Comedian Charlie Berens to headline Great American Comedy Festival gala
The Midwest comedian will perform June 20 in Norfolk.
Press release
NORFOLK, Neb. — The 2026 Great American Comedy Festival will bring a well-known Midwestern comedian to the Johnny Carson Theatre stage.
Charlie Berens will headline the festival’s annual gala on Saturday, June 20, in Norfolk.
Berens is a comedian, New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-winning journalist and musician. He is also the creator of The Manitowoc Minute, a viral comedy news show about life in the Midwest that gained popularity in 2017.
Since then, Berens has created Midwest-inspired sketch comedy videos that have built a worldwide social media audience of more than 10 million.
Festival Executive Director Pat Janssen said Berens is a natural fit for the event.
“A key piece of what made Johnny Carson who he was as a performer was his Midwestern upbringing,” Janssen said. “That’s why I’m excited to bring Charlie Berens to Norfolk. There’s not a more Midwestern comic out there today.”
Berens recently finished his third sold-out nationwide stand-up tour, the Good Old Fashioned Tour. The tour included 127 shows in 88 cities and was filmed as a follow-up special to his 2023 debut comedy special, Midwest Goodbye.
In addition to stand-up, Berens hosts the Cripescast podcast. On the show, he talks with guests ranging from musicians and comedians to farmers, scientists, chefs and athletes about their stories and connections to the Midwest.
He also co-hosts the Bellied Up podcast with Myles Montplaisir, known as “Myles the You Betcha Guy.” The two record the show from small-town bars and take live calls from listeners across the Midwest and beyond.
Berens’ 2021 New York Times bestselling book, The Midwest Survival Guide, is also being developed for television.
The Great American Comedy Festival began in 2008 to honor Norfolk native Johnny Carson, who hosted NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for more than 25 years.
The festival begins Wednesday, June 17, with a bar crawl comedy night. Other events include a comedy magic show Thursday, June 18, and a theater show Friday, June 19, along with a late show at Norfolk’s District Event Center.
More information about the festival is available at greatamericancomedyfestival.com.