Vault: Can Ambien Make You Cheat?

Summary

The Bert Show — "Vault: Can Ambien Make You Cheat?"

Date: April 1, 2026
Host: Bert (& The Bert Show Cast: Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, et al.)

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Episode Overview

In this engaging and controversial episode, The Bert Show dives into a wild listener dilemma pulled from the "Dear Prudence" advice column. The question at the heart of the segment: Can the sleep aid Ambien cause someone to cheat on their spouse without memory of the event? The hosts unpack the letter, share personal anecdotes, and take calls (including from a sleep tech) to debate the intersection of medication, memory loss, and moral responsibility in relationships.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Ambien Dilemma: Listener Letter (00:45–03:17)

• Bert introduces a "Dear Prudence" letter:
  A man in an unhappy marriage, stressed and recently increased on antidepressants, accidentally takes two Ambien instead of his medication, blanks out, does chores, goes missing for two hours, then later finds out he allegedly had sex with an acquaintance while in an Ambien blackout.
• Main concerns:
  • No memory of actions during Ambien blackout.
  • Worried about his vindictive wife discovering his infidelity.
  • Wants advice about whether to confess and how to handle the situation.

2. Ambien Anecdotes & Listener Stories (01:51–04:45)

• The cast shares previous listener calls recounting Ambien-induced sleepwalking, driving, eating, and other complex behaviors.
• Quote (Burt):
  "We've talked to people that were driving. Remember they went to McDonald's?...They didn't realize it on Ambien. Drove to McDonald's, ordered a hamburger in the drive thru, drove home, ate it, then went back to sleep." (01:54)
• They debate the reality of the situation and whether the listener could realistically have pulled off the described events without conscious memory.

3. Skepticism and Analysis (03:17–05:01)

• Hosts question inconsistencies in the letter (having the woman’s number, only meeting twice before).
• Quote (Radio Host 3):
  "You know what the cool part about that is? How’d that conversation go when he picked her up and called her and told her what he wanted to do if they’ve only talked twice?" (03:35)
• Challenge: How plausible is complete amnesia in this context?

4. Advice & Moral Dilemma (04:45–06:12)

• Should the man tell his wife?
• Some hosts suggest talking to his doctor further, others are certain telling the wife would end the marriage or not be believable.
• Quote (Radio Host 1):
  "But she's gonna tell him. That other woman will tell eventually." (05:12)
• Focus on whether Ambien-fueled infidelity is a legitimate excuse.

5. Caller Perspectives & Expert Input (06:14–11:21)

• Caller Laura (06:17):
  Describes Ambien as "truth medicine," likening it to anesthesia where inner desires come out; references Jack Nicholson and anecdotal accounts.
• Quote (Caller - Laura):
  "Honestly, he just...one, it is weird that he has her number, but two, honestly, it could be just he really messed up and didn’t really realize what was going on." (06:58)
• Consensus: Even if it was possible to act unconsciously, practical skepticism remains.
• Caller Charles (09:07):
  Shares his own experiences with Ambien-induced sleepwalking and making out with someone without subsequent memory.
• Quote (Caller - Charles):
  "Acquaintance came up to me several days late after this evidently happened and talked to me about, gee, we had a great time...evidently we didn’t have sex, but we made out for quite a while and I had no clue." (09:07)

Medical Perspective (10:20–11:21)

• Caller Leonard (Sleep Tech):
  Confirms it's medically possible to undertake complex actions—including sex—while in an Ambien blackout, but stresses this is rare.
• Quote (Caller - Leonard):
  "People have slept long...done things...Also people have actually slept and killed other people...if somebody’s sleepwalking and you try to wake them up, they get really violent." (10:23)
• Leonard stresses Ambien can cause profound confusion; occasionally people mistake others for their spouses.

6. Should the Wife Be Told? Relationship Ethics (11:21–12:54)

• The panel weighs if they would want to know as the partner.
• Mixed responses:
  • Some say ignorance is bliss: "What I don't know won't kill me." (12:40)
  • Others argue for transparency: "I'd rather know than not know...I wouldn't want her to have something over my head." (12:15, 12:39)
• Bert jokes:
  "If I told Stacy that happened on Ambien, she'd take two the night after just so she had an excuse to kill me." (12:54)

7. What Dear Prudence Advises (07:26–08:53)

• Bert reads the actual advice column's response:
  • Satirical take on Ambien as a "miracle drug" that gets men to do chores and have amnesia for infidelity.
  • Recommends the man break off contact with the other woman, maintain "amnesiac deniability," and not confess to his wife.
  • Notable instructions:
    • Contact the woman, explain the medication mix-up.
    • Don't seek details ("preserve your amnesiac deniability").
    • "Since you don’t know what you did, you’re hardly in a position to confess anything to your wife."
• Caution is raised: the risk of STDs is noted by the hosts ("He's gotta get tested for STDs." — Radio Host 3, 08:55).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bert (01:54):
  "We've talked to people that were driving. Remember they went to McDonald's? ...They woke up the next morning and there are hamburger wrappers around them."
• Radio Host 3 (03:35):
  "How’d that conversation go when he picked her up and called her and told her what he wanted to do if they've only talked twice?"
• Caller - Laura (06:17):
  "...Ambien is called the truth medicine. Just like when you’re coming out of anesthesia, whatever’s been on the back of your mind...can cause you to do certain things that you wouldn’t think you would do while on that medication."
• Bert (07:26):
  "Hard to believe that the pharmaceutical industry has already solved two of our most vexing problems. How to get men to do weekend chores and how to induce attractive strangers to have sex with you while being able to swear that you haven't cheated."
• Caller - Charles (09:07):
  "I used to take Ambien and I would get up in the middle of the night and cook. I would drive all over town and had one situation where an acquaintance came up to me several days late after this evidently happened and talked to me about, gee, we had a great time, and evidently we didn't have sex, but we made out for quite a while and I had no clue."
• Caller - Leonard (Sleep Tech) (10:23):
  "People have slept long. They slept, you know, done things. Also people have actually slept and killed other people...I've even had people, when they take Ambien at the lab...it's not likely, but it's possible."
• Radio Host 1 (12:40):
  "If something like that happens, I don't want to know. I guess what I don't know won't kill me. So no, but yes, but no. I don't know. Kind of."

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:45 — Introduction to the Ambien cheating dilemma
• 01:51 — Ambien stories from listeners and hosts
• 03:17 — Cast analysis and skepticism
• 04:45 — Discussion: To confess or not to confess?
• 06:14 — Caller Laura: Ambien as "truth medicine"
• 07:26 — "Dear Prudence" official advice reading
• 08:55 — Radio Host 3: Important reminder about STD testing
• 09:07 — Caller Charles: Firsthand report of Ambien amnesia
• 10:23 — Sleep tech Leonard: Medical insights and dangers
• 11:21 — Ethical panel: Would you want to know if your spouse slept-cheated?
• 12:54 — Bert's closing joke on marital consequences

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Tone and Takeaways

The Bert Show crew, true to form, balances levity and real talk, approaching a bizarre and uncomfortable story with a mix of skepticism, empathy, and irreverent humor. The show ultimately suggests caution when using medications like Ambien, recognizes the potential for significant consequences both medically and relationally, and frames the question of whether to confess as deeply personal, with no one-size-fits-all answer.

Final thought:
Ambien may erase memories, but it doesn’t erase consequences—a thread running throughout the hosts’ discussion and the advice column's own tongue-in-cheek guidance.

Transcript

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[Burt (Main Host)]

You're on the Burt Show. Dear Prudence is an advice column. It's not like a Dear Abby or Dear a Lister. This must be one that's syndicated, but just not as popular as the others. This one's Dear Prudence. I did something recently that concerns me on many levels. I'm under a large amount of stress because I'm in an unhappy marriage, which we're trying to work out. And because my company laid me off, I'm under treatment for depression. A week ago, my doctor doubled the dosage of my antidepressant and because I'm not sleeping well, he prescribed Ambien. On Saturday morning, I confused the vials and took two Ambien. I told my wife what happened and that I would probably sleep all day and went to bed. At around 10 o', clock, my wife commented on how productive I had been. Mowing the lawn, cleaning up, grocery shopping. I remembered none of this and and said so. We've talked about Ambien a whole bunch on this show and we get calls all the time from people on Ambien. Same situation.

[Radio Host 2]

He did all that and he didn't remember going to the grocery store.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Slept right through it. This part of it I can actually believe. We've talked to people that were driving. Remember they went to McDonald's?

[Radio Host 3]

Yep.

[Burt (Main Host)]

They woke up the next morning and they're like hamburger wrappers around them. They didn't realize it on Ambien. They drove to McDonald's, ordered a hamburger in the drive thru, drove home, ate it, then went back to sleep.

[Radio Host 2]

He started the lawnmower, mowed the lawn,

[Burt (Main Host)]

then remember it, did the whole thing right. I remembered none of this and I said so. She said her only concern was that I left for errands and returned two hours later with nothing in hand. I talked to my doctor on Monday and he told me Ambien can cause amnesia and that some people have reported walking, driving and cooking in their sleep. All which, by the way, are calls that we have taken before. This is gonna be a first, though. I know now what filled the missing two hours. This afternoon, I got a call from a woman who called me lover and asked me when I wanted to come back. She called me her F buddy. This is a woman I had talked to only twice before in social situations. I do not even know where she lives. Maybe I phoned her for directions. I do find her attractive, but I am stunned that I did something like this. My wife is vindictive, and if I say anything to her, it will end our marriage. I do not want to continue a relationship with the other woman. What should I do?

[Radio Host 2]

He doesn't know where she lives, but somehow he showed up at her house and had sex with her for two hours and then came home.

[Burt (Main Host)]

That's what he says.

[Radio Host 2]

Doesn't remember.

[Burt (Main Host)]

He says the part that really starts to get a little screwy here is this is a woman I've talked to only twice before in social situations. But if that's the case, then what's he doing with her phone number now?

[Radio Host 3]

You know what the cool part about that is? How'd that conversation go when he picked her up and called her and told her what he wanted to do if they've only talked twice?

[Burt (Main Host)]

Well, she must have. She went for it.

[Radio Host 3]

Now, before we start analyzing this and people call up, the only facts that we know are the facts that Bert is reading, and we can't debate those. So don't call up and go, he clearly knew her more than that. That's not what he's saying. Well, what he's saying is that he's only talked to her twice in social situation.

[Burt (Main Host)]

No, he didn't.

[Radio Host 3]

He's gotten once before. No, it didn't. All we know is that he's talked to her twice in social situations.

[Burt (Main Host)]

So what Jeff is saying is what we're assuming here is facts. You're playing Dear Prudence. 404-741. Q100. You are now Ms. Prudence, and you are giving advice to this guy with just the facts that he has provided us.

[Radio Host 4]

Because if you can believe, he did go to the grocery store. Maybe he ran into her at the grocery store.

[Radio Host 3]

Perfect.

[Burt (Main Host)]

It's all possible. Here's what we do know is fact that the wife knows that he went running and he mowed the lawn.

[Caller - Leonard (Sleep Tech)]

The lawn.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Grocery shopping and all that.

[Radio Host 3]

So if he had to have known her, they must. They're dating.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Ms. Prudence Melissa Carter. What do you do?

[Radio Host 2]

Oh, God.

[Radio Host 3]

And I'M saying that to you, too, as much as I'm saying to the caller.

[Radio Host 2]

I don't talk like that.

[Radio Host 3]

They're dating.

[Radio Host 1]

How does he have the phone number?

[Burt (Main Host)]

That's the question.

[Radio Host 2]

Why do I tell him? God, I don't know.

[Commercial Announcer]

Screwed.

[Radio Host 3]

He already has been.

[Radio Host 2]

Because I'm trying to think if he should tell his wife.

[Radio Host 3]

No way.

[Radio Host 1]

But she's gonna tell him. That other woman will tell eventually.

[Radio Host 2]

Well, I. Yeah, I don't know. This is very difficult because I don't believe him.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Facts are the facts.

[Radio Host 4]

Do you think because he put in

[Radio Host 1]

parentheses, I am really attracted to her.

[Radio Host 4]

That's just a guy boosh comment.

[Burt (Main Host)]

I do find her attractive.

[Radio Host 4]

I do think she's hot.

[Radio Host 3]

But that's what.

[Burt (Main Host)]

I'm stunned. But that is on the latest. It's bougie.

[Radio Host 1]

He's very boosh.

[Radio Host 2]

God, I don't know what to tell him. I guess the first thing I would tell him is to go, did he say in the letter that he has talked to his doctor since then about all that?

[Radio Host 3]

He's got to get a doctor's note excusing.

[Radio Host 4]

No, no, no.

[Radio Host 2]

I mean. I mean, if he really. He really was able to do all those things and carry on a decent conversation with her and have sex with her for two hours, then I would go to his. I would tell him to go to his doctor and talk to his doctor

[Radio Host 3]

about it, because he gotta get tested. Who knows where he put that junk?

[Burt (Main Host)]

Hey, Laura, good Morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller - Laura]

Hi, how are you?

[Burt (Main Host)]

Go ahead.

[Caller]

You're.

[Burt (Main Host)]

You're. Dear Prudence.

[Caller - Laura]

Okay, from what I've heard is that Ambien is called, like, the truth medicine. Just like when you're coming out of anesthesia, whatever's been on the back of your mind for a long time, whether it's conscious, subconscious, or whatever, can cause you to do certain things that you wouldn't think you would do while on that medication.

[Burt (Main Host)]

So, like.

[Caller - Laura]

Like what? They interviewed after the Heath Ledger thing. Jack Nicholson had told him that he had gotten in his car and had found himself driving somewhere where he didn't even know where he was just because he was on the medicine and he had no clue how he got there even getting in his car or anything.

[Radio Host 3]

So what advice are you giving our horny sleepwalker?

[Caller - Laura]

It could have been. It was just. Honestly, he just. One, it is weird that he has her number. But two, honestly, it could be just he really messed up and didn't really realize what was going on.

[Radio Host 3]

Does he tell his wife?

[Caller - Laura]

Should he tell his wife. It would have to be like, I think, within a situation, like with a therapist, not just, like, straight to her.

[Burt (Main Host)]

I can't think of any wife at all that would ever buy that.

[Radio Host 3]

No way. No way.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Here's what dear Prudence says. It's pretty funny. First line. Hard to believe that the pharmaceutical industry has already solved two of our most vexing problems. How to get men to do weekend chores and how to induce attractive strangers to have sex with you while being able to swear that you haven't cheated. If this gets around soon, we'll be living in a world where people are gobbling Ambien out of PEZ containers. Driving, eating, and even trying to cast congressional votes while under the influence of Ambien are all well documented. Scroll around the Internet. You'll also find individual accounts of Ambien fueled sex, which we've talked about a lot on the show, where women or guys have zero idea how freaky they're getting at night and in the morning, their partners are a little embarrassed about what happened a little bit ago and they have no recollection of all of what happened. However you might, however good you may have been in bed, you need to keep the other woman from contacting you and asking for further services. Call her and try to explain. Tell her that as hard as it is to believe, you have recently been prescribed several medications. You accidentally mix them up, and as a result, you have no memory of the events of the weekend. Say you're really sorry if you behaved irresponsibly, but that you can't be in touch with her ever again. Don't ask for details. You want to preserve your amnesiac deniability. And since you don't know what you did, you're hardly in a position to confess anything to your wife. Do not tell her but she forgot.

[Radio Host 3]

He's gotta get tested for STDs.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Morning. Charles wants to be on the voice disguiser. Hey, Charles.

[Radio Host 3]

He's asleep. Doesn't mean his crabs are.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Good morning. You're on the voice disguiser.

[Caller - Charles]

I was just calling to say I've had a very similar situation. I used to take Ambien and I would get up in the middle of the night and cook. I would drive all over town and had one situation where an acquaintance came up to me several days late after this evidently happened and talked to me about, gee, we had a great time, and evidently we didn't have sex, but we made out for quite a while and I had no clue.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Really.

[Caller - Charles]

No recollection? No recollection whatsoever. Of it.

[Burt (Main Host)]

You would. I would almost think that somewhere in the back of your mind, even though you're sleeping, you know, the act that you're doing is so bad that it would somehow shoot. Shake you up and, you know, and wake you. Like, just driving to the McDonald's, like, wouldn't signal to me, like, some kind of inner alarm, but when you're making out with somebody or you're having sex, driving.

[Radio Host 3]

But why isn't it so bad? Like, you're getting in the car, you can kill yourself or others.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Yeah, I guess it would be. It would fall onto the same thing. Yeah.

[Caller - Charles]

Yeah. I was totally clueless. I still, to this day, have no recollection of it whatsoever.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Really? Really. Here's Leonard. Good morning, Leonard. You're on Q100.

[Caller - Leonard (Sleep Tech)]

Hey, how's it going?

[Burt (Main Host)]

Okay. How are you?

[Caller - Leonard (Sleep Tech)]

Pretty good. I just heard your story about the sleep, and I was just going to call you and tell y' all that because I'm a registered sleep tech, and people have slept long. They slept, you know, done things. Also, people have actually slept and killed other people.

[Radio Host 3]

That's comforting.

[Caller - Leonard (Sleep Tech)]

Well, it's. What happened is if somebody's sleepwalking and you try to wake them up, they get really violent. Oh, try not to do that.

[Burt (Main Host)]

So you're saying it is possible this guy takes his Ambien, drives down the street, calls somebody, has sex with somebody, and really has no recollection of it at all?

[Caller - Leonard (Sleep Tech)]

Yeah. I've even had people, when they take Ambien at the lab. I mean, it's possible. I mean, it's not likely, but it's possible because I've had them think that I'm their wife or talk to me like, you know, they say their spouse's name to me, and I'm like, you know, that's not me. But people are really out of it on certain medications.

[Radio Host 4]

Instead of. What advice would you give? What about. What would your answer be if you were the wife or, like, say it were. Say it.

[Radio Host 2]

Were Stacey on the air.

[Radio Host 4]

Wow. But you know what I'm saying, would you want to know or not if she. If she really was in an Ambien sleepwalk and she had no recollection of it, she cut it off. She, you know, made sure to tell that person, that can never, ever happen again. I was on an Ambien binge. I don't have any memory of it. Don't ever call me again. Whatever. Do you want to know that that happened?

[Burt (Main Host)]

I do not. Do you?

[Radio Host 4]

I don't know how to answer it.

[Burt (Main Host)]

Don't ask me a question you want to answer.

[Radio Host 3]

That's a great question, Jen.

[Burt (Main Host)]

What would you say? Would you want to know?

[Radio Host 3]

I don't think so. I don't think so.

[Radio Host 4]

Yeah, I don't think so either.

[Radio Host 2]

You know what? I actually would because I wouldn't want that other person to have that. You know, like that guilt that. No. Well, no. I wouldn't want the other woman to have that knowledge or power or something. I wouldn't want her to have something over my head.

[Radio Host 1]

Oh, no.

[Radio Host 2]

Katie's screaming at the radio like you're full of crap. But it's true.

[Radio Host 4]

If.

[Radio Host 2]

Yeah, I'd rather know than not know.

[Radio Host 1]

If something like that happens, I don't want to know. I guess what I don't know won't kill me. So no, but yes, but no. I don't know. Kind of.

[Radio Host 2]

I don't trust other people too. I mean, I don't trust that other person.

[Burt (Main Host)]

If I told Stacy that happened on Ambien, she'd take two the night after just so she had an excuse to kill me.

[Caller - Leonard (Sleep Tech)]

Sorry.

[Radio Host 3]

Ambien.

[Burt (Main Host)]

You're on the the Burt Show.

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