The Bert Show – Full Show PT 3: Thursday, March 19 [Vault]

Date: March 19, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Bert Show covers a broad range of real-life challenges: tough management decisions surrounding layoffs, a segment on paranormal investigations at local businesses, and a hilarious but relatable roundtable on clever (and occasionally devious) methods to encourage an unwanted roommate to leave. Regulars Bert, Kristin, Cassie, and others keep the conversation moving with authenticity and humor, engaging directly with listeners and sharing poignant perspectives. The episode balances gravity with laughter and a bit of spine-chilling ghostly intrigue.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Layoff Dilemma: Manager’s Heart vs. Company’s Head

Timestamps: 01:05–16:36

• Context: Macy’s announces 7,000 job cuts affecting local and national employees, prompting a conversation on the ripple effects of layoffs across families and communities.

  • "[Macy’s] said 850 of those job cuts will be here in Atlanta... it's bad news if, you know, 7,000." (01:05, Speaker C)

• Molly’s Dilemma (Voice Disguised): A team leader, Molly must lay off one of her five staff due to downsizing. The two candidates are:

  • A struggling single mom of three, considered the team’s weakest link.
  • A high-performing 23-year-old living with her mother and holding a secondary job, who does not urgently need the salary.
  • "In this… environment, it just. It almost seems cruel to let go… the mom… It's gonna put this woman in incredible hardship." – Molly (05:21)

• Internal Debate:

  • The team debates whether personal circumstances (number of dependents, hardship) should influence layoffs, or if it should be strictly merit-based.
  • Callers contribute, sharing both empathetic and cold, business-driven perspectives.
  • "As my job as a manager, I can't take that into consideration when I'm laying people off. I have to do what's best for the company." – Kimber, caller (07:36)
  • "I would actually look at the job hire date… the newest in is the first to leave… That way it's plain." – Cassie (15:01)

• Notable Insights:

  • Difficulties of maintaining objectivity as a manager when personal stories are involved.
  • The debate between treating employees as numbers vs. as people with lives outside the workplace.
  • "Your employees just can't be a number. They need to be a person." – Cassie (15:52)

• Memorable Moment:

  • Molly’s visible struggle: "I heard the first person, and I was like, okay… now everyone's made very, very compelling arguments. It's really a tough decision." (16:01)

2. Atlanta Ghost Hunters: EVP and Haunted Art Gallery

Timestamps: 18:17–30:13

• Introduction to Segment:

  • The team welcomes Andy from Atlanta Ghost Hunters for the monthly “Ghosts” feature.

• Recent Investigations:

  • A Civil War-era house in McDonough yields a bizarre occurrence—a participant’s tiny cut results in excessive bleeding, raising questions about possible paranormal influence.

    • "She had been in here profusely bleeding for 30 minutes and had no idea that she was bleeding. No idea." – Andy (19:04)

  • The Defore Center (an art gallery & event space built on Civil War hospital grounds) is investigated after staff report frequent ghost activity.

• EVP Recordings Played:

  1. “My ears are burning/ringing”—captured in the lobby. Discussion: Are entities aware when recording devices are on?
     • "It makes me wonder if our recorders send some sort of beacon to the spirits… That one is kind of creepy." – Andy (23:15)
  2. “Where’s the handle/candle?”—caught in a pitch-black closet within original 1800s stone walls, possibly referencing its dark history.
  3. “I'll deal with it.”—a faint, mechanical-sounding EVP, raising chills among the hosts.
     • "It's real electronic. It's pretty faint… but to me, it sounded like 'I'll deal with it.'" – Andy (27:43)

• Listener Theories:

  • Some suggest connections between Civil War hospital history (e.g., “ears ringing from cannon fire”) and the murmured phrases.

• Business Case for Haunting:

  • Michelle (gallery manager) and the team joke about leveraging haunting rumors to attract curious clients.
    • "I'm wondering if it's going to be me and the ghost serving." – Michelle (29:09)

3. Operation Eviction: How to Lose a Roommate in 4 Days

Timestamps: 32:01–42:52

• Andrea’s Dilemma:

  • Andrea wants her problematic roommate to leave within three days (so her boyfriend can move in). She seeks creative, ideally self-triggered, ideas to “evict” her roomie without confrontation.
  • "She's the kind of person who, like, if I just asked her to, she would totally stay because just to make me mad." – Andrea (32:38)

• Brainstormed Strategies:

  • Classic pranks: ant or rat infestations, practical jokes (baby powder on fans, Vaseline on toilet seats), or pretending the apartment is haunted.
  • Outlandish schemes: leaving apartment rental guides conspicuously, pretending the boyfriend has mono, enacting a breakup, or staging creepy scenes (circle of candles, ‘red rum’ painted walls).
  • Simply making life uncomfortable: bringing a large slobbery dog, excessive PDA with boyfriend, or maximizing “guy disgusting” behavior (burping, leaving dirty dishes, etc.).
    • "He needs to eat all the food, burp, fart, leave his underwear all over the place. Be as obnoxious and irresponsible and disrespectful as possible." – Nicole, caller (36:10)

• Listener Contributions:

  • "Tell her why you haven't been able to get along is because you have feelings for her and that will totally wig her out." – Stacy, caller (36:59)
  • "Get the boyfriend over… acting sick... and tell the roommate he's got highly contagious mono and that she's gonna be taking care of him." – Sarah, caller (41:54)

• Consensus:

  • The timeline is likely unrealistic (three days not enough for a fair move), but the segment provides cathartic laughter and creativity for anyone stuck in a similar situation.
  • Andrea agrees to try, saying "Well, I'm certainly gonna try, I think." (39:43). The show plans to follow up after the weekend.

Notable Quotes

• On Layoffs:

  • "As my job as a manager, I can't take that into consideration when I'm laying people off… your personal life has nothing to do with how well you're performing." – Kimber, caller (07:36)
  • "Your employees just can't be a number. They need to be a person." – Cassie (15:52)

• On Paranormal Evidence:

  • "Normally they pick up audible noises, things that you can hear. But sound is nothing more than vibrations and frequencies..." – Andy, Ghost Hunter (23:41)
  • "If you have an extra person in your wedding pictures... contact me." – Andy (29:26)

• On Roommate Shenanigans:

  • "He needs to eat all the food, burp, fart, leave his underwear all over… Be as obnoxious and irresponsible and disrespectful as possible." – Nicole, caller (36:10)
  • "You get some, like, 'I can't believe he's not my landlord' to come up and say you guys need to be out by Friday." – Andy, caller (40:55)

Conclusion

This packed Bert Show episode seamlessly combines hard-hitting real-world dilemmas (layoffs and management ethics), playful paranormal content (ghost stories and EVPs), and classic morning show hijinks (how to ditch a roommate). The hosts and listeners deliver a blend of empathy, humor, and creative thinking, ensuring both emotional resonance and plenty of laughs throughout.

Timestamps Quick Reference

• Layoff Dilemma: 01:05–16:36
• Ghost Hunters / EVP Segment: 18:17–30:13
• Operation Eviction: 32:01–42:52

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