Bellied Up Podcast – Episode #180 Summary

Title: Can Anyone Do Stand-Up Comedy?
Hosts: Charlie Berens (Emmy-winning comedian), Myles the You Betcha Guy
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of the Bellied Up podcast centers around the theme: Can anyone do stand-up comedy? Broadcasting from a small-town Quick Star, Charlie and Myles banter about Midwest life before opening up their phone lines to callers. The main highlight is a deep-dive coaching session with a listener named Simeon, who’s prepping for his first-ever stand-up routine as a birthday present for his girlfriend. The episode also features a fun debate about whether Vermont should be considered part of the Midwest, peppered with listener stories and the show's trademark comedic camaraderie.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Bar Banter and Midwest Life (00:52–11:14)

• Setting: Hosting from the Quick Star snack bar, the hosts share classic Midwest banter, discussing gas station sunglasses and deer hunting.
• Glasses Confessions:
  • Charlie explains his reasons for wearing prescription glasses, blending function (night driving, hereditary dark circles) with self-deprecating humor.
  • Quote:
    “Do we even know each other? ... usually you’re pressing on my insecurities unless you’re pulling punches, which I didn’t know you did!” – Charlie (05:09)
• Friendly Roasting: Myles and Charlie riff on the struggle with under-eye circles, aging, and who’s got the better “Vish” (vision).
• Deer Hunting Tales: Both missed this year; classic Midwest hunting stories and family land envy arise.
• Wild Game: Talk of blue jays, squirrels, and their dubious culinary value; the universal "wrap it in bacon" solution to tough meat.

Stand-Up Comedy Coaching with Caller Simeon (18:32–50:48)

Simeon's Situation (19:13–21:12)

• Background: Recent college grad (mechanical engineer), living in Traverse City, MI, working remotely.
• Stand-Up Context: Girlfriend asked him to do a "tight 5" as a birthday present. He's never performed before and self-identifies as dry, engineering-type.
  • Quote:
    “My girlfriend's birthday ... she wants a type 5 stand up routine knowing I'll crash and burn, but it'll be entertaining.” – Simeon (20:32)

Charlie & Myles’ Stand-Up Guidance (22:43–49:04)

• Approach to First-Timer:
  • Start with one-liners or short jokes instead of storytelling—it’s easier to remember, safer if jokes bomb.
  • Roast the girlfriend–but tread carefully depending on audience.
  • Leverage personal background and quirks (tall, Polish, curly hair, “True Value Andy Samberg”, engineer/motorcycle license lingo).
    • Quote:
      “You want to think headline, punchline, headline, punchline, fact about your life, punchline.” – Charlie (23:13)
• Appearance Jokes:
  • Joke about looking like “Andy Samberg if he had a three-way with a vacuum” (27:41)
  • Dig into the resurgence of curly perms among young people for contemporary flavor.
• Family & Personal Life:
  • Lean into being the “boring good kid” (suspended from kindergarten for accidental punch, lives in parents’ basement “studio apartment”).
  • Family call-in provides material: sister Hannah roasts him for being boring/awkward, mother reminds him of his only “bad deed.”
• Merch Bit:
  • Comedic suggestion of ending the first set with "I’m so boring" T-shirts or feigning a merch table for a one-off performance.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Comedy Writing:
  “I wrote a whole story my first time... if some doesn’t work, you’re pot committed.” – Charlie (23:05)
• On Use of Personal Material:
  “The easiest jokes to make are recognition jokes.” – Charlie (25:09)
• On Self-Deprecation:
  “You can do a whole run of jokes on how you’re so boring … just write out your actual likes and I think that'll be your set.” – Charlie (49:20)
• Family Input:
  • Hannah: “I'm not sure if it would be funny because his jokes were good or because he was so awkward … laughing at him more than laughing with him.” (40:43)

Stand-Up Bullet Points for First-Timers:

• Focus on quick, punchy observations.
• Start by poking fun at how you look or what people can instantly recognize about you.
• Involve the audience if comfortable ("I’m so boring, [crowd response]").
• Tie-in current trends (e.g., perm jokes).
• Use personal anecdotes sparingly—as long as there’s a strong punchline.
• Don't be afraid to self-roast.

Midwest vs. Vermont Segment – Should Vermont Join the Midwest? (53:18–73:58)

Call from Charlie "Conic" in Vermont (53:18–65:43)

• Self-Introductions: Two Charlies—Charlie Balcom (“Conic”) from Vermont, 20 years old, a fiber optic splicer.

• Vermont’s Case for Midwest Membership:

  • Small population, cold climate, flannel/plaid culture.
  • Cheese love (Cabot), soft serve ("creamies"), love of maple everything.
  • Most people are friendly, live simple lives, worry about fireworks tax, beer tax, and which state has cheaper liquor—very relatable to Midwest mindset.
    • Quote:
      "We both like cheese, not a lot of people… we talk about the weather a lot. It's not the heat, it's the humidity." – Conic (56:46)

• Local Lingo:

  • “Leaf peepers” for autumn tourists (67:02), “Massholes” for Massachusetts drivers, tales about New Hampshire and Quebecois neighbors.
    • “Leaf peepers—that might have just sold it right there.” – Myles (67:18)

• Funny Slice-of-Life: Tales of underage parties, field gatherings with hot dog trucks, and regional rivalries.

• Decision: After much lighthearted questioning and banter, the hosts "let Vermont into the Midwest," at least humorously for podcast purposes.

  • “Congratulations... We should do a graphic of the states we’ve said yes to letting in the Midwest.” – Myles (73:09)

Memorable Quotes & Moments (w/ Timestamps)

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Moment | |-----------|---------|--------------| | 05:09 | Charlie | “Do we even know each other? … usually you’re pressing on my insecurities unless you’re pulling punches, which I didn’t know you did!” | | 23:13 | Charlie | “You want to think headline, punchline, headline, punchline, fact about your life, punchline.” | | 25:06 | Charlie | “So your story though is they had you playing high functioning special needs child and you were good at it?” | | 27:41 | Charlie | “Andy Samberg and Will Ferrell had a threesome with a vacuum. Something like that.” | | 40:43 | Hannah | “I'm not sure if it would be funny because his jokes were good or because he was so awkward … laughing at him more than laughing with him.” | | 49:20 | Charlie | “You can do a whole run of jokes on how you’re so boring... just write out your actual likes and I think that'll be your set.” | | 56:46 | Conic | “We both like cheese, not a lot of people… we talk about the weather a lot. It's not the heat, it's the humidity.” | | 67:02 | Conic | “The leaf peepers? … They go, ‘oh my God, look at the pretty colors...’ let me stop on the freaking side of the highway and take pictures.” | | 73:09 | Myles | “Congratulations… We should do a graphic of the states we’ve said yes to letting in the Midwest.” |

Timestamps of Major Segments

• Gas station/snack bar banter: 00:52–11:14
• Listener stand-up comedy advice (Simeon): 18:32–50:48
  • Stand-up prep: 19:13–23:13
  • Writing process: 22:43–23:45
  • Working material live: 23:48–49:44
• Vermont/Midwest call-in segment: 53:18–73:58

Episode Tone & Style

• Casual, self-deprecating Midwest humor throughout, heavy on playful roasting between hosts.
• Discussions blend practical advice (comedy, hunting, wild game) with offbeat digressions and inside jokes.
• Inclusive and encouraging: The stand-up coaching is accessible and welcoming, especially for newcomers.
• Interactive: Involving caller’s family and even children creates a laid-back, communal bar atmosphere.

Conclusion

Episode #180 is a classic example of Bellied Up’s small-town, big-laughs ethos. Between deep dives into everyday curiosities (vision, sunglasses, squirrels), real-time comedy coaching for an actual would-be comedian, and a delightfully pointless regional admission hearing, Charlie and Myles illustrate “anyone can try stand-up”—as long as you can laugh at yourself along the way.

Best for:

• First-time stand-up comedians seeking practical (if unorthodox) advice
• Midwest transplants and lifers alike
• Anyone who loves a good-natured barroom riff between friends

Want your problem solved, a joke written, or your state inducted into the Midwest? Belly up and call in. As they say, "Tip your bartender, close your gas cap, and we'll see you on the next one."