Thompson challenges Berens to COVID-19 ‘smash off ’
In possibly the most Wisconsin contest you’ll ever see, Tommy Thompson challenged comedian Charlie Berens, creator of the “Manitowoc Minute,” to a “smash off” in his latest video to encourage Wisconsinites to get tested for COVID-19.
In the video, Berens bumps into the UW System’s interim president while ambling near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Waukesha campus. And Thompson just happens to be standing on a street corner smashing pumpkins with a large hammer, because, why not?
Next thing we know, the two are facing off to see who can smash some classic Wisconsin foods the best.
“Have you got the verbiage down?” Thompson asks Berens.
“Smaaash COVID,” Berens confirms. “I was saying crush before because that’s just the mental place I was in.”
They smash some cream puffs and casseroles (or is it a hot dish?) and, of course, a Chicago Bears-themed cupcake. Berens takes a sword to a watermelon.
And while the scoring system of the whole competition seems a bit unclear, Berens maintains he started out with a healthy lead.
“I won one, one was a tie and one I won for presentation,” he said.
That is until his technique on the casserole fell a little ... flat.
“I just squished it, I squished COVID on that one,” he said. “I wanted to eat it still, so can someone put this in the back of my car? You don’t need to wrap it.”
But before that could happen, Thompson came in with his “Thor’s hammer,” and sent the mystery dish flying.
“This is how ya do it, Charlie,” he said.