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.)
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.
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).
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."
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
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.