It’s the Halloween edition, and the dads are in their bag: childhood chaos with eggs and shaving cream, Costco candy temptations, the big-bowl etiquette dilemma, and a heated candy draft—Reese’s vs. Kit Kat vs. Snickers. Ricky relives an emotional NHL homecoming, Matt’s bowling team nosedives, and John debates when kids can finally trick-or-treat without a parent shadowing them.

We also trade scariest-movie picks and Matt drops the story of a ghost caught on camera in an old New England house—plus a rapid-fire “Can You Name Them?” on top candies, festive states, and horror films. If you’re a 35–60 dad who loves laughs, nostalgia, and a little spooky…this one hits.

Highlights include:

• Ghost video that still freaks us out • Best vs. worst Halloween candy debate • When kids can trick-or-treat alone • Bruins captain homecoming emotion • “Can You Name Them?” Halloween edition • Green screen…exposed (for real)

Stick around for timestamps to jump right to the good stuff.

Timestamps:

00:00 Halloween Edition Intro & Setup 01:33 The Catch-Up: Orlando Trip & Missing Disney 03:02 Ricky on Bruins Captain’s Emotional Return 07:24 Matt’s Bowling Team Slump & Jersey Debate 10:39 Halloween Memories: Eggs, Shaving Cream & Chaos 14:16 Favorite Candy Showdown & Massachusetts’ Surprising #1 18:37 Big Bowl Etiquette: Take One or Handful? 19:29 Why Trick-or-Treating Has Declined 21:29 Scary Movies: Then vs Now 24:36 Matt’s Ghost Story That Freaked Everyone Out 31:04 “Can You Name 'Em?” Halloween Edition Game 39:54 Mailbag: Trick-or-Treat Age & Green Screen Reveal

Links & Mentions:

The Ouija Board The Exorcist (1973) Hereditary (2018) The Conjuring (2013) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) The Ring (2002) Ancient Aliens on History Channel

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New studio energy! In this episode, a recently married producer joins the table as we trade real-world marriage tactics for dads—how to balance guys’ nights, video games, and being present at home. We also tackle the New England apple-picking debate, swap bee-sting mayhem, and confess why the show took a two-month break.

Before the wrap, we hit rapid-fire sports lists, from the NFL’s oldest franchises to the cities with the most championships—great bar-stool ammo for Sunday football. Keep listening for the funniest bowling-league banter you’ll hear all season.

Highlights include:

• The “equal time” marriage rule for nights out • Video-game confessions (Warzone & Borderlands 4) • Bee allergy story that ended in an ambulance • Apple-picking: worth it or waste of time? • Oldest NFL teams & title-rich cities trivia

👉 Stick around to hear Matt’s first-day hazing, the great “guys-night” marriage debate, and one of the most hilarious bowling-league stories ever told.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & Welcome to Episode 34 02:41 The Catch-Up: Fall, Family & Fairs 05:45 Bowling League Drama & Big Ball Bag Jokes 08:33 Marriage Rules for Guys’ Night Out 12:40 Gaming Confessions & Wife Tolerance Levels 17:00 Follower Mailbag: Showers, Hiatus & Apple-Picking 26:57 Sports Trivia Showdown 30:00 Wrap-Up & Matt’s First Show After-Party

Links & Mentions:

The Makeshift Project (on TikTok) The Topsfield Fair Call of Duty: Warzone Borderlands 4 Scott Boras (on Instagram)

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After a short break, we’re back with a dad-focused catch-up. From the softball team’s unlikely run from last place to the finals, to Ricky’s ongoing knee drama, this episode has plenty of laughs, stories, and real-life dad grit.

Then we get into theme parks—the rising costs, confusing upsells, and the strategies that actually work. From Disney’s Lightning Lane to Universal’s new Epic Universe, we lay out what’s worth the money, what isn’t, and the one sneaky hack you need to know. If you’re a dad planning a family trip—or just love a good rant—you’ll want to hear this.

Highlights include:

• Softball finals recap & team awards • Ricky’s knee replacement decisions • Fall favorites: football, cider donuts, and lots and lots of leaves! • Disney & Universal upsells explained • The ride-hack every dad should know

This episode blends family life, fall traditions, and theme-park survival tips into a mix that every dad can relate to.

Timestamps:

00:00 Show Intro: Back from Summer Break & Softball Finals Run 02:00 Ricky’s Knee Injury and Surgery Decisions 06:30 Johnny’s Mid-Week Health Scare 10:20 Fall Favorites: Football, Donuts, and Family Traditions 14:40 Pumpkin Spice, Streaming Sports, and Seasonal Rants 20:00 Dealing with Leaves, Lawns, and School Traffic 26:00 The Real Costs of Disney & Universal Trips 30:00 Lightning Lane, Upsells, and What’s Worth Paying For 34:00 A Sneaky Ride Hack That Actually Works 37:00 Alcohol in the Parks, St. Louis “What If,” and Wrap-Up

Links & Mentions:

Disney Lightning Lane Passes Universal Express Pass The Best Apple Cider Donuts on the North Shore Nason's Stone House Farm What's Happening - Doobie or Not Doobie: Part 1 + 2

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In this episode, Johnny Mack and Ricky G are back with relatable dad-life hilarity, diving into two major themes: the pain of picking the wrong checkout line and the viral Coldplay kiss cam scandal that cost a CEO his job and marriage.

From RFID tech and self-checkouts to brutally honest takes on surveillance culture and viral justice, this one’s got it all. Plus, Ricky falls in love—with a cooler. You’ll laugh, nod your head, and maybe rethink your next shopping trip.

Highlights include:

• Choosing the wrong checkout line (again) • The Igloo cooler that stole Ricky's heart • Magic Bands and the future of shopping • Coldplay’s viral kiss cam chaos • Is viral justice fair… or dangerous?

Whether you’re a middle-aged dad or just hate the express lane roulette, this episode hits home.

Timestamps:

0:00 Episode intro & summer studio updates 1:25 Follow us on social + send us topics 2:57 Ricky reconnects with a lifelong friend 4:00 Epic travel stories and phone photography tips 5:24 The great checkout line debate 6:49 Why choosing a cashier is a gamble 7:53 Costco vs Stop & Shop efficiency 9:21 Ricky's Walmart cooler purchase story 10:48 RFID tech & Disney Magic Bands 13:02 Self-checkout vs honesty tests 14:03 Bag charges & the return of free bags 14:39 Magic Band data tracking & China parallels 16:09 Should stores just remove checkout lines? 17:58 Kiss Cam scandal: the Coldplay incident 20:10 Who’s to blame—camera guy or the cheaters? 22:04 Ring cam reveals Eddie Haskell moments 23:05 When viral shame goes too far 24:38 Classic viral moments: David After Dentist, Janet, etc. 25:59 Chris Martin, Gwyneth Paltrow & Modern Family 27:26 Actor from Boardwalk Empire shoutout 28:44 Final wrap-up & listener engagement call

Links & Mentions:

Igloo IMX Cooler (Ricky's New Favorite) Boardwalk Empire Actor: Bobby Cannavale Disney Magic Bands Overview

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In this episode, we dive into childhood chaos, cooking traditions, and parenting curveballs with Joe Carpineto—a longtime friend of Ricky G and a true Revere original. If you grew up throwing full-contact hits in the street, this one’s for you.

From thorn bush tackles and dodge-the-bully plays to giant pig roasts and navigating his son’s diabetes and celiac diagnoses, Joe’s stories are raw, hilarious, and totally relatable. Oh—and we finally settle the Brady vs. Belichick debate. Maybe.

Highlights include:

• Brutal backyard tackle football stories (with thorn bushes) • Wild catering gigs and Italian family feasts • Parenting through diabetes, celiac disease, and teenage chaos • Sub and pizza shop debates across Boston • Hot takes on Brady, Belichick, and Star Wars • Music and movie breakdowns from Guy Ritchie to The Beatles

Get ready to laugh, argue, and maybe crave a steak and cheese.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Episode 31 Begins! 00:29 - HP Printer Rant and Canon Upgrade 03:27 - Guest Intro: Joe “Vish” Carpineto 06:05 - Tackle Football Brawls in Revere 10:06 - Hallway Baby Bonnet Story 12:33 - Childhood Pranks & ATC Mischief 16:44 - Joe: ChatGPT Before ChatGPT 17:00 - Learning to Cook with Grandma 20:04 - Joe’s Most Stressful Catering Job 24:00 - Parenting Through Type 1 Diabetes & Celiac Disease 28:10 - Boston’s Best Steak and Cheese Subs 32:44 - Pizza Talk: Bianchi’s, Regina, Santarpio’s 34:26 - Soccer: Yes or No? A Dad Debate 41:12 - Brady vs. Belichick: Who Gets More Credit? 47:11 - Star Wars: Overrated or Iconic? 50:17 - Guy Ritchie, Wes Anderson, and More 54:17 - Best Band Ever? Joe Makes His Case

Links & Mentions:

La Caja China pig roasting box The Bear (FX) New Deal Fruit - Deli & Subs Ted Lasso on Apple TV+

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In this special crossover episode, John and Rick join forces with Chris and Paul from the VentThis Podcast for a wild ride through dad life, streaming disasters, and household rage moments only a parent could understand.

From the pain of empty shampoo bottles to the betrayal of dry cereal and missing toilet paper, this episode is a hilarious look at the everyday chaos we all pretend not to lose our minds over.

Highlights include:

• The art of dad venting • Streaming cliffhangers that never pay off • Petty household frustrations every dad will relate to • Party guests using the curtains for… WHAT?! • TV shows we loved—and those that failed us

Buckle up—this is middle-aged madness at its finest.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Episode 30 Begins! 00:39 – Intro: Meet Chris and Paul from VentThis 01:17 – How The Mack & G Show Started 04:12 – Are Dads Too Soft? A Parenting Debate 06:46 – The Great Empty Package Vent 08:09 – Shampoo Bottles, Sneaky Tricks, and TP Theft 11:18 – Kids’ Wasteful Habits (and Dad Solutions) 12:45 – Big Toothpaste, Big Shampoo, Big TP 15:02 – The Curtain Incident at a Teen Party 19:01 – Who Leaves One Sip of OJ? 20:00 – Cereal Without Milk: A Dad Tragedy 21:06 – Rick's Ice Water with Oreos Controversy 27:02 – Streaming Shows That Lost Us 30:45 – Great Shows That Didn’t Get Renewed 32:59 – Weekly Drops vs Binge Releases 36:43 – White Lotus: Brilliant or Overrated? 39:51 – Modern Family, Sitcoms, and Dad Comfort TV 41:12 – Phil Dunphy = Johnny Mack? 42:04 – VentThis Call-In Challenge

Links & Mentions:

VentThis Podcast on YouTube VentThis Instagram Night Sky (Amazon Prime) White Lotus (HBO)

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In this summer-themed episode, Johnny Mack and Ricky G crack open the cold drinks and dive into their favorite warm-weather memories. From old-school pool days and Red Sox on the radio to grilling hacks and public water park trauma, this episode is packed with dad-life stories and relatable laughs.

They also explore what summer looks like today—whether it’s SharkTivity apps, fighting over thermostat settings, or debating the true MVP of dessert: slush or ice cream.

Highlights include:

• Hitting at Fenway Park (with an audience!) • Classic 1980s pool and beach traditions • Thermostat wars & lawn mowing rituals • Water park horror stories (flip-flops required) • Ice cream vs. slush: the ultimate dad decision

Fire up the grill and join us for a laid-back episode full of nostalgia, honesty, and laughs.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & green screen experiment 01:41 Recap: Vent This podcast appearance 02:39 Upcoming collab: The Midlifers podcast 04:00 Johnny hosts Father’s Day trivia 04:40 Ricky hits at Fenway Park 06:26 Local softball league kickoff 07:26 Childhood pool stories & summer freedom 09:20 River Beach, Biankey’s pizza, and Kelly’s chowder 12:04 Cape Cod vacations & pond swimming 14:28 Summer baseball burnout & AC battles 18:00 Slip ‘n slides, sprinklers, and city hydrants 21:00 Pet memories: Tiger the special cat 24:00 Red Sox radio nostalgia & Pedro/Clemens 26:39 Favorite summer songs: Will Smith, Van Halen, Go-Go’s 30:38 Adult summers, Cape trips & SharkTivity 34:09 Jaws trauma & favorite shark movies 35:00 Softball brotherhood in Boxford 36:21 Cookout vs. BBQ: the real difference 37:03 Hamburger or hot dog? 38:17 Ice cream vs. slush debate 41:00 Mowing the lawn = dad therapy 43:02 Renting pools & Airbnb drama 47:23 Public pool horror & Action Park documentary 50:22 Grilling favorites: sausages, steak, and toasted buns 55:00 “Make you a plate” meaning & grilling hacks 1:02:02 Hot dog tips, fried bologna & watermelon tricks 1:04:30 How to support the show & what’s next

Links & Mentions:

Class Action Park Documentary (HBO) Sharktivity App – Atlantic White Shark Conservancy Friends Talking Shop Podcast The Midlifers Podcast

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In this episode, Johnny Mack and Ricky G get nostalgic—and a little fired up—as they look back at “Things We Don’t Do Anymore.” From payphones to floppy disks and Blockbuster to pen pals, this is a dad-centric trip down memory lane packed with laughs, gripes, and the occasional sentimental moment.

They also debate which old-school habits we actually miss… and make bold predictions about what today’s kids will never do by the time they’re our age.

Highlights include:

• Growing up with landlines and dial-up modems • Forgotten school projects like pen pals and microfiche • Renting VHS tapes and the smell of a video store • Walkmans, Scholastic Book Club, and printed maps • What will our kids stop doing in 30 years?

Stick around for classic dad commentary, retro reflections, and what’s next for The Mack & G Show.

Timestamps:

00:00 Episode 28 Begins! 02:08 Midlife Podcast Collaboration Tease 04:25 Action Hero Bracket Preview 05:56 Today’s Topic: Things We Don’t Do Anymore 07:30 Payphones, Car Phones, and Corded Landlines 10:42 Kids Taking Over CarPlay & Music Battles 14:34 Pen Pals & Childhood Disappointments 18:01 Scholastic Book Club & Book Nostalgia 20:05 Physical Maps, AAA TripTiks & Navigation Memories 23:30 Traveler’s Checks, Paper Tickets, and Phone Books 26:00 Typewriters, Microfiche, and Floppy Disks 31:12 Blockbuster, VHS Rentals & LaserDiscs 33:33 Developing Film & Disposable Cameras 35:30 CDs, Vinyl, and Record Stores 37:28 Going to the Movies & Marvel Obsession 42:20 What Our Kids Won’t Do in 30 Years 46:54 Things We Miss vs. Glad Are Gone 50:00 Sneak Peek: Upcoming Guests & Action Hero Bracket 51:07 Patreon Plug & Final Sign-Off

Links & Mentions:

The Midlifers on YouTube Gary Gulman (Ode to the Discman) Gary Gulman (The Greatest Smartphone Story Ever Told) Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking

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