Shows / Your Dark Companion Podcast
Your Dark Companion Podcast
"Whatever I want it to be about on a given day; is what it is." Your Dark Companion couples your familiar friends from radio, Mike and Grubes! Mike brings his classic interviews that draw you in, and Grubes—The Devil—drops…well the drops, and throws the occasional grenade. Mike likes to draw on his fascinating acquaintances and friends allowing them to tell their stories as you've never heard them. But he also goes outside his network, sharing Grubes' network, and often outside of both, to…
Episodes
Your Dark Companion PodcastThe Death of Peak TV | Chris Vognar | YDC Ep 207
Is “peak TV” actually over… and does anyone even know what to watch anymore?On this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner, Grubes, and the crew sit down…
Your Dark Companion PodcastThe Golden Retriever of Local News: Matt Howerton’s Wild Ride to WFAA | Matt Howerton
What does it take to go from a small-town kid in Texas to one of the most recognizable faces on Dallas morning television?On this episode of Your Dark…
Your Dark Companion PodcastThe Business of Sports: From SMU’s Death Penalty to Pickleball’s Boom | George Killebrew
What does the business side of sports really look like when you’re in the room where it happens?In this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner and the…
Your Dark Companion PodcastDavid Moore Has Seen It All… and He’s Finally Saying It | David Moore
When it comes to the Dallas Cowboys, there’s what fans see… and then there’s what’s actually happening behind the scenes.On this episode of Your Dark…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
The Mavs Fan With a Microphone: Inside the World of Dallas Mavericks PA Announcer | Sean Heath
If you’ve ever been to a Dallas Mavericks game at the American Airlines Center, you’ve heard his voice — even if you didn’t realize it. On this episode of Your…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
My Dad Tried to Arrange My Marriage… and It Got Awkward Fast | Paul Varghese
What does it really take to survive in stand-up comedy for over 25 years? In this episode of Your Dark Companion, hosts Mike, Grego, and Curt Cignetti sit down…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Fort Worth’s Secret Weapon: The Keyboardist Behind Freddie King & Delbert McClinton | Lewis Stephens
In Episode 201 of Your Dark Companion, legendary Dallas-Fort Worth broadcaster Mike Rhyner sits down with renowned Fort Worth keyboardist Lewis Stephens for a…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
The Men Who Told the Rangers Story | John Blake & Evan Grant | Ep 200
Episode 200 of Your Dark Companion features a conversation about the Texas Rangers, baseball history, and the stories behind one of Major League Baseball’s…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Hope Springs Eternal… Until the Bullpen Warms Up | Mike Bacsik
Episode 199 and we’re back to doing what Rangers fans do best: convincing ourselves everything is fine. Mike Rhyner is joined by Rangers TV’s Mike Bacsik to…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Chasing the Dream, Finding the Booth | Josh Bogorad
In Episode 198 of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner sits down with the television and radio voice of the Dallas Stars, Josh Bogorad, for a deep dive into the…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Dallas Dining Is Having a Moment — But For How Long? | Sarah Blaskovich
Episode 197 of Your Dark Companion welcomes back one of our favorite recurring guests — Sarah Blaskovich, food writer for the Dallas Morning News — for a deep…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Bust the Budget | Brad Sham
Episode 196 of Your Dark Companion welcomes back one of the most recognizable voices in football — Brad Sham, the longtime radio play-by-play voice of the…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
The Life of the Wayward Keyboard Traveler | Chad Stockslager
In this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner welcomes Dallas music staple Chad Stockslager — better known as Mr. Chad — for a wide-ranging, funny, and…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
When Preparation Becomes the Superpower | Dana Larson
In this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner sits down with acclaimed broadcaster Dana Larson for a wide-ranging conversation about preparation…
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Rock & Roll Alternative | George Gimarc
Some radio careers are planned. This one happened because someone needed a name on the spot — and said it confidently enough. In this episode of Your Dark…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Snow-G | Greggo
When the roads are iced over, the guests bail, and nobody’s going anywhere… you improvise. In this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner, Grego, and…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
From a Gas Station to the Big Leagues | Matt Hicks
Some careers are carefully mapped out. Others start because you needed gas. In this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner and Grubes sit down with Matt…
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From the Control Room to the Ballroom | Tony Smith
For years, Tony Smith was exactly where you wanted him — behind the glass, keeping the lights on, the sound clean, and occasionally dropping a perfectly timed…
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20 Years of the DIFF | James Faust
Watching one movie a night sounds relaxing. Watching eleven a day sounds like a cry for help. This episode of Your Dark Companion finds Mike Rhyner and Grubes…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
The Cars: No Steering Wheel, All Sound | Bill Janovitz
They’re called The Cars, but there’s no engine, no steering wheel, and no gas involved — just songs that still take people places. In this episode of Your Dark…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
From Radio to Roots: The Dirt Doctor | Howard Garrett
Mike Rhyner welcomes a new voice into the Sunset Lounge universe — and it’s one that knows more about dirt than just about anyone alive. Howard Garrett, better…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Covering Chaos: Dallas Sports and Journalism | Shawn McFarland
Covering sports in Dallas isn’t just about games — it’s about managing chaos, fan outrage, front-office dysfunction, and the occasional once-in-a-generation…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Dak Was Great, Everything Else Was On Fire | Joesph Hoyt
The Cowboys’ season is officially over, the Super Bowl will once again proceed without them, and somebody has to explain how we got here. So Mike Rhyner…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Your Dark Companion & the OG: The Best Of 2025
Welcome to the Best Of 2025 of Your Dark Companion — a beautifully chaotic time capsule of how this show somehow survived lightning strikes, live disasters…
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From Steely Dan to Star Wars: Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and the Art of Thinking Differently | Skunk Baxter
Recorded in March of 2025 at the EarthX Conference, this episode of Your Dark Companion features one of the most singular minds Mike Rhyner has ever sat across…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Twas the Night Before Christmas and the OG’s are in the House | Mike, Grubes, Greggo, & Expo
It’s the last live hang before the holidays, and Your Dark Companion does what it does best: wanders happily from topic to topic, trips over nostalgia, and…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Santa vs Zombies | Cliff McClelland
Mike Rhyner and Grubes welcome Cliff McClelland, the creator/producer/head mad scientist behind A Creature Was Stirring—a PG Christmas zombie-apocalypse movie…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
The Days of Buddy Magazine | Kirby Warnock
Mike Rhyner and Grubes welcome Kirby Warnock—Texas music historian, documentary filmmaker, former Buddy Magazine guy, current West Texas ranch resident, and…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
When the Power Goes Out… Just Start Singing | Tim DeLaughter
Mike, Grubes, and the Live at Five crew welcome back the grooviest cat in Dallas music history: Tim DeLaughter of Tripping Daisy and The Polyphonic Spree. They…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Re-Lighting the Forest Theater | Elizabeth Watley & Nijeul X
Mike and Grubes welcome back Elizabeth Whatley and introduce Nigel X, the team breathing life back into South Dallas’ legendary Forest Theater. From a liquor…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
When a Cop and a Journalist Walk Into a Bar… They Start a True Crime Podcast | Jake White & John Henry
Mike welcomes two new residents of the Sunset Lounge universe: Signal 51 Chronicles hosts Jake White and John Henry, a former Fort Worth narcotics sergeant and…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Riding to the Badlands with Teddy Roosevelt | Ed O'Keefe
Mike and Grubes kick off December with a lightning strike, a World Series flashback, and the age-old question: are we even gonna make it to (and through)…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
A Pre Thanksgiving Feast | Evan Grant, Sarah Blaskovich & Chef Eric
Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner sits down with an all-star culinary and sports lineup: Texas Rangers insider Evan Grant, Dallas restaurant oracle Sarah…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Because What This Show Needed Was… Expo
Tonight on Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner and Shoopy welcome local legend, chaos coordinator, music scene archaeologist, and human wildcard Kevin Fox —…
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The Gospel of Billy Martin | Billy Martin Jr.
On this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike and Grubes attempt to start a normal show… so naturally the entire tech setup revolts, Billy Martin Jr. disappears…
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Bacsik, Raymond & Rhyner Walk Into a Booth... | Dave Raymond & Mike Bacsik
Two voices every DFW sports fan knows drop into the Lounge—broadcaster Dave Raymond, the man behind the Texas Rangers’ mic, and former pitcher turned talk…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Big Man Bringing the Big Energy | Big Rob, Mavs Maniaacs
Mike Rhyner, Grubes, and Big Rob (the last Day-One OG) pull back the curtain on the Dallas Mavericks Maniacs—how a “beefy guys” audition turned into 24 seasons…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
What Happened in Vegas Didn't Stay There | Eric Nadel
Mike finally went to Las Vegas. Yes, for the first time. At age 75 and change. And guess what? The man liked it. So this episode is basically: Vegas stories →…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Punk at the Longhorn, Leather at the Kessler | Jeff Liles
Mike and Grubes welcome back the Kessler Theater’s own Jeff Liles—human jukebox of Dallas music lore and owner of the best black-leather-pants origin story…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Big Addict Energy | Ward Richmond & John Pedigo
Mike fires up Your Dark Companion with a literal lightning strike, then welcomes Dallas lifers Ward Richmond and John Pedigo to talk about Ward’s new album…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
The Chair You Never Want to Sit In: What Really Happens in a Polygraph | Rick & Ryan Holden
Mike Rhyner sits down with Rick and Ryan Holden — a father-son polygraph team whose client list ranges from federal agencies to murder suspects to people just…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
The Sunset Soccer Club | Tyler Kern
Mike Rhyner and gang unveil a new wing of the the Sunset Lounge: The Sunset Soccer Club with Tyler Kern—a show built to make the world’s game make sense before…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
The New Era of Rangers Baseball | Skip Schumaker & Woodsey
Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker joins Mike Rhyner and Woodsey (Ben & Woods Show, San Diego) for a lively, honest, and at times hilarious look into…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Is this the Most Frustrating Rangers Season? | Evan Grant
On Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner and Grubes sit down with Dallas Morning News veteran Evan Grant (29 seasons on the Rangers beat) to unpack a maddening 2025…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Vacation Bible School Wins a Ring… and Dallas Loses Its Mind | Kevin Gray
Mike Rhyner, Grubes, and DLLS’s own Kevin Gray power-wash the offseason angst off Mavericks fans and get you ready for tip-off. Yes, the Luka-to-LA asteroid…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
The Trade - Turning Mavericks Meltdown into Theater Magic | Matt Lyle & Max Hartman
Mike Rhyner pulls up a barstool with Matt Lyle (playwright/agent of chaos) and Max Hartman (actor/true believer) to unpack The Trade—a sharp, satirical stage…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Ticket Luck and Radio Magic | Bruce Gilbert, The Little Ticket Program Director
Mike sits down with the guy who helped steer the ship when The Ticket went from scrappy longshot to Dallas sports juggernaut: former program director Bruce…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Free Drinks and Business Cards | Josh David Jordan
Indie films, preacher’s kids, Elvis motels, and Troy Aikman commercials — this episode has it all. Mike Rhyner sits down with Dallas filmmaker Josh David…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Ghost Etiquette 101: Boundaries, Sage, and Saying “Hey, Fred” | Haunted AF
Spooky season pulls up in a purple hearse as Mike Reiner welcomes Julie Fisk and Rebecca Black—the hilarious radio vets behind the hit pod Haunted AF. We talk…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Welcome to the Back of the Bus | Craig Way & Erin Hartigan
Recorded live from the backroom at Dudley’s on Henderson, Mike Rhyner sits down with Texas sports legend Craig Way and dynamic broadcaster Erin Hartigan for a…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
What is Life without the Mavs? | Mark Cuban
Mike Rhyner and Grubes welcome Mavericks legend and Shark Tank titan Mark Cuban to Your Dark Companion for a candid conversation that swings from the…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
I’m Not Opposed to Tricked-Up Lemonade | Sarah Blaskovich
Mike Rhyner welcomes back Sarah Blaskovich from the Dallas Morning News for a rollicking ride through Dallas’ culinary scene — and this one’s got everything…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Slumming it in the Garage with YDC | Owen Newkirk
Mike Rhyner sits down with hockey guy extraordinaire Owen Newkirk to talk about the art of sports broadcasting, the grind of daily shows, and why chemistry can…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Big Tex’s Glow-Up: Hank Hill No More | Mitchell Glieber
Mike Rhyner sits down with State Fair of Texas president Mitchell Glieber to peel back the funnel cake and show you the machinery that powers Dallas’ favorite…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
From Bonnie & Clyde to JFK: Reel Meets Real in Texas | Kelly Kitchens & Farris Rookstool
This week, Mike Rhyner and Rob Ervin settle into the shadows with a pair of guests who know exactly how Hollywood spins a Texas yarn. Kelly Kitchens, the…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
K Pop Guitarslayer: Faith and Feedback | Justin "Guitarslayer" Lyons
Mike Rhyner and co-host Rob Ervin sit down with guitarist Justin Lyons—and from here on out, he’s simply Guitarslayer. From a Toys “R” Us starter axe to…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
I'm going to be mean to Jerry for a second | Jeff Cavanaugh
“Four Wins and a Pool to Pay Off” — Jeff Cavanaugh Joins YDC for Cowboys Therapy The season starts tomorrow, panic starts now. Mike Rhyner and Shoopy drag…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
Where do they go for Homecoming? | Brian Estridge & Mac Engel
Mike Rhyner is in the nurturing bio-sphere of the mothership with two heavy-hitters of the Fort Worth sports scene: Brian Estridge, the unmistakable voice of…
- Your Dark Companion Podcast
I'm Gonna take you to the Stars & Then Jerry did | Joseph Hoyt
What happens when you put Mike Rhyner, Shoopy, and a sportswriter with too many deadlines in the same room? You get equal parts wisdom, sarcasm, and a peek…