Vault: Listeners Share Their Dating Superstitions

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Vault: Listeners Share Their Dating Superstitions"

The Bert Show – January 20, 2026

---

Episode Overview

In this lighthearted episode, The Bert Show team explores the quirky world of dating superstitions. Borrowing from the rituals of athletes and sports fans, the hosts and listeners share the unique routines and habits they believe help set the tone for a successful date. The cast also opens the phone lines for listeners to confess their own dating superstitions, sparking a fun roundtable of anecdotes, gentle teasing, and relatable laughs.

---

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Dating Superstitions

(00:01 - 01:20)

• The episode kicks off with Bert referencing a Cosmopolitan article about dating superstitions—comparing them to sports rituals for good luck.

• Hosts share their own sports superstitions as a relatable starting point. For example, staying in one spot if their team is winning or repeating an outfit after a win.

  “If your team wins...you’re gonna wear that same outfit next Saturday or next Sunday, right?” — C, 00:53

2. Superstitious Rituals Before Dates

(01:20 – 03:25)

• The article features individuals who have developed unique pre-date routines.
  • Al & the Serpico Postcard: Al says goodbye to a postcard of Al Pacino in Serpico before each date to calm his nerves.

    “He goes to the postcard, says, ‘See you later, Serpico. Think I’ll come home alone.’ … It makes me laugh, so I feel less nervous.” — B, 01:21

  • Pushups Pre-Date: Another guy does 30 pushups before every date “to feel a little more proud,” not just to look better.

    “Most guys do that…especially if you’re going to a pool party.” — C, 02:29

  • White Candle & Bubble Bath: A woman burns a specific candle and takes a bubble bath to clear negative energy and relax.

    “She lights a white candle…burns it to take away any negative energy…then she takes a bubble bath.” — B, 02:39

3. Listeners Call In: Sharing Their Superstitions

(03:25 – 05:46)

• Amber’s Ritual: She listens to “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch before every date, a habit born from a streak of good luck when the song kept popping up.

  “From that point forward, I started listening to it every time I would go out on a date.” — Amber, 03:59

• Other Musical Rituals: Referencing the article, another woman always listens to the Great Expectations soundtrack; someone else sings the score of Evita to relax.
• Vicki’s Lucky Outfit: Vicki always wore the same jeans and black top on first dates, questioning whether it’s about superstition or just confidence in a particular look.

  “I wear the same jeans and black top on a first date…But I had my own lucky outfit.” — Vicki, 04:30

4. “Guy Routines” Before Dates

(05:16 – 05:46)

• Mark’s Routine: Mark candidly shares another "guy thing" reminiscent of a scene from There’s Something About Mary—without going into details, implying it’s a common ritual to “cut the edge off.”

  “Absolutely. You know, you just gotta cut some of the edge off of it and then it also maybe helps a little bit later.” — Mark, 05:26

• The hosts joke about this being a classic movie reference and the possible pitfalls.

5. Meticulous Multi-Step Superstitions

(05:55 – 06:37)

• Some rituals are quite elaborate. From having a glass of red wine to get a healthy flush, brushing teeth to avoid “purple mouth,” scanning newspapers for conversation topics, and finally playing with a pet as a comfort reminder.

  “She takes time to play with her dog. Because she says that…if the night ends in disappointment…she always has someone waiting.” — B, 06:24

6. Host Confessions & Reflections

(06:38 – 07:03)

• Host C admits to having a pre-date drink or two for nerves, clarifying it’s more about insecurity than superstition.

  “I can’t remember ever going out on a date without having a couple of pops before I went out.” — C, 06:51

• Co-hosts tease about the pitfalls of being “the one who always seems like a drinker.”

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Sports vs. Dating Superstitions:

  “Your contribution to the winning team is that shirt or that seat…Well, the same goes with dating.” — B, 00:59

• On Musical Rituals:

  “Did you have, like, a successful date one time you listened to that song, and you just figure it’s going to be the same for the next?” — C, 03:38

• On Lucky Outfits:

  “I think everybody has like one outfit that they really think they look kick ass in and you’ll break that out on the first date every time.” — C, 04:37

• On Over-thinking Routines:

  “There’s a flowchart on the wall: wine, check. Teeth, check. Next, newspaper.” — A, 06:32

• Playful Teasing:

  “I liked him, but he’s a drinker. I don’t need to be involved in that.” — A, 07:03

---

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:01 – 01:20: Setting the stage—sports superstitions and segue into dating
• 01:20 – 02:39: Hosts share examples from the article (Serpico postcard, pushups, white candle/bubble bath)
• 03:25 – 04:30: First listener call-in (Amber: "Good Vibrations")
• 04:30 – 04:55: Discussion on “lucky outfits”
• 05:19 – 05:46: Mark’s “guy thing” and film reference
• 05:55 – 06:37: Multi-step dating routine story
• 06:38 – 07:03: Host C’s confession and group banter

---

Overall Tone & Takeaway

The episode blends humor, warmth, and relatability as the hosts and their audience bond over the sometimes silly, often heartfelt rituals we use to face the nerves of dating. Whether through music, outfits, exercise, or elaborate personal routines, the segment highlights how everyone seeks a little edge—or comfort—before putting themselves out there.

Perfect for listeners looking for a laugh, camaraderie, and maybe a few ideas for their own pre-date routines!

Transcript

[A]

Hey, the Bird Show.

[B]

I saw an interesting article online by a writer who writes for Cosmopolitan, and it had to do with dating. Superstitions. Is superstition the correct word? Because the analogy she gave at first is like, baseball players, when they're winning, they tend to do the same things to have success in the game. So if a guy, you know, who's a baseball player wears a T shirt underneath his uniform, he feels that's his lucky T shirt from then on, and he wears it until, you know, the team starts losing.

[C]

I think it's the same thing as a fan. Like, if you're watching, like, I know I do this. Like, if I'm watching my team and they're losing, I'll turn the TV off. And if I come back and they started to win, I'll turn the TV back off knowing that it must have been because I turned it off. And that's why they. They. They started their comeback.

[D]

I feel that way watching Florida State. If I'm sitting in one spot watching the game and we're winning, I have to stay in that spot. And then if we're losing, I have to get up and go to a new spot. And if it changes it, then I have to stay in the new spot.

[C]

If your team wins on a Saturday or Sunday and you're wearing a certain outfit, you're gonna wear that same outfit next Saturday or next Sunday. Right?

[B]

Right. Because for whatever feeling you, the reason that your contribution to the winning team is that shirt or that, you know, the seat that you're sitting in or whatever. Well, the same goes with dating. According to this writer. The article had to do with things that people do before a date because it's just this ritual that they feel they've done before a great date before, so they're going to do it before a great date again.

[C]

So dating, superstitions.

[B]

Dating superstitions. And I'll give you one example. 1. In this article, the guy is called Al because she kind of relays some of the people's superstitious rituals before a date that, you know, that she talked to. And this guy's named Al. He says that he has a postcard of Al Pacino is Serpico. That has followed him around since college. So he's always had this postcard, and it's tagged to his wall next to his door. And he says before he leaves for a date that he goes to the postcard, says, see you later, Serpico. Think I'll come home alone. And then he says he pretty much stares at Me, but it makes me laugh, so I feel less nervous. The fact that he still does this makes him less nervous when he walks out the door.

[C]

And this is his routine for every day because he did so well on one date with that. Yes, I have 404-741-1005. If you have one of these dating superstitions.

[B]

See you later, Serpica. You think I'm coming on my road. Now there's one. Now this next one is something that I think is routine, probably for guys. It's another guy that she had interviewed, and he was just talking about him doing 30 pushups before every date. So he says it's not to make him look bigger. It just makes him feel a little more proud.

[A]

I started doing it in college or something to get that little extra blood to the muscle.

[C]

Most guys have done that. Just for the record, most guys do that. They'll do a couple of pushes. Especially if you're going to a pool party. Oh, yeah, you're gonna work out for sure. About an hour beforehand. Just so you're all a little puffy before you get out there.

[D]

Now something.

[B]

Yeah. Now something that's probably routine and common for women to do is this one woman says that she lights a white candle. Has to be a white candle and burns it to take any negative energy away that may be in the room that's making her nervous. Then she takes a bubble bath. And she said it makes her feel relaxed, positive, and open to possibilities. So that's her way of relaxing.

[D]

The bubble bath part is just so she can see when she's shaving. Because you can sit down in there and, you know, see what you're doing. Not quite as a quick job as the shower.

[A]

This has come up a lot on the show today. Somebody here either just trimmed or needs a trim.

[C]

Oh, she's a sauna girl.

[B]

She's a sauna med spa girl.

[C]

Doesn't need that.

[D]

Smooth boy.

[A]

Save that.

[C]

Amber. Dating some superstition. What's up? Hi.

[E]

I always listen to Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Their song Good Vibrations.

[C]

Now, it gets you in a good mood. Or did you have, like, a successful date one time and you listen to that song and you just figure it's going to be the same for the next.

[E]

Well, what happened is I started having kind of a run of good luck. And I noticed I was hearing that song during that time. And so from that point forward, I started listening to it every time I would go out on a date.

[B]

That's great. Well, that's funny. Because two women in this article, similar things. One said that when she was like 15 years old, one of her first dates, I guess Great Expectations, there's a soundtrack to that that she listened to and would dance around. And even as an adult now, she does the same thing before a date. She listens to Great Expectations where another woman says that she sings the score of Evita before the date because it takes her through the range of emotions and then by the time she's done, she's a little tired but a lot more relaxed. So.

[C]

404-741-1005 hey Vicki.

[E]

Hey.

[C]

Hi.

[E]

I wear the same jeans and black top on a first date. Well, I used to, not anymore. But I had my own lucky outfit.

[C]

Well, I wonder if that's more like your go to outfit or is that a real superstition? Because I think everybody has like one outfit that they really think they look kick ass in and you'll break that out on the first date every time. Cause you're looking to make a good impression. Or is this truly a superstition for you?

[B]

Hello.

[C]

That was tough.

[A]

She really needs.

[B]

She went to go put the outfit.

[A]

On, she didn't have her outfit. So her conversation skills went right out the window. Why you interrogated me? Why do I have to answer all these questions for you?

[C]

You don't run my life.

[A]

Stop trying to control me. Will never work out. Goodbye. I should have wore the black top.

[D]

Mark.

[C]

Good morning.

[F]

Hey, good morning.

[A]

What's up man?

[F]

Hey, you know what I do? I take care of myself before every day.

[C]

Of course you do.

[D]

Is that a guy thing, just like the push ups?

[F]

Absolutely. You know, you just gotta cut some of the edge off of it and then it also maybe helps a little bit later.

[C]

Yeah. The theory here is that if you do that then you'll be less. Your session will last longer if you get lucky.

[F]

Exactly.

[C]

Yeah. But no, not every guy does that.

[F]

Come on, Bert. Yeah, you do.

[B]

Ben Stiller did it in something about Mary.

[C]

Yeah, he did.

[D]

And he zipped himself up, didn't he?

[C]

Yep. Exactly. There's a lesson to be learned there. Thank you, Mark. 404-741-1005 another one where a woman says.

[B]

That she does like a. It's like a three or four part plan that she has to go through. First she has the glass of red wine. She said to give her a healthy flush in her cheeks and dilate her pupils. It's not just to relax her but to give her face a little more of a glow. And then she says of course she has to brush her teeth so that she doesn't have the purple mouth from the red wine. Then goes through the newspaper to find things to talk about in case the conversation goes to a lull. So she looks at what's going on in the news, and the last thing she does is she takes time to play with her dog. Because she says that it reminds her that if the night ends in disappointment or frustration, that she always has someone waiting to give her kisses when she comes home.

[C]

That's like a Rain man cycle right there.

[A]

There's a flowchart on the wall line, check. Teeth, check. Next newspaper.

[D]

I'm off.

[B]

Right.

[C]

My only thing was, like, just. Just to take the edge off getting a little bit buzzed before the date. Cause I used to get so nervous right before a first date. But it wasn't a superstition thing. It was like an insecure thing. I can't remember, though, ever going out on a date without having a couple of pops before I went out.

[D]

Really?

[C]

Yeah. Call it insecure, call it what you want.

[D]

But, yeah, they were like that Burt guy. He's nice and funny, he's got a great personality. But he stinks like liquor every time.

[B]

He comes over here.

[A]

I liked him, but he's a drinker. I don't need to be involved in that. Hey, the bird show.