The Grit City Podcast

GCP: Hangover Sunday - Hotdish, Ice Bars & Holiday Regret

It’s a full-on Hangover Sunday episode of the Grit City Podcast, and the chaos is very real. The crew kicks things off talking about Pacific Northwest flooding before drifting into Midwest culture shock, hobby farms, holiday shopping panic, and the kind of winter weather that makes people build fully stocked bars on frozen lakes. From hotdish vs. casserole debates to Costco rage, forgotten gifts, and the strange appeal of ice-fishing bars that deliver drinks by snowmobile, this episode is packed with relatable holiday regret and classic GCP banter. It’s laid-back, funny, and exactly the kind of conversation that happens when friends sit down with coffee after a long night out. If you’ve ever overcommitted during the holidays, questioned your life choices at Costco, or wondered why people willingly live somewhere that makes 26 degrees feel “warm,” this one’s for you. 00:00 – Cold Open Chaos Hangover Sunday energy kicks in with weather talk, rambling intros, and the crew easing into the episode. 03:30 – Pacific Northwest Flooding Discussion of heavy rain, flooding, and how the PNW handles “extreme” weather compared to other regions. 07:45 – Regional Disaster Comparisons Comparing floods, hurricanes, and winter storms — and which ones people think they’re prepared for. 12:10 – Hobby Farms & Animal Rentals The conversation drifts into hobby farms, renting goats and sheep for land management, and why everyone secretly wants a farm. 18:00 – HOA Goats & Landscaping Logic Using animals to clear land sounds ridiculous… until it actually makes sense. 22:30 – Holiday Shopping Panic Forgetting what gifts you already bought, last-minute shopping stress, and the fear of missing something important. 28:10 – Mall Trips Right Before Christmas Why the mall is the worst possible place to be during the holidays — and why people keep going anyway. 33:45 – Costco During the Holidays Costco chaos, overbuying, and immediate regret the moment you walk through the door. 39:30 – Midwest Winters Explained How extreme cold reshapes daily life, expectations, and what people consider “nice weather.” 45:00 – Ice Bars on Frozen Lakes Fully operational bars and restaurants built on frozen lakes — including snowmobile delivery and ice roads. 52:20 – Ice Fishing Culture Ice houses, fishing setups, and why drinking on a frozen lake somehow feels normal. 58:40 – Hotdish vs. Casserole Debate A deeply serious discussion about terminology, Midwest food culture, and culinary loyalty. 1:05:30 – Holiday Regret Sets In Reflecting on overcommitting, holiday exhaustion, and realizing everyone feels behind this time of year. 1:11:00 – Hangover Sunday Wrap-Up Final thoughts, laughs, and the crew easing out of the episode in true GCP fashion.Sponsored By:Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15RCF Exteriors: Cut Wood. Not Corners. RCF Exteriors specializes in Window and Door installation across the South Puget Sound region. RCF Exteriors is a customer service orientated company with 20+ years experience in window and door installation. Our efficient and knowledgeable team is dedication to making sure you are satisfied with not only the final product but throughout the entire installation process. Email: rcfexteriors@gmail.com Phone: 253-446-8854 The Union Club: The Union Club is a coworking space contributing to Tacoma's growing artistic and entrepreneurial communities. It combines a maker studio, event hall, and office coworking space, in a 15,000 square foot historic building in downtown Tacoma, Washington. Support The Grit City PodcastLinks:Damage from record flooding in Washington state is profound, with more on the way, governor says - OPB — The extent of the damage in Washington state is profound but unclear after more than a week of heavy rains and record flooding, Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday, as more high water, mudslides and power outages were in the forecast.Flooding in Washington2025 Pacific Northwest floods - WikipediaThe MN Ice Bar Series 2025-2026 – Minnesota Ice — Embracing winter one ice bar at a time The MN Ice Bar Series was born from a desire to turn Minnesota winters into a season of opportunity and joy for local businesses and their communities.Where to Find Heated Patios, Ice Bars and Igloos This Winter | Explore MinnesotaDon't Be a Bitch (Or You Won't Get Stuff for Christmas) - Clownvis Presley - YouTubeTater Tot Hotdish RecipeHotdish - Wikipedia — A hotdish (or hot dish) is a casserole that typically contains a starch, a meat, and a canned or frozen vegetable mixed with canned soup.

GCP: Saturday Night Grit - Cryptids, Bitcoin Dongles, and Lost Underwear

• Mike’s Minnesota Minute: The crew kicks off with elevator-music hype before grilling Mike on where he actually lives. Minnesota becomes the star with fun facts—like having nearly 12,000 lakes instead of 10,000—and the birthplace of the Mississippi River. Cryptids, folklore, and the “hairy man” show up early. • Snakes, Coyotes & Desert Life: Mike shares stories from New Mexico and Nevada: rattlesnakes everywhere, bowls full of collected rattles, coyotes bringing hambones back to the porch like gifts. Everyone compares snake-free Washington to the reptile-rich desert. • Friendsgiving & Holiday Season: Mike talks about giving up traditional family Thanksgivings since the Navy and instead doing a long-running Friendsgiving with his wife. Holiday decorations are delayed thanks to a basement remodel and a pile of boxed-up Christmas gear. • Weather Check-In: Minnesota has snow through March, Tacoma has rain for 10 straight days, and everyone debates what counts as “cold.” • Nerd Miner Deep Dive: A huge geek-rabbit-hole opens: Mike discovers tiny WiFi-enabled USB devices that double as DIY Bitcoin solo miners. The crew loses it laughing about Linux, dongles, and whether anyone will ever mine a whole block. • Holiday Movies: Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie, Scott’s wife is getting forced to watch it, and Nightmare Before Christmas gets respect as a universal holiday classic. • Classic GCP Wrap-Up: Charlie Brown references, blockhead energy, and the classic “You’ve been listening to the Grit City Podcast” outro. ⏱️ Loose Time Stamps: 00:00 – Elevator music & introductions 01:30 – Mike’s Minnesota Minute begins 04:00 – Minnesota lakes & cryptid talk 26:00 – Snakes, coyotes & desert life 32:30 – Thanksgiving food & Friendsgiving 33:40 – Nerd miner & Linux rabbit hole 57:50 – Christmas weather check-ins 01:09:00 – Holiday movie favorites 01:12:30 – Charlie Brown & outroSponsored By:Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15RCF Exteriors: Cut Wood. Not Corners. RCF Exteriors specializes in Window and Door installation across the South Puget Sound region. RCF Exteriors is a customer service orientated company with 20+ years experience in window and door installation. Our efficient and knowledgeable team is dedication to making sure you are satisfied with not only the final product but throughout the entire installation process. Email: rcfexteriors@gmail.com Phone: 253-446-8854 The Union Club: The Union Club is a coworking space contributing to Tacoma's growing artistic and entrepreneurial communities. It combines a maker studio, event hall, and office coworking space, in a 15,000 square foot historic building in downtown Tacoma, Washington. Support The Grit City PodcastLinks:Hugag - Wikipedia — In American folklore, the hugag is a fearsome critter similar to a moose with an extensive upper lip, preventing it from grazing, and jointless legs preventing it from lying downGitHub - BitMaker-hub/NerdMiner_v2: Improved version of first ESP32 NerdMinerHome - NMTechT-Dongle S3 – LILYGO®Pepie | Cryptid Wiki | Fandom — The monster is called Pepie, after Lake Pepin, which forms the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin, where it is said to live.GitHub - i-am-shodan/USBArmyKnife: USB Army Knife – the ultimate close access tool for penetration testers and red teamers.

GCP: Saturday Night Grit - Fox Island, Comic Show & Scrapyard Chaos

This week the GCP crew dives into Fox Island adventures, Comic Show reunions, freeze-dried candy hype, and a full breakdown of the Scrapyard Med Tent Brawl that left two fighters banned until they settle things in the cage. We also talk viral influencer fights, a 4-versus-1 stunt bout coming Monday, YouTube million-subscriber milestones, Knight Rider nostalgia, and whether there is a correct way to open a banana. Featuring The Tacompton Files and a drop-in from Scrapyard’s own Firechicken.Special Guests: Steve Hagara and Tacompton Files.Sponsored By:Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15RCF Exteriors: Cut Wood. Not Corners. RCF Exteriors specializes in Window and Door installation across the South Puget Sound region. RCF Exteriors is a customer service orientated company with 20+ years experience in window and door installation. Our efficient and knowledgeable team is dedication to making sure you are satisfied with not only the final product but throughout the entire installation process. Email: rcfexteriors@gmail.com Phone: 253-446-8854 The Union Club: The Union Club is a coworking space contributing to Tacoma's growing artistic and entrepreneurial communities. It combines a maker studio, event hall, and office coworking space, in a 15,000 square foot historic building in downtown Tacoma, Washington. Support The Grit City PodcastLinks:Frankie Lapenna - YouTube1 Man vs. 4 Women fight - YouTubeScariest Bigfoot Encounter I’ve Ever Heard. This Alaskan Hunter Isn’t Lying. - YouTubeThe Camp Bar - Where Adults Go To Drink

GCP: The Scrapyard – Backyard Brawls to a YouTube Empire

The Grit City crew welcomes back Firechicken, the mind behind The Scrapyard — the Pacific Northwest’s biggest and most respected backyard fight organization, now closing in on one million YouTube subscribers. From humble beginnings to working with major names like Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and YouTube phenom IShowSpeed, Firechicken shares how his grassroots fight community has become a launchpad for professional fighters — and a global phenomenon. The crew dives deep into fighter culture, safety improvements, Streetbeefs drama, viral collaborations, and what it takes to build a respectful, welcoming combat community in the backyard scene. ⏱️ Timestamped Highlight Guide 00:00 – 02:00 – Opening chaos & Firechicken joins the show 🔥 02:00 – 05:00 – Scrapyard’s viral reach & the rise of backyard MMA 📈 05:00 – 10:00 – Humble fighters, real lessons, and community over clout 🥊 10:00 – 15:00 – Scrapyard’s matchmaking system & fighter safety rules 🧠 15:00 – 20:00 – Celebrity boxing stories & wild Scrapyard moments 🌍 20:00 – 25:00 – WFC fights at Emerald Queen & 1.8M Instagram followers 💪 25:00 – 30:00 – Firechicken’s collab with IShowSpeed & viral success 🚀 30:00 – 35:00 – The Streetbeefs split and building an independent legacy ⚔️ 35:00 – 40:00 – Joe Rogan, Jake Paul & mainstream eyes on Scrapyard 👀 40:00 – 45:00 – Safety, respect & medical support for fighters 🏥 45:00 – End – What’s next for Firechicken & the future of The Scrapyard 🌟Special Guest: Steve Hagara.Sponsored By:Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15RCF Exteriors: Cut Wood. Not Corners. RCF Exteriors specializes in Window and Door installation across the South Puget Sound region. RCF Exteriors is a customer service orientated company with 20+ years experience in window and door installation. Our efficient and knowledgeable team is dedication to making sure you are satisfied with not only the final product but throughout the entire installation process. Email: rcfexteriors@gmail.com Phone: 253-446-8854 The Union Club: The Union Club is a coworking space contributing to Tacoma's growing artistic and entrepreneurial communities. It combines a maker studio, event hall, and office coworking space, in a 15,000 square foot historic building in downtown Tacoma, Washington. Support The Grit City PodcastLinks:THE SCRAPYARD - YouTubeWFC: World Fighting Championships — EXPERIENCE THE THRILL OF LIVE BOXING, MMA, MUAY THAI & KICKBOXINGiShowSpeed Discovers An Underground Fight Club.. - YouTubeiShowSpeed Hosted Our F!GHT CLUB - YouTubeThe Grit City Podcast: GCP: Streetbeefs Scrapyard - LIVE at The Scrapyard!The Grit City Podcast: GCP: Streetbeefs Scrapyard - Sit Down w/ Firechicken and Mandy BearThe Grit City Podcast: Streetbeefs ScrapyardThe Grit City Podcast: Gig Harbor Adventures

GCP: Saturday Night Grit - Beards, Horror Cons & A Comet

The Grit City crew is back with laughs, stories, and Tacoma pride! This week, Jeff, Scott, and Joey talk about the Washington State Horror Con, favorite guests, local creators like Ken Carlson, and the upcoming Grit City Comic Show. The conversation swings from celebrity encounters (Elvira, Tracy Lords, Lance Henriksen) to Tacoma’s vibrant convention scene — plus, Mike joins in with a hilarious breakdown of his beard care routine, Squirrely Dan cosplay, and Halloween costume chaos. It’s everything you love about GCP: local events, nerd talk, beards, and bad jokes over good beer. ⏱️ Timestamped Highlights 00:00 – 02:00 – Cold open & crew intro 02:00 – 06:00 – Washington State Horror Con recap 🎃 06:00 – 09:00 – Celebrity sightings & Elvira talk 💀 09:00 – 13:00 – Lance Henriksen, the legend 🧠 13:00 – 16:00 – Upcoming Grit City Comic Show preview 📚 16:00 – 18:00 – Tacoma’s local artists & wrestling scene 💪 18:00 – 22:00 – Beard growing challenges & barbershop wisdom 🧔 22:00 – 26:00 – Halloween plans & Letterkenny cosplay 🍁 26:00 – End – Classic Grit City laughter and wrap-up 🍻Sponsored By:Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15Grim Workshop: Grim Workshop specializes in the making and using of ultralight, reusable, and wearable everyday carry tools. Perfect for a standalone ultralight survival kit that you can keep on hand at all times or as an addition to an existing survival kit to remove unwanted weight. A Family Owned and Operated Company Grim Workshop is proudly family owned and operated deep in the heart of TexasRCF Exteriors: Cut Wood. Not Corners. RCF Exteriors specializes in Window and Door installation across the South Puget Sound region. RCF Exteriors is a customer service orientated company with 20+ years experience in window and door installation. Our efficient and knowledgeable team is dedication to making sure you are satisfied with not only the final product but throughout the entire installation process. Email: rcfexteriors@gmail.com Phone: 253-446-8854 Support The Grit City PodcastLinks:Washington State Horror Con – Presented by ElviraComic Book Convention, Tacoma, WA | Grit City Comic Show — An Old-School Style Comic Book Convention at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, 1500 Broadway, Tacoma, WA 98402The Camp Bar - Where Adults Go To Drink — We believe in big drinks, great comfort food, and friendly fellow campers. Featuring a full bar, reginal craft beers on draft, and voted the best karaoke bar in the south sound. Happy hour every day from 4pm – 6 pm. The camp bar is described as “a wilderness experience with liquor”. GRIT CITY WRESTLING SCHOOL | SOS Pro WrestlingSOS Pro WrestlingETHAN HD (ALL CAPS) (@ethanhd312) • Instagram photos and videos — Pro Wrestler. Color Commentator. Plant Based. Coach The Steve and Crypto Show Podcast - Podcast - Apple PodcastsDudes with a beard, how do you take care of it? : r/AskMenComet 3I/ATLAS - NASA Science — NASA missions are working together to track and study this rare, interstellar comet as it passes through our solar system. Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System - Wikipedia — Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert SystemAmazon.com: MASTER FENG Ham Maker Stainless Steel Meat Press Mold for Making Ham Meat Deli Meat Homemade Lunchmeat Press Maker with a Thermometer and Cooking Bags: Home & Kitchen