The Bert Show: Full Show PT 2 (Friday, January 16 [Vault])

Podcast by Pionaire Podcasting

Date: January 16, 2026

Overview

This episode of The Bert Show dives into two main topics:

1. The Firing of Valerie Cheatham at Neiman Marcus – The team discusses a controversial story involving Valerie Cheatham, who was fired after trying to help two dogs locked in a hot car. With Valerie herself joining the show, the conversation explores employee ethics, customer privilege, and animal welfare.
2. Parenthood Dilemmas – The hosts and listeners engage in an honest discussion about the challenges and rewards of having a second child. Personal stories and listener calls reveal a range of emotions and perspectives.

Lively, candid, and often humorous, the show balances real-world drama with thoughtful commentary.

Key Segment 1: Valerie Cheatham & The Neiman Marcus Dog Incident

[00:01 – 18:05]

Background & Story Recap

• Valerie Cheatham was the assistant manager at Neiman Marcus (Buckhead) and had worked there for nearly a decade.
• On a particularly hot day (approx. 89–90°F), co-workers and an off-duty Atlanta police officer alerted her to two dogs locked in a black BMW in the parking deck.
• Valerie attempted to help: "Because the car was so tall, I could not reach inside. So I took my shoes off and got on the hood, and that's when the owner came out yelling, screaming, cursing." (Valerie, 00:37)

Incident Details and Reactions

• The dog owner, Ramona Lindsay, accused Valerie of damaging her $80,000 car and filed a police report.
• Lindsay claimed, "She [Valerie] damaged my $80,000 car." She also stated the dogs were fine, citing an open sunroof and cracked window.
• Animal welfare experts on the show stress that even with windows open, car temperatures rise quickly to dangerous levels, causing potential harm or death to animals.
  • "In 10 minutes, the temperature in a car climbs to 102 degrees... That causes brain damage, death, ruptured blood vessels... I mean, it can kill your dog." (Animal Welfare Expert, 02:25)

Valerie’s Response and Experience

• Valerie didn’t know the dog owner was a client and recounted the confrontation:
  • "She said she wanted to smack me in the face but didn’t want to be arrested. She knocked the water out of my hand." (Valerie, 03:30)
• She says she tried to follow procedure by calling animal control and mall security but was still fired for "inappropriate behavior."
• On her firing:
  • "I was told that Neiman Marcus's position was that I should have gone through proper channels... But my question is, what kind of training do mall security personnel or even police officers have on animal welfare?" (Valerie, 06:38)

Host and Listener Outrage

• Several hosts and callers express anger at both the pet owner and Neiman Marcus:
  • "Good for her for doing that." (Co-host, 01:52)
  • "I’ll never shop at that store again." (Caller Jeff, 02:00)
  • "She enjoys that car more than she enjoys her... Like, she's upset about her $80,000 car, and she's got two lives in the car that she put at risk." (Co-host, 02:10)
  • "You attempted to intervene on something for the better good. And rather than praising you... you lost your job." (Caller Jeff, 09:07)

Questions of Corporate Values

• The team raises the issue of whether Ramona’s status as a high-spending customer influenced the outcome:
  • "Maybe Neiman Marcus takes a look at that and says, well, this woman is a big spender here... It’s gonna be easier for us to lose an employee than it is a $50,000 spender." (Jeff Dollar, 09:32)
• Valerie: "For me, this whole thing is not about me. It's not about her. I want people just to think about the animals... we should put their needs before ours." (07:45)

Listener and HR Professional Input

• A human resources professional calls in:
  • "If I were you... I would sue them for wrongful termination... There were witnesses there that saw that the dogs were in the car. They weren't properly ventilated. It was hot." (HR Professional, 12:05)
• Valerie notes: "Neiman Marcus is dog friendly... We had customers that would regularly bring in their smaller dogs in the carriers." (13:09)
• Listeners offer Valerie job opportunities and emotional support.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Valerie reflecting on her dismissal:
  • "I was 46 years old. I’ve never been fired from a job... But I said, tonight I'm going to go home and sleep like a baby." (01:36)
• Host on protest: "The loudest voice you can have is not shopping at Neiman Marcus... your money is where it's going to hurt them the most." (Caller, 16:02)
• Valerie, when asked if she’d return if offered her old job:
  • "Not after I had the heart attack." (16:55)
  • On what Neiman Marcus could do to make it right: "Maybe a nice donation to the Home Pet Foundation." (17:14)

Key Segment 2: Should We Have a Second Child? Parenting Debates and Listener Stories

[18:10 – 30:00]

Jeff’s Family Dilemma

• Jeff shares that he and his wife Stacy are debating having a second child. Stacy’s first pregnancy was tough, ending with their son Hayden coming six weeks early.
• Jeff: "Every time he does something really cool... I say to Stacy, how can we not want to do this again?" (18:19)
• The couple has concerns: time, finances, the risks of another challenging pregnancy.

Listener and Host Experiences

• Common theme: No regrets about the second child, but second children can present challenges:
  • "They would never say that they regretted having the second child, but they think they would have said that they regretted not having it." (Jeff Dollar, 19:34)
• Host shares a story about being the youngest by ten years—her mother wanted another child for companionship.

Sibling Relationships

• Listeners stress the value of sibling relationships:
  • "It's a relationship like none other in my life... I would want that for my children." (Caller, 21:39)
  • Hosts: Having siblings gives kids someone to "complain about the parents with." (22:40)

Real Talk: The Second Child is Often ‘Harder’

• Several callers admit the second child can be dramatically more difficult:
  • "Had we had her first, there would never have been a second... She was a difficult baby... but I love her with every grain of my being." (Christie, 23:16)
  • "So what, that she was harder? She's still your child and she's still... going to be a sibling to that first child." (Caller, 24:26)
  • Some families find a difficult second child strains relationships and family dynamics.

Third Children and Blended Families

• Bill: "I don't regret the second, but I do regret the third... I think that once the kids outnumber the parents, it's a losing battle." (Bill, 25:21)
• Another caller from a blended family: "If I could go back now, they would all be grown by now. I wouldn't have done it... now, now, now. There you go. He is my baby boy. I would not take a million dollars for him, but I wouldn't give a nickel for another one." (Lynn, 29:21)

Special Needs & Unexpected Challenges

• Jessica shares about her autistic son—second child. It's been challenging, but she wouldn’t change her decision:
  • "My oldest child, great... The second child, it does put a strain... when you have a child that has special needs. And you always have to think about that... I would not give him back for the world. But it is extremely hard." (Jessica, 27:38)

Host Reflection

• Jeff: "I think I always live with this small part inside of me that's just like... things have gone pretty easy. And what am I going to do to screw this up to make the second half really, really, really difficult?" (26:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Valerie Cheatham: “I was 46 years old. I've never been fired from a job. I'd given almost 10 years of my life to that company. But I said, tonight I'm going to go home and sleep like a baby.” (01:36)
• Animal Welfare Expert: “In 10 minutes, the temperature in a car climbs to 102 degrees. In 20 minutes, 120 degrees... that causes brain damage, death, ruptured blood vessels... It can kill your dog.” (02:25)
• Co-host on protest: “Your money is where it’s going to hurt them the most.” (16:15)
• Listener Bill: “I don't regret the second, but I do regret the third... once the kids outnumber the parents, it's a losing battle.” (25:21)
• Jessica: “I love my second child… I would not give him back for the world. But it is extremely hard to have a special needs child.” (27:38)
• Lynn (blended family): “He is my baby boy. I would not take a million dollars for him, but I wouldn't give a nickel for another one.” (29:50)

Timestamps & Highlights

• 00:01 – 04:20: Introduction and breakdown of the dog-in-hot-car incident; Valerie's account.
• 04:20 – 08:26: Valerie’s handling of the incident and her thoughts on animal welfare and corporate response.
• 09:32 – 14:00: Discussion of customer privilege, corporate policy, and hosts’ commentary.
• 15:11 – 17:18: Listener support for Valerie, job offers, and potential paths forward.
• 17:51 – 18:05: Valerie on forgiveness and what it would take for Neiman Marcus to make amends.
• 18:10 – 25:10: Jeff’s family debate about a second child; hosts’ stories and listener calls.
• 25:21 – 30:00: Memorable listener stories about second (and third) kids, sibling relationships, and special challenges.

Summary

This episode of The Bert Show is quintessential morning radio—funny, real, and at times deeply moving. The first half spotlights the fallout from an ethical stand made by a longtime employee, sparking debate about animal welfare, corporate priorities, and personal values. The second half shifts to family life, offering heartfelt, occasionally hilarious discussions about the complexities of parenting and the unique bond between siblings. Lively commentary, engaging guests, and honest listener stories make this episode both entertaining and thought-provoking—even if you missed the broadcast.