Armstrong & Getty On Demand — "Try Planting a Lawn"

Date: March 19, 2026
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jack and Joe dive headfirst into California’s ambitious and controversial environmental engineering project—the “Butterfly Bridge” (aka the Wallace Annenberg Wildlife Crossing or Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing). The hosts scrutinize government spending, efficacy, and intentions behind such lavish conservation efforts, using trademark wit and skepticism. They then segue into broader discussions about political rhetoric on climate change (with special attention to Governor Gavin Newsom), the current escalation in the Iran war and its geopolitical risks, and, for a palate cleanser, a lighthearted riff on viral CEO food videos, including the famous Costco hot dog.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Butterfly Bridge: Conservation or “Boondoggle”?

[00:30–09:43]

• Project Background & Budget Overruns

  • California’s “Butterfly Bridge” is designed as a massive wildlife overpass across the busy 101 freeway to let animals safely cross.
  • Initial cost: $54 million promised by the state. New overruns bring it to at least $114 million.
    • Jack Armstrong [05:03]: “The total cost has risen to about $114 million with 21 million in overruns and increasing state funding. But that’s always the so far.”
  • Jack and Joe lampoon California’s reputation for do-gooder projects that end up as “money holes” with endless fundraising.

• Skepticism about Effectiveness

  • The practicality of animals—from mountain lions to butterflies—using the bridge is widely questioned.
    • Joe Getty [03:54]: “It’ll probably be at night if I understand mountain lion habits. But…”
    • Jack Armstrong [03:58]: “You have to believe the mountain lion is going to figure out that there’s a place I can cross here to get to the other side of the freeway.”
  • The hosts mock the notion that a land bridge meaningfully helps flying animals like butterflies or bats.

• “Seed Scouting” and Jobs Programs

  • A clip with Megan McCardell describes the process of searching for native plant seeds for the project, which Jack and Joe see as an example of taxpayer-funded “dream jobs.”
    • Megan McCardell [05:58]: “To be able to just be roaming the Santa Monica mountains looking for seeds in that sacred solitude was such a blessing…”
    • Joe Getty [06:28]: “Ever try to plant a lawn, just spread out some dirt and you’ll have all the native plants…”
  • They question the legitimacy and real impact of the roles supported by such funding.

• Memorable Moments

  • Joe Getty [08:26]: “She probably legally had her name changed to Butterfly. Ocean Feather.”
  • Jack Armstrong [09:09]: “That could be all the state tax money you ever pay in your life… that just went to this stupid complete waste of money.”

Climate Change Rhetoric (Gavin Newsom & the Media)

[12:20–18:47]

• Newsom’s Focus on Climate

  • The hosts turn to Governor Gavin Newsom’s climate change campaigns, lambasting what they see as his cherry-picked statistics and misleading rhetoric on wildfire and heat deaths.
    • Jack Armstrong [13:39]: “Man, he seems pretty wily to me. I don’t understand why he doesn’t understand that ship has sailed a bit.”
    • Joe Getty quoting Bjorn Lomborg [14:52]: “Warming has helped reduce age-adjusted cold related deaths by more than 5000 a year.”
    • Jack Armstrong [14:52]: “By more than 5000 a year. My God.”
  • They point out data indicating that while heat deaths have slightly increased, reductions in cold deaths far outpace them, and that wildfires are actually down globally, except in specific North American contexts.

• Media Critique

  • Mocking the New York Times for unsubstantiated claims linking climate change to restaurant woes in LA:
    • Joe Getty [12:20]: “It’s like a cult… They don’t mention bums and junkies? The artificially high $20 an hour minimum wage, crime? No, it’s climate change…”

Iran War Escalation & Geopolitics

[19:07–31:49]

• War Developments

  • Discussion on the latest ballistic missile barrages from Iran, Israeli strikes on Iran’s gas fields, and coalition building to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
    • Pete Hegseth [20:02]: “We’ve struck over 7,000 targets across Iran and its military infrastructure… today will be the largest strike package yet…”
    • Jack Armstrong [20:28]: “This war is clearly escalating by any measure…”

• Possible Global Ramifications

  • Speculates on potential for the conflict to draw China and Russia in, disrupting global supply chains.
    • Jack Armstrong [21:00]: “The Strait of Hormuz is blocked for how long? The Strait of Taiwan is open for how long?”
    • Joe Getty [22:27]: “If China moved on Taiwan, that would cause a brutal worldwide chip shortage and probably a global recession bordering on depression…”

• Europe & Allies

  • Notes the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan all expressing readiness to help secure shipping, a major diplomatic unity shift.
    • Jack Armstrong [22:59]: “The fact that Israel hit the largest gas field in the world… and Trump being very angry about it…”

• Iran’s Strategy

  • Iran’s efforts to drive up energy prices and destabilize regional governments debated.
    • Joe Getty [26:26]: “And the Gulf states will react with we’re tired of getting bombed… That’s their strategy.”

• Military Realities

  • The difficulty of reducing Iran’s military capacity despite thousands of strikes; boots on the ground seem inevitable.
    • Joe Getty [27:56]: “At some point we have to get all of the highly refined fissile material that Iran has, and that’s going to be a hell of an operation…”

• Memorable Exchange

  • Pete Hegseth [29:39]: “To borrow a page from Admiral Ernest King In World War II, we’ve decided to share the ocean with Iran. We’ve given them the bottom half. We’ve damaged OR sunk over 120 of their Navy ships…”

Lighthearted Closing: CEO Fast Food Videos & March Madness

[32:17–36:23]

• CEO Viral Videos

  • Trend of food chain CEOs eating their products on camera for PR—Costco hot dog video praised for authenticity vs. McDonald’s CEO video mocked as phony.
    • Jack Armstrong [34:57]: “He [Costco’s CEO] kind of looks like a regular guy… actually enjoying his Costco hot dog the way I enjoy them…”
    • Joe Getty [34:57]: “And like a fine burger product.”
    • Jack Armstrong [36:01]: Shares an anecdote about spilling mustard on himself while eating a Costco hot dog.

• Callback to the Butterfly Bridge

  • Jack revisits the wildlife bridge story, calling it an example of California’s most absurd taxpayer spending.
    • Jack Armstrong [33:03]: “That is one of the more hilarious stealing of taxpayer money stories ever.”

Notable Quotes (with Speakers & Timestamps)

• “It’s a money spigot for cronies. That’s what it is. Every project. Never mind what they call it, it’s a money spigot.”
  — Joe Getty [05:18]

• “The whole concept is so silly.”
  — Jack Armstrong [07:14]

• “Self evident that… now that’s ridiculous. Climate change is self evident just as a human being on Earth. I can tell.”
  — Jack Armstrong [15:41]

• “She probably legally had her name changed to Butterfly. Ocean Feather.”
  — Joe Getty [08:26]

• “The butterfly is going to say to its youngsters… Now kids, remember, let’s fly over this bridge and not down by the roadway where we might get hit by a semi truck.”
  — Joe Getty [33:15]

• “He [Costco’s CEO] kind of looks like a regular guy, a little fat, really, actually enjoying his Costco hot dog the way I enjoy them…”
  — Jack Armstrong [34:57]

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Butterfly Bridge & Public Accountability: [00:30–09:43]
• Climate Change & Newsom Critique: [12:20–18:47]
• Iran War & Geopolitical Risks: [19:07–31:49]
• CEO Videos, Hot Dogs, and March Madness: [32:17–36:23]
• Funny Anecdote (Costco Hot Dog / Mustard): [36:01]

Tone & Style

The hosts maintain their trademark skeptical, irreverent, and conversational style—mixing wry humor with earnest frustration over issues of government spending and political narratives. Segments are peppered with quick quips, sarcasm, and playful banter, ensuring the episode remains both informative and entertaining.

Conclusion

For listeners who didn’t catch the episode:
Jack and Joe serve up incisive criticism of California’s costly “Butterfly Bridge” (and the broader trend of well-intentioned but extravagantly budgeted public projects), lampoon the political use of climate rhetoric, dissect the dangers and unpredictability of the escalating Iran conflict, and lighten things up with commentary on the authenticity (or lack thereof) of viral CEO food videos. It’s a brisk, irreverent ride through state and global issues—balanced with signature Armstrong & Getty humor.