Vault: They're Taking Desperate Measures In Life, But For Good Reason

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Bert Show

Episode: Vault: They're Taking Desperate Measures In Life, But For Good Reason

Date: March 13, 2026
Main Theme:
Exploring how economic adversity drives everyday people to unconventional, often stigmatized means of income—particularly sex work—through candid listener calls and empathetic, sometimes humorous, discussion among the Bert Show cast.

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Episode Overview

This episode delves into how brutal economic times prompt people to take desperate yet pragmatic measures to survive—specifically, turning to escorting, prostitution, and related sex work. Using real-world news as a starting point, the hosts open the phone lines, hearing directly from listeners whose personal financial hardships have led them into sex work or similar arrangements. The discussion is authentic, non-judgmental, and at times, light-hearted, leaning into the show's trademark mix of empathy, realism, and humor.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Economic Push Toward Sex Work

• [01:10] The episode kicks off with a news segment reporting on the economic downturn's surprising effect: a boom in legal prostitution, citing Nevada's brothels like the Bunny Ranch.
  • Quote:
    “While the economy is hurting most industries, it's keeping the prostitution industry alive.” — [01:10], News Narrator
• The influx includes women with high educational backgrounds, not fitting outdated stereotypes of sex workers.
  • Quote:
    “A lot of the ladies... master’s degrees... women that come from all walks of lives. It's a lot different than 20 years ago.” — [02:36], Air Force Amy (via news tape)

2. Language & Stigma

• [02:58] Spontaneous reflections from hosts on the language used: “hooker” vs. “prostitute.”
  • Quote:
    “I don't know why the word hooker to me is so crass, but prostitute doesn't bother me at all.” — [02:58], Main Host
    “They're both pretty crass.” — [03:05], Host 1

3. Listener Stories: Realities Behind Desperate Measures

A. Caller: Todd – Male Escort/College Student

• [04:16] Todd describes turning to escorting due to the impossibility of balancing work and school when gas and living expenses outpace minimum wage jobs.
  • Quote:
    “I had a job when the gas was at $4 a gallon. It was literally costing me more money to get to work than I was actually making there.” — [04:20], Todd
• Details: Started escorting with attractive friends, has a mix of male and female (single and married) clients, and minimums start at $150 but can soar to $4,000 for travel.
  • Quote:
    “I've had clients that have flown me out of the country... those really go up to, like three and 4,000 [dollars].” — [06:42], Todd
• The hosts are stunned and both impressed and saddened by Todd’s story.
  • Quote:
    “Wow, you are hot.” — [06:53], Host 1, humorously acknowledging Todd’s high earnings.

B. Caller: Emily – Voyeur-Based Sex Work With a Friend

• [07:14] Emily shares her story of agreeing to have sex with a male friend for profit—not with clients, but letting people watch for money.
  • Quote:
    “It gets hard when you're trying to keep rent and food and gas and stuff.” — [07:29], Emily
• It began as a financial partnership with a friend, not a romantic partner, charging $200 per session.
  • Quote:
    “Usually we're at places together and, like, network.” — [10:16], Emily
• Clarifies it’s a business relationship; no sex outside the paid arrangement.
  • Quote:
    “We're not like intimate together unless we're getting paid.” — [09:06], Emily
• Hosts find the business model fascinating and unexpected.
  • Quote:
    “That is so fascinating.” — [09:25], Host 2

C. Caller: Jamie – Fetish Work for Financial Necessity

• [11:39] Jamie discusses turning to fetish work (e.g., spanking) out of financial hardship, not involving intercourse, with a married client.
• She notes discomfort sharing and the host gently steps in to limit explicit details.
  • Quote:
    “We’re walking a real close edge right here.” — [12:42], Main Host

D. Caller: Tim – Unemployed Firefighter Wants Partner to Escort

• [13:14] Tim calls in to say his girlfriend was approached on MySpace with an escort offer; although she was uninterested, he's urging her to consider for financial reasons due to possible layoffs.
  • Quote:
    “I would love for her to do that because that way we have enough money to get by.” — [13:23], Tim
• The hosts challenge Tim on the emotional ramifications; Tim insists he’d be unbothered, but hosts show skepticism referencing "Indecent Proposal" and the likelihood of jealousy.
  • Quote:
    “I don't believe that he won't get competitive after...your curiosity will kill you.” — [15:08], Host 1

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Economic realities laid bare:
  “It was costing me more money to get to work than I was actually making there.”
  [04:20], Todd

• On the changing face of sex work:
  “Master's degrees...it’s a totally different ball game.”
  [02:36], News report (Air Force Amy)

• On stigma and self-worth:
  “It's not something that I'm advertising most definitely, but, you know, you gotta do what you gotta do.”
  [11:06], Emily

• On emotional complications:
  “I don't believe that he won't get competitive after...your curiosity will kill you.”
  [15:08], Host 1

• On business transactions and boundaries:
  “We're not like intimate together unless we're getting paid.”
  [09:06], Emily

• Hosts acknowledge discomfort and fascination:
  “I'm uncomfortable because it's so sad. I know.”
  [07:06], Host 1
  “Yeah, a little disturbed, but a little…little fascinated.”
  [13:17], Main Host

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Important Timestamps

• [01:10] – News report frames the episode’s theme: economic hardship and sex work.
• [04:16] – Todd's first-hand account as a male escort.
• [07:14] – Emily’s story of paid voyeurism with a friend.
• [11:39] – Jamie’s entry into fetish work out of economic desperation.
• [13:14] – Tim discusses wanting his partner to escort for much-needed income.

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Tone & Style

• Candid, Authentic, Non-Judgmental: The hosts approach these taboo subjects with empathy and curiosity, maintaining a respectful tone with each caller.
• Humor & Levity: Even as the subject matter is heavy, the cast intersperses humor and playful banter to diffuse tension and maintain approachability.
• Empathy-Powered Realism: The Bert Show acknowledges the sadness of desperate situations but also seeks to genuinely understand and humanize their callers’ choices.

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For New Listeners

This episode is a deep, unvarnished look at how economic pressures push ordinary people into extraordinary decisions. Stories are shared without shame, opening a nuanced conversation on modern sex work and the shifting motivations and backgrounds of those who enter it. If you’ve never listened to The Bert Show, this episode is a prime example of their mix of honesty, empathy, and humor wrapped around real-life stories.

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End of summary.

Transcript

[Caller/Guest]

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[Main Host/Interviewer]

Before I give you this specific question, let me just play this piece of news for you guys and it will set up what my question is gonna be. Cuz I don't think it will pertain to anybody in our listening audience.

[Narrator/Reporter]

While the economy is hurting most industries, it's keeping the prostitution industry alive. Brothel owners say that success is attractive to many women who are out of a job.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

You sort of know where I'm gonna go with this now, okay?

[Caller/Guest]

There's so many girls wanting to go to work now because of there's layoffs

[Host 2]

in every sector of the economy. The auto workers, the big insurance companies, the Wall Street.

[Caller/Guest]

We get a lot of people from

[Host 2]

New York City wanting to come to work.

[Host 1]

Welcome to the Bunny Ranch.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The economy is driving women to places like the Bunny Ranch. Just last month alone, they had 1500 applications. The bunny Ranch isn't the only place seeing an increase in applications. Over at Wild Horse and Mustang Ranch, the madam says they have 30 to 40% increase in women looking for jobs. Sunny Lane, who works at the Bunny Ranch, says she left the adult film industry in Los Angeles because it was starting to fail. And now she can make her money here at the ranch.

[Host 1]

Money play is the biggest decision in a lot of people's lives. And so I think for myself and my business, I want to still shoot

[Main Host/Interviewer]

and direct my own films.

[Host 1]

I have some big projects coming up this year. So for me, it was a big decision of doing the right thing for myself and my business at Sunny Lane

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Enterprises and bringing the Bunny Ranch together.

[Host 1]

So it's huge.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Air Force Amy has been in the industry for 19 years. She says she's beginning to see a change in the girls.

[Host 1]

A lot of the ladies. What I do see change are ladies with great educations. Master's degrees and women that come from all walks of lives. It's a lot different than 20 years ago where it was just a street hooker from under the bridge. It's a totally different ball game.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The world's oldest profession is seeing a lot of new changes, but it's also surviving in a tough economic world.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

I'm listening to that and I don't know why the word hooker to me is so crass, but prostitute doesn't bother me at all. Hooker just sounds.

[Host 1]

They're both pretty crass. Random, random tangent for a second. So when I was in elementary school, my sister was in high school and she played on a softball team and the softball team was sponsored by Hooker Chemical Company. And I swear her softball jersey on the front and arch said hooker.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

This is my obvious question to ask here. I don't think anybody listening right now will call up that has hit such tough economic times because we are in brutal times right now. Brutal times cause for desperate measures. Is there anybody that has started prostituting, tricking, tricking, because you had to.

[Host 2]

Well, I put it out there. I put it out there, but I haven't gotten any calls yet.

[Host 1]

Could you take a call of somebody that became an escort?

[Host 2]

Same thing.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Isn't the same.

[Host 1]

Is it the same thing?

[Host 2]

Yes.

[Host 1]

I mean, come on. Yeah, okay. Just different words.

[Host 2]

An escort to hook her with a website.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

And we'll put you on the voice disguiser. We got calls.

[Host 1]

The winter season.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

We got calls.

[Host 2]

You're not a failure.

[Host 1]

Damn it.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Hey, Todd, you're on Q100.

[Caller/Guest]

Hi. How's everyone doing?

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Okay. You're on the voice disguiser.

[Caller/Guest]

Absolutely. Well, I have escorted for like about the past year or so and times have really gotten hard. I'm a college student. I'm a full time college student and I have day and evening classes, typically Monday through Thursday. And it's just very difficult to sustain a job. It really, really is. And I had a job when the gas was at $4 a gallon. It was literally costing me more work to get to work. It was costing me more money to get to work than I was actually making there. And me and some of my friends were just sitting around making jokes about it. Then we're like, you know what, we could really do this. I mean, I'm a very attractive guy and my friends are attractive. And, you know, we just actually started escorting.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

So you guys are doing this as like a business together or do you have individual websites and individual businesses?

[Caller/Guest]

Well, we're all individual, but there are clients that want to have more than one person there simultaneously.

[Host 1]

Oh, wow.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Wow. Is your clientele mostly single women or is it married women?

[Caller/Guest]

I get a wide range of clientele, honestly. I mean, it's even. I even have, like, male clientele, which is kind of different. But, I mean, I don't really ask that many questions. They don't ask that many questions. They just ask for my name. And

[Main Host/Interviewer]

had you ever been intimate with another man before you started doing it for a living?

[Caller/Guest]

I've had an. You know, an experience. I think most guys, realistically, if they're honest with themselves, they've had some type of experience with another male. But, I mean, I'm not ashamed to say. I mean, yeah, I have, you know, being younger and.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

How much do you get?

[Caller/Guest]

The minimum that I've ever gotten was 150, and that was for pretty much a simple meet and greet.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

And how expensive can it get?

[Caller/Guest]

I've had clients that have flown me out of the country and, wow. Things like that. So those really go up to, like three and 4,000.

[Host 1]

Wow, you are hot.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

$4,000?

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Hang on a minute. Hobby wants to talk to you.

[Host 1]

Hang on a second.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Thank you for calling, Todd. Appreciate it.

[Caller/Guest]

Thanks so much, man.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, we don't have to be done there.

[Host 1]

I'm uncomfortable because it's so sad. I know.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

It is. I didn't anticipate us getting any calls at all. On it. Good morning, Emily.

[Caller 2]

Hi.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Hi. You're on the voice disguiser.

[Caller 2]

Hi.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

How long ago did you start doing this?

[Caller 2]

Just a few months ago. Not really that long.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

And how bad was it economically for you before you said, okay, this is it. This is what I got?

[Caller 2]

Well, it's really bad. I mean, you know, when you're only working minimum wage, it's. I mean, it gets hard when you're trying to keep rent and food and gas and stuff.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Is this like a website, escort website thing?

[Caller 2]

Oh, no, actually, I only actually have sex with a few guys, and then I let people watch for money.

[Host 2]

Okay, so people.

[Host 1]

So you charge for voyeurism? I said, so you charge for voyeurism more than anything else.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

So you have a. Another partner that you have sex with. So you guys. It's sort of a business. And then people pay the both of you to watch.

[Caller 2]

Right.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Wow. How do you find a partner to do that? I mean, how do you go to your friend and go, look, I got this idea for a business.

[Caller 2]

He came to me with it. We had been friends for several years, and he was going through a tough time, and so was I. And he Said, you know, I bet we can make money like this. And I said, sure, why don't we give it a try? And it's worked out really well.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Had you been intimate with this guy before it became a business for the two of you?

[Caller 2]

No.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

So the very first time you guys ever had sex was in front of somebody else?

[Caller 2]

Yeah.

[Caller/Guest]

Wow.

[Host 1]

And is it really just like a working relationship?

[Caller 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

So you guys aren't together unless you're getting paid, right?

[Caller 2]

I mean, we still do, like, friends stuff together.

[Host 1]

Like, we've been friends for a long

[Caller 2]

time, but we're not like intimate together unless we're getting paid.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Are you physically attracted to him at all?

[Caller 2]

Well, I mean, he's a nice looking guy, but it's not like that. You know what I mean?

[Host 2]

It's just like, what is business? What does somebody pay just to watch?

[Host 1]

That is so fascinating.

[Caller 2]

What now?

[Host 2]

What does somebody pay just to watch?

[Caller 2]

That's what they do. They just pay to watch.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Right.

[Caller/Guest]

How much?

[Caller 2]

Oh, usually about 200.

[Host 2]

And do you have, like, bleachers up? Is it a bunch of people or is it just like one? One person?

[Main Host/Interviewer]

It's right in the middle of Phillips Arena. It's a whole arena full of people. And do you have a website? Is that where people find you?

[Caller 2]

No, he. He just finds people that he knows and stuff.

[Host 2]

So he just goes to his buddies

[Caller 2]

and goes, I don't really do anything.

[Host 2]

So he goes to a party, has a few beers and says, hey, you guys want to get in on something? For 200 bucks, I'll let you have. Watch me have sex with my girlfriend.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Is that how that works?

[Caller 2]

Yeah.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

And does he have a picture of you that he's showing everybody? Like, if you want to watch me have sex with this girl, It'll cost you $200.

[Caller 2]

Usually we're at places together.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

I see.

[Caller 2]

You know, like, usually we'll go out together and like, network. Yeah.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Wow. Wow, that is so fascinating.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

It really is. I'm very.

[Host 1]

Do the other people ever ask if they can get involved?

[Caller 2]

Yeah, they do.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Do you ever let them?

[Caller 2]

No, we don't.

[Host 1]

Mm.

[Host 2]

And how. So how often is this going down?

[Main Host/Interviewer]

It's like, I don't want to let her off the phone because it's really interesting.

[Caller 2]

It's usually just probably about once every two weeks, but occasionally we'll do it more than that.

[Host 2]

So 2, 300 bucks a month for you?

[Caller 2]

Yeah.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Okay. Wow. And it's not something that you're not proud of, but you're. I mean, it's just business. For you?

[Caller 2]

Yeah. I mean, it's not something that I'm advertising most definitely, but, you know, you gotta do what you gotta do. And me and this guy, we've been friends for, like, I said, like three or four years. So, you know, there's so many guys

[Main Host/Interviewer]

right now that have girl friends. They're gonna propose this today that have wanted to sleep with them for years. Look, this is all about business to the economy, right?

[Host 1]

Desperate times. You're in a slump.

[Host 2]

I gotta get some unemployed girlfriends.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Good morning, Jamie. You're on the Voice Disguiser.

[Caller/Guest]

Good morning.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Good morning.

[Caller/Guest]

I don't know what to say.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

How long ago did you. I mean, was it purely economic reasons, the last couple of months that got you into this?

[Caller 2]

Basically, I, you know, fell on hard times and had this friend that would is interested. He's married, you know, so he would,

[Caller/Guest]

you know, it wasn't actually, you know,

[Caller 2]

sex or anything, but it was, you know, fetish, you know, kind of, you know, show your stuff and

[Caller/Guest]

a little

[Caller 2]

bit of spanking or something.

[Host 2]

So he's. So this married friend of yours is paying you for you to spank him or he spanks you.

[Caller 2]

He spanks me.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

And then that's it.

[Caller/Guest]

Well, I mean, there's a few other toys involved, but it was never, you know, it wasn't actual stuff.

[Caller 2]

You know, he didn't.

[Caller/Guest]

You know what?

[Caller 2]

I don't know how to say this. I'm not used to being on the radio.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

I'll be really careful because we're gonna. We're walking a real close edge right here.

[Caller 2]

Okay.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

In fact, so much so, let me just go ahead and put you on hold. I think we got what we got. Yeah. I just don't want to. You really want to go over the line?

[Host 2]

You don't have to put her on hold. You should probably hang up on her unless you want to talk to her.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

I like to spank myself.

[Caller/Guest]

Yes.

[Host 2]

Save that and send it to Sanjay Gupta.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

All right, one last call here. This is our closer call. Hey, Tim, you're on the Voice Disguiser.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, guys. How y' all doing?

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Okay. How are you?

[Host 1]

A little disturbed.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, a little disturbed, but a little. Little fascinated.

[Host 1]

Yeah, a little interested.

[Caller/Guest]

All right. My girlfriend, she had got this message from this guy on MySpace wanting her to join his little escort service thing. And she didn't tell me at first. And then about a week or two later, she told me about it, and I was like, what are you thinking, girl? We should do this? Because I'm a firefighter and everybody's talking about getting laid off and everything, and it's just times are really, really tough right now. But, I mean, it don't bother me at all. I would. I would love for her to do that because that way we have enough money to get by.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

You know, I got a couple of questions right off the bat, so.

[Host 1]

Yeah, it's. It's.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Are you telling me that there are people that go online just looking for hot girls on to recruit just based on, like, MySpace Photos and Facebook?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

So he looked at her, thought she was hot, and then contacted her to be an escort?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah. Wow. Yeah.

[Host 1]

And she said yes?

[Caller/Guest]

No. She said no.

[Host 1]

She said no.

[Caller/Guest]

She didn't message him back or anything.

[Host 2]

Mm.

[Host 1]

So she hasn't done anything yet?

[Caller/Guest]

No. I have been wanting her to so bad.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Wouldn't bother you at all? Not even a little bit?

[Caller/Guest]

No.

[Host 1]

Are you sure?

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Wow.

[Host 1]

Really?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

That means she'd be hooking up with other dudes.

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah. I mean, it just. It don't bother me.

[Host 2]

Wendy, queen of the obvious.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Do you.

[Host 1]

You realize that means it's not just a date? It's going back to hotel rooms. It's doing favors. It's not just a date. It's not just escorting someone somewhere. And I don't. Yeah. This. What was that movie with Demi Moore, Robert Redford, like, when?

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Indecent Proposal. Proposal.

[Host 1]

Like, it's all cool and sounds good. You're making extra money. But then once she starts doing it, I. I don't believe you. That you wouldn't be bothered by it once it starts. You'll be Woody Harrelson. You'll freak out.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Do you think it's just, like. It would just be sex and it's just business, you know? She loves you.

[Caller/Guest]

Oh, yeah. We're in love. Oh, yeah. Totally in love. Get married and everything.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

Why are you rolling your eyes like that?

[Host 1]

Because I don't. I don't believe that he won't get competitive after. After the process starts, because your curiosity will kill you. Be like, well, how was it? What was he like? What was that like? And then once she starts telling you, you're gonna be like, well, did you like it? Did you like it better? How was that? You know what I mean? It's just. Yeah, it just. It opens questions for you that will lead to other places you don't even

[Main Host/Interviewer]

know you're going, but. Because it's not emotional for you, and she would just be doing it to bring home money, that would. That's business for you.

[Caller/Guest]

Oh, yeah.

[Host 1]

Wow.

[Caller/Guest]

Oh, yeah. I like that easy money stuff.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

How much did he offer her?

[Caller/Guest]

She said she could make up to a grand a night.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

A grand a night?

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Wow.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

So have you pressed her on it, or is she just dead set against it?

[Caller/Guest]

She's pretty much dead set against it, but I'm still working on it.

[Host 1]

Well, you're the firefighter. You could go out and make the money.

[Caller/Guest]

Everybody's talking about laying everybody off.

[Host 1]

No, I'm not talking about firefighting. I'm not talking about.

[Main Host/Interviewer]

She's a savings.

[Host 1]

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