Bellied Up Podcast Episode #171: "Charlie Ticks Off Michigan"

Released: October 16, 2025 | Hosts: Charlie Berens & Myles (“You Betcha Guy”)

Episode Overview

Charlie and Myles belly up at The Sports Bar in downtown Fargo for a nostalgic and wide-ranging comedic exploration of Midwestern bar culture, college memories, hunting politics, awkward in-law dynamics, and the art of not taking oneself too seriously. As usual, they take live call-ins from listeners across the Midwest, blending advice, banter, and relatable life stories—all while cracking open the quirks and codes of Midwestern living.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bar Banter: Reminiscing at Fargo’s “Sports Bar”

• Setting the Scene:
  • Charlie and Myles broadcast from “The Sports Bar” in Fargo, a staple of Myles’ college days.
• Nostalgia & Rituals:
  • Myles describes the strangeness of being sober in a bar he frequented “three sheets to the wind” in college (00:46).
  • Myles shares that this is the bar where he met his wife, Anne, during a playful St. Patrick’s Day encounter (02:19).
• On College Bar Culture:
  • Both riff on the elements of a good college bar: lots of open space, minimal tables, a packed, chaotic late-night vibe, and cheap drinks.
  • Must-haves: sticky floors (no carpet), Big Buck Hunter arcade games, a “nuts to butts” crowd, and a barback with “unbelievable talking skills” (10:19).
  • “A good college bar isn’t a good college bar unless it’s impossible to move around in there. It’s got to be nuts to butts.” — Myles (07:56)
• On Tradition:
  • Myles and Charlie agree the best bars don’t change, sustaining that nostalgic “time machine” effect (12:08).

2. Caller #1: Ralph/Joel the Park Ranger — The Duck Blind Dilemma

• Listener Issue: Ralph experiences his duck hunting spot being poached by locals who camp out, drinking Bush Light all night, always beating him to the spot (19:41).
• Midwestern Honesty: Charlie jokes, “You can’t beat it, you join them. That’s it.” (20:14)
• Etiquette & Ethics of Sharing Hunting Spots:
  • The group debates the boundaries of inviting friends-of-friends and the unwritten rules of spot-sharing.
  • “There should be a guy with a book...kept in pen...of who hunts what.” — Charlie (24:29)
• On Outdoor Gear Snobbery:
  • Light-hearted ribbing about kayak brands leads to Charlie mock-offended by judgment of his Old Town Loon kayak (27:14).
  • The revelation: Ralph is a federal park ranger, aka “Ranger Rick,” and veteran of outdoor equipment (29:37).
• The “Quack Quack Seat Back” Solution:
  • By the end, the gang proposes a tongue-in-cheek hunting land “reservation” system for public land (36:07).

3. Classic Midwestern Comedy and “Compounding Charlies”

• Charlie’s ‘Compounding Charlie’ Theory:
  • Anecdotes about a string of minor mishaps (broken phones, forgetting straps on boat launches) morphing into an “avalanche of bad luck” (41:12).

4. Caller #2: Russell Nicolay, the Lawyer — “No Tickling in Court”

• Courtroom Representation in Media:
  • “I learned all my lawyering from My Cousin Vinny.” — Russell (45:25)
• Theatrics & Oration:
  • Discussion of winning over a jury through calm, relatable argumentation rather than theatrics or aggression.
  • “You’re just showing them...shining light and evidence. And they’re like, Aha! Russell’s client’s being wronged.” — Russell (50:03)
• On Humor with Juries:
  • Russell warns against humor that doesn’t land; Charlie jokes about “gaslighting the audience” when bombing on stage (39:01).
• Faux-Erotic “Legal” Film Titles Segment:
  • Miles and Charlie riff on legal-themed adult film puns, i.e. “Disbarred,” “Nine Jurors, One Judge” (52:07).

5. Caller #3: Jason — “In-Law Escapades, Michigan to the UP”

• Charlie Accused of Causing a Migration:
  • Jason playfully blames Charlie for inspiring Flatlanders (downstate folks/outsiders) to move up north (54:19).
• Father-in-Law Dilemma:
  • Jason has been with his wife for a decade but is still only allowed to call his vegan father-in-law “Mr. White” (56:44).
  • “My wife catches a lot of flak from him for eating meat.” — Jason (58:09)
• Cultural Commentary:
  • Miles explores surprising affinities between “blue collar hunting types” and vegans: both like routines, strong food preferences, suspicion of authority, and drinking weird stuff (61:04).
• Vegan Extremes:
  • Mr. White brings his own grill camping to avoid meat contamination and is described as “an odd duck” — but a man who enjoys whiskey, pool, and cribbage with Jason (66:43).
  • Carrot dogs (“you boil it down, put it on a bun, pretend it’s a hot dog”) make for a memorably awkward first meal with the in-laws (70:13).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On College Bars:
  • “Every table is a liability after 11pm.” — Charlie (07:25)
  • “You want a long bar because there’s just gonna be...waves crashing to the shore. The bar is the shoreline and the people are the waves.” — Charlie (09:13)
• On Small Town Tradition:
  • “The last piece of what makes a really good college bar...is that it never changes.” — Myles (12:03)
• Caller Wisdom:
  • “There should be a whole section of the DNR that polices other people stealing hunting spots.” — Myles (24:07)
• Charlie’s Compounding Charlie:
  • “You can’t afford to have too many Charlies in a row...it’s a disaster.” — Charlie (41:19)
• Vegan Dad-In-Law:
  • “I made a comment about how many ingredients were in his Beyond Burgers versus my meat patty and boy, that didn’t go over well.” — Jason (67:45)
  • “His name’s Mr. White?” (58:09), “Yep.” — Routine continues even when they’re out drinking and on the same pool team.
• Cultural Razor’s Edge:
  • “How much different are vegans than blue collar hunting types?...Turns out, not much.” — Miles (61:22)
• Charlie Bombing, Comedian Survival:
  • “If you gotta ask [for gambling advice], you don’t know.” — Myles (15:55)
  • “I’ve gotten that T-shirt, Ralph. You’ll see when I perform live for you...” — Charlie (39:19)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 – 16:08: Bar banter, nostalgia, college bar essentials
• 16:11 – 19:41: Prize picks/gambling promo, Charlie’s tour plug
• 19:41 – 44:04: Ralph/Joel, hunting spot etiquette, kayak snobbery, park ranger stories (“Quack Quack Seat Back” idea)
• 41:12: Charlie's “Compounding Charlie” explanation
• 44:58 – 53:07: Lawyer Russell, Midwest courts in movies, tickling in court, “disbarred” legal puns
• 53:12 – 74:01: Jason, in-law/vegan tension, cultural identity, carrot dogs, Michigan-to-Wisconsin move, property woes

Episode Tone & Language

Light-hearted, self-effacing, and densely packed with Midwestern idioms, playful ribbing, and affectionate satire. The hosts remain true to their blue collar comedic roots, alternating between life advice, community-building, and lampooning their own (and their callers’) foibles.

For Newcomers: Why Listen?

This episode is a perfect window into the “Bellied Up” world: part barstool therapy, part call-in comedy, with plenty of affection for Midwest culture. Even if you haven’t lived through these exact situations—awkward encounters with in-laws, the battle for your old hunting spot, or the struggle of remembering not to compound your mistakes—you’ll find something here that feels unmistakably familiar, and laugh-out-loud funny.

Want More?

Hear local stories, small-town etiquette, and the “realest” Midwest banter—every Thursday. To call in, follow the show and watch their Instagram for details.