The Bert Show — "Vault: Melissa Faces Her Fear Of Heights"

Date: January 21, 2026
Host(s): The Bert Show Cast (Bert, Kristin, et al.)
Featured Storyteller: Melissa
Episode Theme: Confronting and overcoming personal fears; in this instance, Melissa faces her intense fear of heights by ascending to the top of the Westin building in Atlanta while sharing her experience candidly with the team and listeners.

Episode Overview

This episode centers on Melissa, a member of The Bert Show cast, as she bravely confronts her fear of heights. The cast sets the scene from atop Atlanta's iconic Westin Peachtree Plaza, with Melissa narrating her escalating anxiety and progress as she climbs the building's rooftop. The conversation is both vulnerable and humorous, mixing Melissa's live updates with supportive and playful banter from her colleagues.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Melissa’s Approach to Managing Fear

• Melissa uses a tapping technique on her meridian (pulse) points, recommended by a previous caller (Katie), to "shake herself out" of mounting panic.
• "To me, the tapping is what kind of shakes me out of my fear." —Melissa (00:29)

2. The Climb: Real-Time Reactions

• Initial Ascent:
  • Melissa reports physical symptoms: sweaty palms and feet, racing heart.
  • "My palms are still sweaty. My feet are actually sweaty… I'm squatting because... I see Atlanta, and it's beautiful, but I have to stand to see how high I am." —Melissa (00:49)
• On the Platform:
  • Describes the beauty of the Atlanta skyline, contrasted with her intensifying anxiety, cold extremities, and heavy breathing.
  • "The thing is, looking straight out is beautiful, but looking closer to me, my heart races a little faster." —Melissa (01:41)
• Distance from the Edge:
  • Carefully estimates her distance from safety edges to maintain composure, emphasizing her awareness of both logical safety and irrational panic.
  • "So I'm less... you know, I'm 20 ft away from the edge of the building, so I'm safe. But my mind knows that, but my heart is like, no, you’re not." —Melissa (02:56)

3. Support and Empathy from the Team

• Co-hosts encourage Melissa to only push as far as she feels safe, expressing empathy and relaying their own discomfort with heights.
• "I think everybody has a miniature fear of heights… I definitely am empathizing with her." —Co-host (04:30)
• References to "Fear Factor" height challenges reinforce relatability to listeners (04:41).

4. Culmination: At the Edge

• Melissa gradually inches closer to the platform’s edge, ultimately scooting with her legs dangling over—a massive achievement given her fear.
• "I'm determined to get to the edge of the platform. I'm scooting on my butt. I'm about four, three feet away… Oh, God... I have one leg dangling over the edge." —Melissa (06:00–06:52)
• She describes ongoing physical sensations: cold limbs, lightheadedness, and a deepening understanding of how fear can be both paralyzing and irrational.

5. Reflections on the Experience

• Melissa reflects on the power of one’s mind in feeding or overcoming fear.
• "Fear is so powerful, but it's so fragile and, you know, it can be easily... you can distract yourself from it. It’s just your mind is your worst enemy at stuff like this." —Melissa (09:23)
• Expresses hope to take on even greater challenges (e.g., parasailing or skydiving) in the future.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |-----------|----------|----------------| | 00:29 | Melissa | “To me, the tapping is what kind of shakes me out of my fear.” | | 00:49 | Melissa | “My palms are still sweaty. My feet are actually sweaty… I see Atlanta, and it's beautiful, but I have to stand to see how high I am.” | | 01:41 | Melissa | "The thing is, looking straight out is beautiful, but looking closer to me, my heart races a little faster." | | 02:56 | Melissa | “I’m 20 ft away from the edge of the building, so I’m safe. But my mind knows that, but my heart is like, no, you’re not.” | | 04:30 | Co-host | "I think everybody has a miniature fear of heights... I definitely am empathizing with her." | | 06:18 | Melissa | "I'm about a foot from the edge, sitting on my butt." | | 06:52 | Melissa | "I got one foot. The edge is at my calf... I have one leg dangling over the edge. The other is kind of like crossed... It's not quite vertigo like I thought I would get, but the sensation I have right now is what keeps me from doing stuff because it's literally paralyzing." | | 09:23 | Melissa | "Fear is so powerful, but it's so fragile... you can distract yourself... your mind is your worst enemy at stuff like this." | | 10:21 | Melissa | "I told Katie I would love to get to the point someday where I actually like, parasail or, you know, jump out of a plane or something, because I don't want this to control my life anymore." | | 10:25 | Co-host | “You did it, Melissa. Congratulations.” |

Noteworthy Segment Timestamps

• 00:02–02:56: Melissa describes her ascent, initial nervousness, and coping mechanisms
• 03:20–04:41: Team discussions about fear and empathy
• 06:00–07:48: Melissa reaches the edge, legs dangling, and narrates her sensations
• 09:11–10:25: Melissa returns from the edge, reflects on the experience, and receives congratulations

Final Takeaway

Listeners are taken on a genuine emotional journey as Melissa narrates, in real time, both the visceral and mental challenges of confronting a long-held phobia. The supportive dynamic of The Bert Show team, combined with Melissa’s candor, delivers an inspiring narrative about facing fears one small step at a time—sometimes literally on your butt, scooting to the edge.

Tone: Relatable, humorous, vulnerable, and encouraging—true to The Bert Show’s style.