Vault: Ask A Race

Summary

The Bert Show Podcast: Vault: Ask A Race

Date: July 29, 2026
Main Theme:
An honest, funny, and revealing roundtable where hosts and callers ask each other candid questions about race, cultural habits, and social norms in an attempt to bridge gaps, bust myths, and foster better understanding—often with humor and vulnerability.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why "Ask A Race"?

• [00:02] Jeff introduces Ask A Race:
  Jeff acknowledges Atlanta as a "racially fractured city," where self-segregation exists and questions across racial lines are often unasked out of fear of being labeled ignorant or racist.
  • “We just are uneducated about each other and we’re afraid to ask the questions...so you keep the questions in and you don’t ask.” – Jeff [00:19]

2. Parenting Styles and Discipline

• [01:12] Brandon's observation:
  Brandon notices white parents often gently ask their misbehaving children to behave, contrasting with Black parents' more direct public discipline.
• Explanation:
  • Jeff posits white parents fear being reported for abuse if they discipline in public.
  • Bert expands:
    • "White people don't have the confidence that black people have when it comes to dealing with personal issues...Whereas black people are like, I will smack my kid. And if you want to call me on it, I will smack you, too." – Bert [02:10]
• Discussion on Spoiling:
  • “I think their kids are spoiled rotten more than black kids are.” – Melissa [02:51]

3. Talking Back to Parents

• [02:59] Carl asks:
  Why do white kids talk back to their parents?
  • Katie & Wendy clarify it’s not universal:
    • "That’s not every white person...I would never talk back to my parents." – Katie [03:04]/Wendy [03:17]

4. Pronunciation: "Ask" vs. "Axe"

• [03:23] Natalie asks:
  Why do some Black people pronounce "ask" as "axe"?
  • Jeff, Bert, and the group playfully explore how accents and speech patterns spread in communities, highlighting that people aren’t always aware of their own usage.
    • “You are saying pizza…No, I’m not. I’m saying pizzka.” – Bert (recounting another mispronunciation story) [05:22]

5. Home Privacy: Open Blinds at Night

• [05:40] Carl questions:
  Why do white people leave their blinds open at night?
  • Melissa, Wendy, and others speculate it’s a suburban thing or a sign of trust, with some finding it “gross.”
    • "Where I live, I don't want anybody seeing my big screen TV—and closing that sun down." – Katie [06:29]

6. Boob Jobs & Body Image

• [06:44] Nicole asks:
  Why are white women obsessed with getting boob jobs?
  • Wendy suggests it’s about catering to perceived male preference; Katie counters that in some communities (Black women), the focus is on curvier bodies, like bigger butts.
  • Jeff observes:
    • "I have seen black women walk into Dolvett’s gym and ask how they can make their butts bigger. Which to a white woman is crazy talk." – Jeff [07:32]

7. Astrology's Popularity

• [08:03] Jeff observes:
  Astrology appears more significant in Black communities, with club promotions and casual conversation often referencing zodiac signs.
  • Brandon hypothesizes it ties in with comfort in higher powers.
  • Melissa notes religious belief and astrology might conflict, but Brandon suggests both offer a sense of control or guidance.

8. Black Women, Hair Texture, and Weaves

• [09:54] Natalie asks:
  Is Black women’s hair really different, and why do many use weaves?
  • Janelle explains:
    • “Of course, it is a different texture. It is coarse. We have to perm and straighten to keep it pressed...Weave/extensions are just to have longer hair. We want to fling it too.” – Janelle [10:07]
  • The panel discusses straightening as a pragmatic choice for morning routines, not simply vain or imitative.
  • Carl reflects:
    • “I want the hair to be more natural. My wife, she does it more. I'm like, baby, let it fro up, you know...” – Carl [10:49]

9. The Appeal of Camping (or Lack Thereof)

• [11:49] Carl asks:
  Why do white people love camping?
  • Katie and others reply:
    • It’s about being closer to nature, roughing it, and “making your own breakfast.”
  • Carl jokes:
    • “Come on now. I’m not trying to see a bear.” – Carl [12:05]

10. Movie Etiquette & Emotional Expression

• [12:20] Ashley asks:
  Why do Black moviegoers react loudly and emotionally in theaters?
  • Carl explains expressiveness as a key community trait.
    • “We’re just emotional. We real expressive...We’re going to express it in the movies, at home, wherever we are.” – Carl [12:50]
  • Katie and Jeff argue the experience is more fun and freeing.
  • Bert draws a parallel to self-consciousness among white people:
    • “White people have more of a concern with what other people think of them...even if you’re in a horror movie...‘Oh, I can’t talk.’” – Bert [13:35]
  • Melissa challenges the notion of “over-exaggerating”:
    • “It’s not over exaggerating. It’s how they feel and they’re not letting it out.” – Melissa [14:06]

11. White People at Concerts

• [14:24] Jeff:
  Observes white people are less likely to dance or express themselves at concerts.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On unspoken questions about race:

  • "White people are really afraid that that's actually going to happen." – Jeff on the fear of being reported for child discipline [02:47]

• About body ideals:

  • “My wife, she’s proud that my daughters have a butt. She’s like, proud.” – Carl [07:46]

• On movie behavior:

  • “We're just emotional. We're very expressive and we're going to express it in the movies...at home, wherever...” – Carl [12:50]

• About appearing self-conscious:

  • “We're more self conscious, repression.” – Melissa [13:44]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---|---| | Introduction & Purpose | 00:02 | | Parenting & Discipline | 01:04 – 02:58 | | Talking Back | 02:59 – 03:18 | | "Ask" vs "Axe" | 03:23 – 05:01 | | Open Blinds at Night | 05:40 – 06:40 | | Boob Jobs / Body Image | 06:44 – 07:55 | | Astrology in Black Culture | 08:03 – 09:46 | | Black Women & Hair Choices | 09:54 – 11:36 | | Camping | 11:49 – 12:17 | | Movie Behavior & Expression | 12:20 – 14:06 | | White People at Concerts | 14:24 – end |

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Tone & Style

• Authentic, playful, and sometimes blunt: The cast mixes humor, genuine curiosity, and candidness without shying away from stereotypes—often openly acknowledging them to either affirm, subvert, or poke fun.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode of The Bert Show is a lively, boundary-pushing forum where race-based curiosities get aired and, where possible, demystified. The tone is open and non-judgmental, with both cast members and listeners participating. While some banter teeters on the comedic edge of stereotypes, the intention is always mutual understanding and laughter. For listeners wanting honest talk about race, this is an insightful—and entertaining—listen.

Transcript

[Jeff]

It's the Vert show.

[Bert]

All right?

[Jeff]

This is how Ask a Race works. Look, I have said this before. In fact, it came up last week when I was at that Converse party also. I am sorry, but from where I stand, this is a racially fractured city still, right?

[Melissa]

And I think it's very self segregated.

[Natalie]

I think.

[Jeff]

I think so, too. I think so, too. And I think a lot of this still sort of trickles down, that we just are uneducated about each other and we're afraid to ask the questions. You know, like black people are afraid to ask white people questions, and white people are really afraid to ask black people questions because you don't want to be labeled racist, you don't want to be labeled ignorant. So you keep the questions in and you don't ask.

[Bert]

The only question I ever asked is, where do black people buy furniture? But, Bert, you answered that for us several years ago with the Red House

[Katie]

commercial at the Red House, where black people and white people buy furniture and Hispanics, too.

[Bert]

And other than that, I have no questions.

[Jeff]

404-741. Q100. Intern Brandon has a question right off the bat.

[Brandon]

Yeah, I was out at the mall not too long ago, and I've seen.

[Bert]

Are you asking a question of black people or white people?

[Brandon]

Of white people.

[Jeff]

Okay, he already told us he's offended by that.

[Brandon]

First off, Jeff, you remember the story Melissa did about the guy who beat up his coworker with Matana 1015, a parking lot. I was at the mall, and I've seen this a couple of times before. White people have a certain way of when their kids being bad in public, more so asking them not to be bad. She was like, billy, please stop. Mommy needs you to be good today. Why do white people do that? Cause all the black people I've been around, mama, just smack you up in the middle of public.

[Jeff]

Bianca had the same question, and I think this is an easy answer. I gotta be honest with you that there has been times where white kids, after being, like, slapped by their parents, will call the police on their own parents.

[Melissa]

Or like, that's not why white people do that.

[Bert]

I don't think that's why white people.

[Jeff]

I think they're afraid that other people are gonna see it, that you're giving your kid a smack or something. The police is gonna be called. Whereas I don't think that happens with black people.

[Bert]

I think you started that sentence properly. I think they were afraid. I think that as a whole, white people don't have the confidence that black people have when it comes to dealing with personal issues. So the white person doesn't want to smack their kid on the bottom and have other people look around and go, oh, my God, I couldn't discipline their kid. They had to smack their kid. That's abusive. Whatever. Whereas black people are like, I will smack my kid. And if you want to call me on it, I will smack you, too.

[Wendy]

We don't want to be judged.

[Carl]

Call the police.

[Bert]

Yeah, you call the police, and I'll tell the police what my kid lipped off to me.

[Carl]

Oh, yeah, my mom has said it plenty of times. Call the police if you want to call them.

[Jeff]

Yeah. I think white people are really scared that that's actually going to happen.

[Katie]

General.

[Melissa]

I think they just spoil their kids. I think their kids are spoiled rotten more than black kids are.

[Jeff]

You think so?

[Melissa]

Yeah, they just spoil them.

[Jeff]

Yeah, of course.

[Carl]

I want to piggyback off that question. I want to ask, why do white people talk back to their parents?

[Jeff]

Why do I.

[Katie]

That's not every white person. That's not my family. And Millipy didn't care if she smacked me in public. So, yeah, it's not all white people.

[Carl]

Okay.

[Katie]

No, I would never talk back to my parents.

[Wendy]

I would never sass my dad.

[Jeff]

You need to get up on that mic a little bit more here, man. Good morning. Janelle, you're on Q100. Hi.

[Natalie]

Good morning, Bircho.

[Jeff]

What's going on?

[Natalie]

I was curious as to why black people pronounce the word ask. Ask. And I love Carl, but he pronounces it that way as well.

[Jeff]

I say X, you say, yeah, we did this on, like, six months ago, and you didn't even realize you were saying axe instead of axe.

[Bert]

Except it bothered him for, like, 48 hours. And he would come in and goes, hey, Jeff, can I ask you if I. If you got a $1 bill for the vending machine?

[Carl]

You know what? That's a good question. Now you sound black. Are you black?

[Natalie]

I am.

[Carl]

Do you say. How do you say it? You say ask.

[Natalie]

Ask. Yes.

[Jeff]

Well, that's how it's spelled. That's how it's. It's not. It's a S K. What did I just say?

[Janelle]

Ask.

[Jeff]

Yeah. Well, you ask her how she pronounces it, but it's pronounced the way it's spelled.

[Carl]

A S, K. Say it one more time.

[Natalie]

Ask. Ask.

[Jeff]

You try it.

[Carl]

Ask.

[Jeff]

There you go.

[Wendy]

You said it right.

[Carl]

That's how I normally say right?

[Bert]

No, no, you normally say X.

[Katie]

Normally.

[Melissa]

Normally, it's like it's sped up you

[Bert]

like, you flip the K and the S. So it's like pronounce the word. A S, K. A S K. Yeah.

[Brandon]

Ask.

[Bert]

Okay, now pronounce A X, E X. That's what you normally say.

[Jeff]

You usually say ax.

[Brandon]

Carl's getting frustrated.

[Carl]

I'll let y' all in about this.

[Bert]

Carl's like, I didn't. There was going to be a spelling bee. Could you use it in a sentence, Origin of the word, please?

[Jeff]

Brandon, do you say ask or ask?

[Brandon]

I say ask.

[Jeff]

Ask.

[Brandon]

I make sure it pronounced.

[Melissa]

Natalie.

[Janelle]

I think I say it correctly.

[Jeff]

Do you? Carl's looking at y' all like I am saying it.

[Melissa]

Say it.

[Carl]

Ask.

[Bert]

But this is the same problem that we had with.

[Melissa]

Are you afraid to say it, Natalie?

[Janelle]

I am now. I'm just more conscious of it. I think I want to ask a question.

[Katie]

There you go.

[Bert]

But this is the same thing. Remember when Joanna was in here and she said pizza or Wendy, when Wendy said frustrated.

[Melissa]

But that's not by the way, you say rune.

[Katie]

But that's one individual. A lot of times there's a lot of black people that say ash.

[Bert]

But what I'm saying is when like, Carl's so shocked. But like, we called Joanna on that and she's like, well, what do you mean? We're like, you're saying. You are saying pizza. And she's like, no, I'm not. I'm saying pizzka. Right, Pizzka. She's like, yeah, pizza.

[Ashley]

Yeah.

[Bert]

That's not right.

[Carl]

I didn't say it.

[Jeff]

Carl, you've got a question for white people.

[Carl]

I had a question. This may not seem like a regular question, but going through Buckhead, going through some of the white neighborhoods, Buckhead and Vinings, wherever the white neighborhoods saw, I noticed that y' all leave y' all blinds open. Why in the hell do you not close your blinds at night?

[Melissa]

I don't get that either. That is just gross to me.

[Wendy]

That's like more suburban.

[Melissa]

Yeah, I don't know. It's gross to me because it's like exhibitionists or something. I don't want to see you in your house walking around.

[Katie]

I don't look clothes on or not. Melissa, do you do it at night time?

[Melissa]

You can see in?

[Natalie]

Yeah, I do.

[Brandon]

My white people are nosy too, so they can't help but look at my clothes.

[Jeff]

Carl, did you hear what Brandon just said? That white people are nosy so they can't help but look at it?

[Melissa]

I think it's a trusting thing because I think if you are like in the in the burbs or whatever. You don't mind people looking in your house and seeing your big screen tv?

[Katie]

Where I live, I don't want anybody

[Carl]

seeing my big screen TV closing that sun down.

[Wendy]

Right.

[Bert]

Jen actually brings her big screen TV to work every day. She carries it up from her car.

[Jeff]

Here is Nicole. Well, good morning. You are on Nicole, the Burt show. Ask a race.

[Natalie]

Hey, y'. All.

[Ashley]

I love you. Okay, I just want to know, why are white women obsessed with their boobies

[Natalie]

and getting them enhanced and done?

[Jeff]

Yeah, why are white women obsessed with boob jobs, Wendy?

[Wendy]

I guess because, I mean, I don't have my boobs done, but I would like my boobs done. No, because I don't know, that's just what we think guys want to see are bigger boobs.

[Melissa]

What'd you say?

[Natalie]

Heidi Montag looks a mess.

[Wendy]

She is a mess.

[Jeff]

She is a mess.

[Wendy]

She doesn't represent me or the majority of.

[Katie]

I will say that girls. I will say that. You know, there's a stereotype that black guys, like, you know, you know, like big boys, white boys always talk about boobs. And so I just think women are self conscious if they don't have big boobs because they think that guys. Because that's what Wendy was saying, that white guys seem to want boobs.

[Jeff]

I have seen black women walk into Dolvett's gym and ask how they can make their butts bigger. Which to a white woman is crazy talk. But to a black woman, it's like, what do I gotta do? How many more lunges do I have to do to get a bigger butt?

[Carl]

Actually, my wife, she's proud that my daughters have a butt. She's like, proud. That's like a proud thing. Like, yeah, my little babies. I see a little booty on them.

[Katie]

So for white guys, they like the boobs.

[Jeff]

Okay, I have a question that Carl couldn't answer for me earlier. But astrology seems to be much more important to black people than it does white people.

[Melissa]

Oh, yeah, because I was saying, like, shouts out to my Aquarius, whatever, you know what? To all my Sagittariuses out there or whatever. And it's almost like more like club promotions and stuff like that at the black clubs are like, based around horror astronomy.

[Jeff]

Yeah. Like, my friend Griff was gonna come in here and do this, right? And he text me back the other day and he's like, I can't come in, but I've got a stand up comic friend that would be great for you. And he's a Libra like me, so you're gonna love him. I'm like, what does that have to

[Carl]

do with anything, right? You know, I don't know. I can't answer that really. But I do. It is true. Because there's songs like Capricorn, Capricorn, you know, something like that. So I don't know really.

[Brandon]

I think you see how black people take religion and the belief of a higher power to the second degree. If you've ever been to a black church, they really. Yeah. So I think the higher power thing, they just grasp onto the higher power and go with it.

[Katie]

But if you're.

[Melissa]

If you're religious, then astrology would be the anti.

[Brandon]

Well, I think it's just a belief. Any sort of higher power or anything like that. The stars of God, they grasp onto it.

[Jeff]

Here is Ashley.

[Melissa]

That seems conflicting to me, though. It seems like if you are, you know, Bible beaten on and, you know, praising Jesus on a Sunday, on Monday, talking about how you're a Pisces, would be butting heads with each other.

[Bert]

Jen, you're an Aries. You'll never be able to recognize.

[Brandon]

And it gets you into free clubs Friday night too. If you care about your astrology.

[Jeff]

There would never be, like a promotional point for a white person's night, like, come on out of here in Aries, right?

[Carl]

Oh, Gemini's free.

[Jeff]

Never.

[Janelle]

Really.

[Bert]

Guys would come up to the club and go, I think I'm a Scorpio. I'm a Scorpio or Sagittarius.

[Carl]

No, no, no, no.

[Bert]

I'm a Taurus. Is that one.

[Jeff]

I'm the bull looking thing.

[Brandon]

What is that?

[Janelle]

Whatever's free tonight. That's what I am.

[Jeff]

Here's Ashley. Good morning, Ashley. You're on the Birch Show. Ask a race.

[Ashley]

Good morning. How are you?

[Jeff]

Good. How are you?

[Natalie]

I'm great. I would like to know if black women's hair is a different texture than white women's, and if so, if.

[Ashley]

If that's why they always use weave

[Natalie]

and put stuff in their hair and never wear it natural.

[Jeff]

That's a great question, Natalie.

[Janelle]

I know, right? Of course, it is a different texture. It is coarse. We do have to permanent straight. You know, keep it. Keep it pressed in order to comb it easily. But as far as the weave and extensions, it's just to have longer hair. It's like we want to fling it too.

[Melissa]

Why do you want to have straight hair? Why not let it. Why not let it be curly?

[Janelle]

Because it's easier to comb in the morning. In the morning, it will Take a lot less time.

[Melissa]

It's not trying to have white hair. Trying to like conform or straight.

[Bert]

Trying to sleep an extra 30 minutes.

[Carl]

That's exactly.

[Ashley]

I don't know.

[Janelle]

It's not trying to be one easier to comb in the face.

[Jeff]

That's what that whole Chris Rock movie was about. Really, at the end of the day, was about that.

[Carl]

Yeah. And that's the thing that we debate about that. Like my daughters, you know, they. I want the hair to be more natural. You know, my wife, she does it more. I'm like, baby, let it fro up, you know, so. That's a good question, Jen. I've always wanted that, to comb through

[Janelle]

that stuff in the morning.

[Jeff]

What would it look like? Like, if you didn't do anything at all with your hair, what would it look like?

[Janelle]

It would be a big fro. And it's hard to comb through in the morning.

[Carl]

It's like a dude's fro.

[Bert]

All you gotta do is one morning when you come in, Bert, just throw a big old bucket of water on Natalie.

[Brandon]

Yeah, right.

[Bert]

And run for your life. And then come find her at 10 o' clock and see what it looks like.

[Melissa]

Why? Why do you have to comb through it in the morning? Like, why can't it just be? I don't know. Wasn't there that big, like, resurgence in the 60s and 70s where black African American women were just like letting it go fro and enjoying it and sort of doing it that way?

[Janelle]

Yeah, it was, but it's just, it's a preference for me. I just would rather comb it in the morning. Rather have it straight and curly.

[Melissa]

I'm just trying to get to the roots of it. What's the roots of? Wanting to make it.

[Katie]

Oh, you had to bring up roots, huh?

[Brandon]

Roots.

[Katie]

Of course you did. Yeah, 70s fro roots.

[Wendy]

Got it.

[Katie]

I'm just kidding.

[Jeff]

You guys have any more questions for white people?

[Carl]

Mine was camping. What's the obsession with camping? I've never been camping a day in

[Katie]

my life closer to nature.

[Jeff]

You're nature man. You got the stars. You're sort of roughing it.

[Wendy]

It's rugged. You don't shower. You get to make your own breakfast.

[Katie]

Yes, you're too. You're too much of a germ phobe to camp, aren't you?

[Carl]

Yeah, man, Come on now. I'm not trying to see a bear.

[Bert]

Carl's sweeping the dirt before he puts the tent on it. Cause he's gotta keep it clean.

[Carl]

Hey, we camp out in our backyard. I put up a tent and that's our camping ground right there, baby.

[Jeff]

Hey, Shannon, go ahead, you're on Q100.

[Natalie]

Yes.

[Ashley]

I just wanted to ask black people a question about going to the movies. I'm curious why it seems like they continue to talk through the entire movie or play their cell phones and they always over exaggerate every reaction to a movie, like overlap or scream really, really loud three or four times instead of just, you know, jump in their seat. And it makes it very difficult to pay more than me.

[Melissa]

Who wants to take that one?

[Carl]

We're just emotional. I mean, we real expressive. We're very expressive. The way we dress, the way we talk, the way we walk. We're real expressive and we're going to express it in the movies, at home, wherever we are. We do at the house too. The exact same thing. You should be at a. You should come to a family reunion, a black folks family reunion. Oh, boy.

[Katie]

Can I come to the next one?

[Carl]

Yeah, definitely.

[Katie]

I mean, Katie and I have told this before. Katie and I now when it, especially when it comes to horror movies, we are only going to black theaters because it is a much better experience to go see a movie, especially if it's a scary movie in a black theater,

[Jeff]

in a white one or a theater. Like when you and I, we saw the Tyler Perry Broadway show here at the Fox and that's about 90% black people in there. As a white person, I had the best time of my life in a theater because it is all out. You don't have to hide anything.

[Bert]

I think it goes back to what I was saying earlier too about the kids in the store. Like, I think white people have more of a concern with other people. Think of them.

[Melissa]

We're more self conscious repression.

[Bert]

Yeah. So even if you're in a horror movie and something scary scares you and you're like, oh, I'm in a theater, I can't talk.

[Katie]

You know, don't be too loud.

[Melissa]

Because I think the same question could be asked of white people. Why don't you express yourself enough? Why in the movies do you never laugh out loud? You know, why do you repress all this emotion rather than expressing it? Because she said, why do you over exaggerate?

[Carl]

Right?

[Melissa]

It's not over exaggerating. It's how they feel and they're not letting it out. Yeah, it's just letting it out rather than repressing it.

[Jeff]

Why don't white people loosen up? Is that what you'd like to say, like loosen up, white people?

[Carl]

You know, I'm thinking the same thing. Like like when I. When I've gone to a white theater, it's kind of like you hear everything. Don't get me wrong, I come to the movie to watch it, but it's kind of boring.

[Jeff]

Yeah. I think. I can't remember who exactly who was in the group when we went to a concert together, but Dolvett, my friend Dolvett was there, and he's like. He looked around, he's like, how come no white people dance at a concert?

[Carl]

Right.

[Melissa]

Right.

[Jeff]

Nobody moving, nobody dancing at all.

[Bert]

Don't Vet. This is Bette Midler. Sit down.

[Katie]

Oh, honey, the Begay Boys be dancing. Bet Midler

[Bert]

here.

[Jeff]

Virtue.