Vault: She judged his prom date. Was she wrong?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Bert Show
Episode: Vault: She judged his prom date. Was she wrong?
Date: July 7, 2026

---

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Bert Show, the hosts and listeners dive into a contentious discussion about a mother, Megan, who openly disapproves of her son’s choice of prom date, believing the girl to be “beneath him.” The segment explores parental expectations, judgment based on appearances and social status, the importance of self-esteem, and the ethics of interfering in your child’s social life. The panel engages with Megan, challenges her views, and fields strong reactions from listeners, making this an emotionally charged and thought-provoking conversation about parenting and empathy.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Setup: Megan’s Judgement

• [01:35] Megan calls in explaining her disappointment over her son’s choice of prom date: “She doesn’t have very many friends on Facebook and she’s just a little bit overweight...I just feel like she’s a little...beneath him.”
  • This sets the stage for a debate on superficiality, social status, and parental involvement.

2. The Assignment and the Son’s Perspective

• [02:13] The hosts previously tasked Megan to ask her son why he chose this girl, not to influence his choice.
• [02:45] Megan reports her son chose his date because “she’s funny and...they had a good rapport.”
  • Importantly, Megan steers the conversation to another girl she deemed more suitable, learning her son actually wanted to ask this more popular girl but didn’t think she’d say yes.
  • Megan claims this affirms her view, saying, “It’s a self-esteem thing.”

3. Parental Confidence and Commitment

• [03:59] Megan: “I’m doing my job as a parent right now to instill in him the self confidence that he needs to ask other girls to prom.”
• [04:22] The hosts challenge this logic, questioning if undermining his current commitment teaches the right lesson about honoring promises.
• [05:24] Host: “She’s all fired up to go to the prom with your son...At some point, if your plan works out, he has to make the call to her and say, you know what? I’m taking somebody else. That’s jacked up. How can you endorse that as a parent?”

4. Listeners React: Universally Strong Pushback

• [06:00] Caller Andrea: “She is just ridiculous. Shame on her. Shame, shame, shame.”
• [06:38] Caller Rachel: “Does she understand how weird and disgusting her obsession is with who her son goes to prom with? ...You’re an idiot and you’re disgusting. And that reason you came up with, that’s sad.”
• [07:45] Another caller remarks the situation is “totally weird...she should be embarrassed. Find something else to do.”

5. Teaching Values: Empathy and Consequences

• [08:57] Caller Julie: “He’s right making the choice to go with the girl from class that he likes. She’s funny. He’ll have a really good time with that girl and forget about that other girl.”
• Hosts and callers emphasize the danger in encouraging a child to break a commitment for superficial reasons, and warn about the social fallout if he dumps his original date.
  [09:35] “He’s going to jack up his reputation around school also because he’s going to be the guy that pulls out of [the] original date. She’s going to tell all her friends and he’s going to look like a tool.”
• The importance of empathy is highlighted: [12:05] “You gotta teach a little empathy here...how is the girl gonna feel when she’s dumped for no reason a couple of weeks before?”

6. Deeper Motivations and Parental Boundaries

• Multiple callers and hosts suggest Megan is living vicariously through her son, caring more about perceived status than his happiness:
  • [05:52] “She doesn’t know because she’s living vicariously through her son and her son’s popularity...so she can brag about who her son is going out with.”
• [10:29] “Just too meddling. Like she needs to—okay, so he asked [someone] to go to prom, let him go to prom. Who cares? Get a life. Get out of his life.”
• The distinction is made: unless the date is involved in concerning behavior, parental interference based solely on popularity is ridiculous.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Megan (Mother)

  • [01:35] “She doesn’t have very many friends on Facebook and she’s just a little bit overweight...I feel like she’s just a little...beneath him.”
  • [03:59] “It’s a self-esteem thing. He doesn’t think he’s at the same level as the girl he really wants to ask, so he asked someone that was a safer bet.”

• Radio Host

  • [05:24] “How can you endorse that as a parent?”
  • [09:35] “He’s going to jack up his reputation...because he’s going to be the guy that pulls out of original date.”

• Caller 6 (Andrea)

  • [06:00] “She is just ridiculous. Shame on her. Shame, shame, shame.”

• Caller 4 (Rachel)

  • [06:38] “Does she understand how weird and disgusting her obsession is with who her son goes to prom with?”

• Caller 3

  • [09:00] “He’s right making the choice to go with the girl from class that he likes. She’s funny. He’ll have a really good time with that girl and forget about that other girl who cares about her.”

• Caller 5

  • [10:25] “She’s just a horrible role model for her child and she’s already sent messages to him by sitting with him last night.”

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:35–02:13 — Megan’s initial reasoning and description of her son’s date
• 02:45–04:09 — Megan’s conversation with her son; shift to concerns about self-esteem and “levels”
• 04:22–05:24 — Hosts challenge parental guidance vs. teaching about commitment
• 06:00–07:45 — Flood of critical calls from listeners condemning Megan’s behavior
• 08:57–10:25 — Listeners discuss the importance of choice, happiness, and the social/ethical implications
• 10:29–12:13 — Callers urge Megan to step back and let her son live his own life, re-emphasize empathy and maturity

---

Takeaway

This episode served as a lively forum for debating parental involvement in teenage social decisions, with unanimous feedback that Megan’s focus on superficial qualities risked damaging her son’s sense of commitment, empathy, and independence. Both hosts and listeners agreed: the best lesson a parent can teach is how to value character and kindness over social status or appearance, and to honor one’s commitments.

Notable Closing Insight:
[12:13] “When your kid decided to feel responsible for this other girl’s feelings, when he asked her to the prom...that’s a level of like, don’t be a crappy human being.”

Transcript

[Weight Loss Advertiser]

Okay, can we talk about how confusing weight loss has become? Like, one minute it's carbs are bad and then the next it's no, actually, carbs are fine, but only if you walk 10,000 steps and drink a green juice. And honestly, it's just a lot. And then even if you do lose the weight, keeping it off is a whole different story. If you're struggling and want something that fits your real life, hers can help. It's designed to support you in reaching your goals in a way that actually fits your life. That's why weight loss by hers is getting so much attention right now. Hers connects you with licensed medical providers who create doctor developed treatment plans tailored to you. They offer access to an affordable range of FDA approved GLP1 medications, including the Wegovy pill and the Wegovy pen. It helps regulate your appetite so you eat less and keep the weight off. If you're ready to reach your goals and want to try something new, visit for hers.combert to get personalized, affordable care that gets you. That's F O R h e r s.com Bert for hers.com Bert Weightliftsbyhurst is not available in all 50 states, but go via the registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A s to get started and learn more, including important safety information with Gobi clinical study information and restrictions, visit

[Commercial Announcer]

borhears.com now is your time to get into a new Dr. Horton home by taking advantage of its national red tag sales event. This Friday, July 10th through Sunday, August 2nd. Stop by any of its participating communities and find select red tag homes at incredible pricing. So whether you're buying your first home or looking for an upgrade, you don't want to miss the red tag sales event. Starting this Friday. Discover the Dr. Horton Difference. Visit Dr. Horton.com Dr. Horton America's Builder and equal housing opportunity builder.

[Radio Host]

The Bird Show Again. To refresh your memory, this was Megan from yesterday.

[Megan (Mother)]

My son. It's his junior prom coming up. My son's quite popular actually, and I've been waiting to find out who he was gonna bring to prom, and I have to say I was a little disappointed. She doesn't have very many friends on Facebook and she's just a little bit overweight and a little, you know, I just feel like she's just a little, you know, beneath him.

[Radio Host]

So that's how it all started yesterday.

[Caller 1]

Beneath him.

[Radio Host]

She really had no real details on what this girl was like except what was posted on Facebook.

[Caller 2]

Very superficial. And then we just gave her the assignment yesterday just to go talk to her son about why he chose this girl. Not anything else. Not to persuade him. But her only task last night was just to talk to him and ask him why. No further question. Just one.

[Radio Host]

I think we even gave her the line. It was like, hey, so tell me about this girl. You're taking a prom. That's it? That's it. That's all she had to do, right? Good morning, Megan. You're back on The Burke Show. Q100. How are you?

[Megan (Mother)]

I'm good. How are you guys?

[Radio Host]

Good. Okay. You had one simple assignment last night. One question that you probably should have asked your son already is, so what is it about this girl that you're digging so much that you're going to prom with her?

[Megan (Mother)]

Yeah, I did ask him about the girl that he asked to prom and pulled up her Facebook page with him and he just said, you know, they are in a class together, I guess, and she's funny and I don't know, they had a good rapport or whatever, and so he just ended up asking her to prom. He didn't really have, you know, a ton to say about her, but while we were looking at the Facebook or whatever, I saw this other girl had posted something on his wall. And so I asked him about that girl and he kind of, you know, I was, you know, I liked her, she was pretty, she had some more friends. She seemed like, you know, a little bit more involved in school activities, etc. And I asked him about her and he. He did actually say that she was the girl he actually wanted to ask to prom, but he didn't think that she would say yes, so he had asked this other girl instead. Okay, I was right. Really? I mean, right about what?

[Caller 2]

Right about what?

[Megan (Mother)]

Right about. I mean, it's a self esteem thing. He doesn't think that he is at the same level as the girl he really wants to ask, so he asked someone. That was a safer bet.

[Caller 1]

So do you feel like you have failed as a parent because his self confidence comes from the home?

[Megan (Mother)]

No, because I'm doing my job as a parent right now to instill in him the self confidence that he needs to ask other girls prom.

[Caller 1]

I call.

[Radio Host]

There's one important piece of this whole thing missing here. Has he already asked the girl number one to the prom?

[Caller 1]

Yeah. Mm.

[Radio Host]

So what's your suggestion here? That now he. Now that he has this new confidence or that you're trying to instill this confidence that he should try to get your choice for prom date and blow off.

[Megan (Mother)]

It's his choice.

[Caller 3]

It's his

[Megan (Mother)]

choice.

[Radio Host]

He's already committed.

[Caller 4]

This was the girl that he really

[Megan (Mother)]

did want to ask?

[Caller 4]

Yes.

[Megan (Mother)]

I told him that he should ask her.

[Caller 2]

Well, then what and see then what are you teaching your son about commitment?

[Caller 5]

Only commit to the pretty girls. That's what she's teaching them.

[Caller 2]

Very shallow.

[Radio Host]

Yeah, he made a choice.

[Caller 5]

Mom thinks this is pretty.

[Megan (Mother)]

He made it.

[Radio Host]

Now, I want you to look at this, because at some point you were in high school, and some point, you probably went to prom and probably had a prom date. So look at this from prom date number one standpoint. She's all fired up to go to the prom with your son. And at some point, if your plan works out, he has to make the call to her and say, you know what? I'm taking somebody else.

[Caller 1]

Right?

[Radio Host]

That's jacked up. How can you endorse that as a parent?

[Caller 3]

She.

[Megan (Mother)]

There's plenty of times she can get somebody else to go with her.

[Caller 1]

Oh, come on. What if you were her?

[Megan (Mother)]

I'm not looking out for her best interest. I'm looking out for my son's best interest.

[Caller 1]

That's so not fair.

[Radio Host]

That's so jacked up.

[Caller 1]

Can you remember being in high school? Can you put yourself back in those?

[Caller 5]

She doesn't know because she's living vicariously through her son and her son's popularity and her son's date so that she can brag about who her son is going out with.

[Radio Host]

Let's get Andrea on the phone here. Good morning. You are on Q100. Andrea. Yeah, go ahead.

[Caller 6]

I was calling to say that this woman, I have been waiting to talk to her since yesterday, okay? She is just ridiculous. Shame on her. Shame, shame, shame. And now to hear her. Oh, my gosh, she would. How she like, he asked this chick, and then this chick decides to ask somebody. That's better. And then dump her son and then doesn't have any date at all.

[Caller 1]

That could be what happens.

[Caller 5]

Yeah, that's what I thought.

[Caller 6]

Shame on her.

[Radio Host]

Yeah, totally.

[Megan (Mother)]

She's horrible.

[Radio Host]

All right, let's go to Rachel here. Rachel, you went in on this also here. Good Morning. You're on Q100. Hi.

[Caller 4]

You guys know, I wanted on this, like, since yesterday, I've been dying to talk to this lady. Does she understand how weird and disgusting her obsession is with her son? Goes to prom with, like, you're ridiculous. She probably was one of the girls that was really big and ugly and unattractive in high school, and this probably happened to her. So she's like, now I can live through my son. You're an idiot and you're disgusting. And that reason that you came up with, that's sad because you really think that's a reason? Oh, no, you guys, it's his self esteem that I'm worried about. No, it's not his self esteem worried about.

[Caller 7]

You're an idiot. She's an idiot. Give me a break. That's all.

[Caller 5]

I'm just waiting for her response. What do you think about that?

[Caller 7]

She has nothing to say because she's an idiot.

[Caller 3]

That's disgusting.

[Caller 7]

Go do something else and stop worrying about who your son goes to prom with. That's your son.

[Caller 4]

You know what I mean?

[Caller 7]

Get a life.

[Caller 3]

That's disgusting.

[Caller 7]

On Facebook, looking at the girls he's going to prom with. Come on.

[Caller 5]

Sitting there with her son, her teenage son on Facebook and what do you think about this girl? What do you think about this girl?

[Caller 7]

Yeah, that's so stupid. It's totally weird. Like, I don't know if anyone notices how weird it actually is, but it's weird and disgusting and she should be embarrassed. Find something else to do.

[Radio Host]

Yeah, what she's doing is she's teaching her child that forget about an original commitment. You can get out of anything that you want.

[Megan (Mother)]

Right.

[Caller 7]

She's teaching him a whole bunch of like, stupidity right now. And I hope that he doesn't even pick up on how ignorant and dumb it is because it's stupid.

[Megan (Mother)]

It is.

[Caller 7]

If I haven't said that already.

[Radio Host]

Did we lose the original caller or is she back now?

[Caller 5]

We lost her. Well, and the thing is, I mean, there's so many. I mean, she's so shocked that guys will ask girls that will say yes to prom and that there's always a girl or two that is so popular that all the guys want to ask her and they're afraid to ask. Like she thinks it's a new thing.

[Caller 3]

She wasn't that girl.

[Caller 7]

That's why she wasn't that girl.

[Caller 5]

Yeah, I kind of agree with that.

[Caller 1]

I mean, I don't think we have to insult her to get the point across, because whether she's.

[Radio Host]

Why not, it is insulting.

[Caller 1]

But you know what I'm saying? Like, I think you don't have to play on her level, is what I'm saying to this caller. Like, you don't have to go there because I think what she's doing in and of itself is. Is terrible.

[Radio Host]

Let's get Julie on. Julie wants in on this also. Good morning, Julie, you are on Q100. Hello.

[Caller 4]

Good morning.

[Caller 3]

I love y' all show.

[Radio Host]

Thank You.

[Caller 5]

Thank you.

[Caller 3]

I just wanted to call and tell this mom that I'm about. I'm only 24. I wasn't that long ago from prom.

[Caller 7]

Go with a friend.

[Caller 3]

He's the boy is right making the choice to go with the girl from class that he likes. She's funny. He'll have a really good time with that girl and forget about that other girl who cares about her.

[Caller 5]

Yeah, yeah. My concern also is that the fact that they are going to end up with the son. The son, like we said, will end up with no date if he dumps this girl and then he tries to ask the girl out that his mom pushed him into trying to ask. And then she's already got a date by this point. If guys are asking, then he's going to end up with nobody and she's

[Radio Host]

going to jack up his reputation around school also because he's going to be the guy that pulls out of original date. She's going to tell all her friends and he's going to look like a tool.

[Caller 1]

Right, the bachelor guy who dumped the girl on TV and went with number two.

[Caller 5]

Yeah, you just don't do that.

[Caller 1]

But he's doing it in high school.

[Radio Host]

Life is so resembles the bachelor in everyday life.

[Caller 1]

Geez. It's just astounding. Every day.

[Radio Host]

Good morning. Q100. Hey Rebecca.

[Caller 5]

Go ahead. Good.

[Caller 3]

I just wanted to tell this mom that she's completely insane. She calls herself a good mother. She's horrible. She is supposed to be an example for her son. I'm so glad he's not following in her footsteps. I mean, prom is all about having fun and, you know, enjoying it. Don't go with some stuck up girl. Go with someone that you're gonna have a good time with. She's just a horrible role model for

[Caller 5]

her child and she's already sent messages to him by sitting with him last night.

[Caller 1]

You know, just too meddling. Like she needs to like, okay, so he asked to go to prom, let him go to prom. Who cares? Right? Who cares? Get a life. Get out of his life. And you know, it's not like he picked some drug addict to take to prom or you know, like that's what I said yesterday. If this girl was like, you know, underage drinking or there were like, you know, pictures of her doing bad behavior on Facebook or whatever. I could see the mom having a concern and saying something. But just because she wasn't popular enough is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

[Radio Host]

Here's Lisa. Good morning, Lisa.

[Megan (Mother)]

Hi.

[Caller 7]

Well, one of the Things that this mom said is that this is. He's going to the junior prom. So I'm sure this is like his first prom. Usually the senior prom is the one where you're like, oh, this is so special because we're about to leave school and you know, so maybe next year, like, you know, he'll take somebody. Not, I don't want to condone this other point, but like, maybe she'll take somebody more close to what she wants him to do or whatever. But this year, you know, it's just probably his first one. He wants to take somebody funny and fun and have a good time and, you know, whatever. It's the junior prom, not the senior prom.

[Caller 2]

Who cares if it was the senior prom anyway?

[Caller 5]

I see what you're saying, but I still think it's his choice regardless of what year it is.

[Caller 7]

Absolutely. I definitely don't want to take that part out of it. Am appalled at this mom, like not teaching her son. Like Bert said earlier, commitment. Like when you say you're gonna do something, you're supposed to do it. And you can't just decide, well, I don't like you anymore and I'm gonna do something else. I think that's appalling. And as a mom, she should be kind of ashamed of that. But that's her choice. But, you know, assist you in your prom. Let him do what he wants and, you know, better luck next year.

[Radio Host]

Crazy mom, he made his decision and you gotta teach a little empathy here. Also, like, how is she gonna feel, the girl gonna feel when she's dumped for no reason a couple of weeks

[Caller 7]

before, no concept of the other girls who's like, my only responsibility is to my kid. Well, your kid decided to feel responsible for this other girl's feelings, but when he asked her to the prom. So therefore there's a level of like, don't be a crappy human being.

[Radio Host]

You know what I mean?

[Caller 7]

Like that's, that's, you know, I don't get that.

[Caller 5]

But that doesn't make a good photo album for mom. That doesn't make a good photo album for mom.

[Spin Quest Advertiser]

Get it?

[Radio Host]

The bird show.

[Bluff (Podcast Host)]

What's going on, everyone? It's bluff here and we're driving through the states in the Bluff Mobile. And the best thing that we can do is play our favorite casino style games. On Spin Quest, they have over a thousand games including live dealer blackjack and craps. With tons of slots and unlimited options. You can get a 30 coin pack for just $10 for new users. Sign up today. Go to spinquest.com right now Spinquest is

[Commercial Announcer]

a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.

[Spin Quest Advertiser]

When you own your own business, you own every decision.

[Commercial Announcer]

Catch the red eye or take the

[Megan (Mother)]

6am Make a new hire or promote internally.

[Commercial Announcer]

Celebrate a win with the toast at the gate or unwind at the lounge. Big props to this team.

[Spin Quest Advertiser]

Some decisions are a win win like earning eight times points on Chase Travel Chase Sapphire Reserved for business the business card that gives back all you put in. Visit chase.com ReserveBusiness to learn more. Cards issued by JP Morgan Chase bank any member of DIC subject to credit report approval terms apply.

[Caller 8]

This year's girls trip to Telluride was the best. We one upped ourselves with my Sapphire Preferred card and with 5 times points on Chase Travel plus 3 times points on vacation homes with top brands, we got this incredible cabin.

[Caller 1]

It was a mansion.

[Caller 8]

And with three times the points on dining, we ordered a Wagyu steak dinner

[Caller 1]

and that pistachio gelato was too good.

[Caller 8]

So where should we go next year?

[Caller 1]

I've got ideas.

[Caller 8]

Chase Sapphire preferred the card that's preferred for a reason. Cards issued by JP Morgan Chase bank and a member FDIC subject to credit approval terms apply.