Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: The A&G Replay Wednesday Hour One
Date: August 27, 2025
Host: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

The first hour of this Armstrong & Getty replay episode is a fast-moving, entertaining blend of language analysis, technology anxieties, personal anecdotes, and political commentary. Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty banter about the power of words in everyday reviews, dive into the societal impacts of artificial intelligence (AI), reminisce about obsolete technology, and dissect the current political landscape using new polling data. Several moments of sharp wit, personal stories, and reflective observations make this a quintessential A&G hour.

Highlights & Key Discussion Points

1. The Power of Words in Reviews

[04:19–14:40]

• Summary: Jack dives into a YouGov study ranking English words (mainly those used in reviews) by their positivity or negativity on a 0–10 scale. Joe and Jack riff on how people interpret reviews, the context of descriptive words, and share memorable dining disasters.
• Most Negative to Most Positive:
  • Abysmal is the most negative (the "clear winner" at the bottom).
  • Perfect is the most positive, with outstanding and excellent close behind.
• Comedic Illustrations:
  • Joe on the extremity needed for "abysmal":

    "The waiter would have to punch me in the face and give me rancid meat, I think, as I was being attacked by rats." – Joe Getty ([06:41])

  • Jack and Joe riff on positive words' rankings, with Jack declaring:

    "I'm superb at using the word superb." – Jack Armstrong ([09:01])

• Key Insight:
  • "Average" sits exactly in the middle of descriptors, confirming the crowd’s linguistic intuition.
  • The more spectacularly bad or good an experience, the more likely you are to retell it.
  • Joe shares an “appalling” Denny’s story, highlighting how abysmal experiences make better anecdotes than just “average” ones.

2. Nostalgia & Technology: Farewell to AOL Dial-Up

[15:16–17:23]

• Reminiscing about AOL:
  • Discussion of AOL discontinuing its dial-up application after 34 years.
  • Joe:

    "As of today they no longer have a dial up application… There were still a quarter of a million people doing the dial up for AOL. They probably also eat roadkill and marry their sisters. But wow." ([15:49])

  • Jack remembers failed internet downloads when a phone call would knock you offline—reflecting on how far we've come.

3. Learning to Drive Stick & Attractiveness of Hobbies

[17:23–21:07]

• Teaching Stick Shift:
  • Joe recounts teaching his son to drive a manual transmission and how rare that skill is now.
  • Jack quips:

    "For all they know, he's captaining the starship Enterprise." ([17:41])

• Survey: Attractiveness of Hobbies:
  • Tease for their “One More Thing” podcast: Top hobby women find attractive is reading (98.2% favorability).
    • Jack jokes:

      "Cross-dressing. Maybe you can swap clothes and stuff!" ([18:41])

  • Least attractive: "Manosphere" podcasts (3.1% favorability).
    • Joe:

      "Who are your 3.1%? You know what I like in a guy? Guys who hate me because I’m a woman." ([20:50])

4. AI, Cognitive Offloading & The Death of Mental Grunt Work

[25:25–34:53]

• AI’s Impact on Work and Thinking:
  • Analysis spurred by an Alicia Finley WSJ column.
  • AI is set to replace not only rote work but potentially hinder cognitive development—especially for young grads.
  • Jack:

    "I'm just, I'm—there's nothing I can do about it, so I try not to worry about it." ([25:33])

  • The concept of “cognitive offloading”—letting AI do the thinking for us—may short-circuit the process of developing higher-order thinking skills.
• Handwriting vs. Typing:
  • New research shows handwriting fosters learning and memory, whereas typing is less effective for those goals.
  • Joe:

    "I hate the term journaling… it sounds so wussy. My son would say gay, and so would all his high school friends, including gay ones." ([29:12])

• Value of Boredom and Daydreaming:
  • Jack disciplines himself to spend time daily just doing nothing, to let subconscious synthesis happen.

    • "I am committed to being not occupied a certain chunk of the day." ([33:14])

  • They compare boredom’s benefits to athletes practicing scales in music or doing crossword puzzles.

5. AI in Football & The Future of Coaching

[34:53–38:40]

• AI in Sports Strategy:
  • The NFL is on the verge of an AI-driven transformation in coaching and play selection; teams are already hiring "AI coordinators."
  • Joe wonders what will happen when it’s "computer vs. computer," not coach vs. coach.

    • "That will ruin the sport for a season or two before they have to get rid of it." – Joe Getty ([38:24])

  • Jack reads:

    "I feel pretty confident saying that some team is going to win a Super Bowl in the next few years utilizing AI at a very high rate…" ([36:59])

6. Current Political Landscape: Democratic Party in Trouble

[42:31–47:08]

• New Polling Data:
  • Democrats have just 33% favorable, 63% unfavorable—a 30-point deficit, their worst since 1990.
  • Even when people disapprove of Trump’s handling of issues (like inflation), they trust Republicans in Congress more.
  • Joe’s “crazy factor” theory:

    "You're the people that want boys playing girls’ sports. You're the people that want me to say Latinx. You're the people that think we shouldn't have police. I don't trust you on anything. I think it's the crazy factor." ([44:10])

  • Jack:

    "You put a grown man in my little girl's locker room. Yeah, exactly." ([44:21])

  • Only 8% are "very favorable" to Democrats, with GOP scoring about 2.5 times higher in strong approval.
  • Discussion on Democrats’ future, mentioning AOC as a possible future party face but also suggesting a moderate blue state governor is more likely.

Notable Quotes

• On Extreme Experiences:

  "The great thing about appalling and abysmal experiences is they make for a good story. It's almost better than slightly below average…you wasted your money, you're not satisfied. But something like abysmal, you’re going to be telling people about it, having laughs."
  — Joe Getty ([12:28])

• On the Power and Danger of AI:

  "I'm completely convinced that mankind has invented its doom… I hope my kids are smart and savvy enough to, you know, to have happy lives in spite of the coming AI apocalypse."
  — Jack Armstrong ([25:25])

• On Journaling & Modern Masculinity:

  "I hate the term journaling… it sounds so wussy. My son would say gay, and so would all his high school friends, including gay ones."
  — Joe Getty ([29:12])

• On Political Messaging:

  "You're the people that want boys playing girls’ sports. You're the people that want me to say Latinx. You're the people that think we shouldn't have police. I don't trust you on anything. I think it's the crazy factor."
  — Joe Getty ([44:10])

Memorable Moments & Humor

• "A turd sandwich" as a rating not present in the survey ([14:28]).
• Jack’s repeated riffs on word rankings and sarcastic, dry delivery.
• Joe’s Denny’s disaster story: A cook walks out in the middle of service, leading to a memorable family tale ([13:38]).
• Playful speculation about the attractiveness of cross-dressing as a hobby ([18:41]).
• Jack’s left-handed writing struggles and the etymology of "sinister" ([30:26]).

Timestamps of Major Segments

| Time | Topic | |--------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | 04:19–14:40 | Word rankings in reviews; anecdote-heavy analysis | | 15:16–17:23 | AOL dial-up nostalgia; obsolescence of old tech | | 17:23–21:07 | Stick shift lessons; hobbies that attract women | | 25:25–34:53 | AI’s cognitive effects; impact on learning & memory | | 34:53–38:40 | AI in sports, implications for coaching and strategy | | 42:31–47:08 | Poll: Dem party favorability; crazy factor theory |

Tone, Style & Language

True to the show’s signature style, the episode blends quick wit, plainspoken skepticism, and pop culture references. Jack is breezy and sarcastic; Joe is candid, animated, and willing to poke fun at himself and society’s absurdities. The pair use humor to draw out the implications of serious trends, but never let a topic get too heavy without a self-deprecating aside or a relatable personal story.

Conclusion

This replay hour is classic Armstrong & Getty: fast, funny, full of smart skepticism and memorable language. Whether laughing over "abysmal" dining, debating the doom of AI, or firing shots at political absurdity, Jack and Joe deliver infotainment that’s both thought-provoking and unmistakably their own.