Armstrong & Getty On Demand – “The A&G Replay Friday Hour Two”

Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode of Armstrong & Getty pairs signature wit with sharp commentary as the hosts revisit a wide range of current and cultural topics. Highlights include self-censorship on college campuses, changes in homelessness and harm reduction policies in San Francisco, shifting attitudes on gender-affirming medical care for minors, Armstrong’s travel tales and observations of British culture, a bizarre story about selling used sneakers, and an in-depth discussion about public discourse and “preference falsification,” with a case study involving Malcolm Gladwell’s recent admission.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Self-Censorship and Indoctrination in Higher Education

• The hosts discuss a recent survey highlighted in The Hill showing overwhelming numbers of college students self-censoring on issues like gender identity, politics, and family values.

  • Notable Stats:
    • 78% of college students self-censor on gender identity
    • 72% on politics
    • Over 80% misrepresent their views in classwork to align with prevailing campus views (04:55)

• Armstrong & Getty argue this represents profound indoctrination but note many students don’t actually believe what they’re pressured to repeat.

  • Quote:
    “What’s being done at colleges is not education at all—it’s indoctrination. But those poll numbers were stunning and encouraging.” – Jack Armstrong (05:33)

• The phenomenon of “preference distortion,” where everyone assumes they’re alone in disagreeing, leads to silence among dissenters:

  • Quote:
    “Because everybody around you is silent, you think, ‘Oh, I’m probably one of the only people who believes this.’ But no, you’re all sitting there thinking the same thing.” – Jack Armstrong (06:04)

2. San Francisco’s Shift in Homeless Policy

• The city’s crackdown on illegal lodging and encampments is discussed, with a focus on recent statistics:

  • SF arrested/cited 1,080+ people for illegal lodging from July 2024 to July 2025—over 10 times as many as the year before (08:50)

• Getty describes seeing only one homeless person on a recent downtown visit, a stark change from prior years (09:06)

• Hosts debate activist critiques that the new approach merely displaces the problem versus improving conditions:

  • Quote:
    “San Francisco is doing a good job. It is possible, even under some of the bizarre court rulings recently...” – Jack Armstrong (09:15)

3. Harm Reduction Critique and Drug Policy

• Criticism of harm reduction policies, especially where they’ve strayed from connecting users to recovery, is explored.

  • The harm reduction movement now sometimes treats maintenance (safe use) as an end, not a bridge to recovery (10:23)
  • Quote:
    “What began as a campaign to keep people alive long enough to recover from addiction has devolved into a philosophy that no longer considers recovery as necessary or even desirable.” – Jack Armstrong (10:44)

• Discussion of poor success rates in rehab for those in deep addiction (11:14)

4. Gender Care for Minors and Cultural Shifts

• Boston Children’s Hospital is now limiting gender-affirming treatment for minors, joining a wave of hospitals and states rolling back such procedures (12:49)
• The cancellation of certain practices is credited to political pressure and a return to “sanity,” even in blue states (13:15)
  • Quote:
    “There’s a lot of real madness being rolled back. Good progress domestically. Love it.” – Jack Armstrong (13:32)

5. Travel Observations: Pub Culture & Labor Markets in England

• Armstrong recounts his London trip—admiring the pub scene and the everyday pint culture:

  • “I’ve become a fan of day drinking... you have a pint at lunch at a pub and then you go do what you’re going to do.” – Jack Armstrong (17:04)

• The hosts note differences in tipping, service, and the prominence of foreign wealth in London:

  • Armstrong observes the influx of affluent Middle Easterners and its social consequences in some neighborhoods (18:21)

• Trouble in restaurants due to labor shortages post-COVID echoes similar issues in the US:

  • “Since COVID everybody stays home, they live with their parents, they’re collecting government checks, you can’t get people to work.” – Armstrong recalling a British Museum guide (22:32)

6. Absurd News – The Foot Fetish Sneaker Sale Incident

• The duo riff on a viral news story of a woman selling used sneakers to a buyer who requested to sniff her feet (27:37).

• The transaction went awry when the buyer hit her with his car after she refused his request; the man was later charged.

  • Quote:
    “She said, ‘you can have my sneakers... but you’ll not be sniffing on my tootsies.’” – Jack Armstrong (28:55)
    “He does a three point turn, comes back and hits her.” – Joe Getty (29:27)

• The hosts lampoon the journalism, speculate on the economics of selling worn clothing, and debate the semantics of “perversion” vs. “natural aberration.”

  • “You go girl. But I think I, the news consumer, do deserve an explanation.” – Jack Armstrong (34:27)

7. Preference Falsification, Cancel Culture, & Malcolm Gladwell

• Using an anecdote from Malcolm Gladwell’s recent podcast appearance, the hosts dive into “preference falsification”: even high-profile intellectuals say what’s popular, not what they believe (41:36).

  • Gladwell admitted being too cowardly to state his true opposition to biological males in women’s sports, despite sharing that view 100% (46:09).
    • Quote:
      “The reason I’m ashamed of my performance... is because I share your position 100%, and I was cowed.” – Malcolm Gladwell (46:38)

• Armstrong and Getty criticize Gladwell and the cultural elite for their hesitance:

  • “You’re ungodly rich. ... You’ve got nothing to lose, zero to lose by saying the truth. And you still were too big a coward because, well, I want to be the cool guy at the party.” – Joe Getty (48:07)

• The larger lesson: even influential people defer to the crowd if it’s easier—something listeners should remember in any contentious debate (49:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Indoctrination & Silence:
  “If you have the courage to stand up and be that rebel... then all of a sudden 85% of the class is on your side.” – Jack Armstrong (06:35)
• On Urban Policy Change:
  “San Francisco is doing a good job. It is possible, even under some of the bizarre court rulings recently.” – Jack Armstrong (09:15)
• On Gladwell’s Admission:
  “The reason I’m ashamed of my performance... is because I share your position 100%, and I was cowed.” – Malcolm Gladwell, quoted by Jack Armstrong (46:38)
• On Groupthink:
  “We have to factor that into every phenomenon that comes ever again in our lives, whether it’s climate change or trans or anything.” – Joe Getty (49:08)
• Comic Relief:
  “He does a three point turn, comes back and hits her. How hard much did he hit you? As you seem to be kind of recounting this story in a jovial manner as opposed to lying on the cement...” – Joe Getty (29:27)

Important Segments (Timestamps)

• College self-censorship & indoctrination: 04:31–07:47
• San Francisco homeless/crime policy shift: 08:33–10:23
• Harm reduction critique: 10:23–11:44
• Gender care for minors, Boston Children’s, policy rollback: 12:49–13:32
• Armstrong’s London & UK trip observations: 17:04–23:21
• Used sneaker/foot sniffing story riff: 27:37–36:23
• Malcolm Gladwell, preference falsification, cancel culture: 41:36–49:08

Episode Tone & Style

This hour is classic Armstrong & Getty: irreverent, sometimes biting, always conversational, with a mix of social commentary, personal anecdotes, humor, and pointed criticism of mainstream and elite groupthink. The hosts toggle easily between earnest concern and playful banter, especially when skewering poorly written news stories or the eccentricities of public life.

This summary covers the main themes, memorable quotes, and insights from the broadcast content, excluding commercial breaks and promos. It is meant to offer a comprehensive guide to the episode for listeners who want the essence without listening in full.