Armstrong & Getty On Demand – "This Piece Of Garbage!"

Date: October 23, 2025
Podcast: Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Host: iHeartPodcasts (Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty)

Overview

This episode dives into two breaking national stories:

1. The U.S. military's expansion of airstrikes targeting drug-smuggling vessels in the eastern Pacific, discussed amid concerns over civil liberties versus public safety.
2. A blockbuster multi-state NBA gambling and game-fixing scandal implicating members of organized crime, NBA players, and coaches. The show features real-time updates as details emerge, critiques of headline hype, and reflections on corruption, sports, and American culture.

Additional segments include lively commentary on animatronic dinosaurs up for sale, the chaos of New York's mayoral debate, and ongoing discussions on political polarization, communism, and leadership failures in public institutions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. US Airstrike on Drug Boats (00:50–05:08)

• The U.S. launched a deadly airstrike on a suspected drug boat in the eastern Pacific, part of an expanded anti-cartel strategy.
• Jack Armstrong expresses disinterest, mentioning that not every story deserves full outrage:

  "I only get worked up about certain things... this isn't what I'm getting worked up about." (01:30)

• Debate: Is this approach effective and justified, or is there cause for concern about possible overreach?
• Marco Rubio (clip) defends the strikes:

  "If people want to stop seeing drug boats blow up, stop sending drugs to the United States." (04:19)

• Jokes about safety for local fishermen and the dangers of misidentifying targets.

Notable quote:
"If you don't do it, we're going to lose hundreds of thousands of people. Even with all the jokes we've been making about fishermen, I wouldn't want to get into a boat and go fishing in that area, would you?" – Jack Armstrong (02:34)

2. Explosive NBA Gambling and Game-Fixing Scandal (05:08–17:16 and 21:07–32:41)

Breaking Story Details

• Massive bust: 31 arrested, including NBA coach and player, in coordinated FBI raids—ties to multiple major mafia families.
• FBI Director Cash Patel:

  "Former, current NBA players and coaches... illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation... Not only did we crack into the fraud... we also... entered and executed a system of justice against la Casa Nostra to include the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese and Lucchese crime families." (12:33)

• Charges: wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, illegal gambling—"tens of millions of dollars" alleged fraud.
• Sports "rigging": Unclear early—were NBA games or only poker games involved?
  • Shows skepticism at ambiguous statements from law enforcement and news headlines.
  • Frequent real-time clarification as more facts come in.

Notable Quotes:

• "Is he purposefully saying rigged games to confuse people? When this is about poker games and not about NBA games?" – Jack Armstrong (16:00)
• "It's an offer you can't refuse." – Joe Getty, on mob pressure on athletes (23:19)

Analysis and Reaction

• Hosts question if headlines are overhyping NBA-specific involvement, noting most details point to poker but small evidence of NBA game manipulation.
• Reflection on how sports figures get entangled due to gambling addictions and mob pressure.
• Discussion of scheme mechanics: Proxies/straw bettors placed fraudulent sports bets, with "hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent bets" (22:31).
• The mechanism: Gambling debts leading to pressure to alter in-game performances (e.g., faking injuries, shaving points).

Memorable Moment:
“If you got yourself into that kind of gambling debt, you’re probably a gambling addict... you mostly lose when you gamble. I’ve never understood why people don’t get that... you’ll be in debt again and then you’ll have to miss another handful of free throws.” – Jack Armstrong (31:56)

Cultural and Sports Context

• Commentary on sports-related corruption historically tied to gambling and organized crime.
• Reflection that the mafia's longstanding influence in gambling remains, despite perceptions otherwise.
• Skepticism toward media and law enforcement messaging—motives matter when hyping scandal details.

3. Animatronic Dinosaur Sales (06:24–10:30)

Light-hearted interlude:

• Field Station: Dinosaurs (NJ) is closing, selling giant animatronic dinosaurs at absurdly low prices.
• Jokes about how to sneak a 39-foot T-Rex onto your property, HOA rules, and keeping such purchases secret from your spouse.
• “The Velociraptor I could put in the living room, that’d be cool.” – Jack Armstrong (09:15)

4. New York Mayoral Debate: A “Communist vs. Crook” Spectacle (23:45–29:50)

• Recap and audio highlights from the fiery New York City mayoral debate:
  • Candidates include a self-avowed communist, former Governor Andrew Cuomo ("the crook"), and perennial candidate Curtis Sliwa.
  • Debate described as "a medical checkup for the American people" by Joe Getty (10:40).
  • Sliwa’s vendetta against Cuomo takes center stage.
• “It's tough though, hearing it from a crook. A corrupt, womanizing woman secretary, touching, lying, shredding documents. I mean, he's just an awful human being.” – Jack Armstrong (26:06)
• Hosts lament the poor quality of political choices:
  “What is the matter with our political system that we keep belching up horrible candidates like this?” – Joe Getty (26:20)
• Discussion of rent control, communism, and the need for every generation to relearn foundational lessons about freedom and economics.
  • Reference to Charles C.W. Cook quote about the cyclical nature of failed ideas:

    "There is no such thing as a lost cause because there is no such thing as a gained cause..." (28:07, paraphrasing)

5. Political Violence and Public Integrity (35:28–38:28)

• Discusses Virginia attorney general candidate J. Jones, who fantasized about violence against political opponents and has a reckless driving/criminal background.
• Exposé of ‘phony’ community service claims.
• Critique of the “community service racket.”
• “You got any friend… who's willing to sign your piece of paper that you volunteered over the weekend... It's a nothing.” – Jack Armstrong (38:06)
• Emphasizes the recurring problem of unaccountable, activist political figures.

6. Policing, DEI, and the "Feminization" of America (38:28–41:13)

• Controversy over Cincinnati Police Chief’s management—claims of favoritism and DEI gone amok.
• Tying broader societal themes (gender in leadership, policing styles) to recent events.

Additional Notable Quotes & Segments

• On the U.S. Drug Strike:
  "Trump explaining, blasting people, perhaps fishermen, perhaps drug dealers, who knows? Out of the water…" – Jack Armstrong (02:06)
• On the media's role:
  "Well, but did, did, did Cash Patel make it a little fudgy on purpose to make it more exciting?" – Jack Armstrong (19:22)
• On crowd-driven debates:
  "We’ve been saying this for years. You got to get rid of crowds in debates… it’s entertainment. It’s a TV show." – Jack Armstrong (27:14)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• US Airstrikes on Drug Boats: 00:50–05:08
• NBA Gambling Scandal Coverage: 05:08–17:16, 21:07–32:41
• Animatronic Dinosaurs Segment: 06:24–10:30
• New York Mayoral Debate Recap: 23:45–29:50
• Political Violence/J. Jones Story: 35:28–38:28
• Cincinnati Police Chief Investigation: 38:28–41:13

Tone and Delivery

• Candid, irreverent, quick-witted, skeptical—trademark Armstrong & Getty style.
• Frequent digressions into pop culture, with recurring movie references (Godfather, Pulp Fiction).
• Mix of genuine concern for public good and humor at the absurdities of politics and media.

For Listeners

If you missed the episode:

• You’ll learn how law enforcement, gambling, and sports scandals intersect—with real-time fact checking on hype versus substance.
• You’ll get front-row commentary on the state of American democracy, the shifting sands of political memory, and the persistence of the “crook vs. commie” dynamic in public life.
• And, for levity, you’ll know where to buy a giant plastic T-Rex (if you dare ask your spouse).

Highlights: It’s a quintessential Armstrong & Getty ride through serious news, skepticism, and satire—all in a single episode.