Episode Overview

Podcast: The Bert Show
Episode: Vault: She's In Love With A Guy Who's Leading Her On
Date: January 29, 2026
Theme: The cast helps a listener, Valerie (voice disguised), navigate her complicated feelings for an ex-boyfriend who is stringing her along while being interested in another woman. The episode takes a candid and often humorous look at relationship dynamics, male vs. female perspectives, and the difficulties of letting go.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting Up the Dilemma (00:00–01:41)

• Host A opens with the idea that women seeking advice from other women might not always get a clear picture, joking about the differences in male/female advice-giving:
  • “Like, you can't possibly dumb it down enough to give advice like a guy. And we can't possibly make it complicated enough to give advice like a woman.” (A, 00:21)
• The cast introduces Valerie, who’s placed on a voice disguiser. Valerie reveals her situation:
  • Dated a guy for seven months
  • He broke up with her for (supposedly) school, football, and work complications
  • Three months later, he comes back saying he might want to get back together, but is also interested in another woman
  • Valerie is still in love with him and struggling with what to do

2. Untangling the Situation (01:41–03:28)

• The cast asks clarifying questions about Valerie’s relationship timeline, exclusivity, and whether she’s seeing the guy or just "in limbo."
• Host B sums it up: “He's leaving the door open for her to be hopeful that they could get back together. And you’re in love with him.” (B, 01:41)
• Valerie admits she’s tempted to wait it out despite the confusion.

3. Male Callers Weigh In (03:28–06:12)

• Jeff (Caller): Suggests the guy is “keeping you on that string just in case it doesn’t work out with this other girl.”
• Andrew (Caller): Bluntly declares, “This guy is holding her around for a booty call. As simple as that.” (G, 04:17)
• Host A and Host B reinforce this translation, noting how direct male perspectives can be.
  • “Are you still intimate with this guy?” (A, 04:54)
• Valerie clarifies they haven’t been intimate since breaking up.
• Another caller, Matt: “He just wants sex.” (G, 05:25)
• Tim (Caller): Confirms prior advice, “Here he is holding you on the side in case something happens between him and his current.” (F, 05:53)

4. Hard Truths and Emotional Complexity (06:12–07:15)

• Host A summarizes the group consensus: "You're the booty call. Or it's still so open ended with the other girl that he wants you as the safety net. That's it." (A, 06:02)
• Valerie struggles to accept this, saying multiple friends have warned her, but “I don't want to believe them so.” (C, 06:45)
• Hosts point out that being told by guys directly might make it more “real” for her.

5. A Different View (07:15–08:16)

• Mark (Caller), a self-described drill sergeant, weighs in with age and maturity perspective.
  • “The guy is in that emotional transition where he’s kind of stuck on her, but he's not really matured to the point where he can cut a relationship. So he’s trying to keep that going because he doesn’t want to hurt her feelings. And yet he’s ready to move on to something else.” (H, 07:49)
• Despite his different angle, he still advises: "She needs to split. It's done." (H, 08:12)

6. Discussion on Power Dynamics and Likely Outcomes (08:16–09:01)

• Hosts discuss what happens if Valerie walks away:
  • “If you make that power play and you go, look, I don’t want any part of this, he’s gonna make full court press for you . . . And you guys will go out for four weeks, and then the other chick will be back.” (A, 08:39)
• The cyclical, noncommittal dynamic is clearly laid out.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You can't possibly dumb it down enough to give advice like a guy. And we can't possibly make it complicated enough to give advice like a woman.” — Host A (00:21)
• “He's leaving the door open for her to be hopeful that they could get back together. And you’re in love with him.” — Host B (01:41)
• “He’s just wanting that, all right?” — Tim (Caller) (05:42)
• “You’re the booty call. Or it’s still so open ended with the other girl that he wants you as the safety net. That’s it.” — Host A (06:02)
• “You have the full knowledge now. So the decision you make, you cannot say I was stupid. Everybody’s telling you exactly how it is. So if you want to be the booty call, then you’re the booty call. But don’t expect anything more.” — Host D (06:58)
• “What happens is when you get young people that build a relationship . . . the guy is in that emotional transition where he's kind of stuck on her, but he's not really matured to the point where he can cut a relationship.” — Mark (Drill Sergeant Caller) (07:49)
• “If you make that power play . . . he’s gonna make full court press for you . . . And you guys will go out for four weeks, and then the other chick will be back.” — Host A (08:39)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–01:41 — Opening banter, introducing Valerie and her story
• 01:41–03:28 — Breaking down timeline and current situation
• 03:28–06:12 — Male callers weigh in with blunt advice
• 06:12–07:15 — Emotional reality check; Valerie’s struggle to believe the truth
• 07:15–08:16 — Mark (Drill Sergeant) gives a maturity/age-based perspective
• 08:16–09:01 — Discussion of what happens if Valerie walks away, predicted outcomes

Episode Tone & Style

• The conversation is frank, funny, and sometimes irreverent, balanced by supporting, genuine advice.
• Hosts and callers use straightforward language, sometimes blunt, aiming to cut through emotional fog and provide actionable clarity.

Conclusion

This episode offers a revealing look into a common relationship dilemma, with the cast and callers using humor and tough love to help Valerie see her worth and the need for clarity in romantic relationships. The consensus is clear: Valerie is being led on, and she deserves more than to be someone’s backup plan. The real challenge, as the cast empathizes, is following through with what she already knows in her heart.