Locally known as the creator and host of the YouTube sensation Manitowoc Minute and for his catchphrase “Oh my gosh!” and “Keep ’er movin’!,” comedian Charlie Berens brought his talents to UW-Whitewater’s Young Auditorium on Saturday, Oct. 19.

Berens, who hails from Elm Grove, Wisconsin, holds quite an impressive resume that includes working, script-writing and hosting numerous comedy shows over the past seven years.         

Berens also won a Lone Star Emmy Award in 2013 for his contributions to “The Cost of Water” while reporting for the Dallas-Fort Worth television station, KDAF.

Hosted by High Gear Promotions in conjunction with Young Auditorium, Berens’ stop at UW-Whitewater served as a way to showcase his comedy throughout the state of Wisconsin.

“I think it’s just great to get to different parts of Wisconsin and I don’t want to just get to Milwaukee, Green Bay or wherever… I love these university towns. I think the universities offer great draws, they’re great gifts to the state and it’s just fun to come play in this kind of auditorium,” said Berens. “This is one of the coolest auditoriums in the state, that’s for sure.”

Berens and High Point Promotions included a local twist to the event by donating portions of the event proceeds to the Whitewater Police Department K-9 Unit. During the performance, Berens even raised funds for the K-9 unit by selling a signed Kwik-Trip t-shirt for $350.

“I think that what he did for the K-9 Unit in Whitewater shows that he is also a community oriented person, which is wonderful to have,” said UW-W student, Renae Irvin.

Due to the event being a rental, Berens and High Gear Promotions included the sale of alcoholic drinks to legal-aged audience members who participated in the “VIP Meet & Greet” and the general audience throughout the duration of the performance. All of the alcoholic beverages sold at the event derived from local and state breweries and distilleries, keeping the local sense thriving within the show.

“Selling beer before and during the show created a party-like atmosphere in the crowd, which was a great touch to the state and local culture,” said UW-W student, John Nelson.

Berens’ comedic event involved a multitude of elements over its nearly two-hour duration. He began with a localized version of his “Manitowoc Minute” series, mentioning the local drinking establishment, The Brass Rail, as a “sponsor” of the segment. Berens followed this by presenting a few of his viral videos and finished off the night by performing comedy-filled songs on his guitar mixed in with a segment on his personal life story.

“I knew it’d be fun, but it was nice to have a localized take as well. Picking on The Brass Rail and making jokes about the ‘party culture’ of Whitewater made the show even more relatable, which was nice to see,” said Nelson.

As the event came to a close and the Young Auditorium emptied with the last straggling attendee waltzing out, Charlie Berens’ comedic performance was an outright success. Berens expanding his brand to another Wisconsin community, raised a tremendous amount of money towards the Whitewater Police Department K-9 Unit, and generated a large crowd within the Young Auditorium. As Berens commonly utters in his viral videos, “Keep’er Movin’!”