Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: Whooptie S***
Date: September 17, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong and Katie Green (Joe Getty calling in later)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into a whirlwind of top national news, sharp cultural commentary, and signature Armstrong & Getty humor. Jack Armstrong and Katie Green explore the resurgence of cocaine in American society and cartel power dynamics, discuss the fallout from the high-profile assassination of Charlie Kirk, analyze political theater on Capitol Hill, and riff on everything from weird headlines to the obstacles of owning a giraffe. The episode also spotlights the increasingly toxic intersection of social media, celebrity, and outrage culture, and features pointed critiques of high-level politicking and media narratives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cocaine Surge & Cartel Power Shifts

Timestamps: 01:23–04:47

• Main Focus: The emergence of El Senor Mencho as the world’s new top drug kingpin, and the stunning resurgence of cocaine use in the U.S.
• Key Insights:
  • El Senor Mencho rose to power as Mexico’s biggest drug trafficker, partly due to cartel infighting and U.S. efforts to suppress the fentanyl trade.
  • Cocaine is now cheaper and purer in the U.S. than ever before.
  • “Consumption in the Western United States… has increased 154% since 2019.” (Jack Armstrong, 02:58)
  • Social stigma around cocaine is lessening among new users, with the drug now associated with “cool, successful people,” unlike the crack epidemic of the 1990s.
  • “For new users, cocaine doesn’t carry the stigma of fentanyl addiction… right now it’s back being seen as like what cool successful people do.” (Jack Armstrong, 05:19)

2. Federal Reserve Rate Cut & Housing Market Realities

Timestamps: 06:45–08:23

• Main Focus: The Federal Reserve’s anticipated interest rate cuts and the stubborn realities of today’s housing market.
• Key Insights:
  • Host expects Jerome Powell to announce a widely predicted 0.25% rate cut.
  • 30-year fixed mortgage rates hover at 6.3%—historically low, but high compared to recent memory.
  • Many homeowners are “locked in” with low rates, making them reluctant to sell.
  • “We’re never going to get back to home interest rates that we had there for a while ever. It may never happen again in the history of capitalism.” (Jack Armstrong, 07:25)

3. Trump Visits the UK: Royal Meetings & Political Optics

Timestamps: 08:13–09:01

• Main Focus: Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK, media spin, and debates over its significance.
• Memorable Moment:
  • “That’s the way I feel about President Trump meeting the king. Whoopty S.” (Jack Armstrong, 08:37)
  • Katie and Jack riff on “Whoopty S”—a dismissive phrase Jack credits to his father.

4. Assassination of Charlie Kirk—Suspects & Media Response

Timestamps: 09:01–15:37, 35:12–40:29

• Killer's Identity and Motive:
  • Details about the shooter’s background, motives, and communication with their trans roommate/boyfriend.
  • Shooter attempted to hide evidence by dismantling the rifle and leaving tools behind but was caught via DNA.
  • “He left a screwdriver up on the roof where he actually shot Charlie Kirk from, and they got his DNA off of that.” (Katie Green, 10:48)
• Media Handling:
  • Critique of emotional angles in news coverage—ABC described suspect’s texts with their boyfriend as “very touching… a very intimate portrait.” (ABC News, 35:58)
  • Jack’s reaction: “That’s not the focus of the story. That’s a weird way to look at that.” (Jack Armstrong, 36:26)
• Conspiracy Fodder:
  • An elderly attendee, George Zinn, confessed to “distract” police from the real shooter—fuelling conspiracy theories.
  • “Is it even conceivable… he immediately thinks, ‘I know what I'll do, I'll yell it was me, I'm the shooter, so that the person who did it can get away?’ I just—find that very difficult to believe…” (Jack Armstrong, 40:13)

5. Political Theater: Capitol Hill Hearings

Timestamps: 20:33–29:47

• Focus: Testy congressional hearings with FBI Director Cash Patel, highlights of political grandstanding, and growing dysfunction.
• Key Exchanges:
  • Fiery clashes between Cash Patel and Senators Cory Booker and Adam Schiff.
  • “You are a political buffoon at best.” (Cash Patel to Adam Schiff, 27:33)
  • Chair Chuck Grassley ultimately mutes Schiff’s microphone to restore order.
  • Jack’s criticism: “We need to figure something out. Maybe they should do it… written… It would eliminate all the showmanship…” (Jack Armstrong, 26:01)
• Epstein Connection:
  • Probing questions on why Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a lower-security prison, intensifying intrigue and mutual accusations.
  • Cash Patel throws barbs: “We have countlessly proven you [Schiff] to be a liar in Russia in January 6, biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate.” (Cash Patel, 25:25)
• Meta-Commentary:
  • The hosts mock the self-promotional nature of politicians during hearings.
  • “Each congressperson, Senator, their goal is to get on the evening news… There’s really no attempt to accomplish anything beyond that.” (Jack Armstrong, 23:33)

6. Headlines Round-Up and Quirky Side Comments

Timestamps: 15:48–18:53, 34:31–35:12

• News headlines blend serious and absurd:
  • Families suing over AI chatbot’s role in teen suicides.
  • “Jerry” from Ben & Jerry’s leaves, citing silenced activism; Jack jokes, “No, it’s not [about more than ice cream]. You’re an ice cream company. Just be a non-important hippie there in Vermont.” (18:33)
  • “Beauty sleep isn’t a myth,” neurology now says—Jack quips, “That’s why I look like a lizard.” (18:47)
  • Babylon Bee satirical headline: “Satan blowing up as top influencer on Blue Sky.” (19:05)
• Oddball controversy over American tennis star Taylor Townsend apologizing for her comments about Chinese food: “See, that’s the sort of controversy we need in this world.” (Jack Armstrong, 35:12)

7. Cultural Commentary & Show Humor

Timestamps: 13:38–13:55, recurring throughout

• Quips about pet camels, attempted giraffe ownership, and “Wednesday being camel day.”
• “It’s harder to get a giraffe than you would think… It becomes a whole thing…” (Jack Armstrong, 13:54)
• Running jokes about modular sofas—a clear thread of in-show advertising parodied by the hosts.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cocaine’s Comeback:
  • “Consumption in the Western United States… has increased 154% since 2019.” (Jack Armstrong, 02:58)
• On Mortgage Rates:
  • “We’re never going to get back to home interest rates that we had there for a while ever. It may never happen again in the history of capitalism.” (Jack Armstrong, 07:25)
• On Royal Meetings:
  • “That’s the way I feel about President Trump meeting the king. Whoopty S.” (Jack Armstrong, 08:37)
• On Media Framing of Tragedy:
  • “That’s not the focus of the story. That’s a weird way to look at that.” (Jack Armstrong, 36:26)
• On Congressional Hearings:
  • “You are a political buffoon at best.” (Cash Patel to Adam Schiff, 27:33)
  • “Each congressperson, Senator, their goal is to get on the evening news… There’s really no attempt to accomplish anything beyond that.” (Jack Armstrong, 23:33)
• On Social Media Outrage:
  • “…every single post on this woman’s Instagram right now is flooded with comments: ‘You followed Charlie Kirk, you’re a Nazi.’ And it’s like, yeah, they’re unhinged.” (Katie Green, 22:43)
• On the Giraffe Dream:
  • “It’s harder to get a giraffe than you would think… It becomes a whole thing when you decide to get a giraffe.” (Jack Armstrong, 13:54)

Important Timestamps

• 01:23 — Episode begins: Drug kingpins & U.S. cocaine use
• 04:47 — Fentanyl’s decline, cocaine’s “coolness” resurgence
• 06:45 — Fed rate cut and housing market discussion
• 08:13 — Trump’s UK visit & “Whoopty S”
• 09:01 — Kirk assassination: Shooter’s motives, text exchanges
• 15:09 — The screwdriver & evidence in the Kirk case
• 16:19 — Suspect George Zinn distracts police with false confession
• 20:33 — Cash Patel, Adam Schiff, and hearing antics
• 27:33 — Cash Patel calls Schiff a “political buffoon”
• 35:12 — Media’s “touching” angle on the murder
• 40:13 — Discussion on plausibility of Zinn’s distraction ploy
• 13:54/Throughout — Camel/giraffe/sofa running in-jokes

Tone & Style

The episode weaves sharp, skeptical news analysis with irreverent humor and moments of cultural exasperation. Jack and Katie maintain an informal, sardonic tone (“That’s the way I feel about President Trump meeting the king. Whoopty S.”), balancing serious news with a playful undercurrent and a willingness to call out political posturing, media nonsense, and social media outrage.

For Listeners: Why This Episode Matters

Whether you crave a deeper understanding of headline news, behind-the-scenes power dynamics, or just a few solid laughs at the absurdity of modern America, this episode encapsulates Armstrong & Getty’s distinctive blend: skeptical reporting, cultural critique, and no-nonsense honesty—all with an undercurrent of wit.

If you missed the show, this summary captures the fast-paced, insightful, and entertaining heart of the conversation.