You know… every once in a while, I sit back and look at everything that’s happened with THE GRIPE, and I’m honestly blown away. What started as this little idea; just me and Rick talking, sharing thoughts, laughing at life, pointing out the things we all notice but never say out loud, somehow turned into a community. A real one. A group of people who show up, who listen, who connect with the stories, the honesty, the ridiculousness, and the heart behind it all.

And I want to take a moment… right now… to say thank you.

Thank you for sticking with me.

Thank you for supporting the show.

Thank you for letting THE GRIPE be part of your day, your commute, your routine, your quiet moments, your loud ones... all of it.

You’ve been patient. You’ve been loyal. You’ve been here. And that means more than you know.

We’ve had some incredible conversations on this show. We’ve laughed, we’ve vented, we’ve questioned the world together, and sometimes we’ve just sat in the moment and let it breathe. And the fact that you keep coming back; that you keep showing up  tells me that this thing we built together actually matters. It has weight. It has purpose. It has a heartbeat.

And I want you to know… we’re not done.

New episodes of THE GRIPE are coming back this October.

Fresh stories. New topics. More honesty. More humor. More of the real stuff. The stuff that makes this show what it is.

And while we’re gearing up for that, I want to remind you of something important:

MTC Studio is your home base for everything we’re doing.

If you haven’t already, head over to www.mtcstudiollc.com.

That’s where you’ll find:

• THE GRIPE page
• Yammerin’ with Stitch Mainville
• Updates
• Announcements
• And everything else happening behind the scenes

It’s all there. One place. One hub. One studio that’s growing, evolving, and building toward something bigger.

Because here’s the truth:

MTC Studio isn’t just a place where podcasts live.

It’s a place where ideas live.

Where stories live.

Where voices matter.
Including yours!

And we’re just getting started.

There are more shows coming.

More conversations.

More creative projects.

More ways to connect, to laugh, to think, to escape, to feel seen, to feel heard.

This is only the beginning.

So from me to you. From the bottom of my heart thank you for being part of this journey. Thank you for supporting THE GRIPE. Thank you for supporting Yammerin’. Thank you for supporting MTC Studio. 

Thank you for believing in what we’re building.

Episode 10 of THE GRIPE drops you right into the kind of unfiltered, laugh‑through‑the‑pain conversation only two retired guys can have. Stitch Mainville and Rick Gary swap stories about knee surgeries, metal implants, surprise medical scares, and the strange reality of getting older when your body starts collecting more hardware than a Home Depot aisle. From retirement routines and carnivore‑diet confessions to bourbon habits, morning eggs, and the eternal battle against sugar, this episode blends humor, honesty, and the kind of friendship that only deepens with age. If you’re navigating life after work, dealing with health curveballs, or just love real talk between two men who’ve lived enough to have something to say, this one hits home.

Be sure to check out this episode's blog written by our MTC Studio staff writers! MTC Studio BLOG page

In this episode of THE GRIPE, Stitch and Rick dive into the chaos, comedy, and contradictions of modern marriage. From expiring marriage licenses to why men just want five minutes of silence. What starts as a joke about renewing your spouse like a driver’s license turns into a brutally honest (and hilarious) breakdown of how men and women communicate, misunderstand, and somehow still stay together.

Drawing from 17+ years of marriages, friendship, and real‑life stories, the guys unpack:

• Why marriage should come with a 3‑year, 5‑year, or 7‑year trial license
• How men decompress vs. how women “check in”
• Why couples fight over movies, phones, and dinner decisions
• The real reason men need a basement, garage, attic, or “quiet corner”
• Why lesbian couples have the highest divorce rate  while gay men the lowest
• How friendships get tangled when wives stop speaking
• The unspoken rules of male communication vs. the emotional landmines of female communication

It’s raw, funny, unfiltered, and painfully relatable. If you’ve ever been married, dated, lived with someone, or just tried to watch a movie with a partner who’s on their phone, this episode will hit home.

THE GRIPE continues its mission: real conversations, real life, real laughs — no scripts, no filters.

Be sure to check out a special "He Said - She Said" blog written by our MTC Studio staff writers! MTC Studio BLOG page

In this episode of The Gripe, Stitch and Rick dive into the stories that live behind the wheel. Long drives, crank windows, fading FM stations, quiet wives, and the strange new world of screens, apps, and self‑driving cars. It’s a nostalgic ride through the days when driving felt simple, human, and full of personality. From childhood memories to modern frustrations, this conversation blends humor, heart, and the kind of generational storytelling that makes you remember your own “good old days.”

If you love classic cars, road‑trip memories, or just miss the feeling of rolling the windows down and letting life drift by, this episode is for you. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Welcome to THE GRIPE!

And don't forget to check out my other Podcast "Yammerin' with Stitch Mainville" which can be found on all your favorite podcast platforms!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2062633

In this episode of The Gripe, Stitch and Rick tumble back into a world that feels both impossibly distant and instantly familiar as they discuss drive‑ins on summer nights, matinee tickets bought with two quarters, birthday cards heavy with taped change, and the unmistakable sound of your mother yelling your name across the neighborhood because dinner was ready. Through stories that are funny, raw, and deeply human, we explore how simple life once felt, how much the world has changed, and why those small moments still hit us right in the chest. From station wagons backed up on grassy hills to movie theaters that let you stay all day, this conversation is a reminder of what we’ve lost, what we’ve kept, and what we’re still trying to hold onto. This conversation is nostalgia with teeth. It's honest, warm, and full of the kind of memories that shape who we become. 

Welcome to THE GRIPE!

And don't forget to check out my other Podcast "Yammerin' with Stitch Mainville" which can be found on all your favorite podcast platforms!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2062633 

In this episode of THE GRIPE w/ Stitch & Rick, the guys dive into a wide‑open conversation comparing life today with the world they grew up in. They start with cars. Simple machines in the 70s versus the high‑tech “computers on wheels” of today before shifting into the chaos of the modern internet, social media, and the rise of CashApp culture. Stitch shares memories of paying bills the old‑fashioned way, while Rick admits he’s still riding with Yahoo email like it’s 1999. 

The conversation takes a hilarious turn when Stitch talks about his son’s Navy orders to Japan, which leads to stories from Stitch’s own overseas adventures involving sake, Mojo, and questionable decisions. Things escalate when the guys break down the MD 20/20 “challenge” and debate whether today’s kids could survive the drinks (and the playgrounds) their generation grew up with. It’s nostalgic, funny, and full of the kind of honesty only these two can deliver.

Welcome to THE GRIPE!

And don't forget to check out my other Podcast "Yammerin' with Stitch Mainville" which can be found on all your favorite podcast platforms!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2062633

In this heartfelt and humorous episode of The Gripe, Stitch and Rick kick things off with a tasting of 119‑proof Ponfeigh Pennsylvania Rye, sparking a lively debate about the differences between rye, whiskey, Scotch, and bourbon. What begins as a lighthearted conversation about drinks quickly deepens into a reflection on fathers, family influence, and the lessons that shaped them into the men they are today. Stitch shares the emotional story of discovering a book called Your Father’s Story and deciding to fill it out himself and creating a three‑generation legacy in black, blue, and red ink.

As the conversation unfolds, the guys explore memories of their parents, the values they were taught, and the ways those lessons show up in their own lives. From videotaped conversations with Stitch’s father to Rick’s reflections on being raised by a strong, capable mother, the episode blends nostalgia, humor, and honesty. The show wraps with a bourbon‑and‑mango‑nectar experiment, a shared shot of Angel’s Envy, and plans to visit a Pittsburgh distillery and ending the episode the same way it began: two men talking, laughing, and remembering what matters.

Welcome to THE GRIPE!

And don't forget to check out my other Podcast "Yammerin' with Stitch Mainville" which can be found on all your favorite podcast platforms!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2062633

CPAPs & Bathroom Boundaries: The Unfiltered Realities of Getting Older

In this hilarious episode of The Gripe w/Stitch & Rick; the guys discuss boundaries and difficulties during those golden years! Aging has a funny way of stripping away the polite illusions we once lived by, and in this episode of The Gripe, Stitch and Rick dive headfirst into the stuff nobody warns you about.  Nothing is off-limits as they break down the strange, hilarious, and universal truths of life after 50.

Welcome to THE GRIPE.

And don't forget to check out my other Podcast "Yammerin' with Stitch Mainville" which can be found on all your favorite podcast platforms!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2062633

When Nobody Agrees Anymore: News, Politics & Social Media Noise

Two friends sit down to talk about the news… and end up talking about everything.

Stitch and Rick remember when local news meant your town, your streets, and people you actually recognized. Back when you didn’t need to research every story yourself and a trusted voice could simply tell you what happened.

Somewhere along the way, information turned into opinion.

The conversation moves from local coverage to national outrage, protests, political labels, and why more people seem loyal to a side than to their own thinking. As self-described independents at heart, they wrestle with the idea that social media may now be shaping beliefs faster than experience ever did.

From celebrity influence to halftime shows that became spectacles, the question keeps returning:

Are we forming opinions anymore… or inheriting them?

It’s not about left or right.
 It’s about wondering when we stopped meeting in the middle.

Welcome to THE GRIPE.

And don't forget to check out my other Podcast "Yammerin' with Stitch Mainville" which can be found on all your favorite podcast platforms!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2062633

The Risk Assessment Years: Aging, CPAP Machines, Allergies & Body Changes

There comes a time in life when you stop doing certain things without thinking.

Not because you’ve matured…
 but because experience has taught you consequences have… expanded.

In this episode, Stitch and Rick discover how aging quietly turns everyday moments into calculated decisions — from harmless risks that aren’t so harmless anymore, to allergies you didn’t have for most of your life, to the strange reality of sleep machines, telehealth visits, and comparing upcoming surgeries like they’re weather reports.

Somewhere between laughter and discomfort, the guys realize adulthood eventually becomes less about living boldly and more about managing the equipment you live in.

It’s not tragic.
 It’s not even surprising.

It’s just the stage of life where your body starts negotiating back told by two lifelong friends telling the truth the way only they can.

Welcome to THE GRIPE!

And don't forget to check out my other Podcast "Yammerin' with Stitch Mainville" which can be found on all your favorite podcast platforms!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2062633

“You’re Never Too Old To Be Young… Or Are You?”

Before algorithms told us what to think and parenting came with instruction manuals, we learned life the old-fashioned way — by doing dumb things and surviving them.

In the first episode of THE GRIPE, Stitch and Rick look back at the years that built them: all-night liberty runs, campfire confessions, high-school fights that settled things once and for all, and the kind of freedom that doesn’t exist anymore.

But this isn’t just nostalgia.

It’s a conversation about what those years actually taught — resilience, consequences, and why growing up a little rough might have prepared them better for today’s world than anyone expected.

From 1986 to 2026, the world changed completely.
 People did too.
 But maybe not in the ways we think.

It’s honest.
 It’s funny.
 It’s reflective without preaching.

Two lifelong friends trying to figure out what mattered then… and what still matters now.

Welcome to THE GRIPE.

And don't forget to check out my other Podcast "Yammerin' with Stitch Mainville" which can be found on all your favorite podcast platforms!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2062633