Joel Brammeier is passionate about the Great Lakes. Whether it was as a kid exploring their shorelines in the Detroit suburbs, or as the president and CEO of Alliance for the Great Lakes today, he's always been drawn to them. With 20% of the Earth’s fresh surface water belonging to the Great Lakes, Joel explains how crucial it is that we start taking microplastics seriously and that “regulation” doesn’t need to be a bad term when it comes to water. Instead, it can be a helpful tool that puts laws into place that keeps not only our drinking water clean, but our beer too. He and Charlie discuss the Great Lakes Compact, why microplastics are bad for us, and what the implications of recent government budget cuts will mean for environmental agencies. Joel also shares what makes him say “cripes!” which is something all parents of teenagers can relate to. All that and more on this episode of the Cripescast.

For more information about Joel’s work and to get involved head to www.greatlakes.org. 

Follow the Alliance for Great Lakes on social: 

Bluesky – @alliancegreatlakes.bsky.social

Instagram – alliance4greatlakes

Facebook – AlliancefortheGreatLakes

Check out his latest Op-ed in the Sun Times: https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/03/20/epa-cuts-great-lakes-states-clean-water-lead-lines-flooding-joel-brammeier 

Dana Ehrmann didn't tell her first jokes to an audience, she told them to Lake Michigan. West Allis native and Wisconsin State Fair aficionado, Dana has become a staple in the Milwaukee comedy scene and was even Charlie’s very first opener back in 2017. This week, she joins the Cripescast to share her bizarre introduction to comedy, play some Wisconsin trivia, and talk about Wisconsin’s most notorious serial killers. Off stage, she spends her time advocating for Alzheimer’s awareness and research ever since she became a caretaker for her mother, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2022. The two also discuss the difficulties of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s and Dana provides some helpful advice for caregivers and those around them. 

Follow Dana @danajokes and follow the Cripescast @cripescast.

This week, guitarist from Portugal. The Man Eric Howk joins Charlie for a conversation from a green room in Portland to talk all things touring. Having grown up in a small town in Alaska, Eric moved to Seattle at 18, diving head first into life as a young and hungry musician. From his early days living out of a van, to adjusting to life on the road after a paralyzing accident at age 26, to joining Portugal. The Man in 2015, Eric’s spent a collective 25 years on the road. Now, at 44 years old, he’s ready to take a step back from touring to enjoy life on his farm. In this episode, Eric shares wild stories about his grandfather’s airplane junkyard, Charlie gives us a taste of his harmonica playing skills, and the two of them joke about starting a blues band. 

Follow Eric @eric_howk and follow Portugal. The Man @portugaltheman. Follow the Cripescast on all platforms @cripescast.

If you have an accent, it’s likely Daniel Van Kirk has already picked it up. Whether it’s a byproduct of being a comedian or his ability to connect with people, he’s a colloquial chameleon and he just can’t help it. He and Charlie start this episode of the Cripescast off hot by rewatching old, yet seductive, Sybaris Hotel commercials and reminiscing about their Midwest upbringings. Although he’s technically a FIB, Daniel uses today’s episode to reaffirm his love for Wisconsin. From his summers spent growing up at his family’s cabin in the Dells’ to his first stand-up set at Comedy on State in Madison, his ties to the state run deep. The two also debate important topics such as yard sales vs. estate sales, what your sock preference says about you and mini golf vs. real golf. Charlie gives Daniel the basic do’s and don’ts of ice fishing and Daniel shares a recent story of his run in with the local Dells’ police. All that and more on this episode of the Cripescast! 

Follow Daniel @danielvankirk. Follow the Cripescast on all platforms @cripescast.

It’s estimated that 8 million tons of plastic enter the world’s oceans every year. But did you know, the plastic we see floating on the oceans’ surface, is only ~1% of those 8 million tons? As for the 99% below the surface? They’re still a mystery to the scientists studying microplastics today. One in particular is Dr. Lawrence Pratt, senior scientist at the Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) in Massachusetts, who is working on figuring out where the oceans’ currents carry these mystery plastics. The goal of his research is to locate where plastics and microplastics congregate, so that when filtering technology becomes accessible, we know exactly where to start. In this episode of the Cripescast, Larry defines microplastics, how they pose a threat to humans and animals alike, and what we can do to reduce their existence in the first place. He and Charlie also chat about Wisconsin winters, scuba diving, and sharks. 

For more information on the Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Institute, visithttps://www.whoi.edu/. 

Follow the Cripescast on all platforms at @cripescast and follow Charlie @charlieberens.

This week, Bill Doucette, otherwise known as Billy Deuce, returns for his second solo appearance on the Cripescast. Charlie’s long time friend and frequent collaborator, the two spend this episode cracking jokes and trying out bits. Equipped with an acoustic guitar, Bill reveals a song that he wrote in high school, gives his best musical impressions, and shares a tune from his career as a children’s musician. Ladies: stick around to the end to find out if you’re Bill’s dream woman.

Follow Bill @billydeuce86 on all platforms and follow The Cripescast @cripescast.

For filmmakers Anders and Davin Lindwall, telling a story about farming and the Green Bay Packers was deeply personal. They explain how their new movie, “Green and Gold”, was directly inspired by their childhood growing up on their grandfather’s dairy farm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The film stars Craig T. Nelson as Buck, a struggling dairy farmer who wagers everything on the Packers’ 1993 season, while his granddaughter Jenny, played by Madison Lawlor, balances her music dreams with farm life. This week, Anders and Davin join Charlie on the Cripescast to discuss the making of the film, their choice to shoot on real Wisconsin farms, and their advice for emerging independent filmmakers. They also reveal the strange story of filming a calf’s birth for one scene in the movie, including how they managed to cheat the moments that couldn’t be captured on camera. 

“Green and Gold” hits theaters January 31st. Follow @greenandgoldmovie and visit greenandgoldmovie.com for tickets.

Follow the Cripescast on all platform @cripescast.

Filmmaker Nathan Deming believes that Wisconsin is full of stories worth telling. That’s exactly what he hopes to accomplish with his 12-part interconnected film series called the “Year Project”. Each film showcases a different month of the year about unrelated subjects and tells unique stories, but what ties them all together is their backdrop: the state of Wisconsin. His most recent installment, “February”, tells the story of a Mexican immigrant, Miguel, who struggles to feel at home in his new town in Western Wisconsin. That is, until he discovers a passion for ice fishing. This week, Nathan joins Charlie on the Cripescast to discuss the project, the film industry at large, and the shortcomings of AI. The two also dive into the nitty gritty of filmmaking in Wisconsin, highlighting the fact that it’s one of few states in the country without a film office or production tax incentives. “February” sets out on a state-wide tour beginning on January 25th. For information on cities and showtimes, visit februaryfilm.com/screenings. 

Follow Nathan on Instagram @nathan.deming. Follow us on all platforms @cripescast.

Trauma surgeon and humanitarian physician Feroze Sidhwa has worked in healthcare systems across the globe. From volunteering in Ukraine to Haiti, from Zimbabwe to Burkina Faso, Feroze has seen it all. However, his extensive time in Gaza is what inspired him to write an open letter to the White House, detailing the humanitarian crisis he had observed there. That letter, signed by dozens of other doctors working in Gaza, was eventually published by the New York Times. This week, he joins Charlie on the Cripescast to discuss his open letter, the response to it, and more of what he experienced working as a trauma surgeon and physician abroad.

Keep up with Feroze on X @FerozeSidhwa. Check out GazaHealthcareLetters.org to read Feroze’s letter and to email the White House. Follow the Cripescast on all platforms @cripescast and check out cripescast.com for tour info, merch, and more.

Further information and resources regarding this episode:

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmintdev/487/48705.htm

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/19/1206479861/israel-gaza-hamas-children-population-war-palestinians 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_Strip_famine

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2024/11/20/an-a-z-of-the-children-israel-killed-in-gaza

https://www.unescwa.org/sites/default/files/pubs/pdf/war-gaza-dedliest-100-twenty-first-century-policy-brief-english.pdf

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/21/middleeast/gaza-war-israeli-soldiers-ptsd-suicide-intl/index.html

https://gaza-patterns-harm.airwars.org/#demographics

https://truthout.org/articles/israel-has-killed-2100-babies-under-2-years-old-in-gaza-rights-group-says/

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1422394/palestinian-territories-number-of-internally-displaced-refugees-in-gaza-after-israeli-air-strike/#:~:text=Around%2090%20percent%20of%20Gaza%27s,counterstrikes%20of%20the%20Israeli%20military.

The perfect way to start the new year? A brand new Cripescast episode chock full of inspiration. Supplying the advice is Wayne White, renowned artist and Emmy award-winning designer for Pee-wee’s Playhouse, and Joel Hodgson, creator of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and return Cripescast guest. The two join Charlie to discuss the importance of creativity throughout their careers and the impact of AI on art today. Beyond their mutual concern for AI taking over the world, the three bond over their involvement in and love for Joey’s Song, an annual charity event held in Madison, Wisconsin to raise money and awareness for epilepsy research. While Charlie’s unable to attend in person this year, he’s helping Wayne and Joel with their comedy show on January 10th. 

For tickets to Joey’s Song, including Joel and Wayne’s Cheese-Capades comedy show, visit joeyssong.org. Follow Wayne @waynewhiteart and Mystery Science Theater 3000 at @mst3k. 

Follow us on all platforms @cripescast. For information on merch, Patreon, and tour, visit cripescast.com.