Vault PT 2: Bad Ultimatum

Summary

The Bert Show – "Vault PT 2: Bad Ultimatum" (November 5, 2025)

Podcast by Pionaire Podcasting • Hosts: Bert, Co-host Lena, Jeff Bridges, Ryan

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Overview

This episode revisits a dramatic relationship saga involving Lena, a woman who gave her boyfriend, Ryan, an early ultimatum: propose by Valentine’s Day or end the relationship. The show explores the fallout from the ultimatum and Lena's decision to discuss it on the radio – with both the couple and listeners weighing in. The team invites Ryan on air for his side, and the episode turns into a candid, at times brutally honest, conversation about relationships, public airing of private issues, and personal accountability.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Happened on Valentine’s Day?

• Lena recounts the aftermath of her ultimatum:
  • She dressed up, prepared the house and dinner, waiting for Ryan, but he didn't show up or even call.
    • “He didn’t come at all. No, he just didn’t show up.” (03:00 – Caller Lena)
  • Lena still maintains that men need a "push" via ultimatums and accuses the radio show of having contributed to the collapse.

2. Radio Responsibility vs. Personal Accountability

• Hosts push back on Lena blaming the show:
  • “You agreed to come on the radio… You said he’s not an attractive man. What guy is going to say, 'that’s the woman I want to marry?'” (04:06 – Co-host Lena)
  • The show emphasizes Lena’s own choices, especially her disparaging comments about Ryan’s looks on air.

3. Listener Calls – Brutal Honesty

• Several callers express little sympathy:
  • Keisha:
    • “Friday, I prayed that he did not call her ever again in life. And God do answer prayer. He got exactly what she deserved.” (04:56)
  • Tanya:
    • "She’s crazy. She’s blaming it on y’all. And she was the idiot who called in... I think she deserves every bit of it.” (05:13)
  • Laura:
    • “Even if your boyfriend is not the most beautiful…he should be beautiful to you. You supposedly want to marry [this] man.” (05:51)

4. Ryan’s Side of the Story

• Ryan’s recount of meeting Lena:
  • Casual start; met via mutual friends and dated for a few months
  • The ultimatum was abrupt and “totally caught [him] off guard.”
    • “She just said, ‘I’ve always dreamed of being asked to be married on Valentine’s Day…and that if you don’t, I just don’t see any reason for us to continue.’” (08:34 – Ryan)
  • Hearing Lena’s radio appearance convinced him to stay away.
    • “It’s a restraining order waiting to happen.” (07:51 – Ryan)

5. The Couple’s Dynamics and ‘Red Flags’

• Ryan reflects on their short relationship:
  • “We really hadn’t known each other that long…what are you going to know in three months?” (08:05 – Ryan)
  • Didn’t see obvious “psycho behavior” early but notes some minor incidents.
  • When pressed, Ryan describes the “love word” was more a casual thing tossed around—not serious.

6. Listener Support for Ryan

• Multiple calls support Ryan, critiquing Lena as “shallow” and a “gold digger."
• Lois:
  • “She’s a gold digger. That’s all there was to it. I don’t care what you look like…Let her cut your losses, honey. Keep your bank account intact.” (12:35 – Lois)
  • Offers moral encouragement based on her own long marriage.

7. Ryan’s Response and Forward Look

• Ryan maintains good humor about the situation, joking:
  • “Well, man, I may be ugly, but at least I don’t fart in my sleep.” (10:14 – Ryan)
• Hosts suggest setting up a dating account for Ryan.
  • “Now I’m single. That’s what I’m all about.” (13:53 – Ryan)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ultimatum Setup:
  "You need to propose to me by Valentine's Day. Our things are off." (02:15 – Host Burt paraphrasing Lena)
• Lena on Male Motivation:
  "The ultimatum is necessary for men because men need to be given a little push.” (03:41 – Caller Lena)
• Lena blaming the radio:
  "I think the radio is responsible for what happened." (03:10 – Caller Lena)
• Co-host pushback:
  "You agreed to come on the radio...You said he’s not an attractive man. What guy is going to say, 'that’s the woman I want to marry?’" (04:06 – Co-host Lena)
• Listener Keisha’s bluntness:
  "God do answer prayer. He got exactly what she deserved." (05:07)
• Ryan’s humor:
  "I may be ugly, but at least I don't fart in my sleep." (10:14)
• Lois’s advice:
  "Let her cut your losses, honey. Keep your bank account intact." (12:35)
• Moving on:
  "Now I’m single. That's what I'm all about." (13:53 – Ryan)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Ultimatum recap and fallout – 02:15–04:35
• Lena blames the radio, hosts' reaction – 03:10–04:41
• Caller feedback (Keisha, Tanya, Laura) – 04:45–06:14
• Ryan’s perspective, relationship timeline – 06:35–09:14
• Ryan’s reaction to Lena’s radio appearance – 07:36–08:10
• Listener support and Lois's story – 12:31–13:34
• Ryan’s future – dating account idea – 13:41–14:22

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Tone & Style

Lively, candid, and a little irreverent. The show mixes humor with direct honesty, both in the hosts’ banter and the listeners' unfiltered feedback. Ryan remains gracious and wryly funny, while Lena comes across as defensive under criticism. The show creates a cathartic, at times comedic, group therapy atmosphere for both its participants and audience.

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In Summary

"Vault PT 2: Bad Ultimatum" is a quintessential Bert Show relationship drama, unfolding with real-time reactions, sharp listener calls, and a healthy dose of humility. The hosts ultimately drive home lessons about self-awareness, proportionality in relationships, and the risks of broadcasting personal drama. Ryan, far from the villain Lena described, wins listeners’ sympathy and a (hopeful) shot at better luck in love.

Transcript

[Ryan]

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[Jeff Bridges]

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[Ryan]

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[Jeff Bridges]

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[Jeff Bridges]

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[Ryan]

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[Narrator/Advertiser]

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[Ryan]

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[Ryan]

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[Jeff Bridges]

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[Ryan]

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[Ryan]

The Birch Show.

[Host Burt]

She gave him an ultimatum after just a couple of months of hanging out and said, look, you need to propose to me by Valentine's Day. Our things are off. Well, did he bite? Did he not bite? Part two of the bad ultimatum on the Burt show on Atlanta's new Q100.

[Co-host Lena]

Lena.

[Jeff Bridges]

Lena.

[Caller Lena]

Mm?

[Co-host Lena]

What happened on Valentine's Day?

[Caller Lena]

Well, it didn't quite go the way I planned.

[Co-host Lena]

Oh, really?

[Caller Lena]

No, I had everything ready. The house looked great. Dinner was nice. Ready for him. I was really dressed up. And he didn't come.

[Jeff Bridges]

He didn't call?

[Caller Lena]

He didn't come at all? No, he just didn't show up.

[Ryan]

Did he call or anything?

[Caller Lena]

No, he hasn't called. Oh.

[Host Burt]

Oh.

[Co-host Lena]

He hasn't called since Valentine's Day.

[Jeff Bridges]

So I guess he answered your ultimatum.

[Caller Lena]

Yeah, by being missing in action.

[Jeff Bridges]

Think he was listening to the radio.

[Co-host Lena]

Did you talk to him since the time you appeared on the radio and Valentine's Day?

[Caller Lena]

No, I think the radio is responsible for what happened. I think. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Excuse me.

[Jeff Bridges]

The radio's responsible? I thought you came on the radio and told your story.

[Caller Lena]

Well, I think you guys know better than I do about how radio affects people. I mean, this is your job. Okay, okay.

[Jeff Bridges]

Forget it. Yeah, come on the radio. I'm sure your ultimatum had nothing to do with him not, you know, filming, on balance. And I'm sure that you saying that your boyfriend wasn't attractive at all and that you were the more attractive one in the relationship didn't have to do anything to do with it either.

[Caller Lena]

Like, you've never said you're more attractive than your boyfriend or husband, Right? That's what human beings do. One person is prettier than the other. That's not here or there. Okay. What happened was the ultimatum is necessary for men because men need to be given a little push. I don't think it's about the ultimatum. I think it's that I didn't realize that he might be listening and take what I had to say the wrong way.

[Co-host Lena]

Lena, you say the radio is responsible? Well, two things. Number one, you agreed to come on the radio. And number two, on the radio, whether we have, you know, we're doing our little joke where we say we only have seven listeners or the fact there's thousands of people listening and the chance that somebody knows Ryan is fairly significant. You said he's not an Attractive man. What guy is going to say, that's the woman I want to marry?

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, that's heartbreaking.

[Co-host Lena]

Yeah. I don't think you have anyone to blame but yourself.

[Caller Lena]

Well, I just said I'll never call the radio station again.

[Co-host Lena]

Hold on a second. Keisha.

[Caller Lena]

Yes.

[Co-host Lena]

Say hi to Lena.

[Caller Lena]

Hi, Lena.

[Ryan]

Hello.

[Co-host Lena]

What are your thoughts?

[Caller Lena]

Friday, I prayed that he did not call her ever again in life. And God do answer prayer. He got exactly what she deserved.

[Co-host Lena]

Thanks for calling, Keisha.

[Ryan]

Okay.

[Co-host Lena]

Hey, Tanya.

[Caller Lena]

Yeah.

[Co-host Lena]

You got some feedback for Lena?

[Caller Lena]

Yeah, she's crazy. She's blaming it on y'.

[Host Burt]

All.

[Caller Lena]

And she was the idiot who called in. I can't believe her. I think she got slapped in the face, and I think she deserves every bit of it. Well, you know, it's silly. It's like, yeah, I called the radio and, you know, it was a mistake, but, you know, it's kind of like being exploited as well, because I call you up to talk about, you know, something that I think, which is that men need to be giving an ultimatum, and then it backfires on me and my personal relationship. So I'm sure it was all in the editing.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, wait a second. We do this live.

[Co-host Lena]

Hey, Laura.

[Caller Lena]

Yeah.

[Co-host Lena]

What do you got?

[Caller Lena]

Oh, you know what? She's a shallow. First of all, you know what? Even if your boyfriend is not the most beautiful, you know, handsome man in the world, he should be beautiful to you. You supposedly want to marry man. I. I think you're ridiculous, and I think you're petty, and maybe you should go look under a rock for your next boyfriend, because that's where you belong.

[Co-host Lena]

Hey, Lena.

[Caller Lena]

Oh, blah, blah, blah. Everybody is like, blah, blah, blah, you're right.

[Jeff Bridges]

Everybody's wrong. And you're right, Lena.

[Co-host Lena]

Yeah. Yeah. I don't. I don't know what to tell you. Sorry.

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, good luck.

[Co-host Lena]

Yeah, good luck in your next search for the guy.

[Caller Lena]

You know, one will come along very quickly. They're like buses. Goodbye.

[Host Burt]

How you doing, Ryan?

[Ryan]

Hey. What's going on?

[Host Burt]

How are you?

[Ryan]

Well, I'm doing better now, now that I've heard those. Those messages again.

[Host Burt]

Where did you meet her in the first place? And why would you be attracted to somebody like that?

[Ryan]

You know, I mean, she's a good looking. She's good looking.

[Co-host Lena]

And so she was right on that count.

[Ryan]

Yeah. And, you know, some friends of mine were talking to some friends of hers. I guess they knew each other from, I'm not exactly sure. Work, I think it was. And. And anyway, so we started talking and we were just out at a bar and, you know, and it was just. You know, we just had a good time. And so we. I asked her out. We went out for a little while, and it was nice. We had a. We had a nice time. But then, you know, it kind of caught me off guard when, you know, the whole ultimatum thing happened anyway, but. And then I. You know, then I heard it on the radio and everything. But she's kind of a strange girl. I realize that now.

[Co-host Lena]

Have you spoken to her since you. Since.

[Ryan]

Oh, no, no, no, I haven't. Well, I heard the radio show. I was actually listening when she called. What was it, Thursday or. I guess. And, yeah, I heard her call, and I was like, oh, my God, that's Lena. And I felt terrible. I said, I can't talk to this girl. It's a restraining order waiting to happen.

[Host Burt]

So things weren't progressing for you the way they obviously were progressing for her?

[Ryan]

No, I mean, it really caught me off. I mean, the whole marriage thing in general. I mean. God, I mean, we really hadn't known each other that long. We were having some fun, but, you know, we weren't. You know. You know, I hadn't met her parents or anything or, like, you know, I didn't know her family or really even too much about her, you know. I mean, three months, you know, what are you going to. What are you going to know in three months?

[Caller Lena]

Because I want to hear more about just that conversation, like, how it was opened up.

[Ryan]

I mean, just.

[Jeff Bridges]

I just can't believe that she would even do that.

[Ryan]

It was sprung. It was literally sprung. It was. We were at lunch, and it, like, literally. She just said, you know, I've always dreamed of being asked to be married on Valentine's Day. And I really think that you're right for me and that you should ask me to marry you and that if you don't, I just don't see any reason for us to continue. And I was like, okay. You know, just like, I was totally caught off guard, you know? And so I thought about it, but I didn't really take it all that seriously until I heard her on the show.

[Jeff Bridges]

But what did you planned on saying to her Friday? Because Friday was Valentine's Day. And you said, all right, well, we'll get together Friday and talk about it.

[Ryan]

I didn't really plan anything. I really hadn't said yes or no in my head. I didn't even, like, actually decided to even. I was gonna ignore it.

[Co-host Lena]

So, like.

[Ryan]

Like.

[Co-host Lena]

Like, she said it, and. And you're.

[Host Burt]

You Heard it.

[Co-host Lena]

But in your mind, you're like, this can't.

[Ryan]

This can't. Really. Yeah, she's, you know. I mean, you know, if she brings it up again, I'll just be like, well, come on. You know. Really? You know, but, you know, she's a. She's a. She's it. I didn't know she was strange. I mean, you know, I didn't know. I didn't know that she was gonna do that. I mean, it really caught me off guard. I think it was like, the Tuesday or Monday or maybe before Valentine's Day. And then she called you guys Thursday, right?

[Host Burt]

Right.

[Ryan]

I don't know. So, you know, it was only a couple days. And then I heard it on the radio. I'm like, oh, my God, she's serious. She's on the radio talking about it and freaking out. And then she said I was ugly.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Right?

[Host Burt]

That's the thing. Exactly.

[Ryan]

And I was like, well, man, I may be ugly, but at least I don't fart in my sleep.

[Jeff Bridges]

Good for you.

[Host Burt]

I'm thinking, nobody's feeling bad for her, right?

[Ryan]

Yeah. I mean, you know, I mean, whatever it was, it was just so strange. I mean. But by the way, you know, if any of you girls out there meet a guy named Ryan, I'm not that ugly.

[Host Burt]

Hey, Keisha, you're on with Ryan on Q100.

[Caller Lena]

Hi.

[Ryan]

Hi, Keisha.

[Caller Lena]

I was the first person to call when I heard.

[Ryan]

Oh, yeah, right.

[Caller Lena]

But I'm glad you made the right decision to leave her, because she is a little crazy. And if she don't find you attractive, I'm sure there are a lot of other women that will. And I think Burton should do the Single Guy pager for you so that you can find the perfect one, at least for one night.

[Ryan]

Okay, so one night, five nights, whatever.

[Host Burt]

You got someone that doesn't pass gas in their sleep?

[Ryan]

Yeah, exactly. That's my one prerequisite.

[Host Burt]

All right, Keisha. Thanks. All right, bye.

[Jeff Bridges]

You know, Ryan, she was pretty cruel to you on the radio. Did you ever. You were dating her for a while, but did you ever get an impression that she was really that type of person?

[Ryan]

No, not really. I mean. I mean, at the beginning, we didn't really even see each other all that much. Like, you know, once every. You know, once a week, twice a week. You know, and then, you know, we saw each other more and more. But, you know, I didn't stay over there a lot. And vice versa. I mean, it. You know, I didn't really know her all that well, you stayed over there.

[Jeff Bridges]

Long enough to know that she doodles in her sleep.

[Co-host Lena]

Yeah, well. Yeah, well, you know, sometimes one night is more than enough.

[Ryan]

Yeah, well, I mean, all right, we spent like a lot of nights together, but not like. But it wasn't, you know, slow going at first. What I'm saying is I don't really feel like I knew her all that well or know her all that well to the point of where I could say if I never saw any real psycho behavior. I mean, there were, you know, like she would freak out at like the cash register guy if he got something wrong or something. But like a lot of people do that, so, you know.

[Host Burt]

Did you. Were you guys even exchanging the love word before that?

[Ryan]

The love? Yeah, I mean, a little bit. We skirted around it. It was just, you know, after sex or something, it would be like, oh, sporting, I love you, you know, I love you, you know, or you know what I mean.

[Jeff Bridges]

It's like she loved your money. I hate to be rude.

[Host Burt]

Right. That's what Lois wants to say. Hey, Lois.

[Caller Lena]

Hi, Ryan. You go, you go. I am so proud of you. If you were my son, I would be high five the whole wonderful good show guy. She's a gold digger. That's all there was to it. I don't care what you look like, honey. You sound like a great guy. And it's not a time factor. I knew my hus 10 days before he proposed to me and we've been married for 20, almost 22 years. And we have five kids, four of them are boys. And I hope my son would do exactly what you did, just say F you and keep on going. Really let her cut your losses, honey. Keep your bank account intact. You go, and there are plenty of great decent girl out there who you really are down inside.

[Host Burt]

A loser. I think, I think you pretty much get the message.

[Co-host Lena]

I think you got the vibe from her. She likes you. Yeah, yeah, she thought you did.

[Host Burt]

Good.

[Ryan]

Well, that's, that's very nice.

[Host Burt]

I have a little cuckoo coochoo Mrs. Robinson going on. Hey, Ryan, man, it's good talking to you. People have been emailing us now for a week going, you guys gotta find that guy. We need to know what he's all about.

[Ryan]

Well, yeah, now I'm single. That's what I'm all about.

[Co-host Lena]

Thanks for coming on with us.

[Jeff Bridges]

I know we're going to get a lot of emails. Whenever we have a great guy like yourself on, we get a lot of emails that people want to go out with you. Is there a way that that single women can get in touch with you. Are you interested in that or.

[Host Burt]

Why don't we create an account for you?

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ryan]

Yeah. Okay. I guess you guys could email me if you want to and let me know if anybody is interested.

[Host Burt]

But, you know, we'll get your email address off the air and we'll just forward you the emails or we'll just create an account for you here. Okay?

[Ryan]

Okay.

[Host Burt]

Okay, man.

[Ryan]

Sounds good. All right.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Bye.

[Co-host Lena]

Bye.

[Ryan]

Thanks a lot.

[Host Burt]

Bye. Sure. He turned out to be a cool guy.

[Ryan]

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[Co-host Lena]

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[Ryan]

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[Jeff Bridges]

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[Ryan]

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[Narrator/Advertiser]

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[Host Burt]

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