and they're sitting the same way, and then they're laughing at things.

[Jack Armstrong]

So I have. I have two comments. Number one, it's not her fault that Kenan Thompson is the funniest human being ever, and everything he says is hilarious. Secondly, the answer is the audience that. They loved it. They're laughing so hard, they were crying. Stop. There's the end of discussion. Let's all have fun, people. Come on, we need more fun.

[Katie]

From the sound of it, it also kind of sounds like they might have set her up for that. Like, they hid from her what that cast member was gonna look like just for the shock value.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. So what I was wondering is because they do dress rehearsal right before they do the show, which I can't imagine what a long, grueling night that is. They do a full dress rehearsal and then do the show. But. But they didn't put the prosthetics on, and he had these prosthetics on his face that made him look like. Yeah, Butthead is an odd looking human. And so she hadn't seen him before. And then she turns around asking to move. And then when she couldn't talk for, like, a minute. But. So that was, like, I don't know, a third of the way through the show. And Ryan Gosling broke up every sketch. Well, by the time you get toward the end of the show and like, the sketches toward the end is like, all right, okay, can you just. I mean, I actually was. My. And Henry, I was watching with my son Henry, he said, that ruins it when they laugh. And because we watched a whole bunch of them. And I mean, there must just be a limit to it because, like, famously, like I said, those Carol Burnett clips are the most famous Carol Burnett clips of all time. Of a very popular comedy show when they would break each other up. Maybe it's just a limit. Maybe that's it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, sure. Yeah. Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

Odd that Ryan Gosling cannot get through a line without laughing.

[Jack Armstrong]

I think it's like people who cry a lot versus people who cry a little. It's just, it's part of your, your makeup. Which reminds me of my favorite conundrum. Katie. I don't think I've ever hit this. Hit you with this. I may have. I, I, if I have, forgive me. I'm, I'm getting old. Have I ever done the, told you the one about punching yourself in the face? No. Okay, so if I punch myself in the face so hard it makes me cry, does that make me a tough guy or a.

[Katie]

You know, I've never.

[Jack Armstrong]

Thought of it that way.

[Joe Getty]

That's like Einstein level riddle right there.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

You got to get Oppenheimer on that one. It's got quantum mechanics in it or something.

[Katie]

I think it makes you a mental case, but okay.

[Jack Armstrong]

The Armstrong and Getty Show. Get more Jack, more Joe podcasts and our hot links at Armstrong and getty.com. it's the Armstrong and Getty show, featuring our podcast One more thing. Download it, subscribe to it, wherever you like to get podcasts.

[Joe Getty]

I really like to know what's hot. I, I just partially, I think it's good for the radio show. Partially. I just, I'm interested in know how I like to know if there's a super hot band, super hot movie, super hot whatever, clothing style, whatever. I just like to know. And so the other day, I'm walking through the newsroom and Jensen, who you may have heard on our show before, she's in the newsroom, she said, do you watch the bear? I said, the what now? She said, it is my favorite show of all time. Not just my favorite show right now, it's the best TV show ever. And I thought, well, we ought to have you on to talk about it. And then, weirdly, in the next 48 hours, I came across a couple of different articles or tweets or whatever from people saying, this season of the Bear might be better than last season. It's my favorite TV show of all time. We brought it up on the radio show. We got a number of texts from people say, it's my favorite show ever. Ever. That's a heck of a thing to say.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's a story about a guy who takes a trained bear around the country playing county fairs. Makes the thing dance. Yeah, right.

[Katie]

On cocaine.

[Joe Getty]

Occasionally, it's a guy who drives from town to town in an old truck engaging in street fights, and he's got this charming bear that rides with him.

[Jack Armstrong]

That sounds terrific. Solves people's problems.

[Joe Getty]

Anyway, we got a couple of Clips from the Bear. It's actually.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's a story about the guy who's, like, a brilliant, gifted chef, and his brother, who runs a Chicago sandwich shop, dies, and he has to take over the family business. That's the broad outlines or the very basic outline.

[Michelangelo]

Cool.

[Joe Getty]

Well, here's. Here's the first clip.

[Jack Armstrong]

This is a delicate ecosystem, and it's.

[Michelangelo]

Held together by a shared history and love.

[Jack Armstrong]

I have every intention of turning this into a respectable place of business eventually.

[Joe Getty]

That's funny. The music reminds me I'd read a couple of different places that the soundtrack for the Bears, just fantastic. That's one of the things that draws people in.

[Jack Armstrong]

But I did ask be Wilco there in the background.

[Joe Getty]

The only. The only way I can watch a TV show is if my kids can watch it. So I asked Jensen, I said, is it okay for kids? She said, absolutely not. And I guess this next clip will make that evident at some of the tension in the kitchen. Let's hear it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Ibrah, make sandwiches. Don't stop making sandwiches.

[Joe Getty]

Yes, Chef.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm going to make three sections. Okay? They're going to be wet, hot, and sweet. All right? I'm going to take green tape. Make those sections. Louie, I want you to get the sandwiches. Put them in the corresponding sections, okay? Yeah. Sharpie, label that. Yes, sir.

[Joe Getty]

Fire every single chicken we have, please.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay.

[Joe Getty]

Richie, do you even know how to do fries?

[Unnamed Guest]

Yeah, I know we need them now.

[Joe Getty]

Okay. Hey, Marcus, where are we on cakes?

[Jack Armstrong]

Get in there, get in there.

[Joe Getty]

What the, Marcus, what the are you.

[Jack Armstrong]

Doing still working on this? Yo, come on. What are you tripping for?

[Joe Getty]

Am I tripping for here right now? It doesn't make a difference. There's four cakes and still.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I was gonna cut them. They're not even cut yet. Yeah, it's not that big of a deal. I am.

[Joe Getty]

I'm doing them in five, basically.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm gonna order them in five.

[Joe Getty]

Stop everything.

[Jack Armstrong]

Fire everything right now.

[Joe Getty]

Okay, I'll fire everything now. I just was finishing talking to Marcus and step out.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay, I'm gonna talk to Marcus. Get the off now. Get the off. Thank you. We're firing 76 beefs, 34 chickens. Okay. 12 french fries, 12 mash. Thank you.

[Katie]

He's like a deli version. Gordon Ramsay.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. I'm intrigued.

[Katie]

Sandwich from people I've.

[Joe Getty]

From people I've known who worked in kitchens. That is relatively accurate.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Wow. Wow. It's like if the Sopranos were making sandwiches.

[Joe Getty]

I'll check it out. I'll probably watch an episode tonight.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, and there's obviously, if people are raving about it, there's. There's much more to it than the mechanics or what can be described.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, yeah, obviously, if you can, if you can give a good flavor of your Pardon. The fun pun of a show with a 30 second clip and it ain't that great. It ain't that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Probably a bad show, Right?

[Joe Getty]

Exactly.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's like a song you love. The first time you hear it's probably going to bother you by the third time.

[Joe Getty]

Exactly.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. And being a pigheaded idiot, it took me a while to understand that great documentaries are all about people. They're all about humankind and our struggles and whether it's. Well, it's a story about a guy who trims bears fingernails at a zoo. And I'm thinking, I don't have any particular interest in bears. Bears fingernails. But it's an award winning documentary. Just watch it. It's going to end up being about life. Right, right. Anyway, do we have time for that? Well, I suppose the podcast. We can make it as long as we want to. We're Joe Rogan.

[Joe Getty]

We got three hours left.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, thank you. My throat already hurts. At the end of the radio show, came across this Twitter thread that I thought was absolutely terrific. And we'll post a link for you at Armstrong&getty.com it's an analysis of how Julius Caesar started his political career. And this historian said he was Rome's second greatest orator after Cicero. And here are nine lessons from a brilliant early speech of his that made his career take off. And he wasn't as a young man. He came from a good family, but he wasn't really taken very seriously. He was deep in debt. He had a reputation as a playboy. He had kind of a Matt Gaetz reputation, if I may.

[Joe Getty]

He said, I got this idea for a Sal. Nobody would listen.

[Jack Armstrong]

Exactly. Raw eggs? What are you crazy? Anyway, in 63 BC, the conspiracy of Catiline was unearthed. Evidence came forward of plots to murder senators, burn the city of Rome, overthrow the Republic. You can look more into it if you want, but the Senate in Rome declared martial law to avert the danger and said essentially that the danger is so severe there's no time for trials. We've just got to round these people up and execute them. And Caesar thought that was a bad idea. And he delivered a speech in the Senate against summary execution. And according to this historian, his speech is a master class in swaying a group gripped by fear and anger away from acting on their urges. And I Don't know if we'll go through all of this, but we'll do part of it. Number one, name the emotions your audience is feeling. And some of this to you, who are like, more intuitive, persuasive, you're good at, you know, you're good at speaking and influencing people. It's maybe a little obvious to you, but I just thought it was interesting to see it laid out. So name the emotions your audience is feeling that you need them to not act on. Chris Voss calls this tactical empathy. Caesar begins by doing this in order to clear a little room for reason, quote members of the Senate. All men who deliberate upon difficult questions had best be devoid of hatred, friendship, anger and pity. When those feelings stand in the way, the mind cannot at all easily discern the truth, and no one has ever served at the same time his passions and his best interests. When you apply your intellect, it prevails. If passion takes control, it is master. Whereas the mind is entirely impotent and.

[Joe Getty]

Has been my experience.

[Jack Armstrong]

It has absolutely been my experience. That would be incredibly unpopular in politics today, where anger and passion and. Yeah is like, it's the only thing that matters practically. Oh, I read another study the other day as a tangent that people are much easier to mislead when they're anger. When they're angry, you can convince them of about anything if it feeds their anger.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, really? That's an interesting thought.

[Jack Armstrong]

And I thought, yeah, I kind of got hung up on that because I thought, yeah, not only another person can convince me of something when I'm angry, but I can convince me of stuff that later. I think that's not true. That's, that's. That's not healthy. It's not good that other person isn't guilty of that. You're more easy to mislead when you're angry.

[Joe Getty]

Anyway, Caesar went on to say, you're gonna have a really giant baby. I got a plan for that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Hey. Oh, let's see. But that's not enough. Number two, tell a story as quickly as possible. Or several, preferably stories that appeal to the audience's identity. Stories from history are good, especially if you're talking to a group. Caesar said in the Punic wars, although the Carthaginians, both in peacetime, enduring truces, often did many abominable deeds, our ancestors never did likewise when they had the opportunity. But they took into consideration what conduct would be consistent with their dignity rather than what action could be justified against the Carthaginians. So we appealed to the shared history of the group Number three, make very clear what the story means and how it relates to your point. Caesar's point in the speech is showing restraint was essential to the Romans coming to dominate the world. That was one of their best qualities. Restraint is in your best interests. You likewise, members of the Senate must see to it that the villainy of Poplius, Lentulus and the rest do not have more weight with you than your own dignity, and that you do not take more thought for your anger than for your good name. Number four, affirm emotions while making clear they are not relevant to the decision. Especially if other voices are actively trying to stir up those emotions against your advice. Again, empathy plus reason. Are they trying to get us angry? We're already angry. In other words, here's what he said. Most of those who have expressed their opinions before me have deplored the lot of the nation and well structured grand language. They recounted the horrors of the war, the wretched fate of the conquered, the rape of maidens and boys, children torn from their parents, arms, matrons subjected to the will of the victors, shrines and houses pillaged, bloodshed, knacks of arson. In short, everywhere, arms and corpses, gore and lamentation. But by the immortal gods, what was the aim of that eloquence? Was it to make you detest the conspiracy? You know, if this is the second greatest orator in Rome, then I believe the guy's right. I gotta read more.

[Joe Getty]

Cicero.

[Jack Armstrong]

That is so good. Yeah. Number five, Praise your opponent's good intentions. Build common ground with the real people you need to persuade.

[Joe Getty]

We don't do any of that anymore.

[Jack Armstrong]

Not really. And he mentions one of the guys who's on the other side of it. He calls him a gallant and dedicated man who said what he said out of patriotism. I know this man's character and such, his moderation. So he singles out one of his main opponents, praises him up and down, and by the way, slips in in. Moderation is his greatest quality. That happens to be what I'm arguing for anyway. Number six, appeal to tradition and self explanatory. Number seven, cite more history to show this is a dangerous precedent going in the other direction. Number eight, recommend an alternative. He recommended that they have the guilty guys, all their assets confiscated, and then be sent to prisons throughout Italy, probably to await a trial once the danger passed, so everybody could calm the f down. Ah, then here's the twist. Plot twist. The Senate was swayed at first, but then Cato the Younger delivered a speech in favor of execution. The Senate adopted Cato's proposal and recommended Cicero execute the prisoners. So Caesar lost. Ooh. But that brings us to number nine. Taking stance for moderation can be good even if you lose. Caesar probably knew he wouldn't win, but he had an additional motivation. Catiline raised an army of 10,000 by championing the interests of the poor, downtrodden, disaffected of Rome, the 99%. When Catiline failed and died, the poor and downtrodden remembered Caesar as a champion of their lost cause because he was reasonable and just. And indeed, he became the emperor.

[Joe Getty]

And then number 10. Croutons are the key to my salad. They allow a crunch that you wouldn't otherwise have.

[Jack Armstrong]

Anchovies or. No, no. I am staunchly pro anchovy.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I'm disgusted by anchovies. There are fishers, right?

[Jack Armstrong]

Not. Or something. They're a fish. Something. Yeah. Fish or a rat. A fish or a shoestring. No, they're a fish. Very salty.

[Joe Getty]

Sounds disgusting.

[Michelangelo]

Listeners, look for the new show, I see you through the smoke. This is when a blind neighbor teaches Jack Armstrong barbecue techniques and a wonderful friendship before.

[Jack Armstrong]

What? Armstrong and Getty?

[Joe Getty]

Katie, your view on Ben Affleck. Smart guy, dumb guy, hot guy, don't care.

[Katie]

He's not bad looking. I. He's all right.

[Joe Getty]

He was world's sexiest man once for People magazine.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh. Oh. At least once. He's dead sexy. You can't deny it.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, but I think he comes off as a dope, which makes you less sexy.

[Katie]

And in all, a lot of the photos I've seen of him, at least recently, he always looks mad.

[Joe Getty]

Well, he's a drunk, so there's that. Drunks, unless you, you know, find a way to deal with it, tend to be quite unhappy when they're not drunk.

[Jack Armstrong]

So I came across this. This was Ben Affleck in 2003, talking about the future of entertainment. And I was blown away about how much he nailed. Michael, we can stop this, right? And restart it. Stop.

[Michelangelo]

No, it's completely impossible. Yes, of course we can.

[Jack Armstrong]

Ew. All right, go ahead, roll it.

[Unnamed Guest]

I believe that the industry has been too slow to embrace and adopt these paradigms. If you look at historically, in terms of technologies, in terms of consumer based technologies, you have basically shareware that introduces the consumer to it at no cost, at which point the consumer's on the hook. They figured out they worked out the kinks. They've figured out how to interact with it and how to exploit it. And then you charge a fee. And the consumer, historically, has been willing to pay that fee. I Think an annual subscription based system is one that works. You have the music business, a $3.4 billion a year business, okay, which is largely about 1.7 million people in the country spending $200 a year. That same people would spend those $200 a year each year to have access to basically the entire library of existing music. And of course you continue to re up your subscription because you pay for new music. Royalties would be paid more directly to the artists. You have less overhead. You pay no shipping, packaging and you pay no. There's this mammoth amount of executives at music companies that are glomming off a lot of that money. I believe that paradigm is the most effective, productive. That's the paradigm that Adam Smith Smith would most want. I think there are inefficiencies in the market now and I think they're being worked out and I think file sharing is pushing the industry toward that balance because you know, it's because of its availability right now.

[Jack Armstrong]

Eventually it's just going to be video on demand, movies on demand because bottom line is going to eventually affect your guys pocketbooks if piracy continues.

[Unnamed Guest]

There is piracy of movies and it will be.

[Joe Getty]

It won't.

[Unnamed Guest]

It'll be movies on demand but it'll be a tiered structure. It'll be like if you want to watch it first weekend, maybe it won't be available first weekend but then if you want to watch it, you know, you'll pay more. And then as it goes to another stage and it's released, it'll become less expensive. But there's a lot more adoption that has to happen, technologically speaking right now before people can watch movies or at least integrate in terms of the PC and web connection. You know, the technology is not quite there yet, but it will be within I would say five years.

[Joe Getty]

That's pretty impressive. And he drops an Adam Smith in there. I changed my mind about Ben Affleck.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know, I don't know how far ahead of his time was but if I'd been listening to that and had some cash around, I might have thought, wow, people are going to be streaming music instead of buying it physically. I ought to get on the ground floor of whoever's doing that.

[Joe Getty]

I don't remember what was going on in 2003. That's clear. Back in like Napster days, wasn't it?

[Katie]

That's exactly because I was trying to think why would he be talking about this. But this is when Napster and Limewire were really big for people pirating music.

[Joe Getty]

Now Michael, you or, or someone you knew, not you. You wouldn't do that.

[Michelangelo]

No, I've never.

[Joe Getty]

Someone you knew used to get pirated movies, like somehow. Do you remember how they.

[Michelangelo]

Well, they had all sorts of burning DVD software that. Yeah. People could do.

[Joe Getty]

And they would just find them on websites. Online.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, you could find them online. You could take the physical media and then copy it. There were things that got around the. You know.

[Joe Getty]

Can that same person still do that to this day? Or is it harder now?

[Michelangelo]

Oh, I'm sure you can. Yeah, you can definitely do it today.

[Joe Getty]

But just not make sense financially.

[Michelangelo]

That's. Yeah, it doesn't make any sense.

[Jack Armstrong]

So I guess Ben Affleck's point was what you're calling pirating and file sharing and all that is clearly the way things are going. And. And. And, well, you didn't.

[Joe Getty]

He didn't catch his. His term. And for whatever reason, his Boston accent was really coming out there. Did he not work as hard back then to get rid of his share where it's wicked pisser smart.

[Jack Armstrong]

The shareware. You gotta have the shareware.

[Joe Getty]

That was kind of funny. Oh, yeah, with the shareware.

[Jack Armstrong]

Park your car. Jimmy's. Get him. He's got shareware for you. You give me a floppy disk. Just take it from him.

[Joe Getty]

Well, it's another. How smart is that celebrity. Wednesday. Next Wednesday we'll do Leonardo DiCaprio. Idiot. Or genius.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.