The Cripescast Podcast

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-produ...

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 Be...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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 drink...

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 ...

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 cooki...

NFL legends and former Green Bay Packers LeRoy Butler and Gilbert Brown make a triumphant return to the Cripescast this week. Having spent 9 years as neighbors 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,...

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. 

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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-g...

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...

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 ...

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 int...

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 however, they go on tangent after tangent with Charlie and discuss everything from train conductors, to...

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 brin...

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 catche...