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ALL GUESTS
Episode 196 - Max Wolter
Nobody knows Wisconsin fish like Max Wolter. Having grown up with a passion for the outdoors, it only makes sense that Max would end up working as a senior fisheries biologist at the Wisconsin DNR. For more than a decade, he’s been working to understand our state’s fish, protecting their habitats, and educating folks about best fishing practices. In this episode of the Cripescast, Charlie asks all of his burning questions about the current state of Wisconsin’s aquatic wildlife and where it’s headed. They discuss the birds and the bees of fish spawning, the impacts of El Nino on this past ice fishing season, and the best way to catch a muskie.
Episode 195 - Anjelah Johnson Reyes
Despite never planning to become a comedian, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes has undeniably made a name for herself in the comedy world. Starting out as an Oakland Raiders’ cheerleader, then as an aspiring actress in Hollywood, she eventually found her home in stand up comedy after taking a joke writing class at her local church. Fast forward to today, Anjelah has put out six comedy specials, with her latest one being her first self-produced and self-financed hour called “Say I Won’t” on YouTube. This week, Anjelah joins the Cripescast fresh off of headlining in Wisconsin, and she and Charlie discuss all things comedy, siblings, and gratitude lists. Anjelah shares her tips for dealing with anxiety, her career dreams, and how the pandemic changed her views of motherhood.
Episode 194 - Best of Grandma Sue
It’s no secret that when Grandma Sue joins the Cripescast, all filters are gone and all rules are broken, and this episode is no exception. Enjoy this compilation of highlights from all three of Grandma Sue’s appearances on the show including her first solo interview and her two road trip episodes to the casino with Charlie and the girls. From talking about necking at Stinky Point, to dishing juicy family stories, and giving unexpected dating advice, this episode is full of everyone’s favorite moments with Grandma Sue, Aunt Mary, and Lois Bently.
Episode 193 - Taylor Calmus
Live from his garage in Colorado, Taylor Calmus, a.k.a. Dude Dad, makes his triumphant return to the Cripescast yet again. He and Charlie get comfortable on a vintage Davenport to shoot the breeze, answer fan questions, and sip on Charlie’s new Brandy. As good friends and frequent collaborators, they spend this episode reminiscing on the sketches they’ve done, including their recent sequel of “Husbands of Target” that they shot for a Super Bowl ad for Target. The two share stories from pheasant hunting at Taylor’s family farm in South Dakota to life on tour, and even debate the proper etiquette for changing sheets when guests come to town. To round it out, they share their favorite and least favorite thing about one another and talk about the time that Taylor’s wife Heidi signed a woman’s breast in Milwaukee.
Episode 192 - Masood Boomgaard
Masood Boomgaard has made a name for himself around the world with his viral (de)motivational character “Self Help Singh.” While struggling with his mental health and searching for a creative outlet during the pandemic, Masood posted his first video as Singh and his life was forever changed. With that first video instantly gaining millions of views, Masood has since adapted the character for live shows and has performed in over 20 different countries. He explains how the relatable and universal topics he covers in the show is what makes it resonate with audiences across the globe. In this episode of the Cripescast, he and Charlie bond over starting out in broadcast journalism, Midwest goodbyes versus Indian goodbyes, and Masood even shares the craziest thing he ever saw while MC-ing a wedding.
Episode 191 - Nimesh Patel
Nimesh Patel never planned on being a stand up comedian. In fact, he graduated from NYU with a degree in finance and fully planned on pursuing a career in that field. However, a lack of passion for the industry paired with the difficulty of finding a job during the Great Recession led him to take a writing class and, eventually, to stand up comedy. Immediately hooked from his first open mic, Nimesh kept his day job in finance while pursuing comedy at night. His persistence paid off when he was discovered by Chris Rock, who hired him to write for the 2016 Oscars. Today, after three self-produced comedy specials, multiple late night sets, and an Emmy nomination for his work at Saturday Night Live, Nimesh is ready to slow down a bit and do some “actual living”. In this episode of the Cripescast, he and Charlie reflect on the reality of burnout, life on the road, and having to make the conscious decision to switch off their work brains.
Episode 190 - Joel Hodgson
Everything in Joel Hodgson’s life led him to creating Mystery Science Theater 3000, or MST3K. From performing magic as a kid to doing stand up in college, Joel attributes his comedy chops to his Midwest upbringing. Joel explains that every opportunity in his career has been a stepping stone to MST3K, whether he was performing stand up on Late Night with David Letterman or designing toys for Tonka. However, he says it wasn’t until a conversation he had with Jerry Seinfeld that the seeds for MST3K were planted. Now, 13 seasons later, MST3K has been named one of Time Magazine’s “100 best television shows of all time” and has become a cult classic. In this episode of the Cripescast, he and Charlie dive into Joel’s career, bond over their shared experience of growing up in Wisconsin, and discuss the weirdest parts of their families’ lineage.
Episode 189 - Mary Mack
Having grown up in a small northwoods town in Wisconsin less than 50 miles away from the Minnesota border, comedian Mary Mack considers herself a “border child.” In the wake of her college polka band breaking up and her roommate signing her up for various open mics, Mary made her way to stand up comedy and has been doing it ever since. It wasn’t long until she found her stride and after only a year of doing open mics, she dove head first into a career in comedy. Since then she’s released multiple comedy albums and appeared on Late Night shows such as Conan, the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Present day she is touring the country doing stand up and co-starring in Hulu’s animated series Solar Opposites. In this episode of the Cripescast, she and Charlie share their thoughts on roundabouts, Taylor Swift, and Boeing’s recent plane mishaps.
Episode 188 - Brett Newski
Milwaukee musician Brett Newski goes way back with Charlie... like, all the way back to the first grade. From their days as elementary school classmates to both being raised by tough Midwestern dads, the two reminisce on their shared childhood experiences in this episode of the Cripescast. In more recent years, Brett can be found touring the world playing music with his band NEWSKI, advocating for mental health awareness, and drinking lots of half-caf coffee. Full of inspiring stories, he discusses everything from his time living in Vietnam making jingles for tampon commercials, to the process of creating his book It’s Hard to Be a Person. The two go down an existential rabbit hole of what it’s like to be a creator in the age of TikTok, and Charlie even shares some tips for how to succeed on the platform.
Episode 187 - Kim and Penn Holderness
Kim and Penn Holderness know a thing or two about working in media. Despite their established online presence as The Holderness Family, working in social media was never part of their plan, let alone doing so for 10 years. Like Charlie, Kim and Penn both started out working in news and the three bond over their shared experiences on this episode of the Cripescast. This week they discuss everything from Penn’s new book on ADHD, how they embrace their kids calling them “cringey parents”, and how they won the 33rd season of The Amazing Race. Between a decade of working together and nearly two as a married couple, Kim and Penn have no shortage of stories to tell and marriage advice to offer. They share how they met, Kim’s giddy encounter with George Clooney, and they even play a game of “who’s most likely to” with Charlie.
Episode 186 - Luke Zahm
For Chef Luke Zahm, food is more than just fuel. Rather, it’s about community, history, and tradition. As host of PBS’s Emmy award-winning show, Wisconsin Foodie, and owner of The Driftless Cafe in Viroqua, Wisconsin, Luke is all about celebrating the Midwest through cooking. In this episode of the Cripescast, he and Charlie discuss their favorite things about Midwestern culture and the easiest way to impress guests with your cooking. They also talk about their humble beginnings as fast food workers, Charlie a pretzel roller at Auntie Anne’s, and Luke as a sandwich artist for Subway Sandwiches. The conversation even takes a saucy turn when they each share some of the wildest DMs they’ve received from fans.
Episode 185 - Gilbert Brown and LeRoy Butler
NFL legends and former Green Bay Packers LeRoy Butler and Gilbert Brown make a triumphant return to the Cripescast this week. Having spent years as neighbors in the Packers’ locker room, LeRoy and Gilbert share endless stories from back in the day, including one story about a teammate riding a bike into the sauna wearing nothing but cowboy boots and a jockstrap. From being pranked by Brett Favre, to trash talking opponents together, to their shared admiration for Reggie White, they reflect on some of their favorite moments in the NFL. Charlie asks Gilbert and LeRoy some fan questions, they pick their New Year’s resolutions, and they finally set the record straight on the right way to pronounce LeRoy’s name.
Episode 184 - Best of the Berens Siblings
The holidays are here, which means lots of time spent with family. This week on the Cripescast, we’re throwing it back with a compilation of the fan-favorite siblings episodes. From Charlie’s sisters dishing juicy stories, to squashing the beef with his brothers, this episode is full of all the best moments.
Episode 183 - Cripescast on the Road
Live from the green room in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, it’s the Cripescast on the Road. Joined by his opener, Bill Deucette, his music partner, Adam Greuel, and his producer, Dante Williams, you get a glimpse of life on the road for Charlie on this episode of the Cripescast. Having performed both comedy and music, Adam, Bill, and Charlie discuss the similarities and differences between the two artforms, while Dante shares some not-so-glamorous stories from life on the road involving food poisoning. In the wake of their latest album Dive Bar Dinner, Adam and Charlie explain their songwriting process and how going with the flow brought them to new creative territories. Adam even gets a little spiritual with it and offers insight about embracing the chaos of life and finding zen in creative moments. Having spent so much time together it’s clear to see the foursome has gotten close, perhaps too close, as their conversations about Catholic school confessions, Billy’s body temperature and urinal preferences can confirm.
Episode 182 - Nev Schulman
Whether you’re familiar with Nev Schulman or not, you’ve probably heard of his hit TV show Catfish. For those who aren’t familiar, catfishing is when someone is lured into a relationship by means of a fictional online persona. On this episode of the Cripescast, Nev explains the show’s journey. Starting as a documentary based on his own catfish experience, to then being picked up by MTV for a series, to it being part of the cultural zeitgeist today, Catfish has taken on a life of its own. Beyond that, he and Charlie discuss everything under the sun from their love of minivans to their own personal manscaping preferences. While he may be from New York originally, Nev explains that he wants to settle down in the Midwest, specifically in Michigan. They bond over using cleaning as a form of therapy and Charlie promises to gift Nev a vintage vacuum cleaner next time he’s in town.
Episode 181 - Allison Madison
With Winter rapidly approaching, there’s no better time for Allison Madison to educate us about the harmful effects of road salt. As the program manager at Wisconsin Salt Wise, she’s bringing awareness to salt’s effect on our environment, economy and infrastructure. On this episode of the Cripescast, she shares that “it only takes 1 teaspoon of salt to pollute 5 gallons of water to toxic levels.” Beyond that, she explains how it’s also affecting our wallets in that “for every $1 of salt laid on the road, we’re doing $10 of damage to our infrastructure.” Not all hope is lost though as Allison provides Charlie and our listeners many alternatives for both plow drivers and the average shoveler to reduce their salt while keeping the roads and sidewalks clean and safe.
Check out Wisconsin Salt Wise at WIsaltwise.com and @wisaltwise across all socials.
Check out Wisconsin Salt Wise at WIsaltwise.com and @wisaltwise across all socials.
Episode 180 - Sam Jay
For comedian Sam Jay it was love at first open mic. From putting out multiple stand up specials, to having written on Saturday Night Live, to co-creating and starring on Peacock’s Bust Down, her commitment to the art of comedy is steadfast. Sam explains how failing in front of an audience is a necessary growing pain for young comedians and how going through hard life experiences can develop a comedic voice. She and Charlie dive into her comedy goals, the future of network television, and how social media has changed the comedy scene. Like any good Cripescast episode, she and Charlie fall down a rabbit hole about the 1991 film Hook and unpack the true lessons and meaning behind the movie.
Episode 179 - Crash Dummies
From ranking superheroes to debating whether or not they’re going to Heaven, no topic is off limits for Patrick Johnson II and Mike Esibou. As fellow Milwaukeean podcasters, Pat and Mike dive into current events, take calls from fans, and shoot the breeze on their weekly show the Crash Dummies Podcast. This week on the Cripescast, they go on tangent after tangent with Charlie, discussing everything from train conductors, to email scams, to the legality of marrying cousins in the US. Pat and Mike share the story of how Crash Dummies came to be, their insights on social media, and memories from their childhood, including Mike’s stint at Nigerian boarding school.
Be sure to check out The Crash Dummies Podcast on all podcasting platforms. Follow @crashdummiespodcast, @pjohnsonjr_ and @mike.esiobu on all platforms.
Be sure to check out The Crash Dummies Podcast on all podcasting platforms. Follow @crashdummiespodcast, @pjohnsonjr_ and @mike.esiobu on all platforms.
Episode 178 - Dexter Patterson
It’s time to buckle in for a Cripescast episode all about Birding. UW-Madison Life Science Communications teacher, Dexter Patterson, is a self-proclaimed “Bird Nerd” and as any dedicated listener of the show knows, Charlie is too. Dexter is working to make birdwatching accessible to everyone, whether it’s through sharing his adventures to his followers or by co-founding the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin. He’s on a mission to bring diversity to birding and to create a welcoming community for people of color outdoors, a space where they’ve historically been left out. In this episode, Charlie and Dexter nerd out about their “spark birds,” discuss how getting outdoors can improve mental health, and how simply going birding is a form of environmental activism.
Follow Dexter at @wiscobirder and find out more information about the BIPOC Birding Club at bipocbirdingclub.org.
Follow Dexter at @wiscobirder and find out more information about the BIPOC Birding Club at bipocbirdingclub.org.
Episode 177 - Myles Montplaisir
Returning to the show for the fourth time, Myles Montplaisir (aka the “You Betcha” guy) makes history as the Cripescast guest with the most podcast appearances. Aside from being one of Charlie’s close friends and co-host of The Bellied Up Podcast, a Midwestern call-in advice show, Myles is an entrepreneur, content creator, and conversationalist through and through. Having gotten hitched since his last time on the show, Myles catches us up on married life and provides his top three tips for a happy marriage, which includes defending his “hippie haircut” to Charlie. Along with answering some fan questions and playing Midwest “Red Flag or Green Flag”, the two brainstorm ideas for a Midwestern prank show, plans for a Bellied Up live taping, and share their first impressions of one another.
Follow Myles at @ohhyoubetcha across the board and the Bellied Up Podcast at @bellieduppod.
Follow us on all platforms @cripesast @charlieberens @manitowocminute.
For more Cripescast information go to cripescast.com and find us on Patreon for exclusive content at Patreon.com/charleiberens.
Follow Myles at @ohhyoubetcha across the board and the Bellied Up Podcast at @bellieduppod.
Follow us on all platforms @cripesast @charlieberens @manitowocminute.
For more Cripescast information go to cripescast.com and find us on Patreon for exclusive content at Patreon.com/charleiberens.
Episode 176 - Eric Larsen
Polar explorer and expedition guide Eric Larsen isn’t one to shy away from the cold. In fact, having completed more North and South Pole expeditions than any other American in history, it’s safe to say he prefers it. From being a park ranger in Alaska to a sled dog herder in Minnesota, Eric’s spent his life in the cold and his story has become the subject to several documentaries. Traveling in such extreme environments comes with no shortage of challenges or close encounters with wildlife. In fact, on this episode of the Cripescast, Eric shares stories of both including being chased by a moose and being stalked by a polar bear. He and Charlie bond over what it was like growing up in Wisconsin, their first jobs as bike mechanics, and their shared passion for preserving the outdoors.
Follow Eric on Instagram at @elexplores and book a trip with him to explore the North Pole at ericlarsenexplore.com.
Follow Eric on Instagram at @elexplores and book a trip with him to explore the North Pole at ericlarsenexplore.com.
Episode 175 - RENEW Wisconsin
RENEW Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization that has been dedicated to the advancement of clean renewable energy in the dairy state since 1991. On this episode of the Cripescast, Charlie is joined by RENEW’s Communications Manager, Alex Beld, and their Emerging Technology Director, Francisco Sayu, to discuss what RENEW is doing in the state of Wisconsin. Their mission is to “seek to power a strong, healthy and vibrant state by implementing environmentally friendly energy systems,” while not just looking out for the environment, but for the economy and general public health as well. Francisco and Alex outline their latest ongoing initiative of getting electric school buses in all of Wisconsin’s school districts, while also explaining the health impacts of diesel emissions on students and the economic advantage EV buses could provide to schools.
For more information on their work and how to nominate your school to receive free electric buses in Wisconsin, head to renewwisconsn.org.
For more information on their work and how to nominate your school to receive free electric buses in Wisconsin, head to renewwisconsn.org.
Episode 174 - Jeff Ditzenberger
Jeff Ditzenberger takes mental health very seriously as a farmer and a veteran, two communities with some of the highest suicide rates in the country. When it comes to asking a friend how they are, he explains that “I’d rather spend an hour listening to all the things that are causing you angst, than sit and listen to your eulogy for five minutes.” He stresses the importance of being vulnerable, regardless of gender, generation or occupation, and encourages people to talk about the uncomfortable parts of life. As a return Cripescast guest, he updates the listeners about his non-profit TUGS, provides resources for those struggling with mental health, and shares a story about how he saved someone’s life with a simple act of kindness. Jeff and Charlie taste test some pickle-flavored ranch and debate whether or not Charlie “stole” or “borrowed” a glazer from Jeff the first time he was on the show.
Episode 173 - Grandma Sue, Aunt Mary and Grandma's Friend Lois (Part 2)
No one is safe from being thrown under the bus on this episode of the Cripescast. Just as unfiltered as the last time they were on the show, Charlie is joined by his Aunt Mary, his Grandma Sue and her best casino friend Lois Bentley, as they make their way to the casino. Whether it’s prying information out of Mary about her new boyfriend, asking Charlie about his love life, or learning what “watching the submarines” meant for Sue and Lois back in the day, everyone has their time in the hot seat. Throughout the road trip they marvel at the fall colors, share Grandpa Bob stories, and by the end of the ride Sue and Lois earn some scandalous nicknames that are inspired by their glory days in the 1950s.
Episode 172 - Xavier Prather
Though he’s a Detroit Lions fan, Xavier Prather knows what it takes to win. Drawing from his skills as an attorney, he strategically won Big Brother and made history as the first Black winner of a regular season in the show’s entire series. Dubbing the experience as “The Truman Show meets summer camp,” Xavier goes into detail about what it was like being constantly filmed and having no contact with the outside world. While the circumstances were far from ordinary, he looks back fondly on his experience and the friendships he made within The Cookout Alliance and beyond. He and Charlie debate whether Wisconsin or Michigan is the true “mitten state”, if it’s called “soda” or “pop”, and the best way to eat a PB&J. Check out the full episode to find out what Xavier did with his Big Brother prize money.
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