The Bert Show – Full Show PT 3: Tuesday, January 20 [Vault]

Air Date: January 20, 2026
Podcast Host: Pionaire Podcasting
Summary by Sections with Key Quotes, Insights, and Timestamps

Overview

In this engaging, real-talk episode, the cast of The Bert Show focuses on authentic listener stories and workplace drama. The two main segments include:

• Advising Tammy, who feels harassed and stalked by a persistent coworker
• Giving a listener named Kelly a platform to “set the record straight” about how and why she was fired
  The show closes with an entertaining round of listeners sharing extreme measures they've taken to get people to leave them alone, and a complicated relationship/job dilemma involving listener Mary.
  As always, the hosts—Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, and crew—mix compassion, humor, and honesty, inviting listeners to escape into their unique radio-family world.

Segment 1: Tammy's Workplace Harassment Story

(Starts ~00:00)

Situation:
Tammy (voice disguised) explains she’s being relentlessly pursued by a male coworker who won’t take “no” for an answer—at work and outside it. She details hiding, bringing fake boyfriend photos, and being “stalked” in her own neighborhood.

Key Discussion Points:

• The line between persistence and harassment
• Challenges women face when reporting workplace harassment, especially if the harasser is likable or seen as valuable by the company
• The dilemma of not wanting to “ruin” someone’s career, even when feeling unsafe
• Employer responsibility and the importance of clear boundaries

Notable Quotes:

Tammy: "He will not leave me alone at the office… he'll like, stand by my desk and talk to me for like, 20 minutes… I have friends in other departments who have to, like, warn me when he's coming down the hall…" (00:18)

Host: "I mean, first… he's keeping you from being able to do your work, and the fact that he's showing up in your neighborhood and… wants to go on vacation, you know, coincidentally where you're going—that's close to stalking." (02:09)

Tammy: "I finally just made up a boyfriend and brought in pictures and talk about my boyfriend with everybody so that he'll finally get away from me…" (01:31)

Advice/Calls from Listeners:

• Write a certified letter detailing the harassment ("it’s evidence for HR") (08:46 – 09:47)
• Sit down with the coworker—and a witness
• Be direct: "I am not interested in you," not just "I don't date people at the office" (07:42 – 08:04)
• Don’t be afraid to use HR if all else fails, despite fears of ruining his career
• Extreme avoidance tactics are a sign the offending behavior is both inappropriate and escalating

Memorable Moments:

• The cast affirms that what Tammy describes is sexual harassment; they empathize with her hesitance but clearly advocate for safety and boundaries.

Segment 2: Set the Record Straight – Kelly’s Firing

(Starts ~13:23)

Context:
Kelly, recently fired and unable to tell her side of the story at work, calls in for catharsis and clarity. She was asked by upper management to "manage up" and help change her boss’s micromanaging behavior (without boss' knowledge), which led to escalating tension and, eventually, her dismissal.

Key Discussion Points:

• The pressure and emotional toll of being asked to "fix" a difficult superior
• How workplace politics can turn a well-intended employee into a scapegoat
• The impact of hostile or humiliating work environments on mental health and productivity
• Lack of protection for employees who report bad behavior, especially in certain states

Notable Quotes:

Kelly: "She would snatch things out of my hand and yell at me or pop my hand like I was a child… She poked me in the shoulder and said, 'You have things to do at your desk.'" (18:13)

Kelly: "This position… is the only position that's had any turnover whatsoever. The people at this company don't leave." (21:10)

Host: "You sure do sound like… the sacrificial lamb." (24:04)

Listener Questions & Analysis:

• Legal issues: Listeners suggest she may have a case, but employment laws are biased toward employers (especially in Georgia) (25:48 – 25:56)
• Kelly admits her work performance suffered due to stress, but asserts her previous strong performance

Host Reflection:

• The segment underlines the importance of hearing both sides of a workplace dispute.
• Cast reflects on the need for catharsis and the tendency to make judgments before hearing all perspectives.

Segment 3: When People Won’t Get the Hint

(28:46 – 36:25)

A lively section in which the hosts and listeners share the extreme, sometimes hilarious tactics taken to make unwanted admirers or partners go away.

Highlights:

• Kissing a friend of the same gender to discourage a pursuer
• Claiming to be "bad in bed" to ward off someone persistent
• Faking an affair, cheating story, or totally inventing a relationship
• Having a parent or uncle claim that the pursued person is "dead" to ward off a relentless suitor (34:21)

Quote:

Caller (Cat): "I'm totally straight, but I had my best girlfriend in the whole world kiss me in the mouth to get this guy to leave me alone." (28:59)

Another Host: "That is a Category 5 excuse right there." (29:49)

Caller (Tracy): "I just told my uncle… just tell him I died and maybe that'll stop him from calling." (34:47)

Fun, Familiar Tone:
True to The Bert Show style, the segment is peppered with punchlines, laughter, and a nonjudgmental approach.

Segment 4: Mary’s Dilemma – When an Old Fling Is the Interviewer

(36:25 – 48:33)

Situation:
Mary, recently unemployed and financially dependent on her boyfriend, is set up by him for a job interview at his company—only to discover the supervisor interviewing her is an old fling from when she was still dating her boyfriend.

Key Issues Discussed:

• Should she take the job and face daily awkwardness—and possible exposure of her secret?
• The risk of the old affair being revealed and ruining her relationship
• Ethical tension over whether to confess to her boyfriend

Listener/Host Advice:

• Don’t take the job; the situation is too loaded and the secret will inevitably come out
• Several insist: "You might as well tell him the truth. He deserves the truth." (43:41)
• Nicole, a caller, gives it straight: "He gonna be throwing it in her face…she don't need that job. Stay broke, girl. Find something else. Go to McDonald's or something." (46:05)

Key Quotes:

Host: "These are the kinds of times where I am convinced God has a great sense of humor." (44:43)

Caller (Rachel): "If she's qualified and needs a job, then both of them should be able to, as adults, let that go." (43:39)

Host: "You’re screwed on a bunch of different levels here… this guy sounds like the kind of guy that would hold this over your head… That means overtime… maybe having sex with him again." (47:37)

Consensus:

• Don’t take the job. Mary is urged to face the consequences and avoid further complications; she agrees to check back in.

Additional Noteworthy Moments

• The “Set the Record Straight” invitation is extended: Listeners can email in to share their side of disputed stories—work, relationship, or otherwise (13:10–13:44; 26:27–26:34)
• Candid, relatable anecdotes from both hosts and callers maintain a tone that’s equal parts serious, heartfelt, and uproarious.

Conclusion

The Bert Show delivers a potent, empathetic, and comical exploration of complicated workplace and relationship tangles in this vault episode. The hosts balance laughter with seriousness—always putting the listener’s humanity first while not shying away from tough truths.
For anyone who’s juggled boundaries, workplace politics, or just needed to “set the record straight,” this episode is a must-listen.

Quick Reference of Key Segments and Timestamps

• Tammy’s Harassment Story: 00:00 – 12:23
• Kelly’s Firing / Setting the Record Straight: 13:23 – 26:27
• Extreme Tactics for Unwanted Admirers: 28:46 – 36:25
• Mary’s Old Fling Job Interview: 36:25 – 48:33

All quotes and time stamps pulled directly from the episode transcript. For advice, authenticity, and laughter, this Bert Show classic hits just right.