Bellied Up LIVE: Milwaukee — Episode Summary

Podcast: Bellied Up
Hosts: You Betcha Guy (Myles) & Charlie Berens
Date: October 2, 2025
Episode Theme:
A special live recording from Milwaukee where Myles and Charlie belly up at the bar, inviting audience members on stage for classic Midwest story-sharing, awkward speed dating, and a good dose of unscripted hilarity. The episode features funny, awkward, and heartfelt moments from real people, all filtered through the hosts’ observational, self-deprecating Midwestern lens.

1. Newlyweds & Awkward First Dates

[00:00–10:42]

Key Points:

• Devin & Lauren:
  Newlywed couple Devin and Lauren take the stage to share the story of their first date and engagement.

  • First Date Fumble:
    Lauren recalls thinking Devin was friend-zoning her during their dorm room movie date when he started scrolling through his entire camera roll—over 300 photos featuring his family, Yosemite, pets, and more, but not much flirting.

    “He proceeds to pull out his phone ... 300 plus photos. This is my family. This is me in Yosemite. This is my dog that passed away. This is my Dick.” —Lauren, [03:08]

  • Devin’s Perspective:
    Devin genuinely thought sharing these photos was a good move. Later, he realizes Lauren saw it as childish and boring, though it all worked out in the end.

  • Turnaround Move:
    Redemption came from the horror movie “arm around” trick, accompanied by the smooth line:

    “I got you.” —Devin, [05:46]

  • Proposal Story:
    Lauren wanted to be proposed to in front of the Joan of Arc statue at Marquette, and Devin remembered after all those years. Nora, Devin’s now-sister-in-law and Charlie’s own sister, was there at the proposal, delighting the hosts.

  • Charlie’s Midwest Wisdom:

    “When you guys tied the knot ... you tied it like your favorite musky lure ... It may go in the trees, it may go down and catch a log ... but when you tied that knot, it was special ... Before you go to bed at night, look each other right in the bugs and say those three magic words: Watch for deer.” —Charlie Berens, [09:27]

  Notable Moment:
  Myles and Charlie riff on “hung like a horse energy” and tease Lauren for being the “pants wearer” in the couple—a running bit on Midwest relationship dynamics.

2. Surprise Divorce U-Haul

[13:04–21:55]

Key Points:

• Dave and the Great Gift Shop Divorce:
  Dave shares a bizarre family story of being conscripted to help his brother move out of the marital home with zero context—what he assumed was a U-Haul trip for firewood was actually an urgent divorce extraction.

  • Gift Shop Addiction:
    The ex-wife’s uncontrolled spending at her hospital’s gift shop ($20k–$40k on teddy bears, jewelry, and trinkets) led to several house refinances and a house filled with stuffed animals.

  • Classic Midwest Communication:
    Dave, following his brother’s lead, never asks deeper questions—just gets the “grab everything you can” order and complies, finding out the whole story later.

  • Family Secrets:
    Dave also ends up being the one to inform their dad (and the family) about the divorce, highlighting the understated, indirect way news travels in Midwest families.

  • Notable Quotes:

    “At least your brother was kind enough to rent a U-Haul. He paid for it, right?” —Charlie Berens, [18:55]
    “That’s the kind of jewelry that stains your neck, too.” —Charlie Berens, [19:12]

  • Musical Sendoff:
    Billy Goose improvises a song about divorce:

    “Leaving in a U-Haul, don’t want to see my wife again…” [22:15]

3. 12-Hour Family Road Trip… With a Body

[23:13–34:01]

Key Points:

• Alicia’s Legendary Story:
  Alicia recounts one of her wild family get-together memories:
  At age 12, she joined her grandpa and the family dog for a 12-hour August drive—95 degrees—with her great-grandmother’s body in a cardboard refrigerator box, holes punched for “breathing,” spanning from Duluth, MN, to Sharon, IL.

  • Midwest Cost-Cutting:

    “So we went to Marquette, and I’ve always wanted to be proposed to in front of Joan of Arc.” —Lauren [07:44]
    “We drive 12 hours across state lines to take her body to the funeral home … family gathering! … I’m 12 years old, I’m severely traumatized.” —Alicia, [27:08]

  • Questionable Legality:
    The hosts are floored by the potential illegality and general absurdity of transporting a body like this, riffing on Midwest quirks and regulations.

  • Coping with Death, Midwest-Style:

    “He just puts her tag right on the box … like getting stopped by DNR to make sure you have a hunting license.” —Charlie, [31:13]

  • Song Recap:
    Billy Goose transforms the story into a parody Eagles song:

    “I got zombie grandma on my mind / Grandpa’s saving money in ways that are gonna scar me…” [33:20]

  • Memorable Toast:

    “Raise your glasses to great grandma Olive … She’s up laughing her ass off. She’s like, ‘I was dead anyway. Get over it.’” —Charlie, [34:18]

4. Josh’s Quest for Love: Speed Dating Gone Wild

[37:23–59:00]

Key Points:

• Josh’s Bold Proposal:
  Josh, 20 and single, asks Charlie if he can be set up with his sister, Ellie—despite never having met her and only seeing a childhood photo.

  “So a picture of his sister as a kid was like, I got a date?” —Myles, [39:34]

  • Charlie’s Vetting Process:
    The hosts grill Josh on his age, job (“landscaping, but not lawns—‘I don’t sit all day’”), and require a FaceTime with Ellie.

  • FaceTime Reveal:
    Ellie, at a Brewers game in the city, reveals she’s already taken (“by an Irishman”) but offers to set Josh up with a single friend instead, who she names as Sally.

  • Josh’s Dating Profile (Live):
    Josh awkwardly shares he’s 5’9” (“short king”), works in landscaping, and is open to being set up with, well, just about anyone.

  • Speed Dating Segment:
    Myles and Charlie bring up Lindsay, 34-year-old CPA from Brookfield (“too wild” for her last date), as a surprise speed date for 20-year-old Josh—cue audience laughter and a string of awkward questions:

    - **Lindsay:**  
      “Why are you still single at 34?”  
      “Last guy I went out with said I was too wild for him.”  
      “I once went out with a guy that had a booger wall in the shower.” [52:29]
    
    - **Josh & Lindsay: Three Questions Each:**  
       - Backstreet Boys and Oak Ridge Boys music quizzes
       - Hobbies: Lindsay does puzzles (“on mushrooms, it’s a whole new puzzle!”)
       - Lindsay’s CPA job gets compared to Josh’s own CPA mother
    
    - **Result:**  
      No romantic sparks—especially with the 14-year age gap—but both are good sports about it.
    

  • Singalong Sendoff:
    Group singalong of “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys, with Billy Goose leading the charge and everyone in on the chorus—tying the episode up in the classic, communal Midwest style.

    “I never wanna hear you say / I want it that way…” [59:41]

5. Memorable Quotes & Midwestisms

• On relationship communication:

  “You should appreciate the work he put in before the date. Do you know how many photos he had to delete in order to be able to show you his whole camera roll?” —Myles, [04:26]

• On Midwest indirectness:

  “He asked me a question, I either know or don’t, but whatever.” —Dave, [21:00]

• On speed dating nerves:

  “Well, nothing. I don’t know … I’m not. This is not good.” —Josh, [40:54]

• Classic Midwest life advice:

  “Before you go to bed at night, look each other right in the bugs and say those three magic words: Watch for deer.” —Charlie, [09:27]

6. Notable/Unscripted Comedy Highlights

• Myles and Charlie teasing each other and the guests with good-natured roasts and classic Midwest allusions (musky lures, gift shop jewelry, family mysteries).
• Spontaneously breaking into song to recap stories—from “Leaving in a U-Haul” to Backstreet Boys karaoke.
• Dynamic interactions between hosts, guests, and audience, with Myles stirring the pot and Charlie providing warmth, wit, and the gentle ribbing that defines their brand.

7. Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Start Time | |-------------------------|:--------------:| | Newlyweds’ Date Story & Proposal | [00:00] – [10:42] | | Dave’s U-Haul Divorce Story | [13:04] – [21:55] | | Alicia’s Dead Body Road Trip | [23:13] – [34:01] | | Josh’s Quest for Love/Speed Dating Segment | [37:23] – [59:00] | | Backstreet Boys Karaoke Closeout | [59:00] – [60:24] |

8. Episode Takeaway

Bellied Up LIVE: Milwaukee exemplifies Midwest humor at its finest: quirky stories, gentle self-mockery, community spirit, and the idea that everyone’s got a little bit of weirdness hidden under the surface. Whether it’s a gift shop-fueled divorce, creative family “cost savings” for funerals, or the world’s most awkward speed-date, Charlie, Myles, and their guests showcase the heart and humor that makes the Midwest feel like home—reminding us all to watch for deer, laugh at life, and never take ourselves too seriously.

End of Summary