Episode 486 – Berenstain Bears: The Bears’ Picnic

This week, I head outside—despite my deep hatred of bugs, gnats, and all things “outdoors”—to talk about The Bears’ Picnic, the third “I Can Read It All By Myself” book by Stan and Jan Berenstain. It’s a classic tale of a well-meaning family picnic gone hilariously wrong, with Papa Bear dragging the family across bear country in search of the perfect lunch spot. Spoiler: they end up where they started.

Along the way, we’ll get into:

  • The surprisingly non-racist origins of the word picnic
  • Why Minnesotans will eat outside literally anywhere (including parking lots)
  • How the Victorians ruined everything for all of us
  • Papa Bear’s flawed but sincere planning
  • My personal tolerance for nature (spoiler: it’s not high)

Also, my upcoming one-man show at the Minnesota Fringe Festival is this August! It’s not about the Berenstain Bears—it’s darker, more personal, and definitely not for kids. With a poster design by the amazing Mads Torres!

Episode 485 – 10th Anniversary and “Parents Are Such A Lot Of Trouble!”

It’s the 10th anniversary of Deep in Bear Country, so let’s reunite with longtime friends Brad Mariska and Jeremy Gloff to mark a decade of Berenstain Bear-loving chaos! Brad and Jeremy reflect on the origins of the show, the evolution of their collecting journeys, and the joys and… other joys of the Berenstain Bears fandom.

And, we’re super jazzed about the exciting release of a long-lost boutique book from Stan and Jan Berenstain—Parents Are Such a Lot of Trouble—recently discovered in the Berenstain archives and published via print-on-demand. We dive into the book’s significance, emotional resonance, and raw artistic charm, and explore what makes it such a powerful find for fans and collectors alike.

Episode 484 – The Berenstain Bears: World’s Wisest Mama Bear

In this week’s episode, I almost took a break again (thanks, cough!), but I’m here to bring you a quick Mother’s Day look at The Berenstain Bears: World’s Wisest Mama Bear — a 2024 gift book by Mike Berenstain.

PLUS — exciting news! Next episode is the 10-year anniversary of the podcast, and I’ll be joined by my collectors Brad and Jeremy!

So grab a cup of tea, wish your mom (or yourself?) a Happy Mother’s Day, and enjoy this short short short episode.