Vault: The Hotlanta Offender List has grown

Summary

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The Bert Show – "Vault: The Hotlanta Offender List Has Grown"

Date: May 26, 2026
Theme: Laugh-out-loud efforts to banish the nickname "Hotlanta" from Atlanta's vocabulary

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Episode Overview

This lively and comedic episode sees The Bert Show cast double down on their campaign to extinguish the use of the word "Hotlanta" as a nickname for Atlanta. The hosts riff on the term's outdated and "dorky" connotations, review fresh "offender" reports from listeners, and call out organizations and media still using the phrase. The tone is spirited and fun, with plenty of back-and-forth banter and listener engagement.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why "Hotlanta" Has to Go

• Origin of the Campaign
  The hosts reinforce their weeks-long mission to campaign against the use of "Hotlanta," calling it cheesy and emblematic of an outdated view of the city.

  "We're trying to rid the rest of the world of referring to Atlanta as Hotlanta. It's old, cheesy." – Host (01:33)

• Perception Among Locals
  Co-hosts joke that using "Hotlanta" is "the equivalent of pulling your pants up too high and wearing a really tight belt." They emphasize that locals never use it and it's become a point of embarrassment.

  "To call it Hotlanta is like dorky." – Co-host 2 (01:46)

Notable Offenders Reported

• Delta Airlines In-Flight Entertainment (02:03)
  Caller reports seeing "Hotlanta" in a Delta video. The team debates who is to blame, ultimately blaming Delta for allowing it on their flights.

  "Delta. You know better." – Host (02:59)
  "Hotlanta is not allowed on any Delta flight." – Co-host 2 (03:16)

• Cleveland Browns Backers Club (03:23)
  Listener notes their group is called “Hotlanta Browns Backers,” met with dismay from the cast.

• W Hotel Midtown Promotion (03:35)
  The hotel is running a "Hot, Hot Hotlanta Special." Co-hosts urge their favorite crowds to help stamp it out.

  "Y’all gonna put an end to this right now, please." – Co-host 2 (04:02)

• Local Advertising – Pool Fitness Inc. (04:16)
  Listener Christopher Lewis spots “keeping Hotlanta cool” on a truck ad.

  "There's nothing cool about using the word Hotlanta." – Host (04:38)
  "Keeping Hotlanta dorky, that's what it should say." – Co-host 2 (04:39)

• Hollywood and Media References
  The term even pops up in the film "Up in the Air," and on NBA and Coca-Cola merchandise, frustrating the hosts.

  "In the movie they used the word Hotlanta." – Host (04:43)

• NBA / Adidas Merchandise (04:56)
  Reports of "Hotlanta" T-shirts for the Hawks.

  "Come on. The Hawks are getting cool and they're just trying to drag them back down again." – Co-host 2 (05:17)

• Coca-Cola Billboard (05:36)
  A Coca-Cola/Delta collaborative billboard uses the term, to collective face-palms from the show.

  "Now. He punched in the forehead. Faith Palm. You just donkey punched him." – Host (05:51)

The Real History of Atlanta's Nicknames

• Research into 'Hotlanta' Origins (05:51–07:41) Co-hosts explore a 1988 Time Magazine article that suggested possible nicknames for Atlanta but never mentioned "Hotlanta." Instead, the city was considered for "The Big Hustle" or slogans like "Look at Atlanta now."

  "Atlanta might be known as the Big Hustle." – Co-host 1 (06:25)
  "I like it because it says a couple of different things." – Host (06:51)

Listeners Share Their Own Violations

• VH1 Reference (07:47)
  Caller Melissa shares that VH1 used "Hotlanta" for Blackstreet, demonstrating how the term keeps cropping up outside the city.

  "If it's outside of Atlanta, it's just...it's ignorance." – Host (08:07)

• Local Radio Personalities (08:34)
  Another caller flags a major Atlanta radio host for using "Hotlanta" on air. The team plans to reach out to him with a "gentle" correction.

  "He's holding on to the past, man." – Host (08:48)
  "Maybe you just need to suggest to him we're not referring to Atlanta as Hotlanta anymore." – Host (09:10)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On How "Hotlanta" Sounds to Locals:

  "It's like the equivalent of, you know, pulling your pants up too high and wearing a really tight belt." – Co-host 2 (01:46)

• On Major Companies Using 'Hotlanta':

  "What the pillars of the city both are using Hotlanta." – Co-host 1 (08:21)

• On Historical Alternatives:

  "Atlanta might be known as the Big Hustle." – Co-host 1 (06:25)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:33] – Launching the Hotlanta Offender List segment
• [02:03] – First major offense: Delta Airlines
• [03:23] – Listener report: Cleveland Browns group in Atlanta
• [03:35] – W Hotel Midtown promotion
• [04:16] – Truck ad reported by listener Christopher Lewis
• [04:43] – Hollywood reference: "Up in the Air" movie
• [04:56] – NBA/Adidas Hawks merchandise
• [05:36] – Coca-Cola billboard
• [05:51–07:41] – Deep dive: History of nicknames for Atlanta
• [07:47] – Listener Melissa shares VH1 violation
• [08:34] – Local radio personality caught using "Hotlanta"

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Overall Tone & Style

The panel’s conversational, energetic, and self-aware humor brings the message home without being heavy-handed. Through witty banter and audience participation, the episode sustains a playful yet determined air, blending local pride with relentless, tongue-in-cheek "policing" of their least favorite nickname.

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For Atlanta natives and curious outsiders alike, this episode offers an authentic look at local sentiment, frustrations with outdated branding, and a community united—through laughter—against "Hotlanta."

Transcript

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[Co-host 1]

Get it the Bird show this is very serious music.

[Host (Burt Show)]

This is our offender list, our Hotlanta offender list right here. We started this campaign weeks ago. We're trying to rid the rest of the world of referring to Atlanta as Hotlanta. It's old, cheesy.

[Co-host 2]

We know that because we live here. We know it's not a cool word anymore. To call it Hotlanta is like dorky. It's like the equivalent of, you know, pulling your pants up too high and

[Co-host 1]

wearing a really tight belt.

[Co-host 2]

Like, it's just not cool anymore. But everybody outside of our city keeps calling it that and we have to put an end to it.

[Host (Burt Show)]

So what we're hoping is when you see these Offenses in public that you email us or you call us, Facebook us, and tell us about them. We have to publicly make examples out of some people. So Hotlanta is never used again. Right from an email. Thought of your quest to eliminate Hotlanta from people's vocabulary. During my holiday travels, I was on a Delta flight from Cancun, Mexico, to Atlanta. Yesterday. I was watching the in flight Entertainment, which aired a segment called Delta Destination, which is a series highlighting different cities. This one was on Atlanta. The segment opened with the commentator saying, locals refer to home as hot. Lana.

[Co-host 3]

No, no, they don't say that, do they?

[Co-host 1]

Delta did this.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Delta. It wasn't necessarily Delta. It was the in flight video. So I don't even know that you can put this on Delta.

[Co-host 3]

Well, it's produced by them. Well, they put it on air by them.

[Co-host 1]

I can't even look at the plane in there.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Delta.

[Co-host 2]

Yes.

[Host (Burt Show)]

You know better.

[Co-host 2]

That redheaded girl that tells you to buckle your seatbelt, she must be in charge.

[Co-host 3]

What's her name again?

[Co-host 2]

I don't know, but she does. The smoking is.

[Co-host 3]

Yes.

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Not allowed.

[Host (Burt Show)]

And neither is Hotlanta. Did you do it?

[Co-host 3]

That's what we need to do is either.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Yeah, we have to have her cut that line.

[Co-host 2]

Hotlanta is not allowed on any Delta flight.

[Caller]

Bert.

[Host (Burt Show)]

I am a Cleveland native that has lived in Atlanta for eight years. Every Sunday, I go to the Cleveland Browns Backers Bar. They just named our organization the Hotlanta Browns backers.

[Co-host 2]

No.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Hotlantabrowns.org Tavi writes, you're not gonna like this. The W Hotel Midtown here in Atlanta. Yeah, man.

[Co-host 3]

I've heard from them, from people about them a lot. I think it's on their website or something.

[Host (Burt Show)]

We love these guys, man. The W Hotel here in Atlanta is promoting the Hotlanta on their webpage with a hot, hot Hotlanta special.

[Co-host 2]

No, no, no. All the gay boys that hang out down there, No. Y' all gonna put an end to

[Host (Burt Show)]

this right now, Please.

[Co-host 2]

That is your hangout. That is your place, and you need to end the Hotlanta usage.

[Co-host 1]

Not allowed.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Hotlanta is so much fun with that.

[Co-host 1]

I love the dude with the big bling.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Christopher Lewis writes on my Facebook page. He took a picture of this, actually. I've been getting a lot of these people driving around the city and taking pictures when they see it and sending it to us. Advertising on the side of a truck. This one was for Pool Fitness Inc.com calling you out, keeping Hotlanta cool. No, you're not. There's Nothing cool about using the word Hotlanta.

[Co-host 1]

That's ironic.

[Co-host 2]

Keeping Hotlanta dorky. That's what it should say.

[Host (Burt Show)]

I went to the screening of up in the Air starring George Clooney last night at Atlantic Station. And in the movie they used the word Hotland.

[Co-host 2]

No way.

[Co-host 1]

No way.

[Host (Burt Show)]

That's what it says.

[Co-host 2]

Clooney says, do something. I'll call him later.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Hey, Burton. Jeff, I have a major violator here. Check out the attachment. Apparently Adidas manufacturers a Hot Lana T shirt for the Hawks.

[Co-host 3]

No.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Bastards. I saw this in the most recent NBA.com NBA store winter magazine that I received in the mail. And sure enough, it was an ATL under the Hawks signature.

[Co-host 2]

Come on. The Hawks are getting cool and they're just trying to drag them back down again.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Exactly what it is. You know, it's a whole new. It's a whole new time for the Hawks. And we can't live in the past because if we did, they'd only have two wins.

[Co-host 2]

They're kicking butt.

[Co-host 3]

You sent that one out. The picture that. Because the guy sent it to me, too. Coca Cola billboard.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Coca Cola Billboard says, like, delta.comhotlanta.

[Co-host 1]

oh, it's a dress billboard.

[Co-host 3]

No, Coca Cola. It's Coca Cola.

[Host (Burt Show)]

It's Coca Cola slash Hotlanta.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah, Coke problem.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Now. He punched in the forehead. Faith Palm. You just donkey punched him. There was a question, like, how did Hotlanta even become. And there were some that speculated, like the Board of Tourism started using that term years ago. Well, Josh did some research on it and found out. Found an article from a time magazine in 1988, right?

[Co-host 1]

Yeah.

[Host (Burt Show)]

That has nothing to do with Hotlanta.

[Co-host 1]

No.

[Host (Burt Show)]

They had a completely different name all set up.

[Co-host 1]

It was.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah.

[Co-host 1]

Time magazine was covering the fact that Atlanta did not have a slogan because they knew. And they were covering the fact that Atlanta was trying to kind of. It was the up and coming city. So they needed a slogan. They talked about how New York had the Big Apple and how New Orleans had the Big Easy. And so they said in this article, and I quote, atlanta might be known as the Big Hustle. Okay. It was one of the things that.

[Co-host 2]

I like that.

[Host (Burt Show)]

So do I. I mean, it's not bad.

[Co-host 2]

Come on.

[Host (Burt Show)]

The Big Hustle. I like it because it says a couple of different things.

[Co-host 1]

They were talking about the fact that the city was trying to hustle into becoming this big, booming international city that

[Co-host 3]

should be called the Big Stupid.

[Co-host 1]

But then also the article talked about how the Chamber of Commerce here in Atlanta was also using the slogan, look at Atlanta now. Because they all, again, wanted to talk about how more visitors were coming and how Atlanta was trying to transform itself a modern city.

[Co-host 2]

How you like me now?

[Co-host 1]

Because they were saying that Atlanta was stuck in the, you know, more in the antebellum. Margaret Mitchell, you know, kind of theme. And everybody. Old school.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Really old school. Yeah.

[Co-host 1]

Civil War type of. Of thing. And so look at Atlanta now was what they were using at the time. But not nowhere in this article From Time magazine in 88 were they talking about Hotlanta.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Host (Burt Show)]

The big hustle. Hey, good morning, Melissa. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Hi, how are you?

[Host (Burt Show)]

Good, how are you?

[Caller]

I have a hotline of violation.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Okay, what do you got?

[Caller]

Yeah, I was watching VH1 last night, and they were doing the hundred greatest 90s songs.

[Co-host 3]

Mm.

[Caller]

And Black street was what's like, number 32. They were saying that Black street is now chillin in hotlanta.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Vh1.

[Caller]

Vh1. I know, that's a big one.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Okay. Like those. If it's outside of Atlanta, it's just. It's ignorance.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Host (Burt Show)]

So we gently have to suggest to them that, look, we just don't use Hotlanta anymore, but if it's happening within our own community. Delta, Delta, Coke and stuff like that.

[Co-host 1]

What the pillars of the city both are using Hotlanta.

[Co-host 2]

It's just not cool. And they're some of the coolest companies that are here.

[Host (Burt Show)]

They represent our city. Those are the ones that you think of in Atlanta. Hey, Steve, good morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Hey, good morning, guys. I'm on board with y' all 100% on this kill Hotlanta phrase, but we got one of our major radio personalities in this town said it yesterday, I like to run off the road.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Is this sports again?

[Caller]

Yes.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Yeah. He's holding on to the past, man.

[Caller]

I tried. He is. That's for sure. I tried to call him. So maybe you guys can get through to him.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Yeah, he's been mentioned in emails and calls. Now. Somebody's got to call that guy perhaps today and just gently say to him, man, I mean, that's old school. And sometimes, you know, Neil's been around Atlanta for a long time, stuck in

[Co-host 2]

his ways a little bit.

[Host (Burt Show)]

He's a little bit stuck in tradition. So maybe you just need to suggest to him we're not referring it to Atlanta's hotline anymore.

[Caller]

Hey, I will do that. Hey, you guys are coming in loud and clear up in Blue Ridge, Georgia, this morning. Up in North Georgia. Where I'm working today.

[Co-host 2]

Cool. Awesome.

[Caller]

Yeah. Wanted to let you know. Hey guys. Love the show.

[Host (Burt Show)]

Thank you sir. Bye Bye. You're on the Burt Show.

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