Armstrong & Getty On Demand – The A&G Replay Thursday Hour Three
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Episode Date: December 25, 2025
Episode Overview
On this special Christmas Day episode, Armstrong & Getty offer listeners a blend of lighthearted holiday introspection and sharp analysis on contemporary technology, politics, relationships, government spending, and the state of American education. The hosts deliver their signature blend of humor and skepticism, dissecting trending topics and news with personal anecdotes and notable studies. The show effectively covers everything from smart glasses and tech fatigue to polling on U.S. spending and the ongoing debate over education standards.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Holiday Reflections and Technology Fatigue
Segment Start: 03:15
- Jack Armstrong opens by noting it’s Christmas, sharing plans for relaxation and the need for entertainment after presents and food.
- Joe Getty reflects on family life with grown kids and gifts, quipping that home remodels have replaced holiday presents.
- Quote (03:22) Joe Getty: “The remodel is our present for the next five years. You’re getting nothing but...wow.”
- Light humor about the Roomba bankruptcy is followed by a discussion about the challenges and advances in home automation and “smart” tech.
- Tech skepticism emerges:
- Jack admits frustration with tech that is not truly “plug and play,” mentioning Tesla and Apple as exceptions. (“If I have to figure something out, it ain’t worth it to me.” – Jack, 04:15)
- Both discuss the future of smart glasses, with Jack suggesting smart glasses could replace smartphones soon.
- Quote (06:18) Jack Armstrong: “You won’t carry your phone...you’re gonna wear some sort of glasses...it’ll be within a couple of years.”
Memorable Exchange on Tech Simplicity and Disconnecting
- Joe aspires to detach from tech entirely, referencing a Walden Pond-type simplicity.
- Jack pushes back, arguing that easier technology isn’t necessarily more invasive, but Joe insists on wanting to avoid dividing his attention.
- Quote (07:39) Joe Getty: “I’m just going to give up being plugged in all the time...doing what I’m doing and not dividing my attention with technology.”
- Banter about becoming a mountain man and writing “poetry about whittling.”
2. Breaking Political News: White House Tell-All
Segment Start: 08:40
- Joe Getty brings up a breaking New York Times story on Susie Wiles, current White House Chief of Staff, giving candid interviews.
- Salient quotes Wiles allegedly made: Trump has "an alcoholic’s personality"; J.D. Vance is a "conspiracy theorist"; Elon Musk is "an avowed ketamine user, an odd duck"; other political figures described as zealots or incompetent.
- Quote (08:40) Joe Getty: “The quote, unquote, highlights the things she went ahead and said are unfreaking believable given the fact that she’s still in the gig.”
- Jack and Joe discuss the nature of alcoholism, referencing family history and the distinction between usage and underlying personality.
- More political tidbits from the interviews, with Jack expressing surprise at the candor and accuracy of Wiles’ remarks.
3. Ukraine Peace Negotiations and New NATO-like Security Guarantee
Segment Start: 12:38
- Coverage of ongoing Ukraine-Russia peace talks; news that the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe have agreed on a “NATO-like guarantee” for Ukraine’s security.
- Quote (13:38) Jack Armstrong: “That is unbelievable. I can’t believe this isn’t bigger news...we’re involved in a security guarantee like we’ll go to war with Russia if they invade again.”
- Debate over what such a guarantee legally means for the U.S. (agreement vs. treaty, Senate ratification).
- Creative hypothetical: what if NATO itself “invaded” Ukraine (with Zelensky’s blessing) to trigger mutual defense obligations?
4. Insights on Marriage and Contempt
Segment Start: 18:54
- Armstrong shares skepticism about the efficacy of therapy, yet highlights a New York Post article on divorce predictors.
- The “subtle smirk of superiority” and contempt are revealed as the most reliable indicators of future separation, according to psychologist John Gottman’s research.
- Four traits that doom relationships: criticism, contempt, defensiveness, stonewalling.
- Contempt is hardest to overcome; physical “tells” like a lopsided mouth raise, eye-rolling, or “lint picking” signal deep problems.
- Quote (20:55) Jack Armstrong: “Contempt is the kiss of death...He could predict divorce with an astonishing 94% accuracy.”
- The “subtle smirk of superiority” and contempt are revealed as the most reliable indicators of future separation, according to psychologist John Gottman’s research.
5. American Public Opinion on Government Spending, Taxes, and Wealth
Segment Start: 26:35
- Biden’s call for Social Security reform leads into an analysis of a Cato Institute poll on Americans’ views toward government spending.
- Key Poll Findings:
- 85% say increased government spending has not helped them or has made their lives worse. (28:10)
- 76% believe the government spends too much; 59% of Democrats agree (29:34).
- 98% agree there is waste, fraud, or abuse in the federal government (30:09).
- 55% think their taxes are too high and pay more than their fair share (31:16).
- 85% support making the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent (32:09).
- Over two-thirds disagree with “wealth should be taken from the rich and given to the poor” (33:57).
- 71% disagree that billionaires are immoral (34:19).
- 90% see nothing wrong with trying to make as much money as you can (34:05).
- Discussion on the disconnect between actual public sentiment and mainstream media portrayal.
- Quote (32:43) Joe Getty: “If the mainstream media was not what they are, could Democrats win a single election as they’re currently constituted? I don’t think so.”
- Reflection on their own “average” Midwestern backgrounds versus elite media personalities.
- Key Poll Findings:
6. Education: Challenging the Narrative and Lowering Standards
Segment Start: 41:31
- Getty calls for a “moonshot” to reform education.
- Campus “madness” update: Colleges reverting to classical education—highlighting a professor at Tufts who introduces left-leaning students to conservative thought.
- College students, surprisingly, crave balanced discussion and the ability to debate.
- Disturbing trends:
- Schools and states respond to poor test results not by improving standards, but by lowering them (Goodhart’s Law in action; e.g., Oklahoma doubling “proficiency” by changing the cut score).
- Quote (44:58) Jack Armstrong: “That’s Goodhart’s law...once a measure becomes a goal, it ceases to be a good measure.”
- Medical schools (Brown University) now give more weight to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in faculty promotion than clinical skills.
- Quote (47:29) Jack Armstrong: “Your plan for how you’re answering the question of how you’re going to get diversity, equity, and inclusion into your medical practice is more important than your actual skills.”
- Schools and states respond to poor test results not by improving standards, but by lowering them (Goodhart’s Law in action; e.g., Oklahoma doubling “proficiency” by changing the cut score).
- Debate over whether educational pendulums are shifting back toward reason or if institutional failure will continue.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Joe, on modern tech: “I’m hoping to leave tech behind and move to the woods.” (06:36)
- Jack, on smart glasses: “You won’t carry your phone…it’s all gonna be in your glasses.” (06:18)
- Joe, on divide in American perception and political messaging: “If the Republicans can keep between the ditches and not roll the car of their messaging over, it seems to me like the ground is super fertile for some good solid conservatism in the years to come.” (29:19)
- Jack, on public opinion versus media: “You’d never get that from your mainstream media coverage.” (29:50)
- Joe, on the media: “Most journalists are wordsmiths at all. They’re parrots.”
- Jack, on government spending: “Solid majorities of people think it’s the spending, not the taxing…we’re not getting the government we deserve.” (37:07)
- Armstrong, on contempt in marriage: “Contempt is the kiss of death…once you have contempt for someone, you don’t agree, you don’t think they are worth listening to on anything.” (21:33)
- Joe, on educational standards: “Lift up the children, don’t drop the standards.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:15 – Christmas reflections, Roomba, and tech gripes
- 05:09 – Smart glasses, the future beyond phones
- 06:36 – Tech fatigue, aspirations for a simpler life
- 08:40 – Susie Wiles political tell-all, Trump, Musk, and others
- 12:38 – Ukraine negotiations and new security guarantees
- 18:54 – Marriage psychology and the sign of contempt
- 26:35 – Social Security, Cato poll, spending and taxes
- 41:31 – Education reform, standards, and DEI in academia
Conclusion
This Armstrong & Getty replay hour offers a holiday blend of social commentary, personal anecdotes, and data-driven insight. The episode stands out for its nuanced discussion of real-world poll data versus media narratives, skepticism toward government and institutional “solutions,” and concern over both the direction and standards of American education—all delivered with humor and authenticity true to the show’s original tone.