Vault: LIVE at Nokia Theatre Part 2

Summary

---

The Bert Show – Vault: LIVE at Nokia Theatre Part 2

Date: August 10, 2026

Episode Overview

This live episode of The Bert Show, recorded at the Nokia Theatre, is centered on behind-the-scenes stories from American Idol week in Los Angeles. The cast delves into the dynamics of Idol contestants, their publicists, and the unique experiences encountered at the American Idol Fox party. Laced with the show's trademark authenticity and humor, Bert and the team give listeners an inside scoop on celebrity culture, industry quirks, and some remarkable characters they've met along the way.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Role of Publicists in LA

[01:18-03:27]

• The team shares candid observations about celebrity publicists at American Idol events, noting vastly different styles and their necessity in the industry.

• Discussion centers around the “bad cop” persona some publicists adopt—as a buffer between high-profile talent and persistent media/fans.

  • Jen: “I often wonder if the PR person is the bad cop and they know they're the bad cop because the celebrity has told them they have to be.” [02:03]
  • Frankie: “Handled nicely, they can get some of the same results as when they handle things rudely.” [02:34]
  • The panel jokes that the most aggressive publicists are probably the ones who’ll have the longest careers.

Generational Differences in PR

[02:41-03:05]

• Wendy and Frankie theorize that younger PR professionals can be “more rude,” possibly because they feel they have something to prove or are inexperienced in tactful negotiation.

  • Wendy: “I think it's like a power thing because you're just coming up into this...you just don't know about it.” [02:50]

American Idol Fox Party Recap

[03:27-06:05]

• The cast recalls the previous night’s party at “Elevate,” a hotel rooftop space with stunning views of LA.
• They note the presence of past Idol contestants:
  • Taylor Hicks (season 5 winner), now with a buzz cut, making a rare appearance.
    • Frankie: “Taylor has not been back to a lot of idol season finales... so I'm surprised that he's back this season.” [04:02]
  • Discussion arises about why Taylor Hicks has been excluded from Idol’s opening montages despite his win.
    • Frankie: “He kind of dissed the franchise a little bit. I don't think they loved that.” [04:39]
  • Brooke White (season 7), “Let It Be” pianist, was mingling at the party.
  • David Archuleta performed, described fondly as “bubbly and fun.”
    • Wendy: “…you just kind of want to give him a little hug and tell him everything's gonna be okay.” [05:24]
    • He sang covers, including Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister,” and interacted with fans.
  • Kristy Lee Cook (“the hottie horse chick,” noted for her love of horses) gets a mention, with cast jokes about previous cast crushes.

Anecdote: The Traveling Craigslist Worker

[06:22-07:36]

• The show meets a 23-year-old Atlanta native at the party who’s spent a year bouncing between 30+ cities, landing jobs through Craigslist for short stints.
  • His latest gig: promoting a Samsung phone at the party.
  • He and his brother are launching a travel website out of Costa Rica.
  • Reflections on the freedom and boldness of youth:
    • Frankie: “At 23 years old, that's awesome. That's the time to do it right there.” [07:23]
    • Jen: “Very cool at 40. Pathetic.” [07:32] (humorous banter about age)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Frankie (on tough publicists):
  “Handled nicely, they can get some of the same results as when they handle things rudely.” [02:34]

• Wendy (on why PR behavior varies):
  “I think it's like a power thing because you're just coming up into this...you just don't know about it.” [02:50]

• Frankie (on Taylor Hicks):
  “He kind of dissed the franchise a little bit. I don't think they loved that.” [04:39]

• Wendy (charmed by Archuleta):
  “He's just the same little singer as he was on American Idol. Just so bubbly and fun... you just kind of want to give him a little hug and tell him everything's gonna be okay.” [05:24]

• Jen & Frankie (on the Craigslist worker's lifestyle):
  “At 23 years old, that's awesome. That's the time to do it right there.” [07:23]
  “Very cool at 40. Pathetic.” [07:32] (showing the cast’s signature playful ribbing)

---

Important Timestamps

• 01:18-03:27 — Inside scoop on Idol publicists and their “bad cop” roles
• 03:27-06:05 — Party stories: Idol alums, rare appearances, goofy crushes
• 06:22-07:36 — The globetrotting Craigslist hustler and generational wanderlust

---

Episode Tone & Language

True to The Bert Show’s style, the conversation is candid, witty, and occasionally irreverent. Listeners are given both an insider’s view of Hollywood publicist machinations and a fan’s gossipy excitement about seeing (or not seeing) favorite Idol contestants. Relatable banter and gentle teasing among the cast keep the flow lively, fostering a sense of camaraderie and audience inclusion.

---

Transcript

[YU Beauty Advertiser]

What if one bottle could replace the benefits of eight steps in your skincare routine? Get glass like skin and your time back with the Resurfacing Compound by YU Beauty. This transformative serum works to visibly brighten, smooth and even your skin while helping minimize the look of pores, dark spots and fine lines all in one multitasking formula. It's breakthrough science and streamlined simplicity in a single step for science proven results without the clutter or confusion. Shop the resurfacing compound by youbeauty [e-mail] that's the letter U B E A U T Y.com Try you beauty today.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it is Ryan Seacrest here. Want to bring a little Hollywood excitement to your day? Take a few spins with Chumba Casino's brand new game, Ryan Seacrest's 10K Ways. It's free and features 10,000 doll and ways to play, giving you non stop action including thrilling bonus respins and cascading reels. Every spin brings something new, so step into the spotlight, enjoy the excitement and play [e-mail] no purchase necessary. VGW Group void we're prohibited by law. CTs and Cs 21 plus sponsored by Chumba Casino.

[Chumba Casino Announcer]

The Bird Show.

[American Idol Host]

We are here for American Idol this week. Let's just give you kind of, let's run a couple of things here. First, let's give you a snapshot of what it's like hanging out with the American Idolists and specifically their publicists. You get a couple of different breeds of publicists in la, right?

[Jen]

Jen?

[American Idol Host]

You've heard Jen talk about and you know, for the most part, they're pretty cool.

[Frankie]

Yeah, I would say that. Yeah. 99% of them are really cool. Especially the people who are here with Fox who are taking good care of us. They're awesome.

[American Idol Host]

Then there are the others. There are a few others, the others that take this entirely too seriously, man. Which I guess is if you're the celebrity is a really great thing because you need somebody to be the bad cop. Yeah, bad cop.

[Jen]

And tell me if I'm wrong, but I often wonder if the PR person is the bad cop and they know they're the bad cop because the celebrity has told them they have to be. Because as a celebrity you can't be rude to anybody. You can't get up and walk away. You can't say, you know, you can't do anything without ruining your image, you know?

[Chumba Casino Announcer]

Well.

[American Idol Host]

And in some cases the celebrity is so big, I can understand how they're pushed and pulled Pulled in so many different directions that you do need that buffer between the celebrity and the fans because somebody has to be the fall guy, and that's gonna be the PR person. But there's, I think, a nice way to handle it and kind of a rude way to handle it. We've seen both.

[Frankie]

Yeah, you definitely see both. And I think that. I think handled nicely, they can get some of the same results as when they handle things rudely.

[Wendy]

And I think it's an age thing. From what Jen's told me about a couple of publicists, I think it's an age thing. I think the younger you are, the

[Sleep Number Advertiser]

more rude you are.

[Wendy]

I think it's like a power thing because you're just coming up into this. You don't really know what expect. Everybody's obviously older than. You've been in the business longer, so you just don't know about it. And I think something to rude.

[Frankie]

Yeah, like they've got something to prove. So they're like, more rude to get point across when they're younger.

[American Idol Host]

Jeff and I were talking about this yesterday, like we were joking. But maybe the truth is that when you're. When we see the nice publicist, the young, nice ones, Jeff and I were joking that we won't see them again next year. But the ones that are, like, really sort of aggressive and telling us that we only have 90 seconds and then they're moving on to the next one, those are probably the people that we have to deal with for the next 15 years.

[Frankie]

That's funny. That's actually really funny.

[American Idol Host]

So you got the publicist angle of this whole thing. And then engineer Frankie here and Wendy and I went to American Idol Fox party last night. They stayed longer than I did.

[Wendy]

Yeah, it was a fun party up at this place called elevate in this hotel. So it's on the 21st floor, so you could see all of Los Angeles and Hollywood. So gorgeous view. And the party was a lot of fun. There was a couple of past idol contestants from season eight and season seven. Beau Bison, Taylor Hicks were out there. Taylor Hicks.

[American Idol Host]

Taylor shaved his head a little bit.

[Frankie]

Yeah, shaved his head real short.

[Wendy]

It's really buzzed, huh?

[American Idol Host]

I didn't even recognize him.

[Frankie]

Taylor has not been back to a lot of idol season finales. I mean, none that I've seen or heard of. And so I'm surprised that he's back this season.

[American Idol Host]

And I wonder why. I wonder if it's a black eye to American idol or. Taylor just didn't want, like, he just wanted to separate Himself.

[Frankie]

But somebody pointed out to us last year, wasn't it that in the montage before Idol, you know how they have, like, sort of sketch drawings in that graphic montage before it starts? And it's like Kelly Clarkson and then you can see Carrie Underwood. But that they always left out Taylor Hicks.

[American Idol Host]

That's weird.

[Frankie]

Even though he won, but he was left out for a long time.

[American Idol Host]

Why y' all think that?

[Frankie]

I don't know. I mean, when he. When he won, wasn't he kind of the one that was sort of like, rejecting American Idol, saying stuff in interviews like he could have gone this far without them? And he kind of. He kind of dissed the franchise a little bit. I don't think they loved that.

[American Idol Host]

He's supposed to be here with us today, so. So we gotta ask some of these questions. Yeah, we'll do it in a nice way, but, yeah, like, the answers to that. Jason Castro was there last year.

[Wendy]

Jason Castro. And then he's a married dude now. I think he did get married, like, last year or he engaged or something happened last year. So he's with one woman. So he was there last night, and then David Archuleta came out and performed. He's so cute. He's just the same little singer as he was on American Idol. Just so bubbly and fun. Fun and innocent. You just kind of want to give him a little hug and tell them everything's gonna be okay.

[Frankie]

I know. What did he sing last night?

[Wendy]

He sang a couple of his songs and he did some covers. He did Train, Pay Soul Sister, which was really good. He's really talented, but you have. Haven't heard him since that one single he had, but he's putting out another one this year, so he hung out a little bit, took pictures with everybody. So he was cool.

[Frankie]

He's good fans.

[Wendy]

He was so sweet last night.

[Frankie]

Good care of his fans.

[American Idol Host]

Who was the hottie horse chick that was the there.

[Wendy]

Oh, Chrissy Lee Cook. Who?

[Sleep Number Advertiser]

I know.

[Wendy]

Katie Jo.

[Jen]

That she likes horses. Not that she looks.

[American Idol Host]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Chumba Casino Announcer]

She just.

[American Idol Host]

That's like her.

[Jen]

Yeah. Katie Joe's crush.

[Frankie]

That's funny.

[American Idol Host]

Really?

[Jen]

Yeah.

[American Idol Host]

She's very pretty.

[Jen]

Katie Joe's crush from last two seasons ago.

[Wendy]

She was last season.

[Jen]

And then.

[Wendy]

And then Brooke White from season seven. She was the one who did Let it Be and stopped on the piano and had to restart on American Idol. She was hanging out last night, but the. The facility was just beautiful. It was gorgeous with couches and they had great food. They had sushi, a Whole like awesome food spread last night.

[American Idol Host]

I'll tell you an interesting dude that we, we met last night was not an American Idol contestant. The most interesting guy we met last night was like a 23 year old kid that has been going from town to town to town to town. 30 different cities.

[Frankie]

Okay.

[American Idol Host]

He gets up in the morning and he decides what city he wants to go to. He goes on Craigslist, lands himself a job, and then goes to that city and works for as long as he wants. And then when he's done, he goes to Craigslist, finds himself another job and then goes to that city. He's from Atlanta.

[Wendy]

He's from Atlanta and he's doing this with his brother. So we got to meet his brother. And they have a travel, they have a new travel website that they're doing out of Costa Rica. So they're like booking travel and they're just all about moving every party.

[Frankie]

How was he connected to the world?

[American Idol Host]

He got a job at tnt, he got a job on Craigslist, and he got a job with AT&T. And he was like just promoting a Samsung phone. So he was going around the party doing that, taking pictures. When he's done with this, then he'll decide what city he wants to go to. He goes on Craigslist and he gets himself another job. And he's done it. He said 30, 35 different cities.

[Frankie]

Oh, that's great for him. Yeah. At 23 years old. That's awesome.

[American Idol Host]

That's the time to do it right there.

[Wendy]

That's perfect. I told him I need to write

[Frankie]

a book at 23. Not cool at 23.

[Jen]

Very cool at 40.

[Frankie]

Pathetic.

[Chumba Casino Announcer]

The bird show.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Tyler Redick here from 2311 Racing, Victory Lane. Yeah, it's even better with Chumba by my side. Race to chumbacasino.com let's Chumba. No purchase necessary VTW Group void where prohibited by law. CTNCs21+ sponsored by Chumba Casino.

[Chumba Casino Announcer]

Step into the world of power, loyalty and luck. I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse. With family, cannolis and spins mean everything. Now you want to get mixed up in the family business? Introducing the [e-mail] your luck in the shadowy world of the Godfather slots. Someday I will call upon you to do a service for me. Play the Godfather [e-mail]. welcome to the family.

[Ryan Seacrest]

No purchase necessary.

[Chumba Casino Announcer]

VGW Group void.

[American Idol Host]

We're prohibited by law.

[Ryan Seacrest]

21 plus terms and conditions apply.

[Sleep Number Advertiser]

Sleep number's new collections are designed to adapt to the changing nature of your life and your sleep needs. Whether it's the personalized comfort of the Comfort Mode mattress, the targeted pressure relief of the Comfort Next mattress, or the climate collection that actively cools or warms to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

[Ryan Seacrest]

And now get early access to our biggest sale of the year. Save 25% on the new Comfort Next Luxe for a limited time only at a Sleep number store or sleepnumber.com.