The Cripescast Podcast

For Milwaukee sanitation worker Derek Hoppe, the job is more than just a routine; it’s almost meditative. Whether he's soaking up fresh air while collecting garbage cans or finding intense focus behind the wheel of a snowplow, Derek finds a rhythm that makes the hours fly by. Longtime friends, Charlie sits down with Derek this week to dig into the world of municipal sanitation. From the most bizarre discoveries on his route to ...

Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo is more than just a basketball player. Whether it’s his career on the court, his podcast Thanalysis, or some other entrepreneurial venture, he believes that success is about creating an ecosystem rather than just focusing on one thing. In this week’s episode, he opens up about his late father’s quiet strength, as well as the ways that his Greek and Nigerian roots influence him as an im...

Artist Ike Wynter has a deep appreciation for what most people throw away. Growing up in his family’s junk removal business, he learned early on how to spot beauty in the discarded. When he started turning salvaged wood from old furniture, picket fences, and abandoned buildings into art, everything fell into place. His distinctive work quickly gained attention online, attracting major clients like the Milwaukee Brewers, the NHL, an...

For Tellurian Behavioral Health CEO Kevin Florek, helping those in crisis is in his blood. Started by his uncle in the 1970s, Tellurian was a response to the addiction and mental health issues that Vietnam veterans faced after returning home from the war. Since then, Tellurian has expanded across the entire state of Wisconsin to serve over 9,000 people annually – many of whom would otherwise end up in worse conditions. This week, K...

You might know him as “Coach” or the voice of “Mr. Incredible,” but Craig T. Nelson takes on a deeply personal and dramatic role in Green and Gold (2025). He portrays Buck, a struggling Wisconsin dairy farmer who bets everything on the Packers’ 1993 season while trying to mend a fragile bond with his granddaughter Jenny, played by Madison Lawlor. This small-budget indie film was a true passion project for Nelson, a lifelong Packers...

This week on the Cripescast, comedians Daniel Van Kirk and Bill Doucette are back! Though it’s their first time meeting, you'd never know it—their chemistry is instant as they dive into hilarious stories and banter like old friends. Alongside Charlie, they swap some core childhood memories, from the time Charlie was convinced his grandparents were getting divorced, to Bill’s childhood aversion to sleeping in socks. They also give u...

Everyone’s favorite gambling ladies are back! This week, Charlie makes yet another trip to the casino with Grandma Sue, Aunt Mary, and Lois Bentley. Along the drive Grandma Sue gives us a health update, Lois shares STD gossip from living in The Villages, and Aunt Mary learns about swingers and “sliding in the DMs.” Of course, no episode of the Cripescast with these gals would be complete without a look into Mary’s love life. Stick ...

Michelle Miller, aka "The Farm Babe," traded Rodeo Drive for the rodeo and never looked back—except when it comes to shoes. Growing up in the Midwest with 4-H and horses, she now advocates for farmers by educating consumers about food. On this episode of the Cripescast, she debunks farming myths and jokes about the slim dating pool for farm boys. She also shares stories of her adventurous life, from traveling the world and working ...

Joel Brammeier is passionate about the Great Lakes. Whether it was as a kid exploring their shorelines in the Detroit suburbs, or as the president and CEO of Alliance for the Great Lakes today, he's always been drawn to them. With 20% of the Earth’s fresh surface water belonging to the Great Lakes, Joel explains how crucial it is that we start taking microplastics seriously and that “regulation” doesn’t need to be a bad term wh...

Dana Ehrmann didn't tell her first jokes to an audience, she told them to Lake Michigan. West Allis native and Wisconsin State Fair aficionado, Dana has become a staple in the Milwaukee comedy scene and was even Charlie’s very first opener back in 2017. This week, she joins the Cripescast to share her bizarre introduction to comedy, play some Wisconsin trivia, and talk about Wisconsin’s most notorious serial killers. Off stage, she...

This week, guitarist from Portugal. The Man Eric Howk joins Charlie for a conversation from a green room in Portland to talk all things touring. Having grown up in a small town in Alaska, Eric moved to Seattle at 18, diving head first into life as a young and hungry musician. From his early days living out of a van, to adjusting to life on the road after a paralyzing accident at age 26, to joining Portugal. The Man in 2015, Eric’s ...

If you have an accent, it’s likely Daniel Van Kirk has already picked it up. Whether it’s a byproduct of being a comedian or his ability to connect with people, he’s a colloquial chameleon and he just can’t help it. He and Charlie start this episode of the Cripescast off hot by rewatching old, yet seductive, Sybaris Hotel commercials and reminiscing about their Midwest upbringings. Although he’s technically a FIB, Daniel uses today...

It’s estimated that 8 million tons of plastic enter the world’s oceans every year. But did you know, the plastic we see floating on the oceans’ surface, is only ~1% of those 8 million tons? As for the 99% below the surface? They’re still a mystery to the scientists studying microplastics today. One in particular is Dr. Lawrence Pratt, senior scientist at the Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) in Massachusetts, who is workin...

This week, Bill Doucette, otherwise known as Billy Deuce, returns for his second solo appearance on the Cripescast. Charlie’s long time friend and frequent collaborator, the two spend this episode cracking jokes and trying out bits. Equipped with an acoustic guitar, Bill reveals a song that he wrote in high school, gives his best musical impressions, and shares a tune from his career as a children’s musician. Ladies: stick around t...

For filmmakers Anders and Davin Lindwall, telling a story about farming and the Green Bay Packers was deeply personal. They explain how their new movie, “Green and Gold”, was directly inspired by their childhood growing up on their grandfather’s dairy farm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The film stars Craig T. Nelson as Buck, a struggling dairy farmer who wagers everything on the Packers’ 1993 season, while his granddaughter J...

Filmmaker Nathan Deming believes that Wisconsin is full of stories worth telling. That’s exactly what he hopes to accomplish with his 12-part interconnected film series called the “Year Project”. Each film showcases a different month of the year about unrelated subjects and tells unique stories, but what ties them all together is their backdrop: the state of Wisconsin. His most recent installment, “February”, tells the story of a M...

Trauma surgeon and humanitarian physician Feroze Sidhwa has worked in healthcare systems across the globe. From volunteering in Ukraine to Haiti, from Zimbabwe to Burkina Faso, Feroze has seen it all. However, his extensive time in Gaza is what inspired him to write an open letter to the White House, detailing the humanitarian crisis he had observed there. That letter, signed by dozens of other doctors working in Gaza, was eventual...

The perfect way to start the new year? A brand new Cripescast episode chock full of inspiration. Supplying the advice is Wayne White, renowned artist and Emmy award-winning designer for Pee-wee’s Playhouse, and Joel Hodgson, creator of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and return Cripescast guest. The two join Charlie to discuss the importance of creativity throughout their careers and the impact of AI on art today. Beyond their mutual ...

It’s the Cripescast Wrapped episode! This week we’re using our final episode of the year to highlight some of our best moments from 2024. From Grandma Sue getting pulled over, to the weirdest things Christian Yelich has ever autographed, to so much more. Buckle in for an episode full of our guests’ wildest stories, funniest moments, and juiciest bits of gossip. Thanks for listening this year and we’ll see ya in 2025! Until then, wa...