Charlie Berens’ New Comedy Special Neighborly Premieres on YouTube December 1

Wisconsin’s favorite funny man Charlie Berens is bringing his signature Midwest humor back to the screen with his upcoming comedy special Neighborly, set to premiere on December 1 on his YouTube channel. The special was filmed in February 2025 at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, marking a meaningful full-circle moment for the comedian — Appleton is where he performed his first-ever stand-up gig at the Skyline Comedy Club back in 2017.

The official trailer for Neighborly dropped on November 3, already crossing the 10,000-view mark within days of its release. The trailer teases the kind of jokes fans have come to expect from Berens: sharp, relatable, and brimming with Midwest charm. It includes bits about growing up in a family of 12 kids, bringing beer into church, and even imagining a world where robots outnumber people. To top it off, there’s a surprise cameo from his Grandma Sue, captured live in the audience during the show’s taping.

The trailer introduces the special with the line, “From the heart of America comes the cheapest hour of comedy,” perfectly summing up Berens’ mix of self-deprecation and small-town wit. The show promises to deliver an hour of jokes, observations, and local quirks that anyone from the Midwest — or anyone who’s ever met a Midwesterner — will instantly relate to.

Neighborly follows Berens’ 2023 special, Midwest Goodbye, which he filmed at Milwaukee’s Riverside Theater. While Midwest Goodbye leaned heavily into the region’s cultural clichés and “Midwest Nice” tendencies, Neighborly looks to broaden the scope, adding a few modern twists, like poking fun at technology and everyday absurdities.

Berens’ decision to film in Appleton wasn’t random. In interviews, he’s noted that the city holds a special place in his career — it’s where he first started honing his craft in front of live audiences. Choosing the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center allowed him to blend nostalgia with scale, turning a meaningful venue into the backdrop for his next major milestone.

For those who somehow haven’t encountered Berens online yet, he’s a comedian, author, and digital creator best known for his viral series Manitowoc Minute, where he delivers mock news updates with an unmistakable Wisconsin twist. His distinct blend of wholesome sarcasm and Midwest pride has earned him more than 10 million followers across social media platforms.

Beyond stand-up, Berens co-hosts the “Bellied Up” podcast with fellow Midwest personality Myles the You Betcha Guy, and runs his own “Cripescast Podcast,” where he chats with musicians, comedians, and other folks who keep ‘er movin’. He’s also a New York Times bestselling author, and he continues to tour the country as part of The Lost & Found Tour, which runs through May 2025.

If you’re a fan of Midwest humor, storytelling, or just a good laugh without the pretension, Neighborly looks like a must-watch. The special premieres for free on December 1 exclusively on Charlie Berens’ YouTube channel. And judging by the trailer, it’s shaping up to be the kind of down-home, crowd-pleasing comedy that proves you don’t have to leave the heartland to make people laugh till they cry.