Armstrong & Getty On Demand – "Unplug It. Kick it. Break it."

Date: September 26, 2025
Podcast: Armstrong & Getty On Demand (iHeartPodcasts)
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the ongoing chaos in U.S. politics, government shutdown brinkmanship, alleged weaponization of justice, COVID-hysteria flashbacks, celebrity influence at the UN, and the ever-present circus around Donald Trump, James Comey, and media coverage. Jack and Joe blend sharp commentary, biting humor, and a touch of world-weariness as they dissect headline news and cultural absurdities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Russian Provocations and Escalating Tensions [03:17]

• The episode opens with news on U.S. fighter jets intercepting Russian warplanes near Alaska and reports of Russian drones over Denmark.
• Jack questions the rationale behind Putin’s escalation:

  "Man, it's one thing to be messing with Poland and Finland and whoever the house Denmark, but I can't believe Putin's buzzing our airspace. Wow. What is he hoping for?" (Jack, 03:45)

2. Light-Hearted Listener Texts & Christmas Trees [04:06]

• An innocuous text about a 9-foot artificial Christmas tree injects humor into the mix as the hosts wonder if it's meant for them.

  "Did they mean to text us?... I don't recall which of us were in the market for a nine foot pre lit Christmas tree." (Jack, 04:33)

3. The Looming Government Shutdown: Real Crisis or Political Theater? [06:25]

• The hosts lambast the endless government shutdown hype, arguing most of it is Washington theater.

  "Unplug it, kick it, break it, somebody hit it with a hammer... It's the two phony parties just maneuvering for more power." (Jack, 06:56)

• They discuss how Democrats’ demands (more Obamacare funding, reversal of Medicaid reforms) make a shutdown more likely, with political fallout potentially benefiting Trump.
• Joe entertains the notion that forced government layoffs during a shutdown could enable Trump’s team to execute desired budget cuts:

  "If you shut down the government and these departments are not funded, we're going to fire everybody... we will achieve the giant cuts..." (Michael, 07:58)

• Jack references national parks surviving staff cuts as evidence that many federal roles are "overhead."

4. Government Waste & Foreign Aid Realities [09:23]

• Joe extols the pragmatic approach to foreign aid, seeing much of it as diplomatic bribery:

  "A lot of foreign aid is bribery to keep them on our side. And that's not wasted money. It's well spent." (Michael, 10:40)

• The hosts highlight US spending on global HIV/AIDS programs, noting only 40% goes to direct medical aid, while the rest gets lost in bureaucracy.

5. Celebrity Activism & Long COVID Testimony at the UN [12:20]

• Violet Affleck’s (daughter of Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner) testimony at the UN about long COVID among children draws skepticism.
• The hosts satirize the focus on celebrity over science, and question alarming statistics about COVID’s impact on youth.

  "I know some kids with asthma. I haven't heard anybody saying my kid has long Covid. Not one person." (Jack, 15:05)

6. The Return of Diet Coke Lime, Melania & Trump "Spat," and Lip Reading [16:33]

• Interlude on Diet Coke Lime's comeback.
• Jack tells the story of Trump supposedly reprimanding Melania after an escalator mishap, debunked via "forensic lip readers."

  "She was shaking her head... According to Forensic Lip Lip readers, this was not a Fight." (Jack, 21:14)

7. The James Comey Indictment: Lawfare, Hypocrisy, and the Media [23:12]

• Extensive dissection of Trump’s move to indict former FBI Director James Comey.
• Hosts alternate between mocking mainstream media hysteria and lambasting Comey’s "lawyerly evasions" and public persona.
• They highlight how both parties have weaponized the justice system, lamenting hypocrisy on all sides.

  "If people get away with this...the rule of law has died." (Lindsey Graham quoted, 32:19) "Comey's the anti Rosa Parks. He's guilty of all of this stuff. He's a lion. Power abusing, selfish ego, maniacal justice manipulating." (Michael, 33:29) "This whole thing is not just him fighting back against possible jail time. He's doing it for you...he's gonna help you get up off your knees and not live in fear." (Jack, 35:31)

• Notable dramatics from Comey’s own statement:

  "My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn't imagine ourselves living any other way. We will not live on our knees. And you shouldn't either." (Comey, 34:28)

8. Hypocrisy in Lawfare & Political Tit for Tat [37:37]

• Jack and Joe call out MSNBC and Democrats for decrying lawfare now that it targets Comey, after tolerating it previously against Trump:

  "If the people on MSNBC would come on and say...it was lawfare...But unless you say that, spare me with your hysteria." (Jack, 38:37) "Your hypocrisy is so astounding and, and bold faced and unhidden. It's just crazy." (Michael, 39:19)

9. California Ballot Measures & Political Identity [43:01]

• The hosts discuss how California’s redistricting proposition is likely to become a proxy Trump loyalty test, unrelated to the actual policy.

10. Tariffs on Furniture, Bathroom Vanities & Economic Impact [44:41]

• Brief coverage of new tariffs on imported goods, with typical Armstrong & Getty bemusement over why "kitchen vanities" are a major trade focus.

11. Ulysses and the Meaning of Daily Life [47:09]

• Jack offers a reflective moment, explaining his appreciation for the novel "Ulysses" and the profundity in ordinary daily experience.

  "That's what life is for all of us, really. It's just the day to day life. And that's where the, the story lies for all of our lives." (Jack, 47:53)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Government Shutdown Drama:

  "Unplug it, kick it, break it, somebody hit it with a hammer." (Jack, 06:56)

• On Government Inefficiency:

  "You can be in favor of a thing that government does, but be aware they do it horribly and wastefully and just line everybody's pockets with it." (Michael, 11:29)

• On Lawfare and Hypocrisy:

  "I don't like this action by Trump. On the other hand, all the Democrats who are acting like this is just an unforgivable horror of injustice... Comey's the anti Rosa Parks." (Michael, 33:29) "My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I'm innocent. So let's have a trial and keep the faith." (Comey via Instagram, 36:01) "Your hypocrisy is so astounding and bold faced and unhidden. It's just crazy." (Michael, 39:19)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:17] Russian warplanes, Danish drone drama
• [04:06] Humorous Christmas tree listener text
• [06:25] Government shutdown debate, countdown hype, and “Unplug it, kick it, break it”
• [09:23] Government waste, foreign aid, only 40% “on-the-ground” for HIV/AIDS
• [12:20] Violet Affleck’s pandemic testimony at the UN
• [14:39] Skepticism on long COVID as a chronic childhood illness
• [16:33] Diet Coke Lime returns, coverage of Trump-Melania elevator incident
• [23:12] Detailed breakdown of Comey indictment, lawfare, and political hypocrisy
• [34:28] James Comey’s self-styled Instagram response
• [38:37] Hosts challenge media hypocrisy over lawfare
• [43:01] California Prop 50 and Trump-loyalty polling
• [44:41] Trade tariffs on bathroom vanities and semi trucks
• [47:09] Meditations on Ulysses and meaning in daily life

Tone & Style

• Language: Fast-paced, irreverent, heavily sarcastic, inquisitive. Casual banter and skepticism rule, but underlying points are pointed and analytical.
• Attitude: Cynical about politics/media, skeptical of government claims, and fed up with pandemic overreach, yet prone to self-aware digressions.
• Notable: Frequent giggling at the news cycle’s absurdities; breaking for light-hearted or literary asides in the midst of heavy news.

Summary Takeaways

• A&G remain sharply critical of political theatrics, especially around government shutdowns and the “weaponization” of justice, highlighting how both sides practice hypocrisy.
• They call out government waste, especially in foreign aid, and cover public health panics with mockery toward COVID alarmism.
• Major headlines, like Trump’s actions toward Comey, are dissected with nuance and exasperation for the endless lawfare cycle and media overreaction.
• The episode’s style—rapid, satirical, often self-deprecating—is as much a defining characteristic as its political commentary.

For listeners: If you want to stay informed and amused while cutting through the noise of partisan spin, Armstrong & Getty deliver, bringing critical analysis and comic relief in equal measure.

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