The Bert Show

Full Show PT 3: Monday, January 12 [Vault]
Date: January 12, 2026
Episode Theme:
This episode centers around the complexities of real-life relationship and workplace drama as experienced through listener call-ins. The show dives into the fallout of workplace secrets, family dynamics, difficult advice, and the uncertainty of navigating new romantic feelings between friends. The cast brings their authentic, funny, and occasionally blunt perspectives to bear on situations that are both personal and universally relatable.

Episode Overview

The core of this episode is built around two listener stories:

1. Allison's Work and Relationship Dilemma — A months-long saga involving workplace infidelity, a friendship on the rocks, getting fired, and family fallout, including a heated on-air confrontation with her sister Rachel.
2. Dwayne's Unrequited Work Crush — Dwayne’s story of confessing feelings to a work friend and struggling with mixed signals and complicated advice about love and vulnerability.

Throughout, the hosts offer candid (sometimes brutally so), supportive, and humorous advice, while call-in listeners add their own perspectives.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Allison’s Story: Workplace Scandal & Family Fallout

[01:04 – 15:51]

Recap of Allison’s Dilemma

• Allison set up her best friend with a coworker. She discovered the coworker was cheating — with her supervisor — but kept silent under threat of being fired.
• Eventually, she told her friend about the infidelity, but not the whole story or the supervisor’s involvement.
• She ignored HR as advised and ended up being terminated, losing both her job and closeness with her friend.

Host 1 [recap]:
"She never told anybody the whole story... She just sat there like a wimpy sitting duck." (03:12)

Melissa [on Allison]:
"As harsh as it sounded, she's really kind of spineless... She really needs some help here because everybody's just rolling over you." (03:30)

On-Air Confrontation: Rachel Calls In

Allison's sister, Rachel, calls the show to defend Allison, launching into a heated debate with the hosts about responsibility, empathy, and the quality/dangers of radio advice.

Rachel:
"If somebody calls into a radio station for advice, clearly they're a person who really needs some help...do you think that you should give someone advice and then beat them up for having trouble following that advice? Or furthermore, giving them poor advice, like getting somebody fired? How inappropriate is that?" (04:40)

Key Arguments:

• Rachel accuses the hosts of being partly responsible for Allison losing her job due to their advice, questions their sensitivity, and accuses them of not understanding her sister’s deeper issues.
• Hosts push back, repeatedly stating that Allison did not follow their advice, and that Rachel (and the family) are enabling Allison by "coddling" her.

Host 2:
"This is a family trait, Rachel. Blaming everybody but yourselves for your situations." (06:31)

Tense Exchanges & Memorable Moments

• Melissa: "You're not doing her any favors by doing that, by the way." (08:36)
• Host 1: "Maybe it's the way you and your family coddle her that she can't stick up for herself." (08:49)
• Rachel: "You guys should be more cautious about the advice you give." (12:07)
• Melissa: "Honey, you need to see a therapist too." (13:47)

Listener Call-Ins Weigh In

• Several callers support the hosts, arguing that Allison is ultimately responsible for her choices and that Rachel is enabling her.
• Some, like Jen, side partially with Rachel, suggesting perhaps the advice was harsh or too abrupt.

Stephanie (caller):
"She is enabling her behavior. And the reason she is like that, whatever her name is, is because her family keeps putting her down...By the way, you guys give excellent advice." (10:02)

Shannon (caller):
"That lady has lost her mind...I cannot even imagine why her sister's so messed up if she has the nerve to call the radio station and yell at him..." (11:34)

Debrief and Closing Thoughts on the Allison Drama

• Rachel is given "10 seconds to say what she wants" as the hosts attempt to wrap up the heated debate.
• She reiterates:
  "You should really keep in mind how you're affecting people...People listen to you. They hear you on the radio...you should really think about how you're affecting people." (15:10)

Host 1 signs off:
"We are incredibly important. Rachel, you...have really given me something to chew on. Thank you." (wryly, 15:35)

2. Dwayne’s Story: Friend-Zone Heartache and Relationship Advice

[17:19 – 33:40]

Setup and Recap

• Dwayne has loved his coworker-friend for years. She was dating another man. Recently single, Dwayne told her his feelings (helped along by booze, per host advice).
• They made out, she spent the night (but nothing more happened); she then grew distant, giving mixed signals and avoiding him at work.

Host 2 (recap):
"He literally said he is in love with her...He took Jeff's advice, he told her how he felt, then they ended up making out, and she ended up spending the night with him. Nothing happened, but she was there with him." (17:31)

On-Air Debate: What's Next for Dwayne?

• Dwayne calls in to update: She’s "not sure how her weekend is shaping up yet", tells him to call her Saturday. He senses coldness.
• Hosts break down the signals and offer advice, warning Dwayne not to chase.
  • Melissa: "If you force this hand, it's not gonna be good." (24:13)
  • Host 2: "If she does not turn around and chase you down, then you’re letting go and you move on." (26:24)
  • Host 1: "You got up her shirt, dude...But now you gotta walk away." (32:38)

Listeners and Hosts Dissect “The Game”

• Advice splits between “just be honest” and “play it cool” camps. Several hosts and callers say he needs to walk away, stop initiating, and "become a hot commodity" by not being available.
• Jen and Melissa debate strategy, with Jen advocating “play the game back”:
  • "I would almost place a phone call...say ‘give me a call’...then don’t answer." (28:54)
  • But: *"Then your life is ruined" if she doesn’t call at all.

Host 1:
"There’s a game playing in every relationship. In the beginning, do I call her too soon? Do I call her too late?...It’s all game playing..." (29:50)

• John (caller) shares his story: He married the girl he “ignored” after being in a similar (friendzone) situation.
  • "Women. Yeah, It's...once the attention is taken away from them, that's the worst thing you can do to a woman, is take attention away from her. Absolutely." (32:09)

Takeaway – The Final Advice to Dwayne

• All hosts align: Stop chasing, focus on work, let her come to him if she’s interested.
• "Just stop calling until she reaches out to you...the more you call her, the further you’re going to push her away." (32:58)
• Dwayne: "I gotcha. All right, well, then I'm rolling the dice, and it's into the game we go." (33:13)

Closing Rib:
"Now, Dwayne, if our advice doesn’t pan out for you, you can’t have your sister call and chew our ass out, all right?" (33:26)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You should realize the impact that you have on people. You should really keep that in mind when you're telling them to do things." — Rachel (15:10)
• "Your sister is weak, and weak, and weak...That's what we told her." — Host 1 (07:09)
• "There is always a certain amount of game playing that goes on in the beginning of a relationship. It is like a chess game." — Host 1 (27:29)
• "That's the only thing we know...she's showing you she's not interested." — Host 1 (25:41)
• "You become a hot commodity when you're something she can't obtain." — Host 1 (33:01)
• "Honey, you need to see a therapist too." — Melissa (13:47)
• "Let her go. And if it's authentic and she's not into you, it wasn't supposed to happen anyway, man." — Host 1 (32:22)

Important Timestamps

• Workplace Dilemma Recap / Allison's Situation:
  [01:22 – 04:04]

• Rachel's Confrontation:
  [04:28 – 15:51]
  (Peak at [04:40 – 13:47] for most heated exchange & family dynamic discussion)

• Listener Calls React to Allison's Segment:
  [10:02 – 13:58]

• Dwayne's Recap & Current Situation:
  [17:31 – 20:08]
  (Backstory, prior advice, lead-up to latest call)

• Live Call With Dwayne & Relationship Debate:
  [20:42 – 33:13]
  (Strong focus at [24:29 – 32:59] on “the game”, strategy, reality-checks)

• Closing Segment/Jokes About Advice:
  [33:24 – 33:39]

Episode Tone & Style

The Bert Show balances empathy with playful, at times direct, honesty. They aren’t afraid to call out behavior they view as enabling or self-sabotaging, but remain self-aware ("We are incredibly important. Rachel, you...have really given me something to chew on."), and allow their listeners to challenge them.

The hosts encourage both laughter and introspection — poking fun at each other and their listeners while returning often to themes of self-responsibility, boundaries, and the emotional messiness of life.

Perfect For...

• Fans of morning radio banter with real listener dilemmas
• Those who appreciate frank and humorous advice about relationships and family drama
• Anyone interested in the realities of love, work, and why we sometimes need to stop rescuing those we love

Missed the episode? This summary covers the conflicts, the laughs, the family fireworks, and the sometimes uncomfortable truths served up on The Bert Show.