Armstrong & Getty On Demand — “Useless, Dumbass Weasels” (October 2, 2025)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of the Armstrong & Getty Show delves into the aftermath and perceptions of the U.S. government shutdown, the media's narrative on Antifa and political violence, and the ongoing culture clash between left-wing and right-wing ideologies. The hosts, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty, also dissect national news headlines, share personal anecdotes, and offer sharp commentary on mainstream and left-leaning discourse, particularly how it manifests in academia, government, and media.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Government Shutdown—Cynicism and Consequence

[01:07–05:55]

• The show launches with satirical dramatization of the government shutdown’s “devastation,” illustrating public apathy about the actual effects.
  • Jack jokes: “I tried to go to the grocery store yesterday. Fires burning all over town. Gangs of young ruffians, stray dogs. Bones piled high in the streets.” ([01:20])
  • Both agree that, outside of those who work in affected agencies, most Americans don’t care about the shutdown as much as the political class believes.
• Joe notes: “You look back over the shutdowns of my lifetime, who got blamed doesn’t seem to have any indication that it had a result in the next election. So it just doesn’t matter who gets blamed.” ([05:09])

2. Media Failure and Antifa Coverage

[07:25–09:44, 20:24–22:30]

• The hosts are frustrated with national media (both left and right) for underreporting or misunderstanding the situation with Antifa in Portland and Seattle.
  • Jack: “We have been among the few voices trying to bring attention to that situation...it’s spreading across the country. Contagions tend to.” ([08:00])
• Joe notes how NPR and major outlets portray Antifa as a myth or non-issue, despite continuing unrest in Portland.
  • Joe: “I heard...last week that there’s no such thing as Antifa. It’s a myth...Antifa stands for anti-fascists, so they couldn’t possibly be [problematic].” ([08:11])

3. Gender, Social Issues, and Radicalism in Institutions

[06:46–07:19]

• The hosts mock the proliferation of leftist concepts related to gender identity, homelessness, and criminal justice.
• A recurring bit: “Whiteness is toxic.” “Penises in women's prisons.” “Welcoming the intifada. We are done, done, done with that.” ([07:09–07:19]) – a montage dismissing progressive talking points.

4. Left vs. Right-Wing Political Violence

[22:30–29:09]

• Main segment focuses on Barton Swaim's analysis from the Wall Street Journal, suggesting left-wing motives for violence are mainstreamed in reputable institutions, while right-wing violence is driven by causes unfamiliar to most mainstream conservatives.
  • Jack: “Here’s the crazy part. What stands out, he says, is how distant most of the causes motivating right-wing acts of violence are from anything an ordinary conservative would recognize. But how familiar most of the left-wing motivations sound.” ([25:15])
  • Joe: “So the list you had for conservatives, I don’t know a single person that is into those things. The list you had of Democrats, every progressive I know is into all those things.” ([28:28])

5. Headlines and News-of-the-Day

[13:07–18:53]

• Deepfake politics: White House shows “racist deep fake video” on loop—hosts goof on the fading power of simply calling something “racist.”
  • Jack: “Things that are barely kind of sort of ethnic in nature...the day where you say it’s racist and everybody cowers and cringes, that day’s gone. Shut up.” ([13:29])
• International affairs: Editorial support for shooting down Russian planes, Russia’s military draft, Trump’s defense pledge to Qatar, Zelensky’s European talks.
• Immigration: “Illegal immigrants issued 18-wheeler licenses with ‘no name given’ in NY, IL, CA.” ([15:35])
  • Joe: “They just filled out all the stuff without the names.” ([15:47])
• Miscellaneous: Cheetos using paprika, Israeli-Gaza flotilla intercept, Greta Thunberg detained, Harvard hiring a drag queen as visiting professor, Babylon Bee satire about Gavin Newsom, and a joke about Jane Goodall’s death.

6. Personal Stories & Humor

[20:07–21:20]

• Braces stories — Jack and Joe riff on orthodontics, parenting, and DIY wire fixes, blending banter and relatability.
  • Joe: “I got out my same clippers I used for my guitar strings...cut it off so it wasn’t jabbing him in the mouth.” ([20:59])

7. Woke Ideology & The Military

[34:14–37:45]

• Listener letter about “freedom loving quote board” in an Army office; leadership reprimanded a Captain for putting up harmless quotes about warrior ethos after “woke” DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) reforms.
  • Al Nonimus: “This is not hyperbole and it is for the sake of our nation.” ([37:04])
• Hosts lament “woke ideology” in the military and hope new leaders will root it out.
  • Joe: “It was a major attempt to turn around the enormous ship that is the military...that S is over. If you’re not on board, retire. Thank you for your service.” ([37:31])

8. Business Closures & Civic Decay

[38:45–39:26]

• Discussion of why retailers (Target, Walmart, Starbucks) are leaving cities like Portland, criticizing companies for being opaque about the obvious criminal and social disorder driving closures.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Government Shutdown Apathy:

• “I do not care. I don’t believe you care.” – Joe Getty ([03:40])
• “I've not met anybody who cares.” – Jack Armstrong ([03:44])

On Media and Antifa:

• “Even national right-wing media doesn’t get the Antifa Portland story...it’s too far from New York. I mean, we have planes these days.” – Jack Armstrong ([07:25])
• “The media...portrays Antifa as a myth or non-issue, despite continuing battles in Portland...” – Joe Getty ([08:11])

On Culture & Wokeism:

• “Whiteness is toxic.” “Penises in women's prisons.” “Welcoming the intifada. We are done, done, done with that.” – Montage ([07:09–07:19])

On Violence & Partisan Motivations:

• “What a party says about an act of violence tells you a lot about that party’s responsibility for it.” – Barton Swaim (paraphrased by Jack) ([24:49])
• “The list you had for conservatives, I don’t know a single person that is into those things. The list you had of Democrats, like every progressive I know, is into all those things.” – Joe Getty ([28:28])
• “That is an interesting point.” – Jack Armstrong ([28:42])

Listener Story – Military & Woke Leadership:

• “He’s been stopped from putting up quotes for the love of liberty. How can this be true of my military?” – “Al Nonimus” (listener email, paraphrased by Jack) ([36:42])

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | Description | |-----------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:07 | Opening Discussion | Satirical take on the government shutdown | | 07:25 | Antifa & Media Critique | Callout: Lack of national media coverage | | 13:07 | News Headlines | Katie Green's news roundup, viral moments | | 22:30 | Political Violence Segment | Analysis of Barton Swaim’s thesis on violence motivations | | 34:14 | Starbucks Closures | Discussion on urban retail exodus | | 36:42 | Listener Letter | Military “freedom loving quote board” story |

Overall Tone

Armstrong & Getty’s tone throughout the episode is sharply satirical, skeptical of mainstream media narratives, and critical of both political extremes while focusing especially on left-wing institutional dominance. They blend humor, cultural observation, and personal anecdotes to provide a combination of entertainment and pointed critique.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode is a must for those tracking current culture wars, government dysfunction, and the media’s blind spots on topics like Antifa and political violence. The hosts’ no-nonsense, irreverent approach offers a perspective rarely echoed in mainstream radio, laced with humor, skepticism, and concerns about the trajectory of American public life, from big cities to the military.