Vault: She Thinks This Cast Member Is Self-Centered

Summary

The Bert Show — “Vault: She Thinks This Cast Member Is Self-Centered”

Date: July 20, 2026
Main Cast This Episode: Bert (A), Intern Bianca (B), Joanne (F), Jeff (E), Cassie (C), Producer Joanne (F), Others

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Bert Show centers on honest feedback from Intern Bianca, who shares her opinion that cast member Joanne comes off as “self-centered” on air. The discussion expands into broader conversations about competition among women, insecurity, confidence, and how personal anecdotes are perceived by audiences. The cast navigates Bianca’s critique, defends the show’s style, and considers gendered double standards about personality and self-disclosure.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bianca’s Constructive Critique (00:40–02:26)

• Intern Bianca reads her email: She appreciates the show but is “irked” when Joanna is put on air to “talk about nonsense”, citing topics like body size and social comparisons.
• Bianca admits she doesn’t understand why Joanne is “so self-centered” and transitions to a bigger question:
  “Why do women envy each other? Shouldn’t women be happy to see other women doing something good?” (02:04–02:10)
• Bianca shares a personal story: When she found career success, a female friend became jealous instead of supportive.

2. Joanne’s Defense & Perspective (03:04–08:14)

• Joanne stresses her comments about comparing herself to other women are rooted in honesty about her insecurities, not malice or actual envy:
  • “I didn’t say I hated her… She brings out my insecurities. I think every female has a moment in their life where they're feeling insecure and someone else can bring out those insecurities.” (03:05–03:38)
• She insists stories about not inviting certain friends were jokes, not serious exclusion.
• Joanne distinguishes between being self-centered and simply being open/confident on air:
  “We come on the radio to talk about our life, so stories. Not about next door neighbor’s life, story about ours. So it’s my stories.” (06:08–06:15)
• She feels unfairly labeled:
  “If a listener calls up and they’re like, ‘Why are you so self-centered?’ They don’t know me.” (07:45–08:14)
• Joanne clarifies her intention is to be entertaining and relatable.

3. The Cast Responds (02:26–09:00)

• Bert probes whether Bianca would call other show members self-centered (06:35–06:38), and asserts that sharing personal stories is the core of the show’s format.
• Jeff and Cassie question whether Joanne’s stance is confidence, as claimed, or something else:
  • “Just, just my comment…whether you think it was a joke or not, that you didn’t want to hang out with the girl in the group, that’s not confidence.” (08:25–08:36)
• Cassie notes that strong opinions from women in general are harshly judged:
  “Sometimes a woman with a strong opinion...people say, ‘she gets on my nerves because she talks, blah, blah, blah.’” (09:41–09:54)
• Bert lightens the mood by joking about who is “most self-centered,” suggesting it’s a trait among radio hosts (06:49–07:00).

4. Listener Feedback (09:00–09:30)

• A caller, Julio, agrees with Bianca: “Every time that Joanna comes out, I change the resource... She always... gets on my nervous.” (09:05–09:19)
• Joanne accepts the critique: “That does not bother me in the least... He doesn’t know me.” (09:21–09:30)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Bianca, on why women criticize each other:
  “Why do women envy each other? Shouldn’t women be happy to see other women doing something good? I just don’t understand that.” (02:04–02:10)
• Joanne, defending her storytelling:
  “All my friends are beautiful. If that was the case, then I wouldn’t have any friends... She brings out my insecurities... I think every female has a moment in their life where they’re feeling insecure.” (03:15–03:38)
• Bert, acknowledging the “self-centered” aspect:
  “It’s undeniable. I mean, it’s really undeniable that you’re self-centered. Right. I mean, you can’t be offended by that.” (07:39–07:44)
• Joanne, on what matters:
  “Of course I come off self-centered and maybe, you know, shallow... But if you got to know me, you would know that’s not really me.” (07:45–08:14)
• Cassie, on public perceptions of assertive women:
  “Sometimes a woman with a strong opinion...they’re like, ‘Oh my God, she gets on my nerves so much because she talks.’” (09:41–09:54)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• Bianca reads her critique: 01:18–02:26
• Joanne’s initial reaction and defense: 03:04–04:27
• The cast debates personal storytelling and self-centeredness: 06:02–07:44
• Listener call-in and discussion of public perceptions: 09:00–09:54

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Episode Tone & Dynamics

The conversation is candid, humorous, and at times defensive but always open. The cast allows Bianca’s criticism to spark a deeper exchange about what makes the show interesting, how self-revelation is perceived, and the double standards women face in the media. Despite the criticism, the camaraderie and willingness to laugh at themselves reflect the show’s claimed authenticity.

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Summary

This episode showcases the cast’s dedication to transparency and responsiveness—inviting criticism on-air and hashing it out collaboratively. The main takeaways are the blurred line between confidence and self-centeredness in personality-driven radio, the importance (and pitfalls) of sharing personal stories, and the particular scrutiny women face for candidness and strong opinions. For listeners, it’s a revealing look at the vulnerability and humor required to be real in the spotlight.

Transcript

[A]

This is the Birch Show. One thing I've always appreciated about the Birch show is we will take input. We will take input from you guys if you email us. Look, I'm always looking for some constructive criticism. Been doing the show nine years now, so we listen to you all the time. And I'll take input from anywhere employees. I will take it from listeners. I will take it from interns. So intern Bianca, please come on up here for a second. She has an idea on how to make the show a little bit better that she would like to share with us this morning. Good morning, intern Bianca. How are you?

[B]

Fine.

[A]

How are you? Good. Now each week we have our intern send us a couple of things that are going on in their lives.

[C]

Yeah, she's cautious. Like what is this?

[A]

Like what is going on? Well, she sent us a suggestion this week on how to improve the show. It's at least the way I read into it. And I've got your email here that I would like you to read to us because I think it's way more effective if it comes from you.

[B]

Alrighty. Ready?

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Are you ready?

[A]

Wait, is everybody ready? Jen, are you ready?

[D]

Ready.

[A]

Jeff, are you ready?

[E]

I'm fine.

[A]

Producer Joanne, are you ready?

[F]

I'm ready.

[A]

We're all ready. All right.

[B]

All righty. Okay. For the time I've been here, I loved it. You guys are great. The only thing that okay gets okay, I put irks.

[A]

Now go ahead and read it. Read it verbatim.

[D]

You gotta read what you wrote word for word.

[C]

It's good.

[F]

That's why we want you to read

[B]

the only thing that irks my nerves. Everyone knows what irks means, right?

[A]

Okay, you can just go ahead and read the email.

[B]

Okay. Is when you all put Joanna on air and talk about nonsense. I mean, who cares if you were a size 7 or if a girl looks better than you?

[E]

Hold on.

[B]

So you're not going to hang out with her? I mean, I love Joanna and she seems to be a very nice girl, but I don't understand why she is so self centered.

[F]

Do you want me to finish reading it for you? Cuz I can do that.

[B]

That leads into my topic. Why do women envy each other? Shouldn't women be happy to see other women doing something good? I just don't understand that. Which is why I keep very few girlfriends. I had this one friend, we were very cool, we all hung out. But when I started doing some gigs for this magazine, she hung out and I started hanging out with celebrities. She was mad at me. I didn't understand it. I mean, shouldn't you be happy I'm doing what I want to do?

[A]

Okay, now, it's a good topic, I will give you that. Bianca, very nice. All right, but let's get to the first part of this whole thing. Okay. So you think a way to improve the show, basically, is to keep Joanne off it?

[F]

No, but that's what the email says.

[A]

The only thing that irks my nerves,

[B]

don't put Joanne on the air.

[D]

I'm just saying it says put her on the air. Just don't let her talk.

[A]

Right. The only thing that irks hurts my nerves is when y' all put Joanna on the air.

[C]

That's not what she said.

[B]

No, when you put Joanne on air and she talks about, like with the. The when you guys are going to the skiing trip and some girl, you say you didn't want her to hang out with you guys because she was better looking and her career is better. Like, why would you encourage.

[F]

I never said.

[B]

I didn't.

[F]

I said that, yeah, she is beautiful and she is perfect, and when I'm around her, she brings out my insecurities. I didn't say I hated her. Because you said in the email that I hate her. And I never said that.

[B]

Doesn't say you hate her.

[F]

You said that I didn't like her because who was prettier than me? All my friends are beautiful. If that was the case, then I wouldn't have any friends because all my friends are beautiful. I'm not intimidated by another beautiful woman. It's just she brings out my insecurities. And I think every female has a moment in their life where they're feeling insecure and someone else can bring out those insecurities. And I think that you misconstrued what I was saying.

[C]

Didn't you say that with that friend, that you didn't want to invite her to anything because she was so.

[F]

I mean, yes, but I think you're totally taking. It was a joke. Like when I say, oh, we don't want to invite her. I'm really not going to not extend an invit. She is funny. She is. Has a great personality. I'm not that shallow that I'm going to not extend an invitation. I mean, I hang out with her. She doesn't live here anymore, but I would hang out with her on the weekends.

[A]

Are you glad you're so glad you're

[F]

saying I can't say it because you know it's true. Everyone thinks it is. Like, oh, she's such a shallow person. It's a joke. Like you look at celebrities on TV and you find a way to bring them down. My reality is she's not a celebrity. She's real life, you know, and she is just a very beautiful and she had a lot going for her and she brought out my insecurities and that's why I came on the air to talk about it.

[C]

But I do think that Bianca has a point in that, you know, why

[F]

can't you just be happy for. I am happy for her. About her. I never said I wasn't happy for her. I don't wish any bad upon her. I am very happy for her.

[A]

Very defensive.

[F]

I know because I'm defensive because it's. You asked me to come on the air to share my personal stories and I do. And I can understand a listener saying, wow, Joanna sounds very self centered because they don't have the opportunity to get to know me. But you do have the opportunity to get to know me because we work together. But you haven't taken the opportunity. Instead you made these judgments and you're sticking by your judgments. She's not making a judgment, she's asking a question.

[B]

Yeah, I'm not making no judgment on you. I really don't even know you like that. All we say is hey, how are you doing? Whatever. But I'm just saying based on what you're coming on here saying, it seems very self centered because you've been on here to, oh man, I woke up, I'm a size 7 out of from a size 5. There's people trying to be size 12 that are big and stuff.

[F]

But I mean, come on, I work out all the time and I eat well. So instead of going down a size like you're supposed to, I'm going up a size. I'm going to complain. I don't care if you're a size 10 and you went up to a size 12, you're going to complain. If you're a size 0 and you went to a size 3, you're going to complain. Why does it matter what size I am? I eat well and I work out. I'm pissed off that I can't go down a dress size.

[A]

When she.

[F]

Why is that wrong?

[A]

When she threw the word when we were reading this email and Joanna sits in on our post show meeting. So she read it, you know, she, she heard it as we read it, right? When the word self centered came up, it looked like it was a knock in your gut. Like you have never heard that. Like you don't consider Yourself a self centered person?

[F]

No, I don't.

[B]

I get.

[D]

You remember what you gave us all pictures of yourself for Christmas, right?

[A]

You do remember that?

[F]

That's just me being funny, but that's my personality. Like, I like to make people laugh. And sometimes it's at someone else's expense, and sometimes it's at my expense. And I don't consider myself sense centered. We come on the radio to talk about our life, so stories. Not about next door neighbor's life, story about ours. So it's my stories. So I don't understand how you can call me self centered. Kind of is. Because that's what it's about. It's about us.

[A]

Would you consider everybody on the show self centered?

[B]

No.

[A]

No.

[B]

No.

[A]

Because Joanna's argument is that this is what we do, is we come on and everybody shares their personal stories. I had a stupid thing about the iPad this morning. Wendy's gonna talk about her ex in a little bit.

[D]

Just, just for competitive reasons, I would like to be the most self centered, if that's possible. Is that like, who would you rank higher during the.

[A]

You're in the hall of fame.

[F]

And then I also want to bring up, you said I talk about nonsense. I get that all my stories may not be meaningful to you and maybe your life and what you're going through, but I wouldn't say that what I come on the radio to talk about is nonsense. Because then you're taking a jab at Burt because he's the one to choose. It's what I come on set, talk about.

[B]

Well, when I was writing it, I was kind of mad, so I didn't really mean to put nonsense.

[F]

What were you mad about, though?

[B]

I wasn't mad. I was just into the email. I was writing it.

[A]

Passionate about it.

[B]

Yeah, I was passionate about it. So none. I'm sorry to put nonsense, but it is self centered. Some of the stuff you talk about, you're comparing yourself to another girl. Oh, I don't know if I want her hanging. That's what you said too, Joanne. I heard the replay over and over.

[F]

I say I don't want her hanging out.

[A]

It's undeniable. I mean, it's really undeniable that you're self centered. Right. I mean, you can't be offended by that.

[F]

I can't.

[B]

No, I'm not. I understand.

[F]

I come off like, that's fine. If I come off self centered. I don't. I'm not gonna say I don't care because I do care. I mean, obviously I care. What people think about me. But I care more about what the people close to me say. And people who I interact with daily say, like if a listener calls up and they're like, why you're so self centered? They don't know me. They know me for 10 minutes every, you know, once a week. Of course I come off self centered and maybe, you know, shallow, whatever you want to say. But if you got to know me, you would know that's not really me.

[A]

We know you pretty well and I think you're pretty self centered. See, But I think it's endearing. I think that's an endearing part of you.

[F]

I'm confident and you guys take that as self centered. I'm just confident. How come Jeff is.

[C]

Well, I don't know if it's confidence because, I mean, just, just my comment going back to the friend that you know in that group, whether you think it was a joke or not, that you didn't want to hang out with the girl in the group, you know, that's not confidence.

[F]

I know how I, I know that it was a joke. I don't. You don't know. I mean, that's fine.

[B]

I don't.

[C]

But I do want to follow up with Joanna. That comes on and she's very strong in her stories and strong in her opinion. And so it just sounds to me that there's just a disagreement on the message that's portrayed. Is that what the problem is?

[B]

Well, yeah, I mean, like I said, I really don't know Joanna. I'm just going off of the story. She's said the two stories I heard her say on air, and I'm saying it was very self centered.

[A]

Here is Julio. Good morning, Julio. You're on IQ 100.

[E]

Hey, good morning.

[A]

Good morning.

[E]

I always listen to you guys and every time that Joanna comes out, I change this resource.

[A]

Why would you do that?

[E]

I mean, she, I agree with the intern. She always, she gets on my nervous.

[A]

See, now you're just being mean. Now you're just being mean.

[F]

But that's fine. I accept it. Because he doesn't know me because he knows me for 10 minutes once a week. I. That does not bother me in the least.

[C]

Oh, well, you know, I'm on what how five days a week, people, you know, I get on their nerves too. So it's not just 10 minutes.

[A]

Yeah. It's not just a time thing.

[C]

No.

[A]

You can make a negative impression on this show in 30 seconds.

[C]

Yes. No, it's just sometimes a woman with a strong opinion, they're like, oh, my God, she gets on my nerves so much because she talks. Blah, blah, blah. It doesn't matter.

[D]

Those are all emails from me, so I apologize.

[A]

Listen, it's the bird show.