Vault: Listeners Share The Most Desperate Things They Did For Cash

Summary

The Bert Show – "Vault: Listeners Share The Most Desperate Things They Did For Cash"

Aired: February 3, 2026
Host: The Bert Show Cast (Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, et al.)
Episode Theme:
Listeners call in to share the most desperate actions they’ve taken to survive financially, sparking a candid, moving discussion on the hard choices people make in the face of urgent need.

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Overview

This emotionally charged episode focuses on stories of financial desperation—specifically, what people have done when pushed to the edge for cash. The centerpiece is a raw and heart-wrenching call from "Patty," who recounts her experience with homelessness and prostitution as a means of survival, followed by a debate around personal agency, judgment, and empathy. The Bert Show crew and callers navigate sensitive territory, highlighting both the realities and divergent perspectives on the issue.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Patty’s Story: Surviving Desperation

• Intro to Patty (00:07–00:19): Patty, calling with voice disguised, is nervous but willing to share her experience due to her ability to relate to others in similar situations.

• Homelessness & Decision (00:24–01:59): Patty moved to Atlanta, ended up homeless, and, unable to pay for her motel, decided to engage in prostitution out of sheer survival need.

• Notable Moment:

  "I didn't have any money to pay for the next week, so I had to prostitute. ... it's just scary."
  — Patty (00:26–00:40)

• First Experience & Circumstances (01:00–03:09):

  • Dressed in a fur coat and heels, Patty walked streets in Tucker before connecting with a man who became her pimp and took her to Buckhead, where she made the most money.
  • Patty stresses she was earnestly seeking honest work (e.g., Pizza Hut) but faced barriers like lack of ID and references.

• Duration and Exit (03:01–03:26):

  • Patty spent three months in prostitution before a client offered her a place to stay and helped her escape that life.
  • She describes the psychological toll, notably her "lowest point" after an encounter with an older man.

  Memorable Detail:

  "I was in the bathroom and the condom fell out. ... It was disgusting. I was so scared."
  — Patty (03:36–04:01)

• Impact on Present Life (04:02–05:47):

  • Now working as a secretary, married (without her husband knowing her past).
  • Patty is forever "scarred" by her experiences and would never want her future child to endure the same.

  Quote:

  "I totally was. I mean, I'm scarred. I mean, I'm scarred forever because of what I did."
  — Patty (05:25)

• On Personal Shame & Secrecy (05:44–06:21):

  • Patty admits she's never told anyone, haunted by her memories and the "sick feeling" from those days.

  Quote:

  "You just start remembering the feeling of getting back to the apartment and just scrubbing yourself. ... It's a sick feeling."
  — Patty (06:03–06:21)

• Mechanisms for Coping (06:32–07:06):

  • Patty tried not to mentally engage during encounters, distracted herself with thoughts of better times or her childhood.

• Societal Judgments (07:06–07:27):

  • She rejects the notion that people choose prostitution lightly:

  • "You don't wake up and, oh, I want to be a prostitute today. ... I think it comes because of necessity."
    — Patty (07:06–07:27)

2. Debate: Necessity versus Choice

• Angela’s Call: “It’s a Choice” (07:27–08:45):

  • Angela shares her own story of homelessness at 16, stating she worked up to four jobs and never considered prostitution necessary:

  • "So I don't think it's a necessity. It's a choice. ... did whatever it took."
    — Angela (07:29–08:07)

• Patty’s Response: Context Matters (08:09–10:13):

  • Patty counters that arriving in a new city with no support, ID, or safety net leaves people with fewer options:

  • "It's different for everybody. ... Some of us were not so lucky."
    — Patty (09:36–10:13)

• Reflection on Alternatives (10:13–10:45):

  • Asked what she’d do differently, Patty says she’d have gone back home, even if it meant feeling defeated rather than enduring the trauma of prostitution.

3. Listener & Host Reflections

• Sam’s Call: Compassion Over Condemnation (11:12–11:39):

  • Sam encourages Patty not to let guilt consume her, echoing the importance of empathy:

  • "Most people have a history they aren’t proud of, and there’s nothing you can do about it now."
    — Sam (11:16–11:39)

• Hosts Encourage Therapy (11:39–12:09):

  • Hosts suggest Patty could benefit from speaking to a counselor, acknowledging how such trauma is difficult to bear alone.
  • Patty expresses hesitation about therapy due to fear of her husband’s suspicions.

• Bert’s Reflection: The Role of Safety Nets (12:14–12:47):

  • Bert recognizes his own privilege, having a safety net if things went wrong, and urges empathy:

  • "...if everything fell apart, I would still be able to... I have a safety net. Like, my mom would be my safety net. ... Some people just don’t have that."
    — Bert (12:14–12:47)

• Discussion of Patty’s Backstory (12:47–13:13):

  • The show clarifies that Patty’s journey to Atlanta was funded with stolen petty cash due to desperation.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Patty (on the realities of prostitution):
  "You don’t wake up and, oh, I want to be a prostitute today... I think it comes because of necessity." (07:06)
• Angela (on personal agency):
  "It’s not because you can’t work... Everybody’s hiring and you can find... I could find three jobs." (08:07)
• Bert (about safety nets):
  "You just don’t think sometimes, in those terms, that some people just don’t have that... Scary, man." (12:14)
• Sam (on nonjudgment):
  "Most people have a history that they aren’t proud of—and there’s nothing you can do about it now." (11:16)
• Patty (on the lasting scars):
  "I totally was. I mean, I’m scarred. I mean, I’m scarred forever because of what I did." (05:25)
• Patty (on possible regret):
  "I just wouldn’t. I wouldn’t have came. I would have just tried to work out the problems I had back home." (10:19)

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Memorable Moments

• Patty’s vulnerability and honesty about her darkest moments (throughout, especially 03:36–06:21).
• Sharp contrast and debate between Patty’s and Angela’s life philosophies (07:27–10:13).
• Empathetic reflection from hosts and listeners, reinforcing the episode’s message of compassion and understanding (11:12–12:14).
• Bert’s self-awareness regarding privilege and support systems, encouraging listeners to see beyond their own circumstances (12:14–12:47).

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Segment Timestamps Overview

• 00:07–07:27: Patty’s detailed story—homelessness, survival prostitution, emotional impact.
• 07:27–10:13: Debate between Angela ("it’s a choice") and Patty ("context matters").
• 10:13–13:13: Reflections from hosts and listeners on shame, judgment, and the importance of empathy and support.

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Takeaway

This episode lays bare the complexity of survival decisions under pressure. It is a nuanced conversation about judgment, compassion, and the individuality of people’s paths. Seamlessly blending raw personal narrative with broader social context, The Bert Show reminds listeners that behind every desperate act is a story—and a human being.

Transcript

[A]

The Burt Show. So the question here is, what have you guys done out of desperation for cash? And Patty called in. Hey, Patty.

[B]

Hey.

[A]

You're on the Voice Disguiser.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

What's up?

[B]

Hi. How is everyone?

[A]

Good, good, thank you.

[B]

I'm a little nervous, I'm sorry.

[C]

Don't be nervous.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You're on the screen and you're on the Voice Disguiser, so nobody knows who you are.

[B]

Okay. I can totally relate to her.

[D]

Okay.

[B]

I came to Atlanta like six years ago and I was homeless for a while. I was living in one of those budget motels that you pay bi weekly, and I didn't have any money to pay for the next week, so I had to prostitute. And it's kind of scary because you come and you don't have any money and you have to sell yourself just to have some money or something to eat or, you know, it's just scary.

[A]

Did you literally, like put on like a sexy outfit and walk up and down a street like?

[B]

I did. I was in Tucker. I don't know if y' all know where Tucker is, you know. And then I would. I had. I had brought my clothes with me and I had this like fur coat, this faux fur coat and one of those. It's a stretch, like a one piece dress, really short and I had heels on. And I would just get out there. And then I got up with this one black guy, I don't know, I don't remember his name, but he took me to Buckhead one weekend and that's where I made the most money.

[A]

And you went to a hotel or you went back to his place or a car or what we just.

[B]

I would do, I would get out there on Buckhead, you know, it was a horrible area. And I would just walk up and down the road and then I would get in the car with whoever stopped.

[C]

So are you saying that he became your pimp?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay, okay, okay. So he notices you, he brings you into Buckhead.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then you start walking up and down the streets in Buckhead?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So the first night you were out there in Tucker, he picked you up and said, look, I can help you out.

[B]

I was there for like three days, and then I just had enough money just to pay for that one week. Because where I came from, I had stole the petty cash because I was in some trouble where I came from, and I had to steal some money. I didn't have any money, so I had to sell the petty cash. And I got here with like $400 and I had to pay? It was 199 for one week at one of those, like, weekly things, you know. So I paid that. And I was looking for work for real. I mean, I would go out and I would go to the Pizza Hut, and no one wanted to hire me because I just got here. I didn't even have any ID or anything.

[D]

How long did you do it?

[B]

I did it for, like, three months.

[D]

Three months. How'd you get out of it?

[B]

Well, one of the people that I was with offered to take me out of it, you know, for me to stay with them for a little while until I can get on my feet and not have to do that anymore. And so that's how I got out of it, because I went and stayed with him.

[A]

It must be that first time that you put on, like, the sexy outfit with the intention of going out there and being a prostitute for the very first time. There must be a point where you look at yourself in the mirror and.

[B]

Just break down all the time. I mean, my lowest point was when I came back from doing it with this old man. He was older, but he had a nice car. And I was in the bathroom and the condom fell out. It had slipped off, I guess, and it was disgusting. I was so scared.

[A]

Are you married now?

[B]

I am. I'm married now.

[A]

Does he know that part of your history?

[B]

No, he does not know.

[A]

He doesn't have any idea.

[B]

I would never, ever tell. I mean, it's. I mean, I just. I can relate to the girl. I mean, I don't think that she should be looked down on. I mean, she was homeless. I mean, we were homeless. We didn't have. What else are we going to use? I mean.

[D]

When you said we were homeless, who's we?

[B]

Well, I was talking about that girl that. That did it with the governor.

[A]

Yeah. So you.

[B]

I mean, I can totally relate to her. And, I mean.

[D]

Right. I just wondered if it was you and a child or you and a friend or.

[B]

No, it would just be me. I mean, I didn't have anybody. I didn't know anybody here, and I was running away from my life.

[A]

What do you do now for a living?

[B]

Well, I'm a secretary.

[A]

And obviously nobody knows that that's part of your history. But that was. That whole prostitution thing. Was that the turning point? Like, I mean, you made enough money to sort of turn around your life, right?

[B]

Well, I did. I mean, I didn't make a whole lot of money because that guy was taking a big chunk of it. I mean, it's ridiculous. When you get in with a guy like that, they give you, like, so little of the money that you're making, you just wonder, what is the point? I mean, you're just like a sex slave. Doesn't even give you anything. I mean.

[D]

Do you think you were changed forever?

[B]

I totally was. I mean, I'm scarred. I mean, I'm scarred forever because of what I did. And I would hate to think that when I have a child that she would have to go through that, you know? I mean, they say that there's women that like to do that, but I cannot imagine it.

[A]

Have you ever told anybody this part of your history?

[B]

I've never told anyone. I mean, it's. It's. It's just so painful to remember it because I can still see myself, like, today, like it was just yesterday.

[D]

How often do you think about it?

[B]

I think I think about it pretty often. I mean, especially when you're. You're looking at yourself. You know, you're getting undressed, you're getting ready to take a shower. You just start remembering the feeling of getting back to the apartment and just scrubbing yourself. I mean, you just. It's a sick feeling.

[D]

Mm.

[B]

It's sickening. I mean, it's just a sick feeling because it's just disgusting to some of these people you have to be with. I mean, they're just disgusting.

[A]

What did you do? Just, like. You just, like, mentally check out, so it just becomes a physical thing, and you're not even in mentally. Even in that room.

[B]

And hard. It's really hard to do that. But you have to try. I mean, I would try to think about, you know, what I'm gonna do with my life, you know, or I would think about my childhood and the things I did or school. You know, you just have to keep your mind going and get off of what you're doing.

[A]

I mean, yeah, when you think about that, like, everybody that does that for a living was an innocent little girl at one point, and everybody's future was all shiny and bright.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. It is so, so hard. I mean, you don't. You don't wake up and, oh, I want to be a prostitute today. I mean, I do not believe any woman that says, oh, I'm just gonna be a prostitute today. I mean, I think it comes because of necessity. They do it, you know, and then some just don't get out of it.

[A]

Hey, Angela, you're on Q100. Go ahead.

[E]

I'm sorry. I just don't believe in this necessity thing. I moved out on my Own. When I was 16 years old, I got three jobs and put myself through high school. I never went to Prost. I slept at friend's house until I could actually afford to get my own place. And when I graduated high school, I had four jobs and I always worked four jobs and I did whatever it took. So I don't think it's a necessity. It's a choice. And if you choose to do that, you have to. It's not because you can't work at McDonald's or you can't work at Publix. Everybody's hiring and you can find. I could find three jobs. So these girls saying that they couldn't find one. It's unbelievable to me. So I don't buy the necessity thing.

[A]

Let's hear what Patty has to say about that. What's up Patty?

[B]

She's just like, I'm fine and dandy, but when you come to a state that you had know nothing about, you know no one. What are you gonna say?

[E]

And that's what I did.

[B]

Take me in.

[E]

That's what I did. I moved to, from Jacksonville, Florida up to Atlanta. Knew nobody. But I got jobs and did what I need to do. I slept in my car if it takes sleeping in my car, not to have to afford a hotel or whatever. Did whatever it took. And I just don't understand the need to go to Prostit. There are jobs out there and for a 16 year old to finish high school and to work three jobs, it's saying that there are other options out there.

[B]

I thought you said you stayed with friends, but you're not just.

[E]

I did stay with friends when I first moved out. And then I had. I moved up to Atlanta when I graduated, knew nobody and I had four jobs. I worked. I mean I would change in my car on the way to the next job because I was non stop. I got two hours sleep a night because that's what it took to do whatever it takes to make the money to get where I am today.

[A]

Patty, have you ever had any thoughts like that? Like maybe I just didn't try hard enough?

[B]

I mean, I do. I honestly do. I mean, but you don't. You don't. I guess we're all made differently and we don't think the same. I mean, I wasn't thinking. I mean I was looking for money. I needed money. And if you go to work at Publix or any of these places, you're gonna have to wait for money. So where was I gonna get the money to pay for somewhere to stay, who was going to take me in.

[D]

And I'm sure in those desperate times, you're not really thinking all that clearly either.

[B]

No, I mean, you're not. You're just desperate. It's just. You got to live. You got to find a way to live. I mean, it's just like that primal, you know, that primal instinct, you know, you just gotta. You've got to do it. And. Sure, I mean, I've got a nice job now, and I've got a nice place, you know, and I'm doing great now. But, I mean, I think it's different for everybody. It's different strokes for different folks. I mean, it's nice that she had a job and that she had places to stay and she had a car. Some of us were not so lucky.

[D]

Looking back on it now, what would you do differently if you were in the same exact place?

[B]

I guess I would just go back home and just be defeated. I just would. I just wouldn't. I wouldn't have came. I would have just tried to work out the problems I had, you know, back home.

[D]

Because back home wouldn't have been as bad as what you went through.

[B]

No, it wouldn't have. It would have been. It was bad, but it wasn't as bad, you know, I wouldn't have had to have lost that part of me, you know?

[A]

Yeah. I don't know if there's anything to add to that. I appreciate you calling. It's the first time that that story has crossed your lips since it happened.

[B]

It is. I mean, I thought about it. I thought about it, and then y' all had this thread today, so I was like, well, I think I should give my. My opinion and what has happened to me. And, I mean, it's not her fault. I mean, it's just a decision we make, and it was a bad one, but we made it.

[A]

Let me just take one more call, then we'll move on. Go ahead, Sam. You're on Q100.

[B]

Hey.

[F]

I just wanted to say she doesn't need to be condemned about it.

[B]

You know.

[F]

Most people have a history that they aren't proud of, and there's nothing you can do about it now. And at least she's on her feet now, and she can't let guilt eat her alive every day. And, you know, what's in the past is in the past.

[D]

I think, Patty, you could benefit from talking to a professional about what you went through. Yeah.

[A]

I don't know how you get over anything like that if you don't talk to somebody about it for sure. Right.

[B]

I mean, that's just true. I mean, I didn't want. I don't want to explain where I'm going. Like, to the therapist who's gonna have questions. My husband's gonna, like, why are you going to the therapist? Are we having problems in the. You know, it's just gonna be. I'm gonna have to. It's a lot of stuff I'm gonna have to work out before I can.

[A]

Even then he thinks that there's something wrong with the marriage.

[B]

And she keeps saying that can of worms.

[A]

Oh, well, I appreciate you filling us in.

[D]

Yeah. Thanks for sharing with us.

[A]

I mean, you don't realize that kind of desperation, you know, I have been lucky enough to where I have come from. At least now. Like, if everything fell apart tomorrow for me, if everything fell apart, I would still be able to. Like, I have a safety net. Like, my mom would be my safety net. Like, and you just don't think sometimes in those terms that some people just don't have that. Like, if it all goes to crap tomorrow, there's no way out, you know? Scary, man.

[D]

It's really scary in those shoes of what she went through.

[A]

It's horrifying because you don't know how bad it was at home. It must have been so bad. I'm assuming there was some abuse involved also, because she's doing it. So while you're like, there's no way that I can go back there, so if my only option is prostitution, then I'd rather do that than go back home. It must have been awful.

[C]

Well, she stole my money at her last job to make it to Atlanta. So she stole the petty cash. What she's talking about is the money that she got to Atlanta with.

[A]

So the Birch Show.