Vault: She's Been Faking Being Rich to Her Boyfriend, And the Lie Is About to Collapse

Summary

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The Bert Show – Vault: She's Been Faking Being Rich to Her Boyfriend, And the Lie Is About to Collapse

Air Date: April 10, 2026
Cast: Bert (Host), Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, Lisa (Guest), Sandra (Caller), Jim (Caller), Rachel (Caller), various co-hosts

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around a dramatic and relatable dilemma: Lisa, a 26-year-old office manager, has been unintentionally (and, at times, intentionally) allowing her new boyfriend to believe she’s wealthier and more successful than she actually is. As her relationship deepens and the stakes rise — she’s about to meet his parents and the real homeowners are returning soon — Lisa seeks advice from the Bert Show on how to come clean without losing someone she’s genuinely falling for.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Lisa’s Dilemma: How a Small Omission Snowballed

• Lisa’s situation: She’s dating a guy from her upscale, gated community — but she’s only living there temporarily, house- and pet-sitting for her boss.
• Success by association: By living in a beautiful house, driving her boss’s BMW, and being around luxury, Lisa never outright lied, but she also never clarified that this isn’t her lifestyle.
  • Lisa: “I realise … he thinks that I’m a little more successful than I really am. … Basically, I work in a physical therapy office… [the owners] asked me if I could watch their house for them … So, basically, I’m living there. If need be I use their car, which is a beautiful BMW …” (01:20–02:18)
• Letting misconceptions stand: Lisa admits to shaping conversations (“I oversee everything,” “I love driving it”) that allow her boyfriend’s assumptions to grow.
• Guilt meets romance: “When I heard him with his parents, I was like, wow, he really thinks I’m this and I would love to be that, but I’m really not.” (05:12)

The Emotional Stakes and Crossroads

• Lisa’s boyfriend is proud and bragging to his family about her “success.”
• The timeline is tight — the real homeowners return in August. Lisa worries about exposure and damage to the budding relationship.
  • Lisa: “I really like him. I’m so embarrassed. I feel like I almost… I almost think I should just be like, you know what, it’s not working out.” (06:36–06:44)

The Panel Weighs In: Ethics, Gender Roles, and Reality Checks

A Gentle Approach to the Truth

• Host and co-hosts consistently urge honesty:
  • Host: “There’s nothing to debate here. You gotta tell him.” (06:13)
  • Co-host: “If you want this relationship to go on, you have to fess up to him. That’s it.” (13:38)
• The show acknowledges Lisa’s cleverness (“So you pulled off a great thing, and now you gotta fess up” (12:10)) yet stresses that further delay would only worsen things.

Is It Really Lisa’s Fault?

• Caller Sandra’s hot take: Blames the boyfriend for being materialistic and claims men do this “all the time.”
  • Sandra: “He really doesn’t like her. He likes the fact that she got the nice car…big house and she’s successful, which she’s not. But this is what he wants to believe.” (07:31)
• Co-hosts push back:
  • Co-host 3: “How are you possibly blaming this on the guy?” (07:50)
  • Co-host 3: “I cannot tell you how much this is not the guy’s fault. Zero.” (13:43)
  • The debate touches themes of gender stereotypes, honesty in dating, and social perceptions of success.

Would the Boyfriend Even Care?

• Male caller Jim: Suggests most guys wouldn’t be bothered if the truth came out — and might even find it funny.
  • Jim: “As a guy, I think the typical guy wouldn’t really care and find it hysterical if she really told the story, it would just be really funny, and she’d be a cool girl. The average guy is just not as caught up in those material things, at least from my perspective.” (11:45–12:10)
• Rachel (caller): Recommends Lisa frame it as an unintentional misunderstanding that now serves as a test of character — does he really like her, or just the trappings?
  • Rachel: “Just say, well, I didn’t mean for you to go down this path … I wanted to make sure you were really into me and not just into the stuff.” (12:44–13:05)

Relationship Realities and Humor

• The panel jokes about how “guys do this all the time.”
  • Co-host 1: “They’ve been deceiving women on being more successful than they really are.” (05:33)
• Banter includes quips about how physical attraction can sometimes eclipse any issue of honesty.
  • Host: “This goes under the rule, also, if she’s super hot, she can say anything to him and he’s going to be, ‘That’s cool. No worries, man.’ It all depends on how hot she is.” (14:29)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Lisa’s realization:

  “He really thinks this is all mine, you know, And I’ve been kind of… it’s not like it comes up every day, you know, But I know that this is what he thinks of me. And then this weekend, I’m supposed to meet his parents…” (04:21)

• Co-hosts on Lisa's ‘honesty by omission’:

  “So you haven’t lied, really.” (02:54)
  “It’s a real slippery slope … you’re being really careful with the words you’re using because you don’t want to be called a liar…” (04:13)

• Host’s bottom line:

  “There’s nothing to debate here. You gotta tell him.” (06:13)
  “If you want this relationship to go on. You have to fess up to him. That’s it.” (13:38)

• Panel ironies:

  “Guys have been doing this for years.” (05:33)
  “If she’s Megan Fox, she can say anything she wants.” (14:38)

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Key Timestamps

• 00:29–05:33: Lisa describes her situation, how it snowballed, and how her boyfriend’s view of her has evolved.
• 05:45–06:15: Panel discusses the ethics and inevitability of telling the truth.
• 07:21–09:12: Caller Sandra argues with the panel, suggesting gender double standards and flipping blame.
• 11:45–12:26: Caller Jim gives a male perspective: “Just be cool and laugh; it’s not a big deal.”
• 12:44–13:38: Caller Rachel recommends Lisa frame the story as a misunderstanding and a test of character.
• 14:14–14:43: Panel wraps up with a blend of advice and humor about attractiveness trumping all.

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Summary & Takeaways

• Lisa’s once ‘white lies’ have formed the foundation of a relationship that’s now serious — she must decide to come clean or live with the anxiety of imminent exposure.
• Co-host consensus: Honesty is the only real path forward, and the worst-case scenario may not be as bad as Lisa fears.
• The panel’s discussion highlights modern dating pressures, the blurry line between omission and deception, and gendered expectations around “success.”
• The episode delivers its signature Bert Show blend of empathy, laughter, and real talk — making Lisa’s story a springboard for wider commentary on authenticity in relationships.
• What’s next: The show promises to follow up with Lisa after her confession to see how her boyfriend handles the truth — as always, real life takes center stage.

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Transcript

[Host]

The Bird Show. Good morning, Lisa.

[Lisa]

Good morning.

[Host]

How are you today?

[Lisa]

I'm okay. How are you doing?

[Host]

Good. But it's really about you right now.

[Lisa]

Yeah, I have a problem. I don't know what to do about it.

[Co-host 1]

Okay, tell us what you. It sounds like you're really stressed out about it.

[Lisa]

Yeah. Okay, I can just tell you now.

[Host]

Yeah, I think this would be a good time.

[Lisa]

Okay. I. I basically been dating this guy for, let me see, April Mage, like, just about a couple of months. And I really like him, and I. I don't know what to do because he actually. He thinks that I'm a little more successful than I really am. And I don't know if I should just come out and tell truth or kind of gimp at it or I just. Well, maybe I should just. Basically, I work in a physical therapy office, and one of my co workers, who's also married to one of the owners, he actually has another business and he's expanding overseas. So they went away for a few months and they asked me if I could watch their house for them. Really beautiful, amazing house.

[Co-host 2]

No.

[Co-host 1]

Okay, keep going.

[Lisa]

So they still. They pay the bills, the utilities. They have a housekeeper that comes in, but I live there. I buy my own groceries, I watch their cat, and they pay me, like, they throw me $75 a week to do that. So basically, I'm living there. If need be, I use their car, which is beautiful BMW. And so anyway, around the end of April, I was. It's kind of a gated community, and so there's a. They don't have their own pool, but there's like a neighborhood pool. So I was in the pool, and I met this guy, this really great guy. And I just figured since, you know, it was kind of a small neighborhood and community, that he knew who I was, that I was just kind of a house sitter and. But I realized right away, like on our first date. Well, actually, I wasn't too sure, but then it was like comments that he'd make and I'd make back, like, okay, I pulled up in the Beamer, and he was like, wow, like, that's a really nice car. And I was like, I know, like something. Like, I love driving it.

[Host]

So you didn't exactly lie. You didn't say, hey, it's not mine. You just said, yeah, you're right.

[Co-host 3]

It is a nice car. It's really nice.

[Co-host 4]

Gorgeous car.

[Co-host 3]

Wow, that is a beautiful home. It is a lovely home.

[Host]

So you haven't lied. Really.

[Lisa]

Yeah, it was kind of like, I know Tell me about it. It's like a great car. But then he made a comment about, like, later on that night about. About the house, you know, that, oh, like, this is, like, bigger than mine, and I'm. I'm only 26, so. And I was like, oh, I know. I said, my dog just loves it. He has all this room, and I'm so spoiled now, you know? But then, you know, as we were kind of talking, he asked me about, like, the physical therapy business, and he was like, oh. So he started talking to me about being a physical therapist, and I said, well, actually, I'm not a physical therapist. I think basically kind of overseed. I oversee everything. You know, he's like, really? And then that's when I was kind of. That's when I kind of knew that I was. That he was getting the wrong person that I was kind of letting.

[Co-host 3]

Now, when you say oversee everything, what would your. What would your job title?

[Lisa]

An office manager.

[Co-host 3]

Okay.

[Lisa]

Like, oh, yeah, no, no, no. I'm not. I'm not actually a pt. I just kind of oversee everything. I kind of, you know, manage everything, you know, But. Which is true. I mean. But I don't. It's not my business.

[Host]

So it's a real slippery slope. I mean, so you're being really careful with the words that you're using because you don't want to be called a liar, and you don't want him to ever be able.

[Lisa]

I wasn't. And then I. You know, as the date went on, I was like, wow, I really like this guy. So when it came to that, I was. I kind of. Yeah, I did. I. At that point, I knew what he was getting at. And then I thought, oh, wait, the car, the house. Oh, okay. Okay. He. He really thinks this is all mine, you know, And I've been kind of. And then, you know, it's not like it comes up every day, you know, But I know that this is how. What he thinks of me. And then this weekend, I'm supposed to meet his parents, and I turned him up with them, and he. He didn't realize I was. I heard him, and he was just so. So proud of me. So impressed by me. He was like, she's only 26. She has her own business. She drives this great car. She has this huge house.

[Co-host 1]

Oh, no.

[Lisa]

Even. He even mentioned. Oh. And, you know, she's. She's even traveled in Europe and. But that's just because he saw pictures of me, but that was from a school trip. When I heard him with his parents, I Was like, wow, he really, he really thinks I'm this and I would love to be that, but I'm really not.

[Co-host 1]

And I can understand how the parent thing is, is concerning, but I think it's hilarious because guys have been doing this for years. Okay. They've been deceiving women on being more successful than they really are.

[Host]

Absolutely.

[Co-host 1]

And so you were. Yeah, I think it started to.

[Lisa]

Yeah.

[Co-host 4]

What do they call it here in Atlanta? The $30,000 millionaire.

[Sandra]

Yeah.

[Host]

So, I mean, eventually you're going to have to come clean if you're, if the relationship is at a point now where you're meeting his parents and it's serious enough to, where you have to show him who you really are.

[Lisa]

Yes. And plus, plus the couple, they're, they're coming back like beginning of August, second week of August.

[Co-host 2]

Oh, yeah.

[Co-host 1]

I mean, well, you knew he was eventually going to happen.

[Host]

Yeah. There's nothing to debate here. You got to tell him.

[Co-host 4]

I mean, do you think that it's going to really affect him once you clear everything up?

[Lisa]

I think so, because it's basically, I've lied to him. It's like our relationship and like lie. I don't know what to do because I really, I really like him. I'm so embarrassed. I feel like I almost.

[Host]

Yeah, we're there.

[Co-host 3]

Hold on.

[Lisa]

I almost.

[Host]

Go ahead.

[Lisa]

I almost, in a way, I like him so much, but I'm so embarrassed. I almost think I should just be like, you know what, it's not working

[Host]

out, but I break up with him.

[Lisa]

What? Yeah, but I really, I'm really falling for him. I feel like in love with him and I, I, I don't know what I should do.

[Host]

I think that's a great thing to do is break up with them and then don't be in contact with them for a couple of months and tell them you lost everything, that the economy,

[Co-host 3]

once you move into an apartment, you're driving a 12 year old Toyota.

[Host]

I called you. I'm just at rock bottom and I just need somebody to hold now.

[Co-host 1]

Maybe your boss will just give you

[Co-host 2]

the house and the car. He'll understand.

[Host]

Good morning, Sandra. You're part of the Bird show. Hi.

[Sandra]

Hey, how are you?

[Host]

Good, thanks for calling.

[Sandra]

I am listening to you guys every morning on my way from work and it's like, this is the best show ever.

[Co-host 1]

Thank you.

[Host]

Well, now you're part of the show. What's up?

[Sandra]

I am calling this guy and that girl. Honestly, he really doesn't like her. He likes the fact that she got the Nice car. She got the big house and she's successful, which is. She's not. But this is what he wants to believe. So he does not even give her a chance to tell her to tell him. Like, you know, hey, this is not me.

[Co-host 3]

How are you possibly blaming this on the guy?

[Sandra]

Okay, the reason I'm blaming it on him, like, like they were saying guy does it all the time. And a lot of guy out there is after successful woman, unfortunately, okay, he

[Co-host 2]

told his parents that she has got a nice house, she's got a nice car.

[Co-host 3]

What's wrong with that?

[Co-host 1]

She had.

[Sandra]

You only met this woman for two months.

[Lisa]

You.

[Sandra]

You already take her to your parents.

[Co-host 3]

Sandra, if you met Sandra, this is. You're. I'm not gonna let you blame the guy for this. If you met a dude and you've been dating him for two or three months and it's time to take him home to mom or dad, you call up and you're like, hey, we're gonna be there on Saturday. We'll get there at 4 o'.

[Sandra]

Clock.

[Co-host 3]

We're gonna bring a couple bottles of wine. Let's have a good time. Oh, cool. Who are you bringing? Oh, her name is Sandra. What's she like? Oh, my God, she's great. She's got a physical therapy firm, practice, whatever. She lives in my neighborhood. She's got a beautiful house. She lives. I met her at the pool in the community. She gets such a nice house in the neighborhood.

[Host]

She's obviously ambitious because she's done so well at such an early age.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah. And she drives this badass car. She's into cars. I mean, she's cool and like, her parents, like. All right, well, we can't wait to meet her. Congratulations on meeting a nice new girl who lives right near you. There's nothing wrong with that.

[Co-host 1]

She's rich and successful.

[Co-host 3]

He never said that.

[Host]

Yeah. Come on.

[Co-host 4]

Sandra and Wendy, I think if she actually fesses up to him and tells him it might be a relief to him.

[Host]

He doesn't have to deal with that kind of pressure.

[Co-host 4]

Told us time and time again, like, guys want to be the ones that are the providers. Guys want to be the ones that are like in the lead or whatever. Like, he might, he might be relieved,

[Co-host 3]

but I think there's some threatened.

[Host]

Hey, Sandra, we're let you go. Okay.

[Sandra]

Hello?

[Host]

Yeah, we're going to let you go.

[Sandra]

Okay.

[Host]

Hey, before you leave, what part of the West Indies are you from?

[Sandra]

What is it?

[Host]

What part of the West Indies are you from?

[Sandra]

Which part of where West Indies. West Indies? I don't live in West Indies. Are you talking about Atlanta?

[Host]

No. Are you originally from the West Indies?

[Sandra]

No, I'm not. Oh, yeah, I heard you have, like, a. Supposedly. Have a gift. You can't find out where I'm from. No, I'm not.

[Host]

Well, let's just pretend this call never happened. Bye.

[Lisa]

Bye.

[Co-host 1]

Bye bye.

[Co-host 3]

She's from an island off the coast of Venezuela called Hate to Penis.

[Host]

What?

[Co-host 3]

She clearly hates men.

[Co-host 4]

No, she doesn't.

[Co-host 3]

Yes, she does.

[Co-host 4]

She doesn't. She just thought that that guy in

[Co-host 1]

particular because she criticized the guy. She hates all men.

[Sandra]

Yes.

[Co-host 2]

We're gonna see his true colors when she tells him.

[Co-host 3]

How can you agree with.

[Host]

He's right. How are you putting this?

[Co-host 3]

You're telling me that we.

[Co-host 2]

I mean, you talk about someone's personality before you talk what they have. Unless you're.

[Co-host 3]

How do you know he. How do you know he didn't.

[Co-host 1]

Well, did he.

[Co-host 3]

You don't. That's the thing is you don't know that.

[Co-host 1]

Lisa. Did he.

[Co-host 2]

Did he mention anything about your personality and your.

[Co-host 3]

Did he say that you're funny?

[Lisa]

Oh, I mean, he. We get along great. That's the thing. Separate from this, we.

[Co-host 1]

I mean, what did he say to his parents?

[Lisa]

Like, this comes up every day. And he's very successful.

[Co-host 3]

Hey, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa. The question is. The question is, specifically, when he talked to his parents about you, did he only say, hey, I'm bringing a girl home who's got a big house and drives a nice car?

[Lisa]

Or.

[Co-host 3]

Or was that part of a larger description? And he threw in things like, she makes me laugh and she's got big boobs, and she does this and does that and does the other thing.

[Lisa]

No, no, no. I mean, I've heard him on the phone with his brother saying, like, oh, my gosh, I went out with Lisa. This is what we did. We. You know, and how much fun we're having. This just struck a chord because I heard him just really being like, I can't believe this girl is like. Is so successful, so young, and you have to meet her, and she's. You know. And they were like. I guess the way he was talking was just like. He was just so impressed that he was able to do all this stuff.

[Host]

Hold on one second, okay?

[Co-host 3]

He's bragging about her.

[Host]

She's talking. Let me try to get through these here real quick. Good morning, Jim. You're on Q100.

[Jim]

Hey, good morning.

[Host]

Hey, what's up, man?

[Jim]

Yeah, my comment was, if the roles were reversed, and as a guy, I think girls care more about those items. As a guy, I think the typical guy wouldn't really care and find it hysterical if she really told the story, it would just be really funny, and she'd be a cool girl. And the average guy is just not as caught up in those material things, at least from my perspective.

[Co-host 1]

And that's why I said earlier I thought it was hilarious, because it is something that just kind of started out innocent and then got kind of built up. So. And you sound scared to death about it, but that's why I said guys do it all the time, and it's. And it's like a game. So you pulled off a great thing, and now you got to fess up

[Host]

and say, okay, but she put it on guys again.

[Co-host 3]

But. But I love the fact I'm not

[Co-host 1]

putting it on guys. What he was saying is to mimic a guy in the way she tells him. Like, it was funny. This is what happened. Like, I'm not putting down guys. That was his example, is to use a guy as an example in communicating to him.

[Host]

Hey, Rachel, go ahead. You're on Q100.

[Rachel]

Hey, I think she should spin. Wasn't intentional. She wasn't trying to be deceptive. Just say, well, I didn't mean for you to go down this path, but it's given me an opportunity to see. I don't know. She'll have to find the right words, but to see his character. And I wanted to make sure you were really into me and not just into the stuff.

[Co-host 3]

But then wouldn't she want to pretend to be, like, almost homeless and broke to make sure he really likes her? Because

[Sandra]

it's up to her. But it's a good way to see.

[Rachel]

I mean, you don't know. Maybe he really is just into this stuff.

[Co-host 1]

But I will say, though, if you. Because I've heard you say you listen to him talk to his brother about you, and you listen to him talk to his parents about you. I do think you let this go on a little longer, because the only thing I feel bad about is the fact that the guy has to go back to his parents now and say, oh, I got duped.

[Lisa]

You know, I feel bad about, too. That's why I think he's gonna be like, you've deceived me.

[Host]

Well, I mean, you have no option. If you want this relationship to go on. You have to fess up to him. That's it.

[Co-host 3]

I cannot tell you how much this is not the guy's fault. Zero.

[Co-host 1]

There's one listener that said that we'd never say it was his fault.

[Co-host 3]

A listener and Wendy technically say it's

[Co-host 2]

his fault, but I think he's materialistic.

[Host]

How do you know?

[Co-host 3]

Where do you get that from?

[Co-host 1]

Because I just want to say that.

[Host]

Hey, Lisa, let's call you back in a couple of days and see how you handle the whole thing. Because we'd love to know what his reaction was. Okay.

[Lisa]

Okay.

[Host]

All right. Talk to you later.

[Co-host 4]

You gotta tell him soon because when are the people coming back?

[Host]

He said August, right?

[Lisa]

Okay.

[Co-host 3]

She's gotta tell.

[Lisa]

I just don't know if I should tell him straight out or hint around.

[Host]

Tell him straight out the lie is over.

[Lisa]

Oh, didn't you already know? I thought you knew all this time.

[Host]

No, no. Just gotta be honest with you.

[Co-host 3]

I don't think you can play the. Oh, my God. You didn't know. This is in my house.

[Host]

This goes under the rule. Also, if she's super hot, she can say anything to him and he's going to be. That's cool. No worries, man. It all depends on how hot she is. It really is.

[Co-host 4]

Yeah.

[Sandra]

Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie.

[Co-host 3]

She's Megan Fox. She can say anything she wants. I gotta be honest with you. I'm not even human. And he'll figure out a way.

[Host]

That's cool.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah, it's fine. The bird show.