I Tell Stories

Colt Draine and Owen "The Mic" McMichael
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I Tell Stories Podcast covers a wide range of topics discussed by Colt Draine and Owen "The Mic" McMichael. From the scourge on humanity of violent business hippies and Scott Baio to peculiar Serbian Mother's Day traditions,the boys offer their unique perspective. Revolutionary artists,legends of folklore and bizzare following of fast food items are just a few of the subjects touched on. I Tell Stories aims to bring attention to individuals and occerrences that are too interesting to be forgotten. Two long time friends who keep each other laughing give listeners their take on the world. Everyone has a story, these are ours and those of many others.Support The Show 👇🏻https://www.buzzsprout.com/2035680/support

  1. To Pepsi From Russia: Love is Fleeting

    MAR 1

    To Pepsi From Russia: Love is Fleeting

    Send us Fan Mail What starts as a casual joke about where we’re “from” steers into one of the strangest corporate chapters of the Cold War: the day Pepsi traded soft drink syrup for decommissioned Soviet warships. We rewind to the 1959 cultural exhibitions and the Kitchen Debate, where a single glass of Pepsi handed to Khrushchev set the stage for the brand to enter the USSR in 1972. Because rubles couldn’t convert, Pepsi took payment in Stolichnaya, selling vodka in Western markets to make the math work—until sanctions squeezed that channel shut. As the Soviet system cracked and a major contract came due in 1989, cash was scarce and policy walls were high. The workaround? Assets, not currency. Pepsi accepted a bundle of naval vessels—submarines, a cruiser, a frigate, a destroyer—then sold the lot for scrap to Sweden. It wasn’t a private navy so much as steel turned into liquidity, but on paper it briefly vaulted a soda company into the ranks of mid-tier sea powers. Along the way, we explore why barter resurfaces when money fails, how sanctions redirect trade into goods-for-goods swaps, and what this says about corporate flexibility under geopolitical stress. We also trace modern echoes: companies trading planes for rice, nations swapping energy for staples, and local barter emerging under hyperinflation. The through line is simple and unsettling—when traditional finance jams, value finds another rail. This story isn’t just a quirky footnote; it’s a playbook for navigating shocks with creativity, pragmatism, and a stomach for odd optics. If a cola can become scrap metal to keep markets open, what could your business convert when rules change? If you enjoyed the ride, follow the show, share this episode with a friend who loves Cold War oddities, and leave a quick review telling us the wildest barter you’ve ever heard of. Support the show https://www.buzzsprout.com/2035680/support Support the Show!!!

    25 min
  2. Vampire Bats: Ha What a Bunch of Suckers

    12/14/2025

    Vampire Bats: Ha What a Bunch of Suckers

    Send us Fan Mail You hear “vampire bat” and think Dracula, capes, and midnight horror. We chased the myth and found something far weirder: a tiny mammal that lives in tight-knit colonies, feeds with surgical precision, and is quietly shaping medical research with enzymes in its saliva. We dig into the recent finding of human DNA in bat feces in Brazil, what it actually suggests about changing behavior, and how habitat shifts and livestock access may be nudging bats toward new targets. We break down how vampire bats really feed—no sucking, just a razor-slice and a chemical assist that numbs skin and keeps blood flowing. That leads to the big questions: how common are bites on people, where does rabies risk sit, and what prevents tragedies when colonies overlap with farms and towns? From colonies of a hundred to a thousand to that startling stat about consuming half their body weight in blood, we put numbers to the fear and map out what matters for public health. Along the way, we separate the three vampire species by diet, unpack their ground-running agility, and debunk the “blind as a bat” cliché with the truth about sharp vision plus echolocation. Zooming out, we shine a light on bat diversity: more than 1,400 species worldwide pollinating forests, dispersing seeds, and devouring insects. The same traits that make vampires seem terrifying are fueling real breakthroughs, including anticoagulant-inspired stroke research. It’s a story about adaptation, not monsters—how wildlife responds to the landscapes we build, and how smart management can lower risks without stoking panic. If you’ve ever wondered where the horror ends and biology begins, this is your deep dive. If this gave you a fresh take on bats—vampires and beyond—follow the show, share it with a friend, and drop us a review with the wildest bat fact you learned today. Support the show https://www.buzzsprout.com/2035680/support Support the Show!!!

    16 min
  3. #Facts: Unicorns Hate Lions

    12/12/2025

    #Facts: Unicorns Hate Lions

    Send us Fan Mail Ever notice you stand a little taller first thing in the morning? That small, strange truth opens a fast-moving tour through facts that are too good to ignore—and too human to forget. We swap Simpsons hellos, dust off Reader’s Digest gems, and follow the breadcrumbs from biology to pop culture with the kind of curiosity that makes trivia feel like travel. We start with the body: spinal discs decompress overnight, making you slightly taller at sunrise. Then we jump the border to Tijuana, where Caesar Cardini improvised the Caesar salad during the prohibition rush, a perfect snapshot of how scarcity sparks invention. From there, it’s a detour to a $2,700 New York pizza draped in gold leaf, foie gras, Stilton, and truffles—a conversation about taste, status, and why some dishes exist mostly to be posted. Balance that with a 43-year-old goldfish named Tish, a record that makes us laugh, question, and appreciate what institutions like Guinness actually certify. History gets delightfully weird: a bear serving with the Polish army, promoted and put to work hauling ammunition in Italy; red lipstick worn across Allied countries as a quiet rebuke to Hitler’s preferences; Scotland’s choice of the unicorn to face down England’s lion, turning myth into a national emblem. Even snack aisles get a passport stamp when Cool Ranch Doritos become “Cool American” in Sweden, a reminder that branding is its own dialect. We round things out with Paris syndrome, where expectation outruns reality hard enough to make you dizzy, and a Minnesota town with a dog for a mayor, because communities sometimes choose joy on purpose. We also talk candidly about our recent tech hiccups, the workaround that got us back on track, and what we’re building next without overhyping. If you love sharp turns, odd history, food lore, and the kind of facts you can’t wait to retell, you’re in the right place. If this episode made you smile, learned you something, or both, tap follow, share it with a friend who collects trivia, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. What’s the weirdest true fact you swear by? Support the show https://www.buzzsprout.com/2035680/support Support the Show!!!

    28 min

  4. 10/16/2025

    Spooky Dude: Robert the Devil

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    22 min

  5. 10/16/2025

    Killer Meals: Straight from Death Row

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    18 min
  6. Knowing is Half the Battle: Hey There Pumpkin Ya Looking Good!

    10/16/2025

    Knowing is Half the Battle: Hey There Pumpkin Ya Looking Good!

    Send us Fan Mail A humble squash can carry a season, and we prove it with a tour that starts in the kitchen and ends at the zoo gate. We talk through the edible side first—why pumpkin belongs in both pie and risotto, how roasted seeds punch above their weight in flavor and nutrition, and when a silky puree can replace cream to make pastas and bakes feel richer without the heaviness. We share easy ideas for turning a single pumpkin into multiple meals, from cozy soups and chili to a stuffed shell that doubles as a showpiece on the table. Then we look at what happens after the carving party. Instead of tossing the remains, we walk through smarter paths: feed scraps to chickens, pigs, or goats when appropriate, or chop and compost to loop nutrients back into the soil. We swap stories about zoos turning pumpkins into enrichment—otters poking and elephants joyfully stomping—and step into the jaw-dropping world of giant pumpkin records that stretch past two thousand pounds. It’s a reminder that food, fun, and community can sit on the same vine. Of course, we couldn’t skip the folklore and creativity wrapped around jack-o’-lanterns. Whether you carve a friendly grin or a jagged scowl, the porch becomes a tiny gallery and the neighborhood a nightly stroll through warm light and imagination. We even nod to pumpkin’s cameo in horror lore and the enduring appeal of dried gourds as long-lasting décor. If you’re hungry for fall recipes, curious about sustainable habits, or just love the craft of making something simple feel special, you’ll find fresh ideas here. If this conversation sparks a new recipe or a better way to use up your leftovers, share it with a friend, subscribe for more curious deep dives, and leave a quick review to help others discover the show. Support the show https://www.buzzsprout.com/2035680/support Support the Show!!!

    6 min

  7. 10/01/2025

    Montana: Ennis says What?

    Send us Fan Mail Big sky can change your heartbeat. We head to Ennis, Montana—where the Madison River braids through a valley of ranchland, trout runs, and stories that outlast winter—and follow the thread from Native seasonal hunting to homesteads, gold dust, and a town that learned to thrive quietly. Along the way, we chase the Ringdokus, the so‑called Rocky Mountain hyena, into museum glass and older lore that echoes the shunka warak’in, asking why communities keep monsters and what those myths protect. Our time on the ground is a study in simple abundance: prime steaks sealed with balsamic and black pepper, black garlic finishing salt, and Samuel Smith ales easing into mountain dusk; pronghorn families treating the driveway like a trail; Peter Tosh on the stereo shifting the room to a kinder tempo. We slip from river access to gallery walls filled with fish, landscape, and Native motifs, then to a brewery where the pizza wait nudges us toward a very Montana surprise—a bistro on one side and bowling on the other. It’s not perfection so much as permission to improvise, to let the day be shaped by what’s actually there. The deeper pull is pace. Ennis isn’t chasing spectacle; it’s offering presence. Fly fishing on the Madison, rainbow and brown trout schooling your patience; Main Street humming without hurry; a view that quiets your inner noise. We connect the town’s history to that modern stillness and talk about how legends, museums, and small rituals hold communities together. If you’re craving a reset—the kind that trades notifications for river light—press play, subscribe, and leave us a note with your favorite small-town gem. And if the Ringdokus crossed your path, we definitely want to hear that story, too. Support the show https://www.buzzsprout.com/2035680/support Support the Show!!!

    17 min

  8. 08/29/2025

    National Parks: Show Me Your Tetons!

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    23 min
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5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

I Tell Stories Podcast covers a wide range of topics discussed by Colt Draine and Owen "The Mic" McMichael. From the scourge on humanity of violent business hippies and Scott Baio to peculiar Serbian Mother's Day traditions,the boys offer their unique perspective. Revolutionary artists,legends of folklore and bizzare following of fast food items are just a few of the subjects touched on. I Tell Stories aims to bring attention to individuals and occerrences that are too interesting to be forgotten. Two long time friends who keep each other laughing give listeners their take on the world. Everyone has a story, these are ours and those of many others.Support The Show 👇🏻https://www.buzzsprout.com/2035680/support

Information

  • Creator
    Colt Draine and Owen "The Mic" McMichael
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Pitlock Supply Company
  • Show Website
    I Tell Stories