Charlie Berens posted an April Fool’s campaign bit, and somewhere between the AI kill switch, the Sheepshead mandate, and the demand that data centers pay for their own power, the whole joke took a hard turn into uncomfortable realism.
That’s what makes it funny, and also what makes it a little bleak.
The post, framed as a fake run for governor under the usual Manitowoc Minute flavor of Midwest outdoors absurdity, included a platform built around things that should not be remotely controversial, at least not in a country pretending to be serious.
- No NDAs for AI data centers: NDAs still permitted for fishing spots.
- End tax breaks for big tech: Begin tax breaks for Packers shareholders.
- Pay for your own power: AI data centers and public utilities need to show the math and prove we aren’t paying for their profit.
- Full water disclosure and verification: Public disclosure of every gallon of water used and every chemical involved.
- No mass surveillance of U.S. citizens: Only mass surveillance of deer via trail cams.
- Mandatory AI kill switch: You can’t drink Old Fashioneds if you’re dead.
Then, for local seasoning, toss in some card-playing bipartisanship, a few fish-fry-adjacent nods, and a shoutout to Kohl’s Cash so everybody knows we’re still having a good time.
Only now, the ‘good time’ comes with the creeping realization that some comedian’s fake platform sounds cleaner, more honest, and more grounded than most real campaigns in our actual political landscape.
Thank goodness for satire.
Who The Heck is Charlie Berens, Anyway?
Berens is not just some guy lobbing Midwest jokes onto Instagram. His official bio describes him as a comedian, Emmy-winning journalist, New York Times bestselling author, and the creator of The Manitowoc Minute.
His channels include bits like “Real Husbands of Deer Camp,” “Hunting With Your Wife,” a Wisconsin Chevy fall hunt video, and a recently posted video from Colorado elk camp. Joking about political issues that matter to rural outdoorsy folks is great, but with this guy, at least it feels like it comes from somebody who really knows the crowd he’s talking to.
This Is What Happens When Reality Gets Dumber Than Parody
There was a time when satire had to stretch reality to make its point.
That’s why this post works so well. It doesn’t feel detached from the world people are living in. We’re all stuck in a news cycle where daily life is far more outlandish than The Onion can even keep up with.
So when a comedian strolls in with a fake platform that basically says, in one way or another, “here’s some common sense,” it feels HILARIOUS. We’re all so damaged by the theatre of politics that the idea of common sense being a platform is blatantly satirical, which is funny.
It’s also a little terrifying.
Because the most absurd part of Berens’ April Fool’s post is not the fish-fry politics, the Midwest branding, or even the mandatory monthly Sheepshead. It’s the fact that a fake agenda built for laughs feels more practical than a lot of what comes out of actual government, corporate press conferences, and the literal news.
That’s where we are now.
A comedian made up a campaign for a joke, and the funniest part was how many people probably thought, quietly and without much irony, “sure, I’d vote for that.” And from what many people wrote in the comments, many actually would vote for it.
A Joke Based in Reality That’s Actually Doing Some Good
And in a moment of refreshing surprise, at the very least, this is an April Fool’s joke that actually pulled its weight and added some value to the world.
Beneath the fake governor bit and the Midwest shenanigans on the actual campaign website, Berens pointed people toward something real: questions about data centers, water, power bills, privacy, and what gets dumped on local communities while the folks in ivory towers cash checks.
He also made sure that his followers had quick access to their voter registration and a way to donate to help farmers keep their land, which is more public service than a lot of real political messaging manages.
As much as I tend to despise the nonsense of April Fool’s Day pranks these days, I can get behind this one.
What a weird timeline we’re living in, folks. Here’s to surviving another April Fool’s Day, making sure your voter registration is up to date, having a few laughs, and hopefully getting to spend a bit more time outside.
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