Loading summary
Commercial Announcer
The holidays are expensive. You're paying for gifts, travel, decorations, food, and before you know it, you've blown way past what you were planning to spend. Don't start the new year off with bad money vibes. Download Rocket Money to stay on top of your finances. The app pulls your income, expenses, and upcoming charges into one place so you can get the clearest picture of your money. It shows how much to set aside for bills and how much is safe to spend for the month so you can spend with confidence, no guesswork needed. Get alerts before bills hit, track budgets and see every subscription you're paying for. Rocket Money also finds extra ways to save you money by canceling subscriptions you're not using and negotiating lower bills for you. On average, Rocket Money users can save up to $740 a year when using all the app's premium features. Start the year off right by taking control of your finances. Go to RocketMoney.com Cancel to get started. That's RocketMoney.com Cancel Rocket RocketMoney.com Cancel.
Bert
If you're the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, you know having a trusted partner makes all the difference. That's why, hands down, you count on Grainger for auto reordering. With on time restocks, your team will have the cut resistant gloves they need at the start of their shift, and you can end your day knowing they've got safety well in hand. Call 1-800-granger. Click granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. The Birch show all right, let's get Katrina back on the show. It's been a while since we talked to her.
Charlene
I know. Hey, Katrina.
Katrina
Hi, guys.
Bert
How are you?
Katrina
I'm all right. I'm good.
Bert
We spent a good time a while back talking to Katrina about her relationship with her dad and these unsettling weight expectations that he had put on her.
Emily
That's right.
Bert
It got so bad after a while that. Tell them again about the challenge that your dad issued to you.
Katrina
Oh, my father issued me a gauntlet is the last word he used for $1,000 to lose. I believe it was 50 pounds by the family reunion.
Charlene
Okay, yeah.
Bert
So which was insulting.
Katrina
It was $1,000. Yeah.
Emily
And he has always put pressure on you about weight or he's always very body image.
Katrina
It's always a big deal. I mean, it's been not just me, my mom, my brother, everyone, so.
Bert
And you told us your dad's like a stud, like he's in shape. I mean, he exercises all the time. He looks like he's 24 years old or whatever.
Katrina
You know that guy in the Bowflex commercial who's, like, all buff and looking good, and he's like, and I'm 50 years old. That commercial was actually an idea my father wanted me to pitch to Nike about his workout.
Bert
Oh, really? Wow.
Katrina
He's so vain. It's sad.
Bert
So he sort of put this on you, and he has always approached you.
Emily
Always.
Katrina
It's never. There is never a conversation that happens between me and my father that doesn't include my weight. We can be talking about the heat and the weather, and he'll be like, so, are you going to the gym? Yeah. So that's just.
Charlene
That's wasted time on his part, you know?
Katrina
Like, I think it's. No, it's not. I think he just feels like as long as I say it, I've done my part, and if she still wants to be fat, then that's on her. Like, that's. I truly think that's his thought process.
Bert
So we had her on a couple of months ago, and we normally. We'd probably say, you know what? That must really hurt. Let's get you a trainer, let's get you a nutritionist, and let's get you on the right path. Right. But we didn't do that, because with Katrina, we thought, you're not going to keep the weight off if you're doing it for somebody else.
Emily
And this was more about the relationship between her and her dad than it was about the weight.
Katrina
Right.
Emily
I mean, when we were talking before.
Katrina
You got really upset, became the babbling brook.
Charlene
No, no, no. It's hurtful.
Katrina
It's okay. I mean, I understand. But it was more of a combination at the time, and it was just. I don't know what it was that day. It was just all of the issues were culminating and coming together.
Bert
And I was like, you gotta make excuses.
Katrina
Yeah, I know.
Charlene
Never makes you feel better. I just cry on this show.
Katrina
No, I don't mind crying. I can now.
Bert
Now, someone break out the mace. We need to happen.
Katrina
Exactly.
Bert
So this reunion happened a couple of weeks ago, right?
Katrina
It sure did. Till the 20th.
Bert
And do you see your dad on a daily, or do you see him every now and then?
Katrina
I see my father. He lives in New York, so I see him even either whenever he comes down or when I head up home.
Bert
So as the reunion approached, did he ask you more and more about your weight? Because we kind of felt like the reunion was a Katrina trophy for him. Like he wanted to show Everybody else in the family that my daughter looks great and she lost all this weight.
Katrina
Which is partially true because this was a new side of the family that we were joining with. And so I guess he just wanted our very best. I mean, the entire family's vain. My father's just, you know, to the tenth power, basically. I think that's what it was. He actually, after I cried on air last time, we had fallout. I mean, fallout after fallout. I was like, I'm tired of talking about it and don't talk about my weight. I am what I am going to be, where I'm going to be. And he, the last thing he said to me was, I'm not going to, I'm not going to mention it anymore. It's out there. You do whatever you're gonna do, you do whatever you decide, and then we'll go from there. So, okay. Yeah. Until the family.
Charlene
I was gonna say, did he do that?
Katrina
The very first thing my father said to me, he gave me a hug. We all went to the hotel, went into the hotel and he, you know, we were just having playing conversation because my brother was there and we were joking around and he jumps up and is, well, what I want to know is how someone can put a thousand dollar gauntlet out there to lose a little weight and you don't take it. I don't understand.
Bert
He said this in front of everybody.
Katrina
It was just myself, my brother and him. We were in the hotel room still.
Charlene
I mean, he's giving your. I mean, he's being the role model for your brother to judge women that way too.
Katrina
Yeah.
Charlene
And that's so sad.
Bert
So after he said that to you, did you guys have another falling out or how'd you, how'd that make you feel? We.
Katrina
I first I was going to let it go and I wasn't going. I'm like, you know what? He's not even worth it. I'm not going to bother. But, you know, I explained to him that after I had come on air, I definitely did take steps to lose weight for myself because that's what I wanted to do. I'd started walking, I became a lot more active and was eating a lot healthier than I had been. And I tried like two different diets in that span of time. And I mean, me trying to lose weight has always been a struggle. It's always been something that I've wanted to do for myself. It's just the added pressure of my father. So I explained that to him and everything and he just didn't Acknowledge it. And we just went on about our business and I was just like, unbelievable.
Bert
So, like, when I saw. I saw some of your postings on Facebook and I've seen the emails also, and it seems to me like it's your. It's like you're part of the family image for your dad.
Katrina
Right.
Bert
And if he. If you don't look like the way he wants you to look, then he's embarrassed for the family.
Katrina
I can see that. Well, I don't know if it's that. I think it's just he feels, he thinks, you know, he says he'll say, I'm a pretty girl. And I've had other family members say, you know, you're a pretty girl. You shouldn't do that to yourself. And I'm just like, what am I doing to myself? I'm not purposely getting fat or, you know, shoving my face full of food. I just. The family's really hard.
Emily
It's just. I think it's just so disturbing because you think of a parent's love for a child as being unconditional.
Katrina
Yeah.
Emily
And it does seem so conditional.
Katrina
It does. And that's what.
Emily
And your mom isn't around anymore, right? We didn't talk about that.
Katrina
Yeah, she passed away in 2003.
Bert
So has the weight heat been turned up since your mom passed away from your dad?
Katrina
Has the weight heat, Truthfully, it's actually probably just been at the same degree for all my life. It's just not like I just know the conversation. I know how they're gonna go. I. I know what we're going to talk about. And it's just always been that way from high school on. And, you know, like I said, he'll always go back to the glory days of when I was a senior in high school, saying, oh, you know, you almost were in a two piece, but your arms, you know, so it was even at that time when I was so small and almost in a two piece, he would say, well, you know, you can do more ab exercises.
Charlene
So, yeah, a friend of a friend I knew who had been married and she was in shape at the time of the marriage, but her husband was giving her such a hard time about maintaining that figure. And then she started gaining weight, and then the marriage actually eventually fell apart and broke apart. And she then did not try to get back in shape because there was a part of her and she had conveyed it to my friend that she said, at least I know that if somebody loves me now or falls in love with me, they're falling in love with me, and I won't have that pressure from them, you know? So I just wonder, is there a part of you that, you know, you may want to be motivated to lose weight, but is there a part of you that would feel defeated by doing it because your dad's pressure by losing.
Katrina
The weight, truthfully, it wouldn't be a fulfilling thing.
Charlene
It would just be like, I don't know.
Katrina
No, because me losing weight is more about my comfort level and how I feel, and I know how I would like to look. And I mean, even in losing weight, I don't want to be. And I will never be as small as I think my father has in mind. Like, to him, I think, you know, I'm five, eight. I think he plans on seeing me at 125 and calling it a day, you know, and sickly. But I have no aspirations to be that small. I just want to get back to the point where I'm comfortable and feel that I look great, like. So that's where I'm at.
Bert
Hey, Lisa, you're on Q100. Go ahead.
Caller
Hey, guys. I love your show. I just wanted to say that I feel for you. My father did the same thing. I'm 41 now, and all growing up, and even now, sometimes I feel the same way. I'm morbidly obese, and he always made me feel like I was less of a person, and he loved me less than anybody else. He loves me, but he doesn't love me like he would if I was. And I'm going to get upset, but he doesn't love me like he would if I was a thin woman.
Katrina
Right.
Bert
Does she speak for you, too? Do you sort of feel the same way?
Katrina
I definitely. I can say that because there have been times I lost weight a few years ago where I lost 60 pounds. I mean, I'm. I've been huger. So I'd lost a lot of weight, and I hadn't seen my father. It was the same sporadic, you know, six months, eight months, or what have you. And he would just be like, oh, there's less of you to hug.
Bert
It's always centered around weight.
Katrina
It's always constantly like, you, my. Actually, I've gained. I've developed an anxiety for when I get off the plane. And, you know, when you meet that person who's coming to pick you up.
Bert
That'S not your fault.
Katrina
And just to see the. You can always gauge the reaction when you're. When you're walking out of the airport and you see, you know, his face. And you're like, oh, all right. Well, I guess I'm not doing as well as I thought I was.
Emily
So, Katrina, you're a beautiful woman exactly the way that you are. And I know you don't have to hear that all the time, but it seems like you might need to because you've been hearing the other thing for so long.
Bert
Do you feel like you're beautiful?
Katrina
I think I'm cute.
Emily
You're a beautiful woman.
Charlene
Absolutely.
Katrina
I think I'm cute. Like, I don't think I'm an ugly girl. Like, I'm not like, oh, girl, I'm ugly. Pass me a sub. Like, I'm not bad like that. But, you know, I mean, I feel like it really goes back to my own comfort level and just where I felt like I looked my best, and I'm just struggling trying to get back to that. And sometimes it is almost that defeatist where, you know, you're doing it, you're making progress, and you're making moves, and the next conversation you have, you know, the next conversation I have with my dad is just like. Like, last week, I was like, oh, I'm going to the gym.
Bert
He's like, ha, ha ha.
Katrina
You're going to the gym. Like, oh, my goodness. Like, mocking. Yeah, he's ridiculous.
Bert
Here's the effect that it's had on her. Also, if you go to her Facebook, she writes on our wall that, hey, it's fat Trina here.
Katrina
I said, hey, hey, hey. It was a joke. It was like, fat Albert. I was having a bad day that day.
Charlene
But still, I mean, it's obviously. I just think that. I mean, I don't know, because your father's definitely extreme, and the color we just had, you know, it obviously has affected her. But I just think sometimes guys don't realize just the subtle effects, even if they don't flat out say it, because, you know, so many times we hear. And it's not just guys. I mean, girls do too. But I think for a lot of women who need the male attention and affection and approval, so many guys are commenting on women all the time and commenting on women's bodies and all this stuff, and it has an effect on women all around that they don't even know that are thinking to themselves, well, obviously, I must not be pretty enough, because I don't fit that standard that guys are always critiquing.
Emily
And imagine that coming from your own father. I cannot imagine it. I cannot imagine. Now, you did your mom used to deflect it from you, like, did she take more of it when she was around?
Katrina
Well, I don't know that she took more of it. I think she got to the point where she would just ignore him and say, you know what? Shut up. Or what have you. Because, you know, like I said before, the last time we spoke, I read a letter. I was barely born. And you know, he's like, I wanna see you back at 1:15, you know, in like this great love letter to her from school. So it's just always something that he's focused on. And my mom basically would just say, you know what? Shut up. And then she got sick. So it was like, this is the medicine. This is what's going to happen. So deal with it.
Bert
This is your choice. Dana, go ahead.
Caller
Hey, good morning.
Emily
How are you?
Bert
All good, thank you.
Caller
Yeah. I just wanted to say that, you know, I am a plus size woman. I'm almost 300 pounds, but I am the most confident. I feel like I am the sexiest. In fact, I get more men approaching me now that I'm at this size than when I was smaller. And it really is about being confident. And I've had people, you know, of course family members talk about weight, but over the years they realize that it doesn't affect me. And you have to build that. You have to really know within yourself the beauty that you have within yourself. And I walk out of my stiletto heels and walk and show it off like anybody else and am proud of who I am because I know that I'm fine.
Charlene
I think that you have that attitude.
Bert
And, you know, as I'm watching Katrina here and I'm seeing her eyes well up and we can hear the pain in your voice. I don't know that you are capable of defining yourself as a confident, sexy woman at the weight that you're at right now. Whereas this woman can. I don't know that you can.
Katrina
Right. I mean, I feel like. I feel almost awkward. Like I'm in that in between. Like, I'm not very, very thin. I'm not very, very heavy. And it's just I'm definitely not comfortable. And a lot of it is that I appear confident because I deflect. I deflect by being loud and boisterous because, you know, obviously personality is over everything.
Charlene
But my concern is that you won't be confident when you reach whatever comfort weight. Because I don't even know if you know what your comfort weight is because you say, it's not about my father. It's about what makes me comfortable. And I just Think there's so much I don't know messages he's given you that I don't know if you can differentiate the two. And so I'm. I'm concerned. I think what the caller was saying is be confident in yourself regardless of what your weight is, because, I don't know, I worry that you. You won't get what you're looking for just by losing weight.
Bert
Yeah, I want to play Dr. Phil here for a second also, because if your expectation somewhere in your head is that you're going to lose so much weight, that your dad is going to be so proud of you, he has already built a pattern of showing you that even when you're a lesser weight, it's not good enough for him. So you can't do this for him. It will never be enough. If you have a six pack, he wants eight, he wants 12. If you're 120, he wants you to be 115. So I hope you know that you can never, ever, ever live up to his expectation.
Katrina
Absolutely. And that's actually not the goal here. I mean, that's funny that you said that, because he. He actually told me and my brother to bet him a thousand dollars that he would get a six pack. Strange.
Bert
I'm sorry, but that's it.
Emily
Yeah. Here's the other thing about. I think I've talked to friends about this who are like, you know, always like, well, when I get back to a size, blah, I'm gonna go shopping. When I get back to whatever it's like, then you're not living in the moment of your life. You're always in some future place. Like in the future someday I'm gonna be happy with myself in the future. Someday. It's like, you gotta live right now. You gotta live for today. And that means live for today at the size where you are. And like the last caller said, own it. Be who you are right now, today, because tomorrow's no guarantee. And if you're always in that mindset of, like, that diet, or when I get back to the size that I wanted to be, or when I can fit into my skinny jeans or whatever else, you're not living in that day, in that present moment.
Bert
Charlene, end this thing with something positive here. Come on.
Caller
Oh, I just have to say, I've been on both sides of the fence. I was married to a man. I was 125, and that was not skinny enough for him. At the same time, Now I'm over £200, and I'm married to a man who absolutely adores me. But men have nothing to do with it, dear. You go on with your bad self. You are probably dead sexy. And so what if there's a few little speed bumps along the curves? Keep on going. YouTube will probably look fabulous.
Bert
That's what I'm looking for right there. The Birch Show.
Commercial Announcer
Let'S do the 60 Second Savings Challenge. Step 1 Download Rocket Money Step 2 Link your accounts and see every subscription you're paying for. Tap one you don't use and cancel it. That's money back every month. Step three create a financial goal $50 every paycheck or let the app automatically move small amounts of cash. When you can afford it in a week, you'll forget you set it up. In a month, you'll see real dollars piling up. In a year, you'll be shocked at how much money you've saved. Bonus challenge Upload an Internet or phone bill and let Rocket Money try to lower it. You only pay if they find you savings. On average, Rocket Money members can save up to $740 a year when using all the app's premium features. Users love the app with over 186,000 five star ratings. Make saving money the resolution you actually keep. Start the 60 second savings challenge at RocketMoney.com cancel that's RocketMoney.com cancel RocketMoney.com cancel.
Bert
USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day, like superheroes and sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With usaa, you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a'@usaa.com bundle restrictions apply, so you're.
Commercial Announcer
Running out of closet space. The good news? You don't need to stop shopping. You just need to start selling with the RealReal. The RealReal is the world's largest and most trusted resource for authenticated luxury resale. Whether it's that mini bag that can't even fit your phone or those boots you never fully broke in, the RealReal handles everything from photography and copywriting to shipping and pricing. So you can just sit back, get paid, and make room for things that actually feel like you. And with 10,000 new arrivals every single day, from top designers like Prada, Celine, Louis Vuitton, and Loewe, all for up to 90% off retail, you're bound to find something perfectly on brand to fill that extra closet space with. Plus, right now you can get an extra $100 to shop when you sell for the first time, make room for what feels like you go to therealreal.com to start selling and get your extra hundred dollars to keep shopping@thereal.com. that's therealreal.com terms apply.
Caller
Hi. Hi.
Bert
You're on the voice disguiser.
Caller
So tomorrow night, I'm going to the midnight swim.
Emily
Oh, she's.
Charlene
She's ready to go.
Bert
Yeah, you are. She's got a story to tell.
Caller
I'm ready to go.
Bert
All right.
Caller
I was dating this guy for two years. I was crazy about him. Six months ago, he broke it off with me. For whatever reason, it was kind of out of the blue, and he started dating, like, this really hot girl. You know, for a while, I was kind of moping, but I decided, like, I was gonna get in shape, I was gonna change. I was gonna, you know, just, like, make it into a good situation. I've, like, lost a bunch of weight. I've been working out. I'm real toned. I've been tanning. I've gotten, like. I've got my hair done. I got highlights. I'm feeling great. And this is.
Bert
This is what we call as the guys. We call this a spiteful makeover. So when you break up with somebody, then all of a sudden, you become way, way, way hotter, and we know the game. Then you guys end up at the same place where, you know, he's going to be. He may be a regular at Fado's or whatever, but you know he's going to be there. And then after you get your hotness on, you just, oh, I. Oh, I.
Emily
Had on it in front of him.
Bert
No idea you were going to be here. Look at me, how hot I've turned out. And you can't have any of it.
Charlene
Right.
Bert
How do you know that he's for sure going to be at midnight swim?
Caller
I heard that through the grapevine. Like, we still hang out with the same sort of group. I haven't seen them in a little while, but I heard that he's going to be there. I mean, I don't think he would miss it.
Charlene
Well, there's a key thing that Bert said. I just want to highlight where you said, look how hot I am, and you can't have any of it. Okay, let's remember Bert said that. Okay, go ahead with that. With that said, when I see him.
Caller
At midnight swim, I don't know, I want him to see how hot I am. And when he does, I don't know whether I'm gonna, you know, like, if he wants me back. I don't know if that he's gonna Stay in that hotel room with me, or I'll just tell him to get lost and then he'll be moping for six months.
Bert
So you are. You are specifically going there to reel him in?
Caller
Oh, yeah, go ahead. I'm going there because I look good and I want him to see how good I look, and I want him to want me back.
Bert
But don't you understand?
Emily
Like it did up until the part where you're going to actually hook up with him?
Katrina
Right.
Caller
Well, I mean, I don't know. I mean, I don't know how it's going to go. I don't know.
Charlene
You do know how it's going to go. You know how it's going to go. Come on now.
Bert
You already got it set.
Charlene
Tell us what you want to happen.
Caller
Mean, maybe I'll hook up with him, and then maybe I'll make him want me for the next six months. Who knows?
Bert
But you could probably accomplish that with just showing up and showing them how hot you have become. You don't need to do the that last step because there is a good chance that he'll just sleep with you and then that'll be it. Thanks for that. You look so great. But things haven't changed between the two of us.
Caller
Well, I don't know. We'll see how it goes, I guess. I guess I just. I just want him to see. Ultimately, I just want him to see how good I look. And maybe that'll be enough.
Emily
That should be enough. And if you get tempted, just start dating someone else or start talking to some other guys at the party.
Bert
That is a way better revenge. That is a way better revenge than sleeping with him. If you look that good and you don't give him the time of day, don't even acknowledge him. No hello, and you're talking to a whole bunch of dudes and he sees that. You don't see the hurt in his eyes, but it's there. It will be. That's way worse.
Charlene
Yeah. I'm gonna call you out because I believe that you are intending to sleep with him tomorrow night because the. Well, maybe. We'll see what happens. You have every intention. Because I wonder, why did you get a hotel room by yourself instead of with. Well, I mean, a lot of people have done that, but I think that that reservation in your hotel room was just for him and not for somebody else.
Caller
Well, it could be for somebody else, I guess.
Katrina
I guess maybe, possibly could. I guess.
Bert
Maybe. Just for the record, you're about to get beat up. Good morning, Tisha. You're on Q100.
Caller
Hey, I just wanted to say that this girl is kind of ridiculous. Men are simple creatures. If he broke up with you, he broke up with you for a reason. And then women, they look sloppy when they're with their man all of a sudden. Highlights, tuck, ins, boob jobs, all this stuff to get them back. If you were like that when you were together, maybe he wouldn't have broke up with you. And now you want to sleep with him. You're just gonna get used.
Bert
Oh, damn. Damn, Beth.
Caller
I just hate when women do this. Cause they do this all the time. I had a friend who did this. She was like, okay, he's totally gonna be there. I totally have to look cute. He's not with you anymore. He's just gonna say, oh, that's my ex girlfriend. Oh, she looks better than when she was with me.
Bert
No, I think you're wrong on that. What I think a guy will do is go, I don't want to be with her. But damn, she looks good, so I'll sleep with her tonight. At least I got nothing else going on tonight. Yeah, I mean, that's the intention. I mean, he's just looking to have sex.
Charlene
That was kind of mean about. It's your fault that he left. You know, like, if you'd been doing that while you were together, he wouldn't have left, kind of. I don't agree with that.
Bert
But what was the reason why the two of you guys broke up? And did he break up or did. Was it mutual?
Caller
He broke it off and I guess I felt it coming, sort of. But he. But the fact he said he needed, you know, he needs to not be together, not be with anybody. But then he immediately started dating this other girl. You know, she was like gorgeous girl, long hair, just real, real hot, real cute and, you know, made me feel best.
Emily
It's easier said than done, but let it go.
Bert
Yeah, man. And don't give them the good stuff.
Emily
It's not that into. You look good.
Charlene
And then somebody else towards somebody else at midnight swim.
Bert
Hey, Kat, you're on Q100.
Caller
Hey, I want to know what is wrong with you. Seriously, let it go. Yes. Let her go. He is still not worth it. The best revenge is looking hot. Looking hot and having want to. You don't have to actually sleep with.
Charlene
Him and being unavailable. I think the main key is the best revenge is to have him say, hey, wait a second, maybe I changed my mind. And you're like, too late.
Bert
Do you see the flaw in your plan here?
Caller
I Guess I do. I guess I see it.
Emily
If you think of it with your head, you can. If you think of it with your heart and how much your heart's been broken and all the emotions tied up in it, then you get all out of your mind. But if you. Like, if you could take your situation and make it about one of your friends, if your friend came to you and painted this whole exact same scenario, what would you tell your friend to do? And then do that? Not what you're thinking in your head to do. Right?
Caller
Okay.
Bert
Something like that.
Charlene
Yeah.
Bert
Hey, Wes, give her a little tough love here and you talk her into it.
Caller
You got to give the tough love because she's just going to be and abused and thrown out like the trash again. I mean, there's nothing there. It's. It's obvious that the emotional part isn't there. He didn't think he would. She was hot, so he dumped her. And now she gets all this stuff done, and. And he's gonna bang it for a.
Bert
Little bit and move on. Wow. Your game is way on, baby.
Emily
But I think that sometimes you need that kind of brutal advice to get it.
Charlene
Well, I think everybody's coming down on you because you sound so wishy washy, because that's why I keep calling you out. You know what you plan on doing? You plan on going there tomorrow night. You got all the highlights and you looking good. And I think you're doing that for the sole purpose of trying to run into him again. And I think it's a mistake, as everybody does, for you to go to sleep with him. And it's like. And I have a sense that you were not agreeing with what your plan is. And so you are kind of, like, backing off a little bit, like, okay, well, maybe this, and I guess that, or whatever. And I think that's why everybody's kind of coming so strong.
Bert
All right, let me take one more call from a woman that has done this very plan recently, and let's see how it all turned out.
Charlene
Okay?
Bert
And then we'll move on. Misty, good morning. You're on The Burt Show. Q100.
Caller
Good morning. I love you guys. Yeah, this is totally a bad idea. Last weekend, I did the same plan. I've gotten my boobs done. I've gotten new hair extensions. Went and saw my ex, said, oh, I'm just gonna look hot. I'm just gonna look hot. Let's party hardy. Drink Bacardi. Yeah. Then I was like, okay, if I sleep with him, then he'll want me back yeah. Today is what, Friday? No calls. Five days.
Bert
Yeah, that's not real shocking, I gotta tell you. Maybe he's just been busy, right?
Caller
Owning your own company and blah, blah, blah.
Bert
Yeah, no, look, I'm gonna say something really bold here. Really, really bold. Women listen very, very carefully. Guys want sex. There it is. There it is. It's edgy. It's bold. He doesn't care. If he has no emotional connection to you at all. If you look hotter than you did, then he will have sex with you, he will sleep with you, and you will never hear from him again.
Caller
Maybe I will, maybe I won't. But I mean, I just, I think maybe, I don't know if it might not be. It might be no strings attached on my end too. It could just happen and.
Bert
Yeah, I could just.
Charlene
All right, sure.
Bert
Okay.
Emily
You can't do that.
Bert
You can't do that.
Charlene
Of course not.
Emily
But she just gotta be honest with yourself.
Bert
You're do what you want, so go do what you want. But we're telling you right now, if you sleep with him this weekend, he's not calling you on Monday. But if that's what you got to do, you think to go get your man and go do what you got to do.
Caller
All right.
Bert
Okay. Good luck. The bird show. There are a couple of women in New York City that have taken a look at some of the bosses that they've worked for before. These guys that wine and dine clients that they want to get on board, take them on these golf outings, take them out to dinner, take them to strip clubs, do whatever you have to do, you know, and they write off as a tax, write off all of those meetings when you're trying to recruit a client, a new client. So a couple of women not so long ago are running a company and they have a really important client, also a woman whose business that they want to snag. So they arrange to go shoe shopping together, all of them and the client. It's an all day outing in Manhattan during their fashion week. They book an expensive lunch also in between the designer sample sales. And then that night they pay premium prices to attend a sold out quilt show. What quilt? A quilt show. Now if you want to get a client on board, if you're due, do not, do not suggest the quilt show.
Emily
I'm just surprised there's a quilt show that sold out.
Bert
Yeah, right. It sounds like an oxymoron. So they, even though they run the company, they wrote that off. Also, they're trying to recruit a big time client and right before they turn in all their receipts, their accountant said, can't be done. Can't go out shoe shopping and claim it as a tax write off. And these women said, well, we wouldn't go shopping this day if we weren't trying to recruit this client.
Emily
And did they buy the shoes for the client?
Bert
It does not say. I think they are just taking all the time that they were with this new client, including the shoe shop, and saying everything should be written off, which is really setting a dangerous precedent, I.
Charlene
Think, because you can't do that. Because, I mean, because they have something left over from it, they're going to wear those shoes again for other stuff. So I mean, they can't do that.
Bert
So if a guy went, well, we would just never ever suggest clothes shopping to each other. So it's not even a good comparison.
Emily
It's a difficult analogy to make there. Yeah.
Bert
But if you set the precedent where it's okay for women to take other women shoe shopping as a point of recruitment, what a green light that's gonna be, right?
Emily
Well, and where do you draw the line, like for like say if it was like a guy's like business meeting or whatever and you paid for a round of golf, you could write that off.
Bert
That you can actually now, I believe, write that off.
Emily
So it's a comparable thing would be like a day at the spa.
Charlene
Right.
Bert
Would you be able to be able.
Emily
To write that off? You know, I understand like actually purchasing things, but like say you bought a golf club for a client. Couldn't you buy shoes for a client and write off that too?
Bert
That sounds so dangerous to me. Women buying shoes for other women as a tax write off. Someone's gonna launch an investigation where that line is drawn.
Emily
If it's like an item or a service.
Charlene
Because I thought it's. If you take, you take it with you and you use it somewhere else. So if it's a. Because I did. Can they. Is it a tax write off if a guy buys clubs that a client can take with him?
Bert
That I don't know, but I know.
Charlene
If I don't think that is. But a service is going and experience. Experience of a round of golf. Makes sense. So like you said, I think it's a great comparison going to the spa because it's just services. You don't take anything home with you. Then that could be a text write off for sure.
Bert
It's in court right now.
Emily
Are they really?
Bert
Yes.
Charlene
Wow.
Bert
Boy, that is gonna really free you guys up big time. Oh my God. Do you know how many, how many times over the course of a year, you guys are going to figure out ways to try to recruit people on the radio for us. If you can write off shoes.
Emily
Yeah, that's true, right? I mean, if you can. I mean, I just don't think they're gonna be able to pass that.
Bert
Well, they're saying it's got a good chance, so we'll let you know over the next couple of weeks if it actually happens or not. The Birch Show USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day like superheroes and Sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With usaa, you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a'@usaa.com bundle restrictions apply. This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. Last year I went through many different life changes. I needed to take a pause and examine how I was feeling in the inside to better show up for the ones who need me to be my best version of myself. When you're navigating life's changes, Talkspace can help. Talkspace is the number one rated online therapy, bringing you professional support from licensed therapists and psychiatry providers that you can access anytime, anywhere. Living a busy life, navigating a long distance relationship, becoming a first stepfather, Talkspace made all of those journeys possible. I could speak with my therapist in the office. I could speak with my therapist in the comfort of my home. I was never alone. Talkspace works with most major insurers and most insured members have a $0 copay. No insurance, no problem. Now get $80 off your first month with promo code space80 when you go to talkspace.com match with a licensed therapist today at talkspace.com save $80 with code space80@talkspace.com.
Katrina
What time is it? Chumba time. Chumbacasino.com is the online social casino with over 100 free games.
Bert
Play anytime, anywhere for your chance to.
Katrina
Redeem some serious prizes.
Charlene
No purchase necessary. VGW Group void were prohibited by law.
Bert
21 terms and conditions apply.
Original Air Date: February 18, 2026
Hosts: Bert, Charlene, Emily
Featured Guest: Katrina
Main Theme: Navigating Family Pressure, Body Image, and Motivations for Self-Change
This episode of The Bert Show brings listeners into deeply personal conversations centered on navigating family expectations and self-image, especially around weight and body positivity. The emotional core is a follow-up with Katrina, whose father has long burdened her with high-pressure expectations around her weight, culminating in a public "weight loss gauntlet" challenge. The team holds a frank, compassionate, and often humorous dialogue exploring parental pressure, self-worth, confidence, and how external opinions can shape our choices. Later in the episode, they transition to lighter, yet impactful, stories about post-breakup "revenge makeovers" and the hilarity of what constitutes a business tax write-off.
Timestamps: 01:34 – 17:36
Timestamps: 09:42–17:36
Timestamps: 19:54–29:01
Timestamps: 29:01–32:52
If you're grappling with similar struggles—whether about body image, family expectations, or post-breakup reinvention—this episode offers a supportive (and often funny) reminder: your worth isn’t defined by others’ opinions, and living for yourself is truly the only way forward.
End of Part 1 Summary