Armstrong & Getty On Demand

The A&G Replay Monday Hour Three

Date: October 13, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this replay hour of Armstrong & Getty, Jack and Joe celebrate Columbus Day off the air with a compilation of their best recent segments. The episode covers major themes in media culture (focusing on Bari Weiss and the Free Press's acquisition by CBS/Paramount), anecdotes about social behavior, the pitfalls of news bubbles and media misinformation, current political polling insights, crime and poverty discussions, processed foods, corporate influence, and the intersection of free speech, business, and expressive rights following high-profile court cases. The style is lively, irreverent, skeptical, and conversational as always.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Rise of Bari Weiss and the Free Press

[00:52–03:12, 07:31–11:06]

• Acquisition Details:
  Bari Weiss’s Free Press has been acquired by CBS/Paramount for $150 million.

  • "In our announcement video, Bari says the Free Press had 1.5 million subscribers who pay $10 a month. That's... more than $150 million in revenue per year. And that's within three years, went from three employees... to that. That's absolutely amazing." (Jack, 02:00)

• Audience Concerns:
  Some Free Press fans worry about "selling out" to corporate media.

• Weiss’s Philosophy & Reassurance:
  Bari vows to merge "the quality of the old world to the freedom of the new" and is taking over as Editor-in-Chief of CBS News:

  • "I'll continue to lead this incredible community... as CEO and editor in chief. But I'll be taking on another title too... working with new colleagues on the programs that have impacted American culture for generations, like 60 Minutes..." (paraphrased by Joe, 08:30)
    "She is going to work like crazy to turn CBS News back into a news organization and not a partisanship organization." (Joe, 09:08)

• Impact on Journalism:
  The acquisition provides resources for investigative journalism, maintaining independence and open debate.

Notable Quotes:

• "We would seek the truth and tell it plainly. And we would treat readers like adults capable of making their own choices." (Weiss, quoted by Joe, 07:49)

2. Social Observations: The Over-Talkative Diner

[03:12–06:55]

• Anecdote:
  Joe shares a comedic story about running into the same loud, dominant woman at two nearby restaurants on consecutive nights, observing both her knowledge of football and her conversational style.

• Parenting Insight:
  Jack explains his approach to coaching his own kids on conversational dominance:

  • "I just want you to realize that we've all been sitting here and you've done like 90% of the talking since we sat down... You don't want to be that person." (Jack, 06:15)

• Broader Point:
  Discussion evolves into how some people never learn to balance conversation, and the importance of mentoring or parenting in socialization.

Memorable Moment:

• "This woman was responsible for 96% of the verbiage expressed. Okay. Just on and on and on. So loud." (Joe, 04:47)

3. Media Bubbles & Misinformation

[12:14–18:21]

• Information Echo Chambers:
  The hosts discuss how people can develop warped views due to selective media consumption, using the Charlie Kirk assassination as an example.

  • "A lot of folks who think some crazy ass, they're probably not bad people, but they're used to looking in some fairly normal mainstream ish places for information and what they're getting is just wildly inaccurate." (Joe, 13:26)

• AI & Algorithmic Bias:
  Major AI platforms misattributed political motive in Kirk's assassination (falsely blaming right-wing ideology), reflecting the problematic sources AI use.

  • "Garbage in, garbage out." (Joe, 15:07)

• Conspiracy Theories:
  Both left and right are shown to generate wild misperceptions, from thinking Kirk's killer was a MAGA conservative, to conspiracies alleging government and foreign plots.

• Practical Advice:
  Empathy for those in alternate realities:

  • "When you run into people who think this crazy stuff, it could well be they've just never heard an alternative explanation. And be nice... Can you listen to me because I haven't heard, you know..." (Joe, 13:57)

Notable Quotes:

• "I go with 'back away slowly and keep my eye on their hands.'" (Jack, 14:26)

4. Crime, Poverty, and Political Messaging

[22:23–31:28]

• Democrat Strategy on Crime:
  Insight into DNC polling showing voter trust deficit on crime; Democrats plan to emphasize crackdowns on guns to shift perceptions.

  • "The battleground district survey...offers a bleak assessment of Democrats. Starting point, 89% of the likely voters surveyed want their Congress member to take steps to keep them safe. But only 38% trust Democrats over Republicans with that task." (Joe, 23:10)

• Trump’s Steadiness in Polls:
  CNN poll shows Trump's approval rating has been exceptionally steady regardless of news cycles.

  • "Trump is basically the steadiest favorability rating at this point in the presidency of any president on record... good enough to get him re-elected at the time." (Jack, 24:42)

• Jason Riley on Policing & Upward Mobility:
  Discussion draws from Riley’s columns (Wall Street Journal) about the failings of public housing projects, the importance of more policing for safer, upwardly mobile black communities, and the misdirection of progressive policy.

  • "That point of view is held widely on the left that crime can mostly be blamed on poverty... Not only are most poor people not criminals, but the most impoverished communities in the US are not the most violent." (Joe, 26:51)

Notable Quotes:

• "Safer neighborhoods are conducive to upward mobility and police help keep neighborhoods safe." (Joe, quoting Jason Riley, 27:40)
• “When you take away stable families, decent schools and safe streets, there's nothing left.” (Joe quoting Thomas Sowell, 29:56)

5. Processed Foods & Health

[19:48–22:23]

• Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs):
  Jack questions Joe about whether simple-seeming packaged snacks (like “healthy” kettle chips) are still "ultra-processed" and how difficult it is to find bread without additives.

  • "I've been looking at my bread. It's hard to buy bread...if you buy bread that doesn't have a million ingredients, it's fresh for like a day." (Jack, 21:01)
  • Joe shares he eats homemade whole-grain bread, frozen for preservation.

• Product Endorsements and Trends:
  Brief aside about being influenced by a Tucker Carlson ad for healthy chips.

6. Corporate Influence & Boycotts

[32:26–34:35]

• Disney’s Ubiquity:
  Jack and Joe mock the idea of boycotting Disney, given its immense reach.
  • "Oh, I'm gonna boycott Disney. Oh, are you? Have you looked into what that means?" (Jack, 32:32)
  • "The mouse is not a mouse. He's an 800 pound gorilla...The fact that they've still got the image of 'ah, it's the happiest place on earth'...is really quite an accomplishment." (Joe, 34:29)

7. First Cousin Marriage Ban Debate

[34:56–35:18]

• Connecticut Law:
  Jack notes the contradiction in banning gay first cousins from marrying when the supposed rationale is about reproduction.

8. Free Speech, Business, and the Law

[35:21–38:25]

• Baker/Supreme Court Precedent:
  Rehash of the Supreme Court's ruling supporting artistic/expressive freedom (baker refusing a custom cake for a gay wedding).

• Kalamazoo Print Shop Case:
  New incident where Office Depot employees refused to print memorial materials for Charlie Kirk, calling it propaganda.

  • Joe delineates the legal difference between refusing creative work vs. refusing to hit "print" on a copy machine:
    • "Pressing go on a copy machine is not the same as painting a portrait, writing a song, painstakingly decorating a cake, which is an artistic expression." (Joe, 38:22)

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Bari Weiss’s growth (02:00):
  "That's absolutely amazing. And it is. It is one of the biggest media success stories ever. Certainly in this era of can there be any. Can anybody break through?" – Jack Armstrong

• On AI news accuracy (15:07):
  "Garbage in, garbage out." – Joe Getty

• On social etiquette (06:15):
  "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

• On stable communities (29:56):
  "When you take away stable families, decent schools and safe streets, there's nothing left." – Joe Getty, citing Thomas Sowell

• On boycotting Disney (32:32):
  "Oh, I'm gonna boycott Disney. Oh, are you? Have you looked into what that means?" – Jack Armstrong

• On freedom of speech in commerce (38:22):
  "Pressing go on a copy machine is not the same as painting a portrait, writing a song, painstakingly decorating a cake, which is an artistic expression." – Joe Getty

Segment Timestamps (Approximate)

• Bari Weiss & Free Press Acquisition: 00:52–11:06
• Restaurant Anecdote & Social Behavior: 03:12–06:55
• News Bubbles & AI Misinformation: 12:14–18:21
• Ultra-Processed Foods: 19:48–22:23
• Polling & Political Messaging: 22:23–24:42
• Crime, Poverty, and Policy: 24:42–31:28
• Disney/Corporate Power: 32:26–34:35
• First Cousin Marriage Ban: 34:56–35:18
• Free Speech Legalities in Business: 35:21–38:25

Tone & Style

Conversational, humorous, skeptical, and lively. Jack and Joe frequently pivot between hard news, cultural analysis, and sharp-witted social commentary, making even complex topics accessible and engaging for their audience.

This summary covers the essential content and flavor of "The A&G Replay Monday Hour Three" for listeners who want an in-depth yet concise guide to the episode's highlights and recurring themes.