Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Episode: Wake Up & Smell The Cold Coffee
Date: August 18, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Episode Overview
This episode centers on major shifts in U.S. and European engagement with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the international political spectacle swirling around peace negotiations, and the uncomfortable realities facing Ukraine. Armstrong & Getty also touch on cultural shifts in America, from decreasing alcohol consumption to the ubiquity of background music, and close with personal stories and a tongue-in-cheek look at recent headlines.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Declining Alcohol Consumption in America
Timestamp: [03:36]–[05:13]
- Joe Getty highlights a Gallup poll showing only 54% of American adults say they consume alcohol, the lowest in 90 years.
- The hosts puzzle over why, considering current levels of societal stress and "more turmoil than the past."
- Jack Armstrong: “You compare it with where we are emotionally, it seems like people are less happy, more angry... and we’re drinking less?” [04:21]
- Getty posits that newer substances and changing habits among the young contribute, but no clear answer emerges.
2. Russia-Ukraine Peace Maneuvering & Global Power Politics
Timestamp: [05:13]–[16:51], [27:46]–[34:56], [44:44]–[49:18]
Recent Developments & Reactions
- Jack and Joe review the previous Friday’s meeting: Trump’s pageantry with Putin (the “warm handshake and the red carpet”) and the lack of concrete outcomes.
- Armstrong: “I personally hated the warm handshake and the red carpet...” [05:41]
- Expectations were "unrealistically high" for tangible results, setting the stage for lengthy negotiations.
Trump’s Position and Statements
- Trump released a statement on Truth Social, suggesting Zelensky could "end the war immediately if he wants to"—interpreted by Jack and Joe as implying Ukraine should just surrender.
- Getty, critically: “In the same way that every victim of an aggressor can end it... by surrendering, by letting the aggressor have what they want.” [07:41]
- Armstrong (sarcastically): “Let them rape you, let them steal from you, whatever it’s going to be, right?” [07:51]
- Joe Getty wonders why Trump never makes the same demand of Putin: "Hey, Putin, you could end the fighting right now. Why don't you?" [07:55]
American & European Posturing
- Marco Rubio’s realism (quoted and referenced repeatedly): the war ends only with ugly trade-offs, because "Russia doesn’t care how many of its soldiers die" and will only accept a peace agreement if they get more than what they've already taken. [15:09]–[15:41]
- Rubio (aired clip): “What it’s going to take to stop the fighting... both sides are going to have to give, and both sides should expect to get something from this.”
- Armstrong notes European leaders, rhetorically tough, often come up short on substantive support:
- Jack: “Italy just isn’t a strong enough country. She’s kind of talking big with Germany’s money or the United States’s weapons.” [10:36]–[11:15]
- Getty: “Seriously, what’s Italy going to do, sweetheart?” [11:15]
- Joe remains pessimistic about the West’s real willingness to challenge Putin: “This whole time Putin might have been calculating...NATO isn’t going to go to war with Russia to protect Ukraine. The end.” [12:58]
- Armstrong: “It’s so hard to break out of the headspace of what’s right and what’s wrong sometimes and just settle into what is... But who’s gonna stop him? Are you gonna stop him? Well, then shut up if you’re not.” [16:21]
Ceasefire, Peace Guarantees, and Symbolic Gestures
- Reported details on potential peace deals include territorial concessions, language rights, and whether the West will grant robust security guarantees.
- Getty: “Probably Satan is in the details, friends...” [32:46]
- Pageantry and optics dominate: Zelensky’s attire (military fatigues vs. suit) discussed as a symbol of submission or defiance.
- Jack: “If you show up in the suit, it is a hundred percent, I do what you want me to do. On your terms.” [45:31]
3. Trump’s Boastful Social Media Posts & the “Not Our War” Argument
Timestamp: [29:24]–[34:56]
- Trump claims solo credit for resolving multiple global conflicts and stresses the Ukraine war wouldn't have happened if he were President.
- Armstrong (paraphrased Trump): “‘It would never have happened if I was President. I know what I’m doing...’” [29:24]
- Rubio and others make the case: this is not “our” war and “won’t affect Americans’ lives.”
- Getty: “That’s been made several times throughout history—World War I and World War II in particular.” [30:43]
4. Background Music in Public Spaces & Changing Norms
Timestamp: [20:32]–[23:38]
- Armstrong questions why constant background music is now universal in restaurants and other venues, while Getty notes even golf courses have embraced it.
- Jack: “Who’s the first [restaurant] to decide that and why?” [21:26]
- Getty: “I’m in a weird minority in the world of golf. Having a speaker in the cart, listening to music the whole way around the golf course... I don’t like it, but I’m in the minority.” [21:54, 22:20]
- The pair express nostalgia for quiet and question if the trend is driven by a need for constant stimulation.
5. Personal Story: Emergency Vet Trip
Timestamp: [37:03]–[40:48]
- Armstrong recounts his late-night ordeal when his son noticed their pug’s face and neck were swollen, likely from a bee sting.
- Hilarity about distinguishing when a dog has “collapsed” if they spend all day lying down. [38:12]
- Armstrong resists expensive tests: “I just said no to all the tests after they declared he’s probably okay… If you ever walk out [of the vet] with a $5000 bill, I just said no… Some concern, but… everything’s fine.” [39:14]
- Getty shares a similar story: his sister’s dog had an abscessed tooth, not a bee sting. [40:41]
6. Crime and Policing in Washington, D.C.
Timestamp: [34:56]–[37:03]
- Crime in D.C. is acknowledged as a persistent, worsening issue, despite early pushback against Trump’s criticisms.
- Jack: “More and more voices are conceding that he was right about the crime in Washington, D.C.” [34:56]
- Getty notes stat-fudging by police and the debate over federal and local responsibilities in policing D.C.
7. Zelensky’s Symbolism & Melania Trump’s Letter to Putin
Timestamp: [44:44]–[49:18]
- Hosts speculate on whether Zelensky will wear a suit at the White House meeting as potential symbolism (submission vs. solidarity).
- Jack: “If you show up in the suit, it is a hundred percent, I do what you want me to do. On your terms.” [45:31]
- Discussion about Melania Trump’s letter to Putin asking for peace for sake of the children.
- Joe Getty (skeptical): “Why don't you just write a letter to dogs and ask them to stop barking? … It’s a lovely impulse. And she seems like a lovely gal.” [46:20]
- Jack: “I'm trying to pick somebody else. I hate to use Hitler... Would make me look silly, right?” [47:08]
- Final take: Melania’s letter served to highlight Russia’s abduction of children, a story undercovered in the media. [48:43]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Armstrong: “Wake up and smell the cold coffee.” [13:25]
- Getty: “This whole time Putin might have been calculating on the fact that if it came down to it, NATO isn't going to go to war with Russia to protect Ukraine. The end.” [12:58]
- Armstrong: “Let them rape you, let them steal from you... That’s what he’s saying, right?” [07:51]
- Rubio (quoted): “What it’s going to take to stop the fighting... both sides are going to have to give, and both sides should expect to get something from this.” [15:09]
- Getty: “Russia’s a midget with one giant muscular arm—as I’ve said before, their nuclear armaments.” [29:01]
- Joe Getty (about Melania Trump’s letter): “It’s a lovely impulse… but… it’s a complete idiotic waste of time in another way.” [46:20]
- Armstrong (pug story): “Collapses is difficult, difficult with a dog because they spend... they spend a lot of time just lying about. So what does a collapse look like when you spend 90% of your life lying there?” [38:12]
Important Segment Timestamps
- Decline in Alcohol Consumption: [03:36]–[05:13]
- Russia-Ukraine War, Peace Talks, and Trump’s Statements: [05:13]–[16:51], [27:46]–[34:56], [44:44]–[49:18]
- European Leaders’ Rhetoric vs. Reality: [10:36]–[11:15]
- Ubiquitous Background Music: [20:32]–[23:38]
- D.C. Crime & Policing: [34:56]–[37:03]
- Emergency Vet Story: [37:03]–[40:48]
- Zelensky’s Military Attire & Symbolism: [44:44]–[46:15]
- Melania's Letter to Putin: [45:54]–[49:18]
Tone & Style
The conversation is marked by the duo’s trademark blend of sharp humor, potent skepticism, and punchy, colloquial exchanges. The tone is often sardonic, especially when parsing international politics or highlighting the absurdities of modern American life.
Final Thoughts & Sign-Offs
- The episode closes with playful “final thoughts” round-robin:
- Armstrong: theorizes Melania Trump’s letter is mainly to draw attention to Russian abductions of children rather than actually persuade Putin. [48:43]
- The hosts agree more news will break and promise updates, especially on the “suit vs. fatigues” drama and actual results from the high-profile international meetings.
Summary Conclusion
This episode offers a whirlwind tour through the moral and practical murkiness of contemporary geopolitics, driving home the brutal realities facing Ukraine and the limits of Western posturing. Alongside news analysis, Armstrong & Getty inject cultural commentary and personal stories, offering a lively blend for anyone craving both cynicism and irreverence in their current events diet.