Charlie Berens is a Wisconsin-based comedian who has been featured on Comedy Central, Fox, CBS, Funny or Die and more. He has amassed a large following of nearly three million followers on TikTok and is coming to Stephens Auditorium Friday.
The last time Berens performed in Ames in 2022, he performed for a sold-out Stephens Auditorium. However, even if you went to that show, the comedian encourages you to come to this one as well.
“It’s gonna be a big party,” Berens said. “It always is. I think that if you love stand-up, there will be something for you. There’s something for people who like the video elements of what we do in the show. There’s a musical element – Adam Greuel is opening up, he’s from a band called Horseshoes and Hand Grenades – and he’s actually doing some sort of musical standup with the guitar… It’s gonna be a good time.”
Much of Berens’ comedic style is due to being from the Midwest, which he often discusses in an amiably self-deprecating way.
“I think that’s very ingrained in the Midwest,” Berens said. “We’ve been forgotten kind of by the rest of the country in a lot of ways. And I think like, when that happens over time, you start to develop this self-deprecating sense of humor, you know … so maybe that’s part of it … And then in Wisconsin, I mean, that’s the kind of place where people would wear a cheese head to a funeral. I think that translates to a regional thing, really a regional gift, honestly, just not taking ourselves too seriously.”
Many of Beren’s projects, including his work on the weekly comedy series “Manitowoc Minute” and his New York Times bestselling book, “The Midwest Survival Guide,” reflect his positive feelings about the culture of the Midwest.
“I think there’s a lot of like, love for the outdoors,” Berens said. “There is love for family and for just, you know, treating each other, whoever it is, kind of the way you’d want to be treated… I don’t know where it all comes from. But it’s, it’s certainly something I enjoy about living here.”
In addition to his long list of comedy accolades, the Wisconsinite released a Bluegrass album called “Unthawed” in 2020 with Greuel. The album combines Bluegrass and country music with Berens’ signature comedic elements. The release quickly rose to number one on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart.
Though it may come as a surprise, Berens actually began his career as a journalist, even winning a Regional Emmy in 2013 for his work with KDAF-TV, a local CW affiliate out of Dallas, Texas. He said his journalistic education had helped him with his comedy, especially his stand-up routines.
“Both require a lot of observing, and a lot of questioning what is and looking at our lives the way we’ve been living them and asking, ‘Is this intentional? Is this right? Does that seem right? Does it seem wrong? Does it seem interesting?’” Berens said. “The connections between journalism and comedy are in that role of observing us as humans, what we’re doing right and what we might be able to do better.”
Those interested in purchasing tickets can do so through the Stephens Auditorium box office or Ticketmaster. The show starts at 8 p.m. Friday and doors will open approximately 45 minutes before.
Nicholas Holmberg | Apr 11, 2024 at 8:15 am
Charlie puts on a great show. If you have a chance, also check out his buddy Dude Dad. And watch their YT vid “Husbands of Target.”