Milwaukee TV Show ‘Good Things Brewing’ Will Air Feb. 18
Tune in to NBC for the first episode of the Milwaukee-centric program.
Host David Caruso and featured guests in season one of “Good Things Brewing.” Photo by Sophie Bolich.
The launch of “Good Things Brewing,” a Milwaukee-centric TV show highlighting the city’s best spots to eat, drink, socialize and experience, is just eight days away.
The show’s first episode is scheduled to broadcast Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m. on NBC affiliates (locally on TMJ4).
During the pilot episode, viewers will experience Milwaukee gems such as Vientiane Noodle Shop, Three Brothers restaurant, Estabrook Park and more through the eyes of host David Caruso and notable locals Paul Bartolotta and Jesus Gonzalez.
For Caruso, becoming the show’s host marked the realization of a childhood dream.
“You might not know this about me, but this really has been a lifelong dream, and it even started when I was really young,” Caruso said at a Thursday evening event celebrating the launch the show.
In fact, Caruso said his desire to be a broadcaster was so strong that his mom built a makeshift television set, where she and a young Caruso read books aloud while pretending to anchor a newscast.
And though he went on to pursue a career in event planning, Caruso, who earned a degree in radio and television broadcasting from Marquette University, never lost his reporters instinct.
Three years ago, spurred by the pandemic’s impact on the hospitality and tourism industries, Caruso launched DC Live, an interview-format show featuring familiar faces from Milwaukee’s restaurant and small business community.
Meanwhile, Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee, was trying to reassure the organization’s partners amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. At the time, Williams-Smith was just a few months into her new role.
“I had no way of knowing what would happen,” she said. “The thought of losing so many of the places that give our city character and life and that support our families made me incredibly sad.”
A few months later, Williams-Smith said she reached out to Caruso about the possibility of creating a TV show highlighting the best parts of Milwaukee.
“And here we are today,” she said. “When I look back at that morning, I smile knowing that we’ve overcome the worst and that as a community, we are so much stronger for it.”
The TV show’s four-episode first season features both popular attractions and little-known destinations, making it as engaging and informative to native Milwaukeeans as it is for potential visitors.
With coverage on 18 broadcast stations in 14 markets outside of Milwaukee, as well as local station partner TMJ4, the show could be seen by more than nine million potential viewers each week (NBC’s top-rated show, Night Court, attracted 7.5 million actual viewers across the entire county last week according to Nielsen).
The show is produced and distributed by Plum Media, and will feature a talent attraction commercial produced by Lion Art Media and sponsored by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, as well as a commercial from Zizzo Group touting the Wisconsin Center’s forthcoming expansion.
The remaining episodes for season one are scheduled to air Feb. 25, March 4 and March 11.
For more information, visit Good Things Brewing on Instagram, or follow the show’s Facebook page.
Preview
Photos
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
