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 m...
Oct 03, 2024•46 min
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 de...
Sep 25, 2024•1 hr 6 min
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 ...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 3 min
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 Cripes...
Sep 11, 2024•1 hr 10 min
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...
Sep 05, 2024•1 hr 24 min
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 “Cri...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr 5 min
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 ...
Aug 14, 2024•1 hr 7 min
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...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 3 min
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...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr 25 min
Fashion Designer Elena Velez finds beauty in unlikely places and attributes her industrial artistic style to her Midwest upbringing. Raised by a single mother who worked as a ship captain on the Great Lakes, Elena spent much of her childhood surrounded by heavy machinery and unique landscapes, and its influence can be seen in her work today. Though she always knew she wanted to be a fashion designer, she felt underrepresented in the industry. However, being an outsider isn’t stopping her from fi...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 17 min
With the 2024 election approaching, Steven Olikara returns to discuss the importance of bipartisanship in an increasingly divided political landscape. Early listeners of the Cripescast may remember Steven’s first episode, where he and Charlie dove into the impact that social media and cable news outlets have on our civility. Today they analyze what’s changed since 2020, provide solutions for stopping polarization, and emphasize the importance of a diverse media intake regardless of party lines. ...
Jul 03, 2024•1 hr 13 min
Live from Lake Winnebago with Green Bay Packers’ tight end Luke Musgrave, it’s the 4th anniversary episode of the Cripescast. In this special episode, Luke and Charlie get to know each other the best way anyone can: while fishing for walleye… and the occasional sheepshead. They’re also joined by outdoor expert, fishing guide, and return Cripescast guest, Larry Smith, who teaches them a thing or two about hearing which fish is on the line. Having grown up in Bend, Oregon with a passion for fishin...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 30 min
Charlie is back again with everyone’s favorite gambling and gossiping gals, Grandma Sue, Aunt Mary, and Lois Bentley. As they road trip for another day at the casino, Aunt Mary gives us an update on her love life and Charlie even chimes in to help her develop a dating profile. No conversation is off the table for the four of them, whether it’s the birds and the bees, Lois’s broken leg, or the story of how Mary accidentally sprayed gasoline in her face. And that’s not all. Stick around to the end...
Jun 19, 2024•1 hr 23 min
Whether it’s transforming an ordinary fence across from Lambeau Field into the infamous “Packers Fence” or customizing an average sneaker into every sports fan’s dream shoe, Zane Statz has a gift for reinventive art. As a muralist, custom artist, and Packers fan, Zane is living out his dream by having his custom-painted cleats worn by NFL players including Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Kenny Clark, just to name a few. While it’s fun having his shoes worn by Packers, Yung Gravy and even Charlie, Z...
Jun 12, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Charlie goes down the AI rabbit hole again this week but this time he’s joined by an actual AI expert, UW-Madison Provost Charles Isbell. Provost Isbell has been fascinated with computers since he was 8 years old, and in turn has dedicated his life’s work to them by becoming a researcher, computationalist, and educator in the field of computer science. From studying at Georgia Tech, to earning his PhD at MIT, and eventually becoming the Provost at UW-Madison, it’s safe to say he has rightfully e...
Jun 05, 2024•1 hr 25 min
Kristopher Pollard eats, sleeps and breathes cinema. As Membership Manager for Milwaukee Film and co-host of the “Cinebuds” podcast, Kristopher is continually working hard to advocate for Milwaukee’s film scene. He explains how Wisconsin is a hidden gem for the film industry and has a vibrant and receptive movie-loving community. He argues that the only difference between Milwaukee and cities with well-known film scenes is that people just aren’t paying attention to Milwaukee yet. This week, he ...
May 31, 2024•1 hr 19 min
This week Charlie celebrates the 200th episode of the Cripescast by answering all of your burning questions. Buckle up for his advice on dating, lawn care and how to craft the perfect junk drawer. He and his producer Colleen go on many tangents spanning from deep philosophical discussions to what cheese is best on a charcuterie board. Full episode out now! Interested in donating to Doctors Without Borders? Check out doctorswithoutborders.org to see how you can help. Find the Cripescast on all so...
May 22, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Kristen Kish may be new to hosting “Top Chef” but she’s no stranger to the show. Crowned the Season 10 champion in 2012, she became the second woman ever to claim the title and has since returned to host the show. After her 2012 win, she’s gone on to open her own restaurant in Texas called Arlo Grey, release a cookbook, and host other TV shows like National Geographic’s “Restaurants and the End of the World” and Travel Channel’s “36 Hours”. In this episode, she and Charlie talk about both of the...
May 15, 2024•1 hr 14 min
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 th...
May 08, 2024•1 hr 44 min
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 h...
May 01, 2024•1 hr 22 min
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 hea...
Mar 28, 2024•54 min
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 ...
Mar 20, 2024•1 hr 2 min
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 doc...
Mar 14, 2024•1 hr 3 min
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 ...
Mar 06, 2024•1 hr 8 min
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 ...
Feb 28, 2024•1 hr 17 min
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 d...
Feb 21, 2024•55 min
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 MST3...
Feb 07, 2024•1 hr 4 min
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 multipl...
Jan 31, 2024•1 hr 8 min
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 discus...
Jan 24, 2024•1 hr 15 min
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 t...
Jan 18, 2024•1 hr 24 min
