The Bert Show – Episode Summary

Podcast: The Bert Show (Pionaire Podcasting)
Episode: Vault: He Wants To Know Why She Ghosted Him After Their First Date
Date: December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on classic first-date drama: After what he thought was a fantastic evening, Alan can’t figure out why Tara never called him back. The Bert Show team mediates a candid, on-air conversation to get to the bottom of Tara’s sudden “ghosting.” The main theme: honesty and miscommunication in dating, plus the pitfalls of trying too hard to impress.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Alan’s Side: A Perfect Night?

Timestamps: [01:33]–[03:50]

• Alan recounts running into Tara (a former coworker) at the mall, leading to a spontaneous seafood dinner date.
• The dinner stretches from early evening to the next morning—“I didn’t leave there until 5am in the morning.” ([02:46], Alan)
• According to Alan, the night was full of easy conversation, laughter, and organic fun, including time with Tara's friends.
• He insists he was “totally a gentleman…we did kiss a little bit, but it was like, totally just chatting.” ([02:47], Alan)
• Alan is left baffled by Tara suddenly ghosting him after such a seemingly great experience.

2. The Show’s Take: Picking Apart Post-Date Anxiety

Timestamps: [03:17]–[03:50]

• The Bert Show panel affirms how post-date silence leads to endless overthinking and dissecting.
• They set ground rules for the on-air confrontation: Tara gets to “say whatever she wants” in pursuit of total honesty.
  • “Your feelings, you have to set those aside, because what’s most important here is just that you have cloth the whole thing.” ([03:24], Host)

3. Tara’s Truth: Restaurant Roleplay Gone Wrong

Timestamps: [03:52]–[06:39]

• When Tara joins the call, she explains that while Alan was “a very nice guy,” something “felt a little funny” about how the restaurant treated them.
• She later hears through a friend-of-a-friend that Alan had allegedly “paid the manager to act friendly…went over there ahead of time and brought him his credit card and just said, pretend like you know me …” ([04:40], Tara)
  • “Everybody at the restaurant was making fun of me…and of Alan.” ([06:16], Tara)
• Tara says she felt embarrassed and weirded out: “I’ve never heard of anybody doing anything like that before. And I was, you know, I was embarrassed. And also, you know, I thought, what a weird person. Why would you do that?” ([06:09], Tara)

4. Alan’s Response: Good Intentions, Bad Execution

Timestamps: [06:41]–[09:45]

• Alan admits partial truth: he did visit the restaurant to “make a reservation” and “really want this to be a special date,” but denied trying to appear as a VIP or bribing anyone excessively.
  • “It’s a half truth. It’s an exaggerated truth.” ([06:43], Alan)
  • “I did not give him any extra cash or any extra money or anything like that. But I did say…don’t shove me in the back, give me a nice table…” ([06:48], Alan)
  • Pressed by the hosts, Alan concedes: “I didn’t tip him 100, but I did tip them a little something.” ([07:24], Alan)
• The panel discusses the line between planning/thoughtfulness and faking status, with some hosts defending Alan’s intentions.

5. Panel Debate: Gesture or Deception?

Timestamps: [07:34]–[10:04]

• The team debates whether Alan’s advance planning was thoughtful or “phony.”
• One host argues: “We always razz guys for not planning ahead enough…Well, now here we have a guy who went ahead to the restaurant. The only way we know…is from a friend of a friend who was a waitress…” ([08:13], Host)
• Others stress that if Alan paid to seem like a VIP, it’s dishonest: “All women want is honesty. Give me honesty.” ([09:16], Host)

6. Tara’s Final Word and Closure

Timestamps: [10:07]–[11:19]

• Tara gives the honest truth: “First, I just felt like his behavior was bizarre…I just feel like if he doesn’t think that he’s enough…maybe he’s not enough.” ([10:09], Tara)
• She confesses it wasn’t just the restaurant scene—Alan was “a little bit too outgoing” with her friends and the whole evening left her uncomfortable.
  • “I don’t think that you need to be phony.” ([10:35], Tara)
• When asked if Alan’s explanation changes her mind, she says: “It started to, but after what he just said, I feel a little…not that interested.” ([11:12], Tara)
• Alan comes to peace: “The fact that she would do this and not call me back maybe means that she’s not the person for me.” ([10:25], Alan)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alan, on the date:

  “We hung out there for a long time. And then I brought her back to her place and a bunch of her friends were there. And it just, like the night just kept on going on and on and on and on and on. I didn’t leave there until 5am in the morning.” ([02:46])

• Tara, explaining her feelings:

  “I found out…everybody at the restaurant was making fun of me… because he had paid the manager to act friendly to us.” ([06:16])

• Host, on setting the rules:

  “If we get her on, she can say whatever she wants. And your feelings, you have to set those aside, because what’s most important here is just that you have cloth the whole thing.” ([03:24])

• Panelist’s defense of Alan:

  “We always razz guys for not planning ahead enough…now here we have a guy who went ahead to the restaurant… The only way we know that he tried to be treated like an extra VIP is from a friend of a friend who was a waitress who was snickering at the restaurant.” ([08:13])

• Tara, summing up her decision:

  “I just feel like if he doesn’t think that he’s enough, then…maybe he’s not enough.” ([10:09])

• Alan, finding closure:

  “The fact that she would do this and not call me back maybe means that she’s not the person for me.” ([10:25])

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------|-------------| | Alan recounts the date | 01:33–03:50 | | Tara joins & explains ghosting | 03:52–06:39 | | Alan responds to accusations | 06:41–07:45 | | Panel debates gesture vs phony | 07:34–10:04 | | Tara gives final word/closure | 10:07–11:19 |

Tone & Style

• The episode maintains the Bert Show’s signature blend of light-hearted banter and authentic, sometimes brutally honest, conversation.
• The hosts engage directly and supportively, but push for real answers and foster candid debate.
• Both guests, Alan and Tara, are granted space to express their sides, providing real emotional insights into honest miscommunication and modern dating dilemmas.

Takeaways

• Good intentions can easily be misinterpreted in the complicated dance of dating.
• Gestures meant to impress can backfire if perceived as inauthentic.
• Direct communication, while sometimes uncomfortably frank, can provide the closure both parties need.
• The show’s open format turns awkward modern dating moments into communal, sometimes cathartic, entertainment.