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. For more information about fishing in Wisconsin, head to dnr.wisconsin.gov and be sure to follow them on all platforms.  Follow the Cripescast and Charlie on all platforms @cripescast and @charlieberens. Find tour dates, merch, our Patreon, video clips and more at cripescast.com.  Donate to Doctors Without Borders at doctorswithoutborders.org.

Despite never planning to become a comedian, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes has undeniably made a name for herself in the world of comedy. 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. Follow Anjelah on all platforms @anjelahjohnson and check out her specials, show dates, merch and more at anjelah.com. Find us on all platforms @cripescast and for Charlie's show dates, merch, Patreon, and all that, head to cripescast.com For continued donations and aid to Doctors Without Borders, head to doctorswithoutborders.org.

All bets are off whenever Grandma Sue joins the podcast. In this episode of the Cripescast, we're bringing you highlights from all three of her appearances on the show including her first solo interview and her two road trip episodes to the casino. From talking about "necking" at Stinky Point to giving unexpected dating advice, this episode is full of everyone’s favorite moments with Grandma Sue, Aunt Mary and Lois Bently. For more information about donating to Doctors Without Borders, go to doctorswithoutborders.org. Find us on all platforms @cripescast and our website at cripescast.com.

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. Follow Taylor on all platforms @dudedad.  Follow the Cripescast and Charlie on all platforms @cripescast and @charlieberens. Find tour dates, merch, our Patreon, video clips and more at cripescast.com.  Donate to Doctors Without Borders at doctorswithoutborders.org.

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. Follow Masood on all platforms @masood_boomgaard. Follow the Cripescast and Charlie on all platforms @cripescast and @charlieberens. Find tour dates, merch, our Patreon, video clips and more at cripescast.com.  Donate to Doctors Without Borders at doctorswithoutborders.org.

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.  Follow Nimesh on all platforms @findingnimesh and get tickets at https://punchup.live/nimeshpatel Follow the Cripescast and Charlie on all platforms @cripescast and @charlieberens. Find tour dates, merch, our Patreon, video clips and more at cripescast.com.  Donate to Doctors Without Borders at doctorswithoutborders.org.

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.  Check out MST3K on Netflix or on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFzph9x-n9FR52BI94Zfgww  Follow the Cripescast on all platforms @cripescast and for Charlie’s tour dates, merch, Patreon and more head to cripescast.com.  For continued support of the work by Doctors Without Borders in the Middle East, find more information and donate at doctorswithoutborders.org.

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.  Follow Mary on all platforms @marymackcomedy and visit https://www.marymackcomedy.com/ to find information on her tour and tickets.  Follow the Cripescast on all platforms @cripescast and for Charlie’s tour dates, merch, Patreon and more head to cripescast.com.  For continued support of the work by Doctors Without Borders in the Middle East, find more information and donate at doctorswithoutborders.org. 

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.  Follow Brett on all platforms @newskimusic and online at https://newskimusic.com/ for tour dates and to get his music.  Follow the Cripescast on all platforms @cripescast and for Charlie’s tour dates, merch, Patreon and more head to cripescast.com.  For continued support of the work by Doctors Without Borders in the Middle East, find more information and donate at doctorswithoutborders.org. 

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.  Follow the Holderness Family on all platforms @theholdernessfamily and check out their website https://theholdernessfamily.com/.  You can also find us on all social platforms @cripescast and @charlieberens. For all things Cripescast head to cripescast.com and for exclusive content go to patreon.com/charlieberens  For continued humanitarian relief, donate to Doctors Without Borders for helping in Gaza at doctorswithoutborders.org