Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Episode: Will I Have To Comb My Hair?
Date: December 4, 2025
Podcast: Armstrong & Getty On Demand, iHeartPodcasts
Overview
This episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand features Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty tackling a mix of cultural commentary, current news, societal trends, and humor, with their trademark banter and skeptical eye. The show addresses topics ranging from holiday shipping norms and scratch-off traditions to the shifting landscape of social media usage, recent political controversies, the automation of fast food, government dysfunction, scandals, and the state of music streaming.
Key Discussion Points
1. Holiday Shipping & Family Traditions
Timestamps: 03:00 – 04:39
- Jokes about Shipping Deadlines: The duo begins by poking fun at the U.S. Postal Service’s late holiday shipping deadlines in comparison to private companies.
- “The Postal Service deadline is last Easter.” – D (03:00)
- Scratch-Off Tickets as Christmas Gifts: A recurring personal tradition for Joe’s family, where scratch-off lottery tickets are only received in stockings.
- “My mom always gets those for us every single year.” – D (03:32)
- Commentary on Public vs. Private Services: Using the acceptance of government inefficiency as a punchline.
2. Procrastination & Genetic Traits
Timestamps: 04:39 – 05:11
- Procrastination as a Genetic Trait: Joe expresses a wish that procrastination could be “edited out” with CRISPR technology, demonstrating his comedic skepticism toward modern science.
- “I wish procrastination would be looked at at the highest level. … Figure out how to use crisper technology to gene edit that out of people.” – D (04:39)
3. Social Media Use in the U.S.
Timestamps: 05:11 – 16:43
- Statistics & Demographic Divides: The hosts dissect a recent report on social media usage, highlighting YouTube (84%) and Facebook (71%) as the most prominent platforms.
- “YouTube and Facebook remain the most widely used online platforms. 84% of US adults say they use YouTube at least occasionally.” – C (05:58)
- “Half of adults say they use Instagram, making it the only other platform … by at least 50%.” – C (07:09)
- Is YouTube Social Media? Extended discussion with guest Katie and others about whether YouTube qualifies as “social media” and generational differences in perception.
- “I don’t use YouTube as social media.” – D (06:49)
- “You can record content and put it out there for people to comment on.” – E (08:09)
- Concerns over TikTok and Youth: Discussion about children using TikTok, the Chinese government’s control, and generational changes in where news is consumed.
- “TikTok is not only a communist Chinese spy device and a perverter of the principles of our young.” – C (07:16)
- “Almost two thirds [of 18-29 year-olds] are on TikTok. … TikTok is number one for young people.” – C (10:37)
- Generational Changes in News Consumption: Katie, representing millennials, confirms no connection to the evening newscast, marking the generational shift.
- “Did the evening newscast have any relevance for you growing up?” – D
“No. None for me.” – Katie (13:19)
- “Did the evening newscast have any relevance for you growing up?” – D
- Gender & Racial Demographics on Platforms: Noted that women use Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok more than men; whites use Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp less than Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians.
- Political Demographics: Democrats lean toward Reddit, Blue Sky, Threads, and TikTok, while Republicans prefer X (Twitter) and Truth Social.
4. Show Updates: Going Visual
Timestamps: 15:35 – 16:43
- The hosts announce plans to bring the show to YouTube in the near year, joking about the need to comb hair or design a cartoon Gladys.
- “Will I have to comb my hair?” – D (16:09)
5. Dr. Salvador Placencia and the Matthew Perry Case
Timestamps: 19:46 – 21:14
- Recaps the sentencing of Dr. Placencia for providing ketamine to Matthew Perry, whose family confronted the doctor at sentencing.
- Sympathy for Perry’s struggles with addiction versus responsibility of the doctor.
- “He was hell bent on being a drug addict. Somebody was gonna … find someone to buy it from.” – D (20:13)
6. The Automated Fast Food Experience and Labor
Timestamps: 21:20 – 23:51
- Rise of Digital Ordering at McDonald’s: Joe recounts his first encounter with a fully automated McDonald’s in California. Attributes it to the $20/hr minimum wage law and the resulting job losses.
- “At this particular McDonald’s … No human being, no register. … To better serve you. This is not better serving me …” – D (22:02)
- Automation's Impact: Critique on the government’s impact on employment, with fewer jobs available due to wage mandates.
7. Political Scandals, Government Dysfunction, and Public Cynicism
Timestamps: 26:33 – 39:51
- Changing Stories in Military Strikes: The hosts analyze shifting accounts surrounding a “second strike” on a drug boat, including comments from Trump, Rand Paul, and other officials.
- “[Hegseth] was lying to us … or he’s incompetent and didn’t know it had happened.” – D (26:49)
- Transparency vs. Messaging: Trump’s administration praised for transparency but criticized for confusion and conflicting explanations compared to previous administrations.
- “You create the appearance of floundering or dishonesty when…you got conflicting … stories.” – C (34:10)
- Megan McArdle on Scandal Fatigue: Referencing a podcast with McArdle (Washington Post/Dispatch) about why government scandals rarely stick anymore, compared to the Watergate era.
- “If you’re a Gen X person, you grew up with Watergate and all these hearings that mattered … but that was just a tin blip … almost nobody ever pays a price.” – D (36:20)
- Cynicism Irony: Armstrong and Getty assert that Americans have been “hoodwinked” to believe government is “mostly good and noble,” despite persistent systemic corruption.
- “Government is and always has been a cesspool of corruption. That’s what it is.” – C (38:12)
8. Music Streaming and Artist Revenue
Timestamps: 43:11 – 44:44
- Spotify Wrapped: Bad Bunny emerges as the most-played artist globally with 19.8 billion streams. Armstrong and Getty question the fairness of artist payouts.
- Gene Simmons' Commentary: References to a Wall Street Journal op-ed on artists’ compensation in the streaming era.
9. Government Waste: Affordable Care Act Fraud
Timestamps: 45:40 – 48:01
- Reason.com GAO Report: Discusses a report showing fraudulent applications for government-subsidized health insurance, highlighting the ease of obtaining benefits with fake data.
- “They were 23 out of 24 getting the applications accepted. Stunning.” – C (46:12)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “I wish procrastination would be looked at at the highest level. ... Figure out how to use crisper technology to gene edit that out of people.”
— D (04:39) - “YouTube and Facebook remain the most widely used online platforms. 84% of US adults say they use YouTube at least occasionally.”
— C (05:58) - “[TikTok is] not only a communist Chinese spy device and a perverter of the principles of our young. It is used by 37% of American adults.”
— C (07:16) - “The evening newscast have any relevance for you growing up? ... No. None for me.”
— D/Katie (13:19) - “At this particular McDonald’s … No human being, no register. … To better serve you. This is not better serving me…”
— D (22:02) - “Government is and always has been a cesspool of corruption. That’s what it is.”
— C (38:12) - “They were 23 out of 24 getting the applications accepted. Stunning.”
— C (46:12)
Segment Timestamps Guide
- Holiday shipping and traditions: 03:00 – 04:39
- Procrastination as a trait: 04:39 – 05:11
- Social media and generational change: 05:11 – 16:43
- Show goes YouTube & Gladys: 15:35 – 16:43
- Matthew Perry/kind doctor sentencing: 19:46 – 21:14
- Rise of automated fast food: 21:20 – 23:51
- Military strikes & political scandals: 26:33 – 39:51
- Music streaming economics: 43:11 – 44:44
- Government waste & fraud: 45:40 – 48:01
Tone & Style
The episode blends observational humor, skepticism, and cultural criticism. Armstrong and Getty’s dynamic is marked by playful needling, exasperation with bureaucratic systems, and insightful (if jaded) takes on both politics and pop culture. Their guests and additional hosts (notably Katie and E) add generational perspective and occasional dry wit.
For Listeners
This episode captures Armstrong & Getty’s signature voice and biting humor, walking you through the headlines and behind-the-scenes stories while offering a skeptical but accessible analysis of the forces shaping American life. Whether you’re a longtime fan or someone curious about the current zeitgeist in politics, tech, and culture, this episode serves up sharp observations, generational contrasts, and the kind of unfiltered opinions that fuel water cooler conversation.