Bellied Up Podcast #190

Episode Title: Daughter Discovers Her Dad’s Secret
Date: March 5, 2026
Hosts: Myles ("You Betcha Guy") & Charlie Berens
Location: Hooligans, West Fargo, North Dakota

Episode Overview

This episode of the Bellied Up Podcast takes listeners from light-hearted Midwest banter about brunch and travel plans to truly unique territory, including a call-in about taxidermy addiction and a memorable, therapy-like conversation with a caller whose father is secretly living a swinger lifestyle. Myles and Charlie deliver their characteristic blend of sincerity and sharp-witted comedy as they support, tease, and coach their callers through surprisingly deep issues—delivering both laughs and authentic moments.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Brunch, Boots, and Vegas Warm-Up (00:00–18:00)

• Hosts banter about their brunch at Hooligans, particularly praising omelettes and brunch hours (00:00–01:15).

  • "You can always tell an omelette that's made with love, Miles." – Charlie (00:22)

• Charlie discusses an upcoming show in Vegas and riffs on how Midwesterners retire to places like Las Vegas. Myles quizzes him on his act and they riff on “test-driving” new Vegas material, with plenty of bits about hotel rooms and the perils of minibar and "intimacy kit" charges.

  • Notable bit: The $86 “intimacy kit” saga, leading to speculation and a failed attempt to call the infamous “Billy Deuce” (06:00–08:40).
  • "Can you imagine paying $86 for an intimacy kit you didn't get any intimacy from?" – Charlie (07:02)
  • Ongoing joke: “Only do organic, cage-free lube.” (09:16)

2. Caller #1: Drew & The Taxidermy Addiction (18:02–40:42)

Drew’s Story:

• Drew, an avid hunter in his mid-20s, describes his growing addiction to taxidermy since having his first wood duck mounted at age 14. He now spends adult money on mounting birds and deer and considers learning taxidermy himself.

  • "I can do what I want. I have an adult job, I have adult money, I have my own place, I have my own dog. I can do whatever I want." – Drew (19:30)

• Mountings and Financial Toll:

  • Drew has mounted multiple pheasants (including a rare black one), ducks, geese, and a big buck—spending ~$3,000 in the last year alone.
  • "We're just going to keep chucking down the tube on this one, because I'll pay for a good price on a good quality piece." – Drew (23:05)

• Marriage Dynamics:

  • His wife tolerates (and even names) some of the mounts, but is unaware of all his current stashes; their arrangement includes a one-for-one: more hunts/mounts earns her more tattoos.
  • "Part of me honestly doesn't necessarily care what she thinks because at that point it's my own endeavor." – Drew (25:02)
  • "She's actually started to name some of the taxidermy a couple years ago." – Drew (25:24)

• Hosts Advise:

  • Myles and Charlie caution about turning a hobby you love into full-time work and discuss the dangers of bad taxidermy reputations.
  • "The quickest way to not love something anymore is turn it into a thing that you rely on for money." – Myles (24:17)

• Memorable Moments:

  • Drew describes a “duck shoulder mount” and debates whether he’s ever felt bad shooting a really beautiful duck.
  • “Next thing you’re gonna do is a squirrel shoulder mount as well, or no?” – Myles (28:35)
  • Hosts riff on the logistics of shipping a giraffe for taxidermy and the oddness of such trophies (33:20–34:49).

• Conclusion:

  • Drew leaves with some good-natured ribbing about the practicality of hunting, marriage trade-offs, and the wonders of a “duck shoulder mount” by the gun cabinet.
  • "You can't eat taxidermy." – Charlie (38:23)

3. Caller #2: “Amber” – The Dad’s Secret Revealed (41:01–70:10)

Amber’s Situation:

• Amber (pseudonym), a stay-at-home mom with twin 14-month-olds, seeks advice on what to call her father and his new wife as grandparents, having discovered they appear to be swingers.

  • "My sisters and I recently put together the pieces that our dad and his new wife have [an] open relationship." – Amber (42:42)
  • The hosts lose it: “You do you. Well, it sounds like not just you, you do you and you and you…” – Charlie (43:05)

• How She Found Out:

  • Online messages outed her dad’s extracurricular activities, and further investigation revealed a network of “swinger signs” like flamingo lawn ornaments (44:25–46:16).
  • "The Philandering Flamingos—you get the alliteration of the sound." – Charlie (46:16)

• The Emotional Fallout:

  • Amber’s discomfort with the idea of labeling her father as simply “grandpa,” due to his lifestyle, unearths deep unresolved feelings about his past infidelity.
  • Hosts gently coach her through why it feels wrong, entering a near-therapy session, complete with role play:
    • “No judgment to him… So you can't just keep judging him and then keep saying no judgment to him.” – Myles (52:52)
    • “Before, he was being dishonest about who he was, and now he’s being honest about who he is with his current partner. So maybe this is a step in the right direction.” – Charlie (55:17)
    • Amber, honestly: “Disgusted… Like, I knew he wasn't a great guy, but, like, come on.” (54:57)

• Therapy-Like Unpacking: (54:57–63:07)

  • Myles and Charlie encourage Amber to acknowledge her disgust, then explore its roots in her childhood wounds from her father’s infidelity:
    • "I'm trying to protect my kids from that." – Amber (60:33)
  • They discuss accepting what you can't control, not projecting trauma onto kids, and the value of assuming the best.
    • "If you could fast forward 20 years and your dad treated your kids just fine, would you feel better?" – Myles (63:07)
    • "Assume the best—otherwise, you spend 20 years worrying." – Myles (63:46)

• Mixing Laughter and Empathy:

  • The hosts joke about passive-aggressive naming ("That’s that passive aggressive—what are you, Catholic?"), but ultimately land on calling him Grandpa and his wife Nana, just as they would otherwise (64:26).
  • Brewed-up bits on swinger party etiquette (“Keep your keys outside the fishbowl and you’ll be fine”) and Facebook sleuthing on “swingers trips” (67:10).

• Closing Reflections:

  • The call ends with more empathy, a reminder to “feel the pain” to reduce its power, and permission not to have all the answers.
    • “A lot of people avoid feeling pain because they think feeling the pain is going to lead to more pain. But I think when you really sit and feel the pain…it gets less and less over time.” – Charlie (62:35)
  • “You shield the trauma so they don’t have to.” – Myles (69:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Intimacy Kits in Vegas:

  • “Can you imagine paying $86 for an intimacy kit you didn't get any intimacy from?” – Charlie (07:02)
  • “I only do lube if it's fair trade. Cage free lube.” – Myles (09:25)

• Taxidermy Logic:

  • “You can't eat taxidermy.” – Charlie (38:23)
  • “I think you just call them grandparents. … Why do you feel the need at 15 months to let them know– hey, just so you know…” – Myles (43:27)

• Amber’s Emotional Honesty:

  • "Disgusted… Like, I knew he wasn't a great guy, but, like, come on." – Amber (54:57)
  • “I'm trying to protect my kids from that.” – Amber (60:33)
  • “Assume the best—otherwise, you spend 20 years worrying.” – Myles (63:46)

• Therapeutic Humor:

  • “Just because they go spread eagle at Sandals doesn’t mean that they’re any worse people. You know, there’s different strokes for different folks. And these folks just happen to do a lot of different strokes with a lot of different folks.” – Charlie (53:53)
  • “You don't want to call him something else so he knows you're mad without actually telling him—that's that passive aggressive. What are you, Catholic?” – Charlie (64:29)

• Sibling Bonding:

  • “That's kind of fun...you're like decoding what went on, who was sleeping with who, and then who's commenting on what.” – Myles (67:21)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–05:30: Brunch at Hooligans, Vegas show promo and inside jokes about the Midwest
• 06:00–13:15: The $86 hotel “intimacy kit” story, ongoing riff
• 18:02–40:42: Call with Drew on taxidermy, hunting, and marriage impacts
• 41:01: Introduction of “Amber” and her dad’s swinging secret
• 43:26–50:00: The swingers “flamingo” reveal, family dynamic dissection
• 54:57–63:07: Therapy-like section, Amber processes childhood wounds, explores naming issues
• 63:46–69:00: Emotional resolution, practical advice, and moving forward

Summary

Bellied Up #190 is a standout episode showcasing the podcast’s trademark mix of folk comic storytelling, practical wisdom, and midwestern irreverence. Myles and Charlie manage a delicate dance between hearty laughter and sincere empathy as they coach one caller through the depths of taxidermy obsession and help another work through genuine emotional fallout from discovering her father’s swinger lifestyle. Standout moments include the Vegas “intimacy kit” saga, heartfelt reflections on marriage, and an unexpectedly deep therapy session on generational trauma and acceptance.

With wit and warmth, the hosts turn even the most awkward of family secrets into moments of growth, connection, and—of course—plenty of unforgettable laughs.