The Bert Show: "Vault: She Needs Advice On Dating A Mama's Boy"

Date: January 23, 2026
Host: The Bert Show Cast (Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, et al.)
Theme: Navigating Relationships with “Mama’s Boys” and Overbearing Mothers

Episode Overview

In this episode, listener "Veronica" (voice disguised for privacy) calls in for advice about dating her boyfriend, whom she’s been with for a year. She describes him as an ideal partner—devoted, kind, and thoughtful—but their first major conflict has surfaced around his extremely close relationship with his mother. The Bert Show hosts and listeners weigh in with personal stories, empathy, and a range of advice for balancing love, boundaries, and in-law relationships.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Veronica's Dilemma: The Mama's Boy Problem

• Veronica describes her boyfriend:
  • "He treats me like a princess. He's always there for me. We very rarely ever fight." [00:57]
  • The first argument happened during the holidays, triggered by the amount of time he spent with his mother.
• Mother's involvement:
  • Calls him daily, sometimes five times a day.
  • Sees him 1–3 times a week for dinners or visits. [02:15]
  • She lives 30 minutes away and works nearby.
• Mother’s possessive comments:
  • "A girl is your best friend for your whole life, and if you have a son, he's only yours until he takes a wife." [02:46] — Said directly to Veronica, hinting at jealousy and anxiety about "losing" her son.
  • The mother suggested, jokingly (or not), that she should “spend the night” at their place because it’s convenient for her work. [04:22]
• Veronica's feelings:
  • Initially attracted to their close bond, but now feels the mother uses the son as an emotional security blanket. [06:19]
  • His sister confided similar warnings about their mother’s clinginess.
  • Veronica is the first girlfriend the mother has "clashed heads" with—even more notable since her boyfriend is in his mid-30s.

2. Host and Listener Reactions

Host Commentary

• Normal vs. Overbearing?
  • Some Bert Show hosts felt the mother's actions weren’t extreme—“The one phone call a day to your mom, so what? Once or twice a week for dinner, so what? I think that's sweet.” [06:10]
  • Others argued for boundaries and independent adulthood:
    • "Children are supposed to grow up, have families of their own, and parents are supposed to like, be happy... do their own thing again." [03:35]

Call-In Guest Stories & Advice

• Susan (lives with mother-in-law):
  • "You're just gonna have to put up with it. They don't go away. Over time, I swear to you, it gets better... but you can't take a boy away from his mom. You will lose him." [07:13, 08:18]
  • Shares an anecdote: Her mother-in-law cried when she and her husband went on a one-night trip, and would “call in the middle of the night… come knocking on our door at three in the morning.” [07:55]
• Joanna (mother-in-law moved in):
  • "You need to run because your husband is never going to choose you over his mother... it's never going to stop." [09:28]
  • Describes an overbearing live-in mother-in-law who tries to control the household and their child. [10:07]
• Katie (happy with her "mama's boy" husband):
  • "I absolutely love it... family is huge and I just don't think she should push her out of her life." [11:06]
  • Stresses benefits—grandparent involvement, strong family, supportive relationships.
• Kimberly (sees the issue as minor):
  • "Is this even an issue?... You should be lucky that he's not cheating on you or going out every night with his friends, getting wasted, doing God knows what, or doing drugs... this is a blessing." [12:06]

Host Suggestions

• Build a Relationship with the Mother:
  • "Do something one on one with her, so that she feels like, you know, I'm going to be your daughter-in-law. You're adding a family member, you're not losing a family member." [09:11]
  • "Throw up a white flag... bury the hatchet... get to know you as a woman." [09:15]
• Avoid Power Struggles:
  • "As long as there's not a power struggle going on, you can get along... You can't think you're taking over her position or you're competing with her. That is his mother." [12:54]
  • "You got to stop the cycle. Become friends with her." [13:16]
• Perspective-shifting humor:
  • "Maybe you take a break and you date a meth head manslut... then come back to this guy with his mom, and you'll think he's great." [12:33]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Veronica:
  • “She uses him as a security blanket... I'm the first girlfriend that she's ever mad of heads.” [06:19]
• Mother’s revealing quote (via Veronica):
  • “A girl is your best friend for your whole life, and if you have a son, he's only yours until she takes a wife.” [02:46]
• Susan (listener):
  • “You can't take a boy away from his mom. You cannot do that because then you'll lose him and you don't want to do that.” [08:17]
• Katie (listener):
  • “That's not a bad thing. It's an awesome thing because family is huge... don't push her out of his life.” [11:34]
• Host (on perspective):
  • "As long as there's not a power struggle going on, you can get along... That is his mother, and you will be a mother someday." [12:54]
• Humor about sleepovers:
  • “She just wants to know where she'll be staying when she sleeps over at the apartment, if it'll be with the two of you or just in bed with him.” [11:59]

Important Timestamps

• 00:42 — Veronica introduces her boyfriend and the makings of a mama’s boy dynamic
• 01:37 — Details on the mother's daily communication and frequent visits
• 02:46 — Mother's possessive quote about sons and wives
• 04:22 — The sleepover suggestion incident
• 06:19 — Backstory: why the closeness has become problematic for Veronica
• 07:13–08:18 — Callers Susan’s perspective: "You have to put up with it—they don’t go away"
• 09:11–09:24 — Host advice: build an individual relationship with the mother
• 09:28–10:36 — Caller Joanna: "You need to run..." stories of living with an overbearing mother-in-law
• 11:06–11:37 — Caller Katie's positive take on a "mama's boy"
• 12:06–12:54 — Host and listeners urge Veronica to gain perspective, avoid power struggles
• 13:16–13:38 — Show closes with consensus: seek friendship, not competition, with the mother

Tone & Takeaways

• Tone: Warm, humorous, candid, and empathetic; the hosts and listeners blend practical advice with personal anecdotes and plenty of playful banter.
• Episode Takeaways:
  • The "mama's boy" dynamic is complicated but not insurmountable.
  • Many partners struggle with intrusive or overbearing mothers-in-law, but approaches and outcomes vary.
  • Building a relationship with the mother may soften tensions and help everyone adapt to changing family dynamics.
  • It’s vital to avoid an adversarial “power struggle” and seek to form an alliance or at least mutual understanding.
  • Perspective is key—appreciate the benefits of a close family, but maintain boundaries for a healthy relationship.