By D.R. Makrakin “Mileage, Metal, and the Myth of Slowing Down” There comes a point in a man’s life when the conversation shifts—subtly at first, then all at once. You don’t notice it happening in real time. One day you’re talking about work, ambition, the next move. The next, you’re comparing surgical scars like kids trading baseball cards. Knees. Hips. Shoulders. Hardware. Suddenly, the body isn’t something you use—it’s something you manage. Episode 10 of The Gripe doesn’t

At MTC Studio we have TWO staff writers who take care of social media and assist with ideas. However, their forte is writing! D.R. Makrakin and A.C. Praple write the blogs for "The Gripe" and although they come from different generations, they each give a perspective of the show in their own unique way. Therefore, we've asked them BOTH to write a blog about this specific episode "Men, Women & Marriage" for a segment we are calling "HE SAID - SHE SAID". We hope you enjoy!

Guys and Cars” isn’t about engines or brands or even driving technique. It’s about what happens **inside the car**; mentally, emotionally, relationally. It’s about how a simple act like driving can expose:

There’s something kind of beautiful in the way they describe those moments. The station wagon backed up on a hill at a drive-in. Blankets. Coolers. External speakers crackling to life. Whole families packed into one car like it’s a social event, not just a movie. That part? That hits. It feels real. It feels lived in. You can actually see it while they’re talking about it. But here’s where I start tilting my head a little....

— A.C. Praple Reviews The Gripe: Episode 7 ==================================== Okay… I need to say this up front: this episode is basically two dudes time-traveling without leaving their chairs. And somehow? It works. 🧠 The Premise (a.k.a. “Back in My Day—but make it a whole episode”) This week’s The Gripe episode, “Now versus Then,” is exactly what it sounds like—Stitch and Rick bouncing between past and present like they’ve got emotional whiplash. Cars. The internet. Payi

By D.R. Makrakin There’s a certain kind of truth between men that only shows up after the first sip. Not the loud kind. Not the kind that demands attention. I’m talking about the slow truth. The one that eases its way into the room while two men sit across from each other, glasses in hand, pretending they’re just talking about whiskey. That’s how this episode begins. With a simple question: What’s the difference? Rye, bourbon, Scotch… all swirling in the glass, all carrying t

And just when you think you know where they’re headed, someone pulls the thread that unravels the whole sweater. In this case, that thread was childhood. Because before sleep apnea machines, before gray beards, before midnight bathroom trips… there was a time when privacy in the bathroom meant absolutely nothing. Moms walked in. Doors stayed open. Boundaries were… flexible. Then you grow up.

In Episode 03 of The Gripe, Stitch and Rick drift back to a time when the nightly news was exactly what it claimed to be: local. You turned on the television and learned about what was happening in your own city. Maybe a fire at a neighborhood restaurant. Maybe a council decision that affected your street. Maybe a story about someone down the road doing something remarkable.

Originally aired March 9, 2026 If Episode One of The Gripe with Stitch & Rick introduced listeners to two lifelong friends swapping stories, Episode Two proves something else entirely: Nothing is off limits. And sometimes the best conversations start with the kind of story most people would never admit in public. When the Episode Starts… You Know Exactly What Kind of Show This Is Episode Two opens the way many real conversations between old friends do — with laughter and a st

Episode One reveals exactly what The Gripe is meant to be. It’s not a debate show. It’s not a polished interview series. It’s two guys with decades of life behind them talking honestly about the past, the present, and whatever topic happens to surface next. Sometimes it’s hilarious. Sometimes it’s blunt. Sometimes it’s surprisingly reflective. But it’s always real.