Midwest Legends

Andrea Boehlke’s love for Wisconsin has stayed strong, even as her career took her to New York and Los Angeles. While she spent plenty of time interviewing celebrities, today she’s the one with the inside scoop. A three-time competitor on  Survivor , Boehlke revisits the cover story she and her mom created to comply with the NDA she received after being selected for the show while still in college...

Gilbert Brown made a name for himself on the Green Bay Packers defensive line, and he stopped by the studio to talk with Russell about the experiences that defined his career. No matter the story, Brown always brings plenty of humor and heart. He’s happy to revisit everything from his iconic Gravedigger dance to the origins of his famous Gilbert Burger, and he and Russell bond over their shared lo...

Call 866-MW-LGND for a chance to have your story played on a future dial-in episode! On the first Midwest Legends dial-in episode, Russell Nicolet shares hosting duties with previous guest Jared Schutz. We set up 866-MW-LGND so that our listeners could tell their stories, and boy have we had fun listening to them. For this episode, we handpicked three stories for Russell and Jared to react to, liv...

This week’s guest, Billy Doucette, better known as Billy Deuce, admits he’s terrible at ending conversations, so it’s a good thing Midwest Legends actually has a runtime. Billy has grown up all over the country, and that “foot in both worlds” perspective has given him plenty of material and earned him quite a following online and in person. He and Russell bond over their shared love of Kwik Trip a...

Die-hard Packers superfan Matt Ramage sits down with Russell Nicolet to talk about his favorite team and more. Matt fondly remembers growing up in a home where every Packers game was an event that could see uncles placing bets on anything they could think of. He and Russell reminisce on childhoods spent outdoors, and the reverence that the Packers and Lambeau Field have in Green Bay. Learn more ab...

Every dive bar has at least one story to tell, and thanks to Jared Schutz, those stories and the bars themselves are reaching a wider audience. Jared and Russell discuss dive bar charm, quirks, and maybe most importantly: etiquette. He shares the memories he’s made and hidden gems he’s discovered along the way (check out his interactive “bar map” online). Since starting his journey in 2022, Jared...

Richard Lorbach, the man behind “Drink Wisconsinbly,” joins Russell Nicolet to share stories about growing up in the Midwest and talk about watching his homegrown brand take off. Richard and Russell bond over their shared love for Wisconsin, childhoods spent outdoors, and the communities and friendships that form at local dive bars. Now 13 years strong, the Drink Wisconsinbly Pub is a staple in th...

You may have seen him win Cutthroat Kitchen, compete on Super Chef Grudge Match, Beat Bobby Flay, and Hell's Kitchen, but today, Adam Pawlak is in front of the camera as a guest, not a chef. Chef Adam discusses how a job at a pizzeria at the early age of 14 led to a career in the restaurant industry that many know him for today. Russell shares his own experience working in the restaurant indus...

Alex Wehrley talks with Russell Nicolet about cabin life, Wisconsin accents, and everything in between. Wisconsin will always be home sweet home for Alex. She shares childhood memories from her grandparents’ retirement farm, and Russell notes that for some Midwest folks, “taking it easy” in retirement can mean taking on more work. Alex also sets the record straight on the realities of farm life an...

Russell sits down with Myles Montplaisir, better known as the “You Betcha Guy,” for a laugh-filled look at their Midwest experiences. From listening to legendary stories at dive bars to reminiscing on blue-collar workplaces packed with camaraderie, the two revisit fond memories that have plenty of Midwest charm. Though many assume Myles hails from Wisconsin, he’s here to set the record straight by...

Richie and Bre, from Milwaukee Uncut, dropped by the Midwest Legends studio to chat with Russell about the city they all love and the state they call home. Through their work in Milwaukee Uncut, Richie and Bre make Wisconsin’s landmark city a more exciting place to live, work, and grow up in. On this episode, they get the chance to talk about their own Wisconsin upbringings and joke about the Midw...

Ed Bieber (known as “Ed The Diver”) and Christie B dove their way into Midwest fame, but came up to the surface to share their story with Russell Nicolet. In this episode, learn how a mission to clean up the waterways of the Midwest began with Ed retrieving lost fishing lures for his kids. Since then, Ed and Christie B have joined forces, cleaning up trash and returning the treasures they find to...

Acclaimed artist Ike Wynter joins the show, telling Russell about all the fascinating places his artwork has taken him.   Russell shares how a partnership with the Brewers turned into a once-in-a-lifetime special moment with his dad, while Ike talks about his work with the NFL Draft, Mike Tyson, and the one client that became “the hardest no of my life.” Together they trade hunting stories—includi...

In our first episode, host Russell Nicolet swaps stories with comedian Charlie Berens, with plenty of laughs and “can you believe that?” moments.  Russell let us in on a power move he uses during legal depositions, Charlie shares the tale of his grandpa’s wild doctor’s visit, and Russell confesses to the fishing lure injury he was too embarrassed to take to the ER.  Get ready for easygoing, unfilt...

Hey there! Midwest Legends is not a show about Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox, or Sasquatch, but you will hear lots of great stories from the modern-day doers and dreamers leaving their mark on the Midwest. Each episode, one of these folks shares part of their journey with host Russell Nicolet. If you haven’t heard of them before, Midwest Legends is here to introduce you.