<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3N4TQJ_1Gy83Zb200" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3N4TQJ_1Gy83Zb200" width="1600" height="900" ></figure>Wisconsin takes center stage this time of year. For sports fans, the Milwaukee Brewers won the franchise’s first World Series title, the city’s first since the 1957 Braves. Rabid football fans live or die from the gridiron results of the Big Ten’s Wisconsin Badgers and the NFL’s legendary Green Bay Packers. Like to eat? The Dairy State is home to more than a million dairy cows and each year produces more than 3 billion pounds of cheese. Want a “cupla two, tree beers?” There are more than 200 operational breweries there, with landmark brands, like Miller, producing more than 100 million gallons annually. Wisconsinites’ native accent and friendly disposition set them apart in the eyes of the rest of the country, and their comedy ambassador is Charlie Berens.On Saturday, Nov. 21, Berens will bring his Lost &amp; Found Tour to Embassy Theatre. <h2>Grinding</h2>Berens’ work over the years has paid off. Growing up one of 12 kids, as an up-and-comer he had four jobs at one point. After starting a career in journalism, his comedy enterprise covers many categories of pop culture. He’s the author of The New York Times best-selling book The Midwest Survival Guide: How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink, and Eat … Everything with Ranch. He’s produced the online local news series Manitowoc Minute, a myriad of Wisconsin-themed comedy sketches, and the podcasts Bellied Up and The Cripescast. He’s involved in bluegrass music. His celebrity and strong opinions have brought the local news spotlight to the debate over the potential negative impact of data centers on the environment of his home state at buildwisconsinbetter.org.He even fashions his own line of brandy. <h2>Representing the Midwest</h2>Ahead of his Fort Wayne stop, I was able to speak with Berens on variety of topics.Whatzup: What’s that comedy scene like in Milwaukee? <div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ykAcbT2kpuI?feature=oembed" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div>Berens: Pretty good. Years ago I left Wisconsin, kind of went around the country, ended up in L.A. That’s where I started doing stand-up. There you can do it every night multiple times. Milwaukee has less, but you can still get up four to five nights a week. Whatzup: I caught a recent interview with comedian Mark Normand. For him, Thursday through Sunday was for travel and performance; Monday through Wednesday for recording podcasts, spending time with family, and local spots. Is that similar to your schedule? Berens: Yeah, and there’s a lot of overlap, working on the road and stuff. You’ve got to make time to take off, which, of course, I never do. I do more sketches, where Mark does more podcasts. Whatzup: From the time you started doing stand-up, how long did it take you to find your voice, that Midwestern character? Berens: That came from a Manitowoc Minute sketch, which came from a stand-up bit. I think there’s a lot of truth in that character, in me. Nine or 10 years ago that happened. You build a bridge to who you really are and who the character is, then you walk over to it, but it’s still you. Whatzup: There are a lot of character comics from the South, like the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. From the Northeast, there’s Bob Marley from Maine. What is it about linking to your past in Wisconsin and making it work for an audience from the region, and those who are not? Berens: Early on, it was very much about that character. Over time, the character slowly just becomes more you. People can get sick of one character, but if you keep surprising them, you keep the audience, and yourself, engaged. They’re hungry to have community. We live in a world that’s doing everything it can to destroy that, largely with the social media. The cool thing is I’ve traveled around the country, they just want to be in the same room with Midwesterners, people from Packers bars or (Wisconsin) Badgers bars. That’s what this show has become. <h2>Standing up</h2>Whatzup: On your new album, Neighborly, you started personal, then went into the subject of AI, which you’ve spoken about extensively. Is that from your personal standpoint or your experience as a journalist? Berens: Me as a journalist. There’s this instinct when you see something that’s so obviously, I’ll say, corrupt, you should say something about it. To see my friends, relatives, get sort of pushed around with these data centers, it pulls on me to say something, especially when what we’re doing it for also makes very little sense. <h2>Breaking Through</h2>Whatzup: As a comedian, what was your first breakthrough moment? Berens: The first Manitowoc Minute, it took off. Then I did another one, and another. It kept building. After 10 of those, I had people offering me to headline. I wasn’t ready, but I said yes. I spent the next three months hitting the clubs really hard from the terror of bombing on a massive stage. Whatzup: From your book, The Midwest Survival Guide, do audience members question any specifics about the region, like their mom’s or aunt’s recipes for buckeyes or potato pancakes are better than yours? Berens: I love it when people do that, “Hey, you said this, but you should know in my family, it’s this.” I want something to be specific enough to be relatable and also debatable. If someone does it different, they’re going to have an opinion. That’s what you want. Whatzup: So, you’ve got the Brewers going to the series, first time since 1982…Berens: Oh my gosh, I’m really excited. My grandma’s a huge Brewers fan, and she gets to see this! I’ve worked with (Brewers outfielder) Christian Yelich the past few years hosting his Home Plate charity event, so I’ve gotten to know those guys a little bit. Yelich is just a kind, kind dude. It couldn’t happen to a better team and they’re focused on winning.</div></body>

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Wisconsin takes center stage this time of year. For sports fans, the Milwaukee Brewers won the franchise’s first World Series title, the city’s first since the 1957 Braves. Rabid football fans live or die from the gridiron results of the Big Ten’s Wisconsin Badgers and the NFL’s legendary Green Bay Packers.

Charlie Berens puts Midwest comedy on the map

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Wisconsin takes center stage this time of year. For sports fans, the Milwaukee Brewers won the franchise’s first World Series title, the city’s first since

Charlie Berens puts Midwest comedy on the map

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