The Commercial Break

TCB Infomercial: Charlie Berens
December 26, 2025
Guests: Charlie Berens
Hosts: Bryan Green & Krissy Hoadley

Episode Overview

In this lively TCB Infomercial, Bryan and Krissy welcome comedian Charlie Berens, the mind behind the viral Midwest parody series “Manitowoc Minute.” With a unique, self-aware irreverence and tons of Midwest humor, the conversation covers Charlie’s comedic roots, his journey from journalism to content creation, family life as one of 12 siblings, Wisconsin’s surprising brandy obsession, his new stand-up special on YouTube, and the traditions (and hazards) of ice fishing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Midwest Roots and Relatable Comedy

• Midwest Upbringing:

  • Charlie and Bryan bond over their upbringing in the Midwest (Chicago suburbs and Milwaukee area), highlighting the subtlety and relatability of “Midwest nice.”
  • Bryan: “Your comedy is extraordinarily familiar to me... these are characters I know, these are accents I know” (08:56).

• Comedy Genesis:

  • Charlie discusses evolving from a not-so-passionate journalist to stand-up comic, then viral video creator—leaning into his accent and Midwest mannerisms.
  • Charlie: “I was told I couldn’t do voiceovers at this place because of my accent... so I just decided to do this stand-up character and doubled down on it.” (15:00)

• Viral Content:

  • Recounts his first big viral video “‘If Jack Dawson Was Really from Wisconsin’” (2016) and the 2017 birth of “Manitowoc Minute,” which shifted his career.
  • Charlie: “Then I knew I was onto something...” (16:34)

2. Living as a Midwest Celebrity

• Recognition:

  • Charlie’s local fame means he’s recognized especially in Green Bay and Milwaukee, but it’s relatively manageable. He enjoys interacting with fans, striving not to create a “prison” for himself by hiding away.
  • Charlie: “The more I go out, the more people get used to seeing me, and really the less they care, you know?” (12:37)

• Big Midwest Family Life:

  • Charlie confirms he’s one of 12 siblings from a devout Catholic family. Sunday dinners are still a tradition, and the hosts compare experiences of huge Catholic family life.
  • Charlie: “You learn how to fight, you know, you learn how to steal. You learn how to take food before someone else does. I’m still a very fast eater to this day because of that.” (19:44)

• Generational Gaps in Mega-families:

  • Discusses the differences between the oldest and youngest siblings—practical survival over cereal (Lucky Charms disputes!), and how the dynamic shifts over decades in big families.
  • Charlie: “There’s 17 years between the oldest and the youngest... there are two generations in a family of 12.” (42:51, 43:13)

3. Brandy, Beer, and Wisconsin Drinking Stories

• Wisconsin Brandy Culture:

  • Charlie has launched his own “Baron’s Old Fashioned Brandy”—because, as he shares, 85% of America’s brandy gets drunk in Wisconsin (prohibition origins, old-fashioned cocktails).
  • Charlie: “Wisconsin drinks more brandy than Wisconsin drinks 85% of the United States brandy...” (02:17, repeated 21:43)

• Drinks Entrepreneurship:

  • The journey of launching his own beer and later, brandy, amid the challenges of the alcohol business (COVID, competition with seltzers, restrictive liquor laws).
  • Charlie: “With the Brandy... I just wanted to have one that was from Wisconsin, you know. Nice. And yeah, so that was kind of a passion project.” (25:07)

• Cautious Partying:

  • On refusing to become the “perpetually drunk comic,” Charlie talks about the balance between participating with fans and protecting your reputation in the smartphone era.
  • Charlie: “You see me do shots, I’m gonna have a PR nightmare on my hands...” (28:52)

4. The Influence of Environment

• Seasonal Life in the Midwest:

  • Charlie expresses genuine love for the winters—especially for the wildlife, like hosting “red-breasted mergansers” (his favorite ducks).
  • Charlie: “My favorite ducks come back on the river and red-breasted mergansers. Great duck.” (34:13)

• Ice Fishing Traditions:

  • A detailed, comic walkthrough of Wisconsin’s ice fishing culture—from safe shanties with space heaters, to the dangers of thinning ice in warmer winters.
  • Charlie: “You bring out your ice shanny and you go out there, you have some beers, and you just sit there with your tip up and lock and load, baby.” (36:13)

5. Touring, Special, & Audience

• Touring Outside the Midwest:

  • Starts with regional shows but soon learns that Midwest ex-pats fill shows even as he tours nationally and overseas, with a hybrid audience of locals and transplants.
  • Charlie: “I learned then that Midwest people move out of the Midwest, but they still want to be reminded of home.” (31:59)

• New Special: "Neighborly"

  • His new YouTube special, “Neighborly,” is the first ever filmed in Appleton, WI. He emphasizes the importance of access for fans (“free on YouTube for my money-conscious Midwest fans”).
  • Charlie: “We shot it in Appleton, Wisconsin, which is the first stand up special ever shot in Appleton, Wisconsin.” (40:53)
  • Charlie on YouTube vs Netflix: “You put it on Netflix and they write all these bad reviews... you put it on YouTube and I can just delete your comment. No, I’m kidding.” (39:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Wisconsin drinks more brandy than... 85% of the United States brandy.” (Charlie, 02:17 / 21:43)
• “I was told I couldn't do voiceovers... because of my accent. So I just... doubled down on it.” (Charlie, 15:00)
• “I almost feel like, the more I go out... the more people get used to seeing me, and really the less they care.” (Charlie, 12:37)
• On Midwest manners: “In the Midwest, there’s this kind of in-your-face honesty... Midwestern people generally are nice.” (Bryan, 18:32)
• “With the Brandy... I just wanted to have one that was from Wisconsin. Nice. And, yeah, so that was kind of a passion project.” (Charlie, 25:07)
• “You see me do shots, I'm gonna have a PR nightmare on my hands.” (Charlie, 28:52)
• “There’s 17 years between the oldest and the youngest... there are two generations in a family of 12.” (Charlie, 42:51, 43:13)

Important Timestamps

• 02:08 — Wisconsin’s Brandy Obsession (intro banter)
• 08:56 — Charlie’s Midwest relatability, background in journalism
• 15:00 — Stand-up origin story, accent, doubling down on “Midwest”
• 18:32 — The nature of “Midwest nice” vs. the South
• 19:12 — Growing up in a family of 12, Sunday dinners
• 21:43 — Brandy drinking culture in Wisconsin, “Baron’s Brandy”
• 25:07 — Why create a Wisconsin-born brandy
• 28:52 — Alcohol industry war stories & responsible partying
• 34:13 — Love for Wisconsin winters, favorite ducks
• 36:13 — Ice fishing explained, shanty life
• 39:57 — About the new special “Neighborly” on YouTube
• 42:51 — Two generations under one roof; big family quirks

Overall Tone & Takeaways

• Warm, irreverent, and deeply Midwestern: The episode is packed with affectionate jabs, playful nostalgia, and sideways wisdom about how the Midwest survives, and laughs at, itself.
• Identity and relatability: Charlie’s success is built on finding the nuances only “insiders” see, but making them funny and familiar for a universal audience.
• Authenticity in content creation: From journalism to internet celebrity to spirits entrepreneur, Berens shows gumption and self-deprecation, always bringing the conversation back “home.”
• Memorable banter: The chemistry between Charlie and the hosts invites the listener into a holiday gathering of born-and-bred Midwesterners—quippy, warm, and unfiltered.

Find Charlie’s special "Neighborly" on YouTube, follow him on social media, and keep an eye out for future tour dates (maybe Atlanta!).