The Cripescast Podcast

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Jessie Opoien has been covering politics in Wisconsin for over a decade. With the 2024 presidential election just around the corner and with several hot button issues on the ballot, many Americans have questions about what’s really at stake this November. Luckily, Jessie brings her expertise to the Cripescast this week to answer viewer submitted questions. She sheds light on topics such as election integrity, how to register to vote, and whether or not we can put an end to increasing political polarization. In true Charlie fashion, the two go down the rabbit hole of artificial intelligence and its impending implications in the media and in energy policy. Along with giving Charlie the inside scoop on all things politics, Jessie slips into her best Midwest accent to reveal her biggest grammar pet peeve and to have a taste of Berens Old Fashioned Brandy. 

Follow Jessie on Instagram and X at @jessieopie and follow her work at the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com. 

Find us on all social platforms @cripescast and at cripescast.com for all show information. 

To continue supporting Doctors Without Borders, follow them at @doctorswithoutborders or donate at doctorswithoutborders.org.

Yia Vang’s new Minneapolis restaurant, Vinai, is a place of restoration. Named after the Hmong refugee camp in Thailand where Yia’s parents met and where he was born, the restaurant serves as a love letter to his family and heritage. Both of his establishments, Vinai and Union Hmong Kitchen, are some of the first ever dedicated Hmong cuisine restaurants in the United States. On top of being a critically-acclaimed chef, he also hosts a cooking show called “Feral” on the Outdoor Channel, and has made appearances on shows like “Iron Chef” and “Good Morning America”. This week on the Cripescast, Charlie steps in as Yia’s sous chef and helps him prepare a dish using Berens Old Fashioned Brandy. While they cook, Yia shares some of the cultural details woven throughout Vinai’s decor, how he learned to cook, and his preferred method of drinking Charlie’s brandy.

Find Yia on Instagram and TikTok @yiavang70 and on Facebook and X @chefyiavang. Visit his restaurants Union Hmong Kitchen and Vinai if you’re in the Minneapolis area!

Follow us on all platforms @cripescast and visit cripescast.com for all show information.

To continue supporting Doctors Without Borders, follow them at @doctorswithoutborders or donate at doctorswithoutborders.org.

Steve Treviño’s career isn’t what defines him, being a husband and father does. With six comedy specials under his belt and spending decades as a touring comedian, he explains that despite all his success, he still lives a normal life. Whether it’s taking the stories from growing up, raising his kids, or squabbling with his wife, he strives to relate with his audiences when he’s on stage. This week, Steve joins Charlie on the Cripescast to talk about everything from coaching little league, to developing a strong work ethic, to going viral in the early days of social media.

Follow Steve on Instagram and TikTok @texastrevino, @MrSteveTrevino on X, and on all other platforms @stevetrevino. 

Find us on all social platforms @cripescast and at cripescast.com for all show information. 

To continue supporting Doctors Without Borders, follow them at @doctorswithoutborders or donate at doctorswithoutborders.org.

When Matteo Lane started doing stand up comedy in 2011, the world looked very different. In fact, Matteo had never even seen a gay man do stand up until he was 23 years old, and it was then that he realized he could do it too. He says that, despite being gay in a time where it was “just acceptable,” he found a supportive community in the world of comedy, filled with like-minded people who were equally as passionate about the craft and didn’t care where you came from. Now, 16 years later, Matteo describes himself as a stand up comic “through and through.” This week he joins Charlie on the Cripescast to discuss growing up in Chicago, his Midwest family, and his envy for people with great hair.

Follow Matteo everywhere @matteolane and find tickets to his show in Milwaukee and beyond at matteolanecomedy.com

Find us on all social platforms @cripescast and at cripescast.com for all show information.

The viral comedy account Content Machine goes way back. In fact, the co-creators Mike Mazzitelli and Tyler John Perry met in the third grade in Hopkins, Minnesota. When the pandemic left them with nothing to do, they took a leap of faith and turned their lifelong hobby of making videos together into their full time jobs. From hanging out together as kids, to attending college 10 miles apart, and now to being roommates in Los Angeles, they’ve never left each others’ sides. This week on the Cripescast, Charlie joins them at their home to swap childhood stories, discuss Midwest dads, and compare California to Minnesota. Mike shares what he misses the most about the Midwest and Tyler explains how living in LA has changed his style. 

Follow Mike and Tyler on Instagram @the_content_machine or on YouTube @content_machine. 

Find us on all social platforms @cripescast and at cripescast.com for all show information. 

To continue supporting Doctors Without Borders, follow them at @doctorswithoutborders or donate at doctorswithoutborders.org.

LeRoy Butler can’t stay away from the Cripescast for too long. Returning for his fourth podcast appearance, the NFL Hall of Famer and former Green Bay Packer joins Charlie in the studio once again. With football season officially here, the two talk all things Packers. They cover everything from Jordan Love to the season opener in Brazil to the importance of the “Mr. Irrelevant” title in the NFL draft. In true LeRoy fashion, he offers up life advice and explains how he keeps his positive attitude regardless of life circumstances. Beyond that, he and Charlie share behind the scenes stories from shooting LeRoy’s soon to be released cooking show and we even learn LeRoy’s biggest pet peeve (hint: it’s leftovers). 

Follow LeRoy on Instagram @leap3636 and X @leap36.

Find us on all social platforms @cripescast and at cripescast.com for all show information.

To continue supporting Doctors Without Borders, follow them at @doctorswithoutborders or donate at doctorswithoutborders.org. 

The Husbands of Target are back. This week, Taylor Calmus, Penn Holderness, and Myles Montplaisir join the show for a reunion episode of the Cripescast. The boys get cozy in Charlie’s hotel room to reflect on their 2020 viral sketch and how it led them to shooting national advertisements with Target this year. No topic goes untouched as they debate things like the pros and cons of sheet cake, if AI will destroy the world, and whether babies are color blind. They also share what makes ‘em go “Cripes!” with answers ranging from Chipotle orders to obscene throw pillows. 

Follow Myles @ohhyoubetcha, Taylor @dudedad, and Penn @theholdernessfamily. 

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.

Most people know Don Davey as a former defensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. But that’s only where his list of accomplishments begins. After earning his Master’s of Engineering at UW Madison and getting drafted by the Packers in 1991, he played for a total of 9 seasons in the NFL. Don’s transition out of pro football felt like losing a sense of his identity, but he explains that it motivated him to find meaning in other areas of life. Since then, he’s explored entrepreneurship and business, owning Firehouse Subs franchises in Wisconsin and Florida, as well as his own financial consulting firm. He’s dabbled in real estate, completed 13 IronMan triathlons, and currently spends his spare time coaching his daughters in flag football and participating in charity bike rides. Don joins Charlie on the Cripescast this week to discuss the changing landscape of college football, the charities he’s passionate about, and his Friday fish fry pet peeves. 

Follow Don on Instagram @ddavey919992 and on X @davey919992. For more information on the charities he’s involved with and to learn how to contribute visit teamonemile.com, ironmanfoundation.org, and firehousesubsfoundation.org. 

Find us on all social platforms @cripescast and at cripescast.com for all show information. 

To continue supporting Doctors Without Borders, follow them at @doctorswithoutborders or donate at doctorswithoutborders.org.

Comedian Nate Russ’ hard work is paying off. After 10 years of creating content, Nate’s comedy series “Buggin” recently went viral and transformed his career into something he never imagined. With the first video earning over 25 million views on Instagram alone, and its sequels not far behind, he’s taking the opportunity to capitalize on the momentum. Comedy wasn’t always his goal though. Not knowing what he wanted to do with his life after high school Nate joined the Air Force. It was there, he explained, that he began making videos in his barracks and fell in love with sketch comedy. This week, he joins Charlie on the Cripescast to discuss the cultural differences between the Midwest and the South, the similarities of growing up Catholic vs Baptist, and Nate explains why he absolutely loathes whistling. 

Follow Nate on all platforms @naterusscomedy and check out his upcoming show at ATLcomedytheater.com. 

Find us on all social platforms @cripescast and at cripescast.com for all show information. 

To continue supporting Doctors Without Borders, follow them at @doctorswithoutborders or donate at doctorswithoutborders.org.

Whether you watched him compete on Hell’s Kitchen or you’ve been to his Milwaukee restaurant Egg & Flour, it’s safe to say that Adam Pawlak knows a thing or two about food. From humble beginnings as a Jimmy John’s cashier, to becoming a sous chef, an executive chef and now the owner of his own restaurant, he made his lifelong dreams of working in the culinary world a reality. Adam joins Charlie in the Cripescast studio this week and brings with him the most adorable entourage, his four month old miniature Dachshund puppy Alfredo. Charlie and Adam discuss the process of applying for reality cooking competitions, the correct way to clean a cast iron pan, and Adam’s newfound pet peeves about other dog owners. Adam’s improv and culinary skills are put to the test in a game called “Will it Pasta?” where Adam has to explain how he’d repurpose classic Midwest foods and drinks into pasta dishes. 

Follow Adam on Instagram @adam_pawlak23. 

Donate to Doctors Without Borders at doctorswithoutborders.org.

Follow the Cripescast and Charlie on all platforms @cripescast and @charlieberens. Find tour dates, merch, our Patreon, video clips and more at cripescast.com.