Episodes

  • Episode 198 - Cristela Alonzo
    May 8 2024

    Comedian Cristela Alonzo isn’t afraid to grab life by the horns. Having grown up squatting in an abandoned diner with her mother and three siblings, she knows what it’s like to live like you’ve got nothing to lose. Her lifelong love for comedy had her jumping at the chance to work as an office manager at the Addison Improv in Texas circa 2003, even if it meant fudging some of the details on her resume to land the job. Fast forward to today, she’s headlining the country and has made history as the first Mexican-American woman to create and star in her own US primetime sitcom, “Cristela.” With two Netflix specials under her belt and another on the way, Cristela shares that she’s living comfortably with her bills on autopay and her “therapy money” in hand. This week, she joins Charlie on the Cripescast to chat about everything from professional wrestling, to her love for Wisconsin cheese curds, and of course Packers vs Cowboys.

    Follow Cristela on all platforms @cristela9 and be sure to check out her specials on Netflix!

    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.

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    1 hr and 44 mins
  • Episode 197 - Christian Yelich
    May 1 2024

    Christian Yelich has been a pillar for the Milwaukee community since he was first traded to Brewers in 2018. On the field, he’s an MVP, a golden glove winner, and a silver slugger just to name a few. Off the field, he’s a champion for the community by giving back with his annual Home Plate Charity Benefit that raises funds for Milwaukee little league teams. Today, Christian addresses the most common questions he gets about his personal life and confirms that yes, he can hear heckling fans when he’s in left field. Charlie and Christian have been pals since their first video collab in 2022 and use this episode to catch up, discuss regretful tattoos, the weirdest things they’ve autographed, and who they root for in the Brewers sausage races.

    Follow Christian on all platforms @christianyelich and for more information about Christian’s Home Plate Charity Concert, head to visitmilwaukee.org/yelich.

    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.

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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Episode 196 - Max Wolter
    Mar 28 2024

    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.

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    54 mins
  • Episode 195 - Anjelah Johnson-Reyes
    Mar 20 2024

    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.

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Episode 194 - Best of Grandma Sue
    Mar 14 2024

    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.

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Episode 193 - Taylor Calmus Returns
    Mar 6 2024

    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.

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Episode 192 - Masood Boomgaard
    Feb 28 2024

    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.

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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Episode 191 - Nimesh Patel
    Feb 21 2024

    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.

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    55 mins