Full Show PT 2: Monday, January 19 [Vault]

Summary

The Bert Show – Full Show PT 2: Monday, January 19 [Vault] (January 19, 2026)
Host: Pionaire Podcasting | Cast: Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy & the Bert Show Cast

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Bert Show dives into the messy, hilarious, and often emotionally fraught world of breakups, control, and the surprising ways people deal with heartbreak. The cast also explores the powerful bonds people have with their pets—sometimes even stronger than those with their partners. Mixing real listener calls and personal anecdotes, the team keeps things both light and deeply honest, offering a blend of laughter and truth that remains the show’s hallmark. The episode wraps with an inspiring check-in from world-traveling friend Susie, who shares jaw-dropping stories from Sicily and adventures abroad.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Breakup Power Play: Getting the Last Word

• Theme: Many people can't let go after being dumped and will even rekindle a relationship just to regain control and be the one to end it.
• Anecdote: A woman at the radio station finds herself unable to move on from a dysfunctional ex, not because she loves him, but because she wants to end the relationship on her terms.
  • [00:00] A: “She says now that she kind of feels […] she would really like to see this guy again just so she can be the one to end it.”

Listener Calls & Stories

• Isabella’s Story: Came back to an ex just to dump him, but got pregnant in the process.
  • [03:57] Isabella: “I got back together with this guy because I was really pissed off that he dumped me… So I got back together with him just to dump him, and I ended up getting pregnant and now we’re having a baby.”
• Jessica’s Story: Returned to a cheating ex just to “even the score"—cheated on him and then ended it herself.
  • [06:54] Jessica: “I was with a guy who cheated on me… I wanted to cheat on him back, and I did. So I got back with him and then did the same thing to him.”
• Sarah’s Story: Got back with her ex who had cheated—broke up with him and he immediately proposed. She declined.
  • [08:14] Sarah: "My boyfriend of two years cheated on me ... I took him back for the specific purpose of breaking up with him. [...] then he proposed [...] and I, of course, said no."
• Lee’s Story: Remarried an ex to divorce him and get a child and support.
  • [09:17] Lee: “I actually remarried someone so that I could divorce them instead of them having the doctor say they… No, you did not. Yes, I did. And I got my child out of it, too.”

Panel Reflections

• Bert wonders if this is more of a “good looking person” phenomenon, tying it to ego and control.
  • [06:19] A: “The decision of ego is never the good one.”

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2. Animal Love > Human Love?

Would You Choose Your Pet Over Your Partner?

• Debate: Listeners and show hosts share stories about loving their pets more than their spouses—sometimes to comical, sometimes to revealing effect.
• Prompt: “If you can honestly look at your life and say, I love my pet more than I love my spouse, call in!”

Listener Confessions

• Susan: Knows her husband loves their dog more than her; carries a photo of the dog, not the family.
  • [25:05] Susan: “...when he’s at work or…driving around in his truck, there’s a picture in his visor of him and the dog. There’s none of me and the family and the dog.”
• Jennifer: Admits to loving her cats more than her husband (who’s away so she can safely confess); even owns a magnet that says “Husband and cat missing. $100 reward for cat.”
  • [27:11] Jennifer: “...my favorite all time cat. While we had that cat, I bought this little magnet that said husband and cat missing. Hundred dollar reward for cat.”
• Beth: Would rescue her dog from a burning house before her husband.
  • [29:38] Beth: “My husband already knows. If the house was on fire, I would get my dog before I would get my [husband].”
• Stephanie: Broke up with a boyfriend who made her choose between him and her cat.
  • [30:29] Stephanie: “[He] said, it’s me or the cat. And I said, it’s the cat.”

Host Table Talk

• The team discusses their own willingness to prioritize pets over romantic relationships, the reasons behind those choices ("They're my responsibility," "They don’t talk back," "They’re real"), and the idea that pets—particularly cats—often act as relationship litmus tests.
• Bert openly admits not understanding the “cat appeal,” prompting playful ribbing from the other hosts.

Memorable Quotes

• [29:42] Beth: “She’s my best friend. She loves me all the time, regardless of whether I’ve had a bad day or whatever.”
• [28:16] B: "They're real. Their personality is just right out there, useless."

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3. Suzy’s World Adventures: “From Vietnamese Rooftops to Sicilian Weddings”

Travel Update with Suzy

• Suzy, a regular friend-of-the-show segment guest, calls in—literally from a boat in the Mediterranean while attending a wedding in Sicily.
  • [11:35] Suzy: “You guys, I’m on a boat in the Mediterranean… We rented a boat. Today I’m here for my girlfriend’s wedding in Sicily. She’s marrying a Sicilian guy…”
• Painting a vivid sensory picture of Sicilian life—family, food, wine, and scenery.
  • [14:09] Suzy: “Beautiful, craggy, incredible terrain. … The tomatoes taste different. The pasta is perfect. The olive oil, it’s like, it’s just… They don’t play.”
• Differences between Italian and American weddings: Large family gatherings in the days before, loud but affectionate arguments about wine, and traditions unique to Sicily.
• Addresses American stereotypes about Italian men from her own perspective on the ground.
• Shares an incredible “small world” story: By chance, she bumps into Jeff from the Bert Show at the Coliseum in Rome.
  • [17:55] Suzy: “...all of a sudden I am like, holy moly. I didn’t say moley, but I’m on the radio now, so. Holy moly, right? I’m like, I think I know that person.… It was Jeff from the Bert show. You are kidding. In the Coliseum.”
• Discusses her next destination: taking a ferry from Sicily to Tunisia, North Africa.
  • [21:05] E: “I bought a boat ticket. So I. After the wedding, I’m gonna travel on Sicily for about a week, and then I’m gonna hop on a boat. I’m gonna be in northern Africa, you guys. I can’t believe it. I’m gonna be in Tunisia.”

Notable Quotes

• [14:58] Suzy: “I’ll tell you something, these guys know things we don’t know. They’re living a beautiful life here. I’m like, whoa.”
• [18:11] Suzy: “I screamed. I hugged him. I was like, I cannot believe this.”

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Standout Moments & Quotes

• [03:57] Isabella on revenge breakups: “So I got back together with him just to dump him, and I ended up getting pregnant and now we’re having a baby.”
• [06:19] Bert: “The decision of ego is never the good one.”
• [25:05] Susan: “He wants the dog’s ashes with him [when he dies].”
• [29:38] Beth on house fires: “If the house was on fire, I would get my dog before I would get my [husband].”
• [17:55] Suzy’s Coliseum encounter: “It was Jeff from the Bert Show. You are kidding. In the Coliseum.”

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–06:15: Discussion about the need for control in breakups; listener calls about revenge breakups.
• 06:47–13:15: Real-life stories of returning to relationships for “closure,” cheating for revenge, and emotional fallout.
• 13:15–21:10: Suzy’s world travel update from Sicily, description of Sicilian weddings, and her wild “small world” coincidence with Jeff in Rome.
• 22:52–32:10: Pet loyalty stories: Listeners and hosts discuss choosing pets over partners and pets as relationship deal-breakers.

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Tone and Style

The episode is classic Bert Show: candid, uproariously funny, and occasionally jaw-dropping. Rapid-fire banter and quick-witted exchanges create a natural, relatable rhythm. Real listener stories give the episode authenticity, and the team’s honesty—about love, pettiness, pets, and travel—strikes a chord for anyone who’s ever struggled to move on, or ever loved an animal just a little too much.

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Summary Takeaways

• Breakups are as much about ego and control as about love—sometimes people rekindle a relationship just to be the one who ends it.
• Revenge in relationships rarely leads to satisfaction; acting from ego often causes more problems.
• Pet love runs deep. Listeners and hosts alike share stories showing pets are sometimes the ultimate litmus test (and occasional relationship-ender) in their love lives.
• The world can be remarkably small, as Susy’s surprise encounter with a fellow show member in Rome proves.
• Through laughter, honesty, and a little bit of wildness, The Bert Show invites listeners to find humor in heartbreak and to cherish the loyal pets (and people) who make life a little more bearable.

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For more stories from Susy’s journey or to connect with the cast, visit The Bert Show at www.thebertshow.com.

Transcript

[A]

The bird show. Okay, I've got one for you. And I can't specifically name who I'm talking about here, but there is a girl at the radio station, a woman at the radio station drives me crazy because she's in another one of these freaking relationships that is like an on again, off again relationship. And the guy that she's going out with isn't giving her what she wants yet. She's just having the toughest time breaking away from this guy, even though he's just. There's just too much baggage going on. Too much, too much, too much. And she's constantly complaining about the relationship, even though she won't bail on the guy. Okay? So I think that she finally, finally gave him basically an ultimatum and said, look, if you can't commit to me, I'm on my way. That's it. Buh. Bye. So she does that, and he says, okay, I can't give you what you want. I'll see you around. So she takes off. She's like, fine, fine, then, fine. And then they go through that whole well, I'll see you tonight kind of thing. Call you every now and then where it's not really officially, like, over over. But she's done the smart thing and she started, like going out with another guy or a couple other guys or whatever, right? But she's still hooked on dysfunctional guy number one. So I was talking to her about it yesterday and she said, you know what I think it is? I don't think that I have ever gotten out of a relationship on my own term. I mean that I've always gotten out of the relationship on my own terms. It's never been the guy that said, you know what? Yeah, this thing's over for me.

[B]

She's always broken up with them. She's always broken up with her.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And crazy.

[A]

She says now that she kind of feels. Well, she never said this. It was my sense that she would really like to see this guy again just so she can be the one to end it. Cause I said, do you really, really dig this guy? She's like, no, that's the thing. I really don't dig them all that much. But it's just. Just the way it ended. So I'm wondering if there are any Bert show listeners that are brave enough. Brave enough to call us up. We'll use a voice disguiser if we have to, to say, you know what, he broke up with me, or she broke up with me, and I didn't even like him that much, but I got back together just so I could be the one to have the final say in the whole thing.

[B]

I bet there are so many who do that, because as I. It's all about control. A breakup is about control. Let's be honest, because that is you. Whoever got broken up with, your ego got crushed.

[C]

Okay?

[B]

And all you're thinking about is you're not reminiscing on the great times and blah, blah, blah. All you want is back so you can regain some control. And I guarantee. And of course, the way to get the upper hand is to get the control back and then break up with them. Absolutely. I mean, there's. The breakup is about war. It's about control.

[A]

See, I have never done this because I always felt like, even if the relationship wasn't good, like, I'd gladly be the martyr. I think this is a woman thing more than it is a guy thing. Like, as a guy, I just want out. I don't want to talk about it for a long period of time. I just want the relationship to be over. So if you're the one that will break up with me, I'm totally okay with that. That's it for me. Over.

[B]

Did you tell your guys that you broke up with them, though?

[A]

Of course.

[C]

Yeah, of course. You got to flip it around.

[A]

Yeah, of course.

[C]

I have a guy friend who I.

[A]

Know did this, who went back with her.

[C]

Huh. And this is years later. I mean, he had been burned, burned, burned, burned, burned. And for a long time didn't admit how hurt he was. But this is years. Years pass, he admits how hurt he was, whatever, gets back together with the woman for a very short time, and then sure enough, turns around and crushes her.

[A]

And he had it, like, planned out.

[C]

I don't think that he'll ever admit that's what he did, but I think that's what he did.

[A]

404-741-1005. You specifically got back with somebody with the intention of being the one that had to be the breakuper. Good morning, Isabella.

[D]

Hey.

[E]

How's it going?

[A]

Good. How are you?

[E]

I'm good.

[A]

At this point, you're the only one to get through that, is brave enough to say, you know what? I have done this.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

I got back together with this guy because I was really pissed off that he dumped me. I mean, I'd never been in a relationship and somebody dumped me. I was like, why, are you crazy? What do you mean? I'm not good enough? So I got back together with him just to dump him, and I ended up getting pregnant and now we're having a baby.

[C]

Oh, you are kidding me.

[E]

I am so feeling.

[C]

Oh my God. You are pregnant now with your dumpies baby.

[D]

Yes.

[C]

No way. Did you dump him?

[E]

Well, yeah, but you know, there's still no hope of relationship. So now I am like.

[A]

You know, somebody once told me something that I have always remembered that the decision of ego is never the right decision. You will always get burned. And if you make a decision out of ego, and here you do, you do that. You go back to this guy even though you're not digging him so much. And now you're having a baby by the dumpy.

[E]

Pretty much.

[B]

Well, and I think it's fascinating how just the reaction of people like you said it and the, the person here at the station said it where you know, they've never been broken up before. They don't how to handle it. What? You broke it up with me.

[A]

I wonder if this is like, is this a good looking woman?

[E]

I couldn't handle it. I couldn't understand. I'm like, what do you. What do you mean? I'm for a girlfriend. I thought this relationship was going great. What do you mean you're dumping me? You can't dump me, right?

[B]

Yeah, I think it's dumping me.

[A]

I'm just curious, Isabella, the timing of this. So you get back together with dude and then how long do you stay in the relationship before you break up with him just so you feel justified?

[E]

I don't know, it all depends. We have been together for like three weeks when I ended up getting locked up. Yeah.

[A]

Okay. Thank you very much. I still thank you.

[B]

Well, yeah, if you're going back for revenge breakup, use protection.

[A]

He's got the last laugh.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, yeah.

[A]

Jen, can you reach over there and hit the voice disguiser for this one?

[B]

Do you think it's a good person? I mean you, we breeze over the question but we'll ask about. You think it's a good, good looking thing.

[A]

I think it's a good looking woman thing. Like how dare you?

[C]

Well, guys too.

[A]

I've never known a guy to do this like. Because I think once guys are out of the relationship, if they want it out, they don't want to look back. I don't care if my ego was bruised. At least in my case. I'd rather deal with the ego bruise than deal with the seven freaking hour long conversation of why it didn't work out.

[C]

No, I think it's your unique. Yeah, I think it's just a good looking dude or woman thing because I think it's just your ego's bruised.

[A]

The decision of ego is never the good one.

[B]

And it shows that good looking people know they're good looking because it's like, what? You breaking up with me? Yeah. I mean, me, I'm not good. I'm not good at. Look at me.

[C]

Look at me.

[A]

How dare you?

[B]

Yeah, exactly. Cause the words look at me come out of somebody's mouth during that.

[C]

Especially if you're dating down or you think you're dating down and then the person below you breaks up with you.

[A]

We're gonna call you Jessica. You are on all the hits. Q100. Hi.

[D]

Hey. I just want you guys to know, first off my disclaimer, I was young and dumb and an idiot. Okay.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

All right. I was with a guy who cheated on me, and I stayed with him and gave him, quote, unquote, another shot for two reasons. One, I was still in love with him. And two, I wanted to cheat on him back, and I did. So I got back with him and then did the same thing to him.

[A]

And then you broke up with him.

[D]

And then I broke up with him. Yeah.

[A]

See, this is.

[C]

Yeah, I. I have actually, sadly, admittedly done that.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

But it was much more of a long, drawn out process. But there was a guy I dated who cheated on me and I went back together with him, which, like an idiot, because I was like, you still cared about him or whatever, but then continued to cheat on him throughout the rest of the relationship and then dumped him.

[A]

Yeah. That gives a woman a green light. As guys, we got to know that. Or it goes the other way around, too. I think sometimes, like, you can justify the infidelity if it's been done to you.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

It doesn't make it right. It makes it an even worse relationship or whatever. But if you've been cheated on, you feel like you have a right to do it to them, too.

[A]

I mean, think about it. Like, Denise Richards can pretty much do anything she wants with any guy right now on Charlie Sheen and get away with it.

[C]

By the way, headlines out today that they might renew their valves.

[A]

Yeah, that's.

[B]

Well, well, there you go.

[C]

Side note.

[B]

There you go. Sidebar.

[A]

Still need the voices. Guys are on. Good morning, Sarah. You're on all the hits. Q100. Hi.

[D]

Good morning.

[A]

Hi.

[B]

Hello.

[D]

Hi.

[B]

What'd you do?

[D]

Well, my boyfriend of two years cheated on me, and after that, decided he wanted to get back together, so I took him back for the specific purpose of breaking up with him. So broke up with him and then he proposed and didn't have a return policy on the ring, and I, of course, said no.

[C]

Oh, ouch.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

You guys are so conniving.

[C]

So he's got a nice rock he's walking around with, huh?

[D]

Yeah, I think he took it back and exchanged it for some Christmas jewelry or something.

[A]

But this all stems from him cheating, though.

[D]

Oh, of course.

[A]

If he doesn't cheat, then none of this happens, Right?

[D]

Right.

[A]

Okay. Thank you.

[B]

I don't have the patience for it. Like, I'm thinking about. I don't know if I've ever go back with somebody just to get. Seek revenge when I'm sure I've had the motivation before, but I don't know if I think I'd get there and think, I can't do this. You know, I couldn't draw it out and stay with them long enough to do it. Yeah.

[A]

I just want it to be over so I can move on and get screwed over by the next year.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Good morning, Lee. You're on the Burt Show.

[B]

Hi.

[D]

Hi.

[E]

I was calling to tell you that.

[D]

I actually remarried someone so that I.

[E]

Could divorce them instead of them having the doctor say they.

[A]

No, you did not.

[E]

Yes, I did. And I got my child out of it, too. Maybe I always wanted that. I couldn't have.

[A]

So how long were you married?

[E]

How long was I married the first time?

[A]

Yes.

[E]

Oh, gosh, like seven or eight years.

[A]

And you guys get divorced because he's screwing around or just the relationship deteriorated?

[E]

No, he was convinced that I was screwing around, which was totally not true. And he would not father a child for me. Nothing. And divorced me, like, within moments. The moment he accused me of it.

[D]

Was the moment he divorced me.

[E]

And so I, you know, said this. This is not how this is going down.

[C]

So you remarried the same guy?

[E]

I remarried the same guy and was pregnant within, you know, months. Had the baby and divorced his behind immediately.

[A]

Unreal.

[C]

Oh, my goodness.

[A]

A guy could never, ever do this.

[C]

To live your life with that kind of drive.

[A]

Say that again, Lee.

[E]

I said so. Now I get child support, too.

[A]

Thank you, Lee.

[C]

Goodbye.

[A]

The perfect ending.

[B]

And there nothing happened. All that drama, and nothing happened.

[A]

And nothing happened except she got a kid out of the whole thing. The bird show. All right, Jen Hobby, who is Susie, and why do we talk to her from time to time?

[C]

Well, Susie's your friend who decided to travel the world all by herself. She had enough money saved up maybe to get married, buy a home, but the marriage thing didn't work out, so she said, you know, What I'm going to spend it on doing what I want to do. I'm going to travel around the world and go see this planet that we live on. And she's doing it all by herself. So we are learning along the way with Susie. We've learned about all kinds of different countries and cultures so far. I think we're all pretty envious of the journey she's taken, so we're following her throughout the world. Bert got her a universal international Verizon wireless cell phone. So we're getting in touch with her that way all over the world. And she's sharing with us her experience.

[A]

And she's either in a wind tunnel or she's got the phone in her esophagus right now.

[E]

Well, close to it. You guys, I'm on a boat in the Mediterranean.

[C]

Oh, nice.

[A]

How nice does that sound?

[E]

Excuse the wind.

[A]

How nice does that sound? What kind of boat are you talking?

[E]

We rented a boat. Today I'm here for my girlfriend's wedding in Sicily. She's marrying a Sicilian guy. We're all out on the boat, basically touring the most beautiful ocean I've ever seen.

[A]

Look at you. You know what? You set the timing on this so perfectly, because there you are with all your friends and stuff. You're like, excuse me while I pull away. While I call a radio station in Atlanta and tell them about my travels interview.

[E]

Because I'm a radio personality. Exactly.

[A]

I told you guys.

[E]

Oh, it just worked out this way. The wedding's tomorrow, so we all wanted to go and relax on a boat. And I was. I hope the phone works out here in the Mediterranean. But it works, so we're in luck.

[A]

Very cool. Is it like one of those catamaran type deals or.

[E]

It's all. It's just all white and just Mediterranean. I don't know what it is, but I'm just lying on the back here in my bikini like, you know, a diva.

[B]

Nice. Now, now, last time we talked to you, was you still in Asia? Have we talked to her since she was in Asia?

[E]

Yeah, I was on. I was on the roof of a Vietnamese restaurant.

[B]

Right.

[E]

Right after that, I went to Thailand and just kicked it on the beach for a while. And now I'm in Sicily for my best girlfriend's wedding. I've known her since kindergarten, and I came here for the wedding. She's marrying a Sicilian guy in his hometown.

[A]

And you say she hasn't gotten married yet or she's getting married.

[E]

He had a wedding in New York a couple weeks ago, which I missed because I was in Cambodia or something at the time. And his whole family is still here. His mom, you know, in the town he grew up in, all the relatives, the brothers, the whole thing. So they planned a second wedding here in Sicily. So I came to that one.

[A]

Is there any like comparisons that you can make between weddings that are being prepared for in the States as opposed to over in Sicily?

[E]

So many things are different. First of all, I have watched all the Sicilian relatives pile into the house the couple days before the wedding. It's different here. They all come over the days before to sit and have their espresso and bring the envelopes over and everything. So I saw two uncles, these Sicilian guys, these hot tempered guys get into an argument about wine. I don't know what they were talking about for four hours, screaming and yelling at each other. Nobody's upset, but everybody's screaming and yelling. So yes, I would say it's a little bit different here at old wedding.

[A]

See, here we argue over religion and politics. In Italy it's all about the wine.

[E]

It's all about the wine. Everybody's uncle has grown grapes for the wine. And you know, there's a lot of politics around that issue.

[A]

What else can you tell us about Italy? I mean, a lot of us have never been there before. So kind of paint a picture for us.

[E]

I mean, if you guys could see what I'm looking at. Beautiful, craggy, incredible terrain. There's olive trees, fig trees, there's grapes growing everywhere. The food, you guys, I have never had better food in my life. Even if you just go for the simplest thing, everything's beautiful. I can't even like. The tomatoes taste different. The pasta is perfect. The olive oil, it's like, it's just. They don't play. They just do not play here with the food. And the water is. I had no idea the water in the Mediterranean was going to be turquoise. It looks just like the Caribbean here. Everybody's out on their boats. It's like people here work two hours a day. I don't know how they get away with it, but it's Italian style. I'll tell you something, these guys know things we don't know. They're living a beautiful life here. I'm like, whoa.

[A]

Now I know when my wife was in Italy, she thought maybe it was because of her blonde hair that the Italian men really seem to have kind of a swagger towards her. Are you finding that to be the case, everybody?

[E]

One of my girlfriends was like, oh, the guys in Italy are so Lecherous. She used the word lecherous. I have not seen that here at all. I mean, to me, the guys, they look a little bit longer and a little bit harder maybe than they would, you know, in New York. But it's a pretty sexual culture. It's definitely like everybody's beautiful here. So I think that adds to it. But I haven't had that kind of experience. And maybe it's because I look like the rest of these girls. I've drawn curly hair and Stacey's obviously blonde and blue eyed, but no, I haven't gotten any of that. So maybe it's more like if you.

[A]

Look foreign now, Jen, you've been.

[C]

So I was gonna say I had the experience. I was gonna say, Susie, you gotta go to a nightclub, go out.

[E]

I have not been to a nightclub.

[C]

Go dancing. And then you might have a different opinion.

[B]

But Jen's blonde.

[C]

That's true.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, so many girls have said.

[E]

This to me from America. I know it must be true, but I just have not experienced it. I guess I'm not as hot as you hotties.

[C]

You're plenty hot, girlfriend.

[A]

I told these guys and I haven't revealed to them your amazing small world story.

[E]

You guys, everyone who's listening, just hold on to a stationary object because this is the craziest thing that's happened to me yet on this trip. Okay, you ready? I'm in Rome. And first of all, just like, let's rewind. For the past seven months, I have been in the craziest corners of the world. I've been in big cities, I've been in Rio, I've been in Phnom Penh and I've been in Hanoi. And the whole time I've had a feeling that I am going to bump into somebody I know. And it's crazy and it's against all the odds, but I've just had this very strong feeling. And so I'm always looking around. People think I'm crazy. I'm like, it's going to happen. Today's going to be the day I'm going to see somebody I know. And I'm always like, who's it going to be? Is it going to be an ex boyfriend? Is it going to be a childhood friend? I'm not sure who it's going to be. Okay, now I'm in the Coliseum in Rome and I'm sitting there. I glommed onto a free tour so I could listen in on the English without paying for it. So I'm standing around this Tour guide listening for free. And all of a sudden, I see a face that looks very familiar, but I'm not sure. It's a familiar face, but it's not the face of an old friend or family. And I'm trying to place it, and all of a sudden I am like, holy moly. I didn't say moley, but I'm on the radio now, so. Holy moly, right? I'm like, I think I know that person. So I jump in front of that person's path and I say, I know you. And this person looks at me and says, his eyes are telling me, I don't think I know you. But you could tell he's, like, tripping out. Like, who is this girl? All of a sudden, both of us, it clicked at the same time. It was Jeff from the Bird show. You are kidding. In the Coliseum. You are kidding. What are the odds? That's crazy. Literally, my mouth got dry, my leg was shaking, and I was like, I can't believe this is happening.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[E]

I could not believe it. First of all, I had no idea he was vacationing. That was Jessica. It wasn't in the Journal. Nobody knew. I never tell anybody where I'm going next. I like to just pop. He had no idea. We were both just tripping out. I screamed. I hugged him. I was like, I cannot believe this.

[B]

I can't, because I forgot this where he is. Oh, my God.

[E]

Seriously, what does that mean? I'm not like, oh, miss. Oh, it's a coincidence. It means something from God. But I'm like, I. And I told my mother. I was like, mom, the Bird show is part of my life. Every day on this trip, every day, I'm thinking about the readers. I'm thinking about Bird. I'm thinking about you guys. What am I going to say? What am I going to write? I'm always going to the Internet to check my email from you guys, you know, from the listeners. And I was like, the Birch show's with me every day. So of course, I bump into somebody from the Bird show.

[C]

That is so wild. I mean, Jeff was in Rome for several days. So this. It was the same day he decided to go to the Coliseum.

[E]

Same day I decided we were in the same corner. We could have been on opposite ends of the Coliseum. He could have been up. I could have been down. It was a random time of day. It was like 4pm I mean, come on.

[C]

And the Coliseum's huge because Ryan and I just went a year ago. And there's different levels I mean, there's.

[B]

Tours going on all over the place.

[C]

The fact that you were sneaking in on his tour, that's even crazier. I mean, just like, all the elements that had to happen for you guys to line up in the same place.

[E]

Exactly. All the planets that had to line up, it was. I mean, I wish somebody could calculate the odds. If there's a statistician listening out there, I'm like, if two people were in the same city at the same time, what are the odds?

[A]

Isn't that.

[B]

But it's just like she said, you know what? I. You know, there's more out there than we realize. Because the fact that she had that energy of the Burt show in her mind all the time, I just really believe. Believe that. Yeah. It just. Yeah, I'm with you.

[E]

I believe. They always say, like, I read. You know, I read books every once in a while about how to, like, be a better person. And they're always like, if you're scared of something, you attract it. And if you believe in something, you know what I mean? You're attracted, too. And I'm like, whatever. I just. It's been such. It's been, like, one of the most important elements of this trip. It's been this show. And I'm like. And I bumped into Jeff.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

Strangest thing, man.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

He freaked out.

[A]

Totally.

[E]

Also, it's so encouraging for me.

[A]

So if you guys want, you gotta go and check out the journal. We can't stress this enough. Like, everybody that goes and reads the journal, I get a ton of emails from people going, oh, my God, it's like a soap opera that I can't stop reading. I wasted four hours at work today reading about it.

[B]

And it's not just the journal, too, because Suzy has pictures. So when she said today about the, you know, the waters of the Mediterranean or turquoise. Well, you can see that soon on the, you know, all the hits Q100 com to the bird show page. And all that information is right there.

[C]

Susie, I wanted to tell you, you're becoming a great photographer, too. Oh. I mean, your pictures from Southeast Asia, those were moving.

[E]

Thank you so much.

[A]

Go check it out. And you can email her there also. Now, where are you heading next?

[E]

Dude, I'm going to Africa. All right. Where first, I had no idea. My friend's husband told me you could take a ferry boat from Sicily to Tunisia in between Algeria and Libya. And I was like, you can. Okay. And I bought a boat ticket. So I. After the wedding, I'm Gonna travel on Sicily for about a week, and then I'm gonna hop on a boat. I'm gonna be in northern Africa, you guys. I can't believe it. I'm gonna be in Tunisia.

[B]

Very, very nice.

[A]

So the next time we touch base, you'll be in Tunisia.

[E]

You got it.

[A]

Very good.

[E]

Great talk to you guys.

[A]

All right, good talking to you, Susie. See you later, huh?

[D]

Ciao.

[A]

Bye. Bye.

[C]

Ciao.

[A]

The. So I had a thought yesterday in talking to Jan. That means somebody's going to be working around here. Tracy won't even answer my IMs anymore because every time I say hi, she knows it's going to mean two more hours of work. Here was my thought yesterday, and we have said this now for a while, that it sure seems weird to us that whenever we come up with the most random thought phone conversations that we never think we're gonna get any calls on, somebody in the Burch show listening community calls up and says, you guys are talking directly at me. And it doesn't matter how strange or how bad or how good it is. Right? So Jen Hobby yesterday leaves for vacation. And as she's leaving, she's like, oh, I'm so sad that I'm leaving. First of all, you know, I'm gonna miss Tuesday and the drive going on. I feel so guilty about that. She rattled off a couple other things. Then she's like, and I'm gonna miss my. And then she caught herself and she's like, oh, yeah, and I'm gonna miss my husband, too. So here's my question to you guys, because I know there are big time. I mean, rabid. Rabid and passionate pet lovers, much like Jamie Massey here. And we would have to use the voice disguiser for this. And let me give the phone number out. 404-741-1005. If you can honestly look at your life and say, I love my pet more than I love my spouse. Is there somebody listening?

[F]

Oh, I'm sure there is.

[A]

That can that can publicly say it. Now, we will put you on the voice disguiser because, you know, like, dog and cat people are freaks. Freaks, freaks, freaks.

[B]

But this is freaks.

[A]

Well, there are some that. I mean, if you're dressing your pets up. Yeah, that's for you at Halloween, at Christmas. And you're one of these people we're probably talking directly to.

[F]

I bet we could take that a step further, actually. And people who have divorced their spouse, of course, because of a pet, because.

[A]

There was something going on because they.

[F]

Didn'T like to get it's. The dog or me.

[D]

Bye.

[A]

You know, like, that's it.

[F]

There's people like that.

[A]

I think you're like, first.

[B]

Because if your animal came first before the person you're dating, sometimes that your animals take so precedent.

[A]

Now, wait a sec. So let me ask you a question here. Like, you've got Toby.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All right. You love Toby and Kim and they've. They've been around for a while.

[B]

My dog and my cat, they've been around for a while.

[A]

If somebody that you fell in love with came around and couldn't live in your house or you guys couldn't get a place together because they were allergic, that's what happened.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So you end the relationship.

[B]

I didn't end the. I mean, that's what happened. My last relationship, my last girlfriend was allergic to them and we never lived together. Yeah. I'm not getting rid of my animals so that I could. So I could live with her.

[F]

You go, girl.

[A]

You would rather I didn't break up.

[B]

With her, but we adjusted to the lifestyle. But absolutely no, I would say there's been times where our cats actually kept us together because they were Scott's cats and I am so crazy in love with them.

[E]

And we've had really, really, really bad.

[B]

Fights to where breakup might be on the verge. I've thought to myself, if I break up, I lose those cats. So I stay really.

[A]

Well, Scott came in. The guy came into the relationship with the cats.

[B]

It was. Yeah, it was his. I mean, he one of them. Yeah.

[C]

Well, yeah.

[B]

And.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And.

[B]

And, you know, this last relationship, like with not Lisa, that was probably the. Because I've never lived with anybody. And that was the one person that had the most potential for. For me moving in. I just thought how ironic that she's allergic to my animals.

[A]

404-741-1005 if you can honestly look at your life and you're embarrassed to say it. So we'll put you on the voice disguise. But you're like, yeah, yeah. If push came to shove and they were both. Something happened to both of them. Yeah. I'm saving my. My pet first. Good morning, Susan. You're on all the hits. Q100. Hi.

[E]

Hey. Don't even need to be on the voice disguiser. I know my. It's not me. I know my husband loves our dog more than me.

[A]

You say that. You probably think so, but come on.

[E]

No. And the funny thing is, I mean, he never has been really an animal lover until this dog. And the dog was supposed to be Our daughters and they just bonded. And when he, when he's at work or when he's. When he's driving around in his truck, there's a picture in his visor of him and the dog. There's none of me and the family and the dog. I swear, I mean, I could not believe that. I said, where are the kids? At home. I see him every day. I miss my dog, you know, and then he's even told me when, when he passes away or if the dog passed away first cremate the dog. And then when he dies, he wants the dog dashes with him.

[A]

Oh, my God. Let me. Susan, answer this question. Okay, sure. This is a tough scenario to run by you, but you're driving in the car with your dog and you get into an accident, all right? You guys are both banged up pretty badly. You have to go to the hospital and the dog has to go to the vet. Your husband checks on which first, you or your dog.

[E]

Ooh, tough call. Wow. You know, wow.

[B]

You can't answer it.

[E]

That's, you know, that's tough, I would say, because he'd probably check on me first because I can talk, and I'd give him so much crap that to just be able to shut me up, he'd go and see me first. And once he knew I was okay, then it'd be right to the vet.

[A]

Well, I think the fact that it took you 20 seconds to answer, you really know what the truth is.

[B]

Well, the truth is that he would call to check on her from the vet's office.

[F]

Yeah, exactly. We've got him on the phone right now and he's. He's going to disagree.

[A]

All right, now, Susan says that's about her husband, but how about the people that can take a good hard look at their own life and say, okay, yeah, for sure, I do. These people don't want to be on the voice disguiser. Jennifer, you're on all the hits. Q100.

[E]

Good morning, Burt Show.

[A]

Good morning.

[E]

My husband's out of town, so I can call. It doesn't matter right now. But funny thing, right now we have three cats. We just lost one of our cats to diabetes. And that was probably my favorite all time cat. While we had that cat, I bought this little magnet that said husband and cat missing. Hundred dollar reward for cat. My husband didn't find that too funny.

[B]

I bet.

[A]

I. You can honestly take a look at the relationships with you and your pets and your husband and say that you love your cat more?

[E]

Yes. They don't talk back they, you know, they're just loving you. Come home, they make you smile and everything.

[C]

So.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

I don't see the whole cat appeal. I gotta be honest with you guys. I have said this for years. If a cat could, it would sit on the couch and it would flip you off all day long until it needed a scratch on the top of the head, and then it would start flipping you off again when you were done. They don't care.

[B]

Flipping you off because they know you don't like them.

[A]

That's not true. Cats don't give a damn about anybody.

[F]

But they're not faking it.

[B]

They're real.

[F]

They're just. Their personality is just right out there, useless.

[E]

And they all have different personalities. I've got three cats right now, and they all have different personalities.

[F]

Bert's just mad because they'd take his seat on the couch.

[A]

I wouldn't even have a cat in my house. I wouldn't even have it.

[B]

I know. I can honestly say that if my. No. Yeah.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

If. If Toby hated somebody that I was seeing that I would have to think twice about that person.

[A]

There's a good question to ask also. 404-741-1005 kind of going along with what Massey said here. Have you broken up with somebody because your pet didn't like him?

[B]

I wouldn't even get in a relationship to break up with him. If Toby was that ad. Like, if he, like, barked all the time or was really, you know, if he growled at them or whatever consistently, then I wouldn't even get that far.

[A]

So you would trust your dog's instincts about somebody better than you?

[F]

I have a border collie. Like a miniature border collie. And she's very timid. She was really abused when I got her. And if somebody seriously would come in the house and was a little bit rough with her or she wasn't very attentive to her needs. She has needs. She's very special. And if they. I mean, I would be like, okay, it's just not going to work because you can see how people treat animals, and it's going to be how they treat, you know, other people, including you.

[A]

Good morning, Beth.

[E]

Good morning.

[A]

Nobody wants to be on the voice disguiser. I thought for sure nobody would call. And if you did, you wanted to do this anonymously. You don't care.

[C]

Oh, no.

[E]

My husband already knows. If the house was on fire, I would get my dog before I would get my.

[A]

What is the matter with you?

[E]

She's my best friend. She loves me all the Time. Regardless of whether I've had a bad day or whatever, if I spank her because she did something wrong, she still loves me. You have a bad day, you know, you come home, you had a bad day, you see their little happy face and it makes everything all right.

[B]

And for me, they're my responsibility. Like, they can't take care of themselves. I mean, they're. They're so domesticated. They can't go into the wild and take care of themselves. They're my responsibility. Human. They can take care of themselves.

[A]

In a lot of cases, either can your husband.

[F]

But you don't get to talk to your husband or your wife in that cute puppy voice.

[A]

Puppy.

[B]

Well, at least not after the first six months of a relationship.

[A]

Hey, Stephanie. Good morning.

[E]

Good morning.

[A]

How are you?

[E]

Pretty good.

[A]

What's up?

[E]

I'm just gonna tell you that about 18, 19 years ago, I was dating a guy who I really liked a lot, and I had a cat and he came from a cat Hatin family. So at one point in our relationship, I think it was a 9 o' clock on a Friday night, he said, it's me or the cat. And I said, it's the cat.

[A]

And that was it.

[E]

And no, actually he came back at 9 o' clock the next morning and said, okay, you can keep the cat. Because he called his mom and his mom said, you can't make her get rid of her cat.

[B]

So Mommy said it was okay.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

Yeah. And so now we've been married 18 years, we got two cats and a.

[A]

New puppy, and he knows what his priority is.

[E]

Absolutely.

[B]

And also, if somebody come. Yeah. I agree with Jamie about people who are just. If they're rude to your animals or start saying it's the animal or me or, you know, something like that, like, whatever, that. Yeah, you don't need to do it.

[A]

Anyway, all these calls coming in. My boyfriend said, me or the cat? I chose the cat. My husband said, me or the cat? I chose the cat. I chose the cat. I chose the cat. I chose the cat.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And sue does basically the same thing that you do here, Melissa also. Hey, Sue.

[E]

Hi.

[A]

Morning.

[E]

My cat actually peed on a guy I was dating. I rattled him, looked him in the face and peed on him. And I said, you gots to go.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You said that to the cat? You said that to the cat or you said that to the guy you were dating?

[E]

I said that to the guy I was dating. So she was my indicator. If she peed on you, you had.

[B]

To go, no, I mean, Toby treats. I mean, he's so used to being around women that he loves women, but, yeah, there are some women he will treat differently than others, and I can tell. Yeah, I trust him.

[A]

Trust me more than you do your.

[B]

Because if they come into my home and make him feel uncomfortable, then, yeah, no, I don't need to be with him.

[A]

Hey. The Birch Show.