Bellied Up Podcast: "One Extremely Expensive Catfish" (#178)

Hosts: Charlie Berens & Myles "You Betcha Guy"
Date: December 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Bellied Up is a signature mix of Midwest humor, heartfelt conversations, and wild stories from listeners. Charlie and Myles belly up at a small-town bar, answer live calls, and riff about everything from battling the winter blues and Christmas wishlist gripes to a jaw-dropping catfishing scam that cost a family over $400,000. Listeners get Midwest life advice, DIY fort-building debates, ice fishing tips, and a deep dive into how loneliness and internet scams can collide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Holiday Blues & Midwest Coping Skills (00:00–08:30)

• Charlie’s Strategy: Staying active to "outrun" bad feelings.
  • “I have a lot of Midwest in me. I do a lot of things if I’m not feeling good...so I can’t feel the bad feelings.” – Charlie (00:31)
• Myles’ Take: Sticking to routine, but doing it grumpily.
  • “I do the same thing I do every day, but I’m just shitty about it.” – Myles (03:17)
• Discussion about whether men experience a "male period," cycles of moodiness, and if their podcasting schedules could sync up.

2. Christmas Spirit and Gripes (08:31–15:23)

• The struggle of feeling (or not) the Christmas spirit.
• Self-consciousness: Charlie was insecure about his nose growing up, but now sees it as a feature.
• Fetishes: Playful debate about whether everyone truly has one (“Are you a foot guy?” — Myles).
• Annual what-do-you-want-for-Christmas bit and a riff on the best and worst gifts.
  • “I just can’t do another button-up.” – Myles, on unwanted gifts (17:23)
  • Discussion of the horrors of “nipple-chafing” shirts.

3. Midwest Household Chores & Life Hacks (15:45–24:52)

• Water softeners and dry winter skin
• Benches unfinished for over a year, Midwest barter system (“You cook dinner, I’ll stain your bench.”)
• The art of fort-building for kids vs. adults, and the joys/mess of letting go.

4. Toys & Parenting Philosophy (22:00–24:52)

• Myles’ frustration with his wife overbuying toys for their child.
  • “The more toys a kid has, the less creative, the less actual playing the kid does.” – Myles (22:28)
• Advocates for a “one in, one out” toy policy.

5. Ice Fishing 101: Advice for a Southern California Caller (Donovan) (34:45–64:07)

Donovan’s Dilemma (34:42–64:07):

• Former military, heavy equipment mechanic, new to Midwest; wants to fulfill his dream of ice fishing while in Fargo, ND on business.
• Top Tips for Newbies:
  • Go to an ice bar on Detroit Lakes—bring beer & curiosity to make friends and get invited to a shanty.
  • Don't buy gear you can't bring home; rely on local fisherman generosity (or “borrow” from Myles…or not).
  • Dress warm, get ice picks for safety, skip the fancy snow suit.
  • “It’s hard to get in a shanty, but way harder to get kicked out!” – Charlie
  • Play up being an out-of-towner: Midwesterners love showing newcomers “the way.”
  • “Just start talking about meat salads. You’re gonna find your way into some perch pretty quick.” – Charlie (64:08)
• DIY “tuber” idea: Convert an old Suburban into a mobile ice fishing house.

6. The Catfishing Catastrophe (Cliff’s Call) (66:23–95:31)

Story of a Family Scammed Out of $400,000+ (66:54–95:31):

• Cliff shares a harrowing family story: His uncle (by marriage) fell for a sophisticated text-message scam (“pig butchering” scam: fake romantic relationship, escalating requests for crypto “investments”).
  • “He sent $50,000…then $400,000. All gone.” – Cliff (75:00, 75:33)
  • “He still thinks she’s real. He lost everything: his wife, his daughters won’t talk to him. He gave up his 5-bedroom house, now he’s in a single-wide.” – Cliff (79:00, 81:37)
• Hosts relate, discuss how technology and AI make scams easier, and urge listeners to be careful of unsolicited texts:
  • “It’s never been easier to scam.” – Charlie (82:53)
  • “If you get a weird text, just don’t answer.” – Myles (93:39)
  • “Could you imagine giving all that up? For nothing.” – Charlie (81:26)
• Note on how some older listeners fell for scams using AI-generated voices claiming to be family members in distress.
• Midwestern PSA: Be careful, especially around the holidays.

7. Lighter Midwest Banter & Running Gags (Throughout)

• Singing "You Raise Me Up" (29:13), debate over church choirs, Midwest choirs made up of only gray-haired folks.
• The never-ending bit: “You got a kid” — Myles uses it as an all-purpose excuse for not replying to messages.
• Midwest sign-offs: “Remember to change your air filter…watch out for deer.”
• Barroom metaphors, “project fidgeting” as therapy, and classic dad-isms.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Coping Midwest-Style:
  • "Depression can't hit a moving target." – Miles (01:44)
• On Ice Fishing Etiquette:
  • “Just bring your curiosity and a few beers. Once you’re in a shanty, you don’t have to leave.” – Charlie (45:14)
• On Unwanted Gifts:
  • “I just can’t do another button up. Button ups are tough… sometimes they chafe your nipples.” – Charlie (17:23)
  • “Try it on before you buy it, just make sure it’s not a nipple chafer.” – Charlie (19:28)
• On Scams:
  • “He sent $50,000…then $400,000. All gone.” – Cliff (75:00, 75:33)
  • “He gave up his 5-bedroom, 4-bath, 2,500 sq foot, heated garage, vaulted ceiling house for that…crazy!” – Myles (81:26)
  • “If you get a weird text, just don’t answer.” – Myles (93:39)
• On Fort Building:
  • “I was just trying to not make a mess out of your living room…I didn’t know how free we could get with the forts in the Monplaisure household.” – Charlie (24:30)

Important Timestamps

• Coping mechanisms for bad days: 00:22–04:35
• Christmas mood, opening up about childhood insecurities: 08:34–10:45
• Debate over fetishes & Midwest palm reading bit: 11:10–13:23
• Nipple-chafing shirt complaints: 17:18–19:58
• Toys & parenting philosophies: 21:55–24:52
• Ice fishing and advice for Donovan (SoCal caller): 34:42–64:07
• Cliff’s “catfished for $400,000” call: 66:23–95:31

Listener Takeaways

• Laugh: At Midwest life quirks, childhood insecurities, and playful banter.
• Learn: Real-world ice fishing etiquette and the dangers of online scams, especially for older or isolated relatives.
• Reflect: On the importance of vigilance online, and the value in simple, creative play for families.
• Connect: With the spirit of small-town bars, Midwest resourcefulness, and the universal need for connection.

Tone: Playful, self-deprecating, candidly Midwestern, veers from heartfelt to hilarious without losing its down-to-earth spirit.

Bellied Up continues to deliver rollicking, honest conversations that mix Midwest wisdom, good humor, and big-hearted advice—whether you’re surviving the winter, the holidays, or the wilds of the internet.