Cody Lindquist and Charlie Todd, Hosts, Two Beers In: A Tipsy Political Round Table

Lots of beer geeks have spent this election season yelling at their televisions with a passion usually reserved for bottle-dating rants. Among their ranks are Charlie Todd and Cody Lindquist. On their podcast, Two Beers In: A Tipsy Political Round Table, the Upright Citizens Brigade comedians (who also happen to be married) invite friends and policy wonks to hash out the latest political news in front of a live audience—after chugging two session beers and sipping a third. From a couple who loves Other Half Brewing as much as a good five-point economic plan, “it’s like Meet the Press, but funnier and with more alcohol.”

What inspires you to be political comedians?
Cody: It’s something we’re passionate about. Politics is life, and there’s a lot going on right now. I think if you’re an informed person, there’s a lot to process, and for us, the best way to do it is through comedy. And I like the idea of having a conversation with people. You can have a really heated debate about politics, but there’s something about comedy that brings everyone together on all sides. And if you keep it light and you keep it interesting, you can really open people’s eyes to a different point of view. […] And this year especially feels like a fake election. It’s so absurd, I don’t know how we can get through it without laughing.

Have there been moments this year when you’ve struggled to find the humor in the news?
Cody: Oh yeah, I think there have been a lot of moments where it’s hard to make a joke. We’re liberals, and the RNC was difficult for me. But when Michelle Obama spoke at the DNC, it kind of gave me hope and optimism back again. So it feels like this rollercoaster where you feel defeated or feel like you can’t find anything funny in the situation, there’s so much going on, [and] within a day or two there’s something that reminds you that it’s funny and you’ve got to keep moving forward.

Charlie: It’s definitely getting harder as November 8 gets closer. I think it was a lot of fun to laugh at things Trump was doing when he was wreaking havoc on the Republican primaries. But the stakes are becoming pretty clear in what could happen to our country. Fortunately, what’s going on is so absurd that it’s pretty easy to mock.

If you could invite anyone to the roundtable, who would you invite?
Cody: I would pick Oprah, 100 percent. I don’t know if she drinks beer. I feel like she drinks Moscow Mules.

Charlie: I’d pick Obama because I think he’s the funniest president we’ve ever had. I’m always so in awe of his comedic timing, whether it’s just doing a White House Correspondents’ Dinner, or any sort of roast-type speech, he’s so good at it. And I think he’s going to be such a cool ex-president starting in January. He can just let loose even more.

If Trump and Hillary were beers, what styles would they be?
Cody: Trump would be like a watered-down Coors Light that’s half empty, left on a nightstand, that you drank in the morning on accident. Just like, “Oh no, it’s warm, oh, I thought it was water!”

Charlie: Hillary is a Goose Island Bourbon County-brand Stout. She ages well. She started out authentic and independent, but eventually got bought out by big business. But you know what? She still tastes great. ■