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Progressive Insurance Announcer
This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try it@progressive.com Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.
Verizon Announcer
In a world where January is supposed to be boring, one staple of the holidays refuses to end the great deals at Verizon. The joy just keeps on coming. Right now you can save on four new phones and four lines. Critics agree it's the deal that keeps on giving. Come into Verizon and save on four new phones and four lines on unlimited. Welcome additional terms apply@severizon.com for details. The Birch Show.
Host (possibly Bert)
So for years, we've heard. Every guy has heard this at one point or another, that women have a higher pain tolerance level than. Because we get delivered babies and you can't. No man can take that. What did you say this morning?
Jeff
What?
Host (possibly Bert)
Try pms. You don't have to deal with pms. No man can handle pms.
Jeff
No, I didn't really say that. But I do think that women have a higher pain tolerance than. Or I'm sorry. That women have a higher pain tolerance than men do. I definitely do. You guys act like big wimps every time you get a cold. It's like you've just, like, had cardiac arrest or something.
Jessica
But there's a huge difference. I mean, you know, I don't know who has the higher pain tolerance or not, but there's a huge difference between the need for attention that comes with an illness and an actual tolerance.
Jeff
Need for attention. Being a baby.
Jessica
There's nothing wrong with that.
Jeff
You can't handle a little stuffy nose.
Jessica
Yeah.
Jeff
How are you gonna deliver a child?
Jessica
What is wrong with wanting to be mothered?
Host (possibly Bert)
Save that.
Jen
Save that.
Host (possibly Bert)
Yeah.
Jessica
Seriously.
Host (possibly Bert)
I mean, did you just really say that?
Jessica
Yes. What is wrong with that? Well, he gets his.
Jeff
But.
Jen
Well, you call him at nights.
Jessica
He put me downs.
Jeff
His.
Jen
Put me down.
Jessica
Like, there's no. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Like, I don't think. I think there's a complete and total difference. Like, I can't.
Jen
But you don't. But you don't. Like, men won't. Like, when a woman gets sick, don't you probably get impatient with her because she can't.
Jessica
Absolutely. But that has nothing to do with pain. Pain is like. Pain is your friend Jen who smashed his foot when he was sleeping in more comfortable quarters for the Comfort of his wife, who smashed his foot, yet practically refused to go to the hospital because he's like, I can work through it. Although it was dangling.
Jeff
Yeah, he did have a.
Host (possibly Bert)
Barely holding on.
Jessica
Yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
Stacy's dad, when he goes in to get any dental work done, refuses any kind of numbness in his mouth, sits in the chair, focuses on one of the tile in the ceilings, and they work on his mouth.
Jeff
Okay. My friend Eve delivered a nine pound baby, no drugs, and it was all through meditation that. Take that, mopo.
Host (possibly Bert)
See, that right there is the common argument that you hear from women is that we deliver babies. Men can never do that.
Jeff
You go ahead and pass a coconut through your little pee pee, and then we'll talk.
Jessica
I thought you were gonna say no.
Host (possibly Bert)
Which, either way, it's gonna be ugly. Okay, Here's a new survey says women feel pain more than men. So scientists are saying now women also have poor coping strategies that make the problem worse.
Jessica
Totally agree with that.
Host (possibly Bert)
What do you mean?
Jen
What do you mean?
Jessica
Like, I can't.
Caller/Listener
What do you mean?
Host (possibly Bert)
What are we gonna do?
Jen
Yeah, what are we gonna do? It's Hippert tells me I'm hiring the octave of my voice until I find out what I have to do.
Jessica
Like, I think, like, can we refute. Can we not talk about the uncomfortableness of being sick? Cause that's not pain. Like, that's a guy being sick and wanting attention because he's in a vulnerable state and he wants to.
Jeff
Okay, so just save that. Next time Jeff has a cold, we'll put it on cd, give it to Jess.
Jessica
Right? That's fine. So take all of that out of it.
Jen
But a woman has poor coping skills. But for a guy, it's okay, because what's wrong with wanting to be mothered?
Host (possibly Bert)
Well, you let the man finish. Just let the man have a decent debate. What are you gonna do?
Jeff
You are biased. You cannot be the referee in this situation.
Jessica
What are you gonna say with the coping skills? And I'll speak from my own experience, like with Jessica or whatever. She will do whatever. Like, it could be stubborn toe. It could be. You know, I remember one time she was chasing the cat and I actually think she broke her toe. So this might be a bad example, but the cat got out and she went chasing after it and it kicked a rock or whatever. She will come in and you would think that someone is taking a drill to her eye socket.
Jeff
Sometimes stubbing your toe is worse than drill to the eye socket.
Jessica
Okay, but I'm just. It doesn't matter what it is. Or, like, burn herself or whatever. Women are Academy Award winners when you. Whatever. And you make it so many times worse. So you know what I've learned to do with Jessica? And I learned this from parents of, like, two year olds. When Hayden hurts himself, what do you do? You don't go, oh, my God, are you okay? Oh.
Host (possibly Bert)
What's wrong?
Jessica
Haythen? You all right? You go, Ah. Hayden fell down. Hayden fell down.
Jeff
No, wait.
Jessica
He doesn't panic, Right?
Jen
You're describing me the same thing. Like, you get sick and you need attention, so you do an Academy Award performance when you have a cold because you need Jessica's attention, where she trying to get nurtured by her husband when she's had something happen to her that makes her uncomfortable, but yet that's poor coping skills. That's a double standard.
Jessica
That's. That's why all relationships should be a man, a woman and a woman. Because then you have two women in the house to nurture each other, and the man can do manly things like get hurt and not complain.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hey, Alison.
Jessica
Oh, look, I accidentally run over my own torso, but I am fine even though my sternum is sticking out of my back.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hey, Allison, what's up?
Caller/Listener
Hey. I just have a comment about the. The tolerance thing with men and women. I know. I know for a fact that women have a higher tolerance for pain because me and a guy friend of mine went to go get our nipples pierced at the same time, and I said, ow, one time for each boob, and he almost cried like a baby.
Host (possibly Bert)
Well, there are some guys that break the mold.
Jen
Oh, see? Yeah, he's not.
Caller/Listener
This is a big, strong guy.
Host (possibly Bert)
And it's a known fact that men have more nerve endings in their nipples.
Jeff
Oh, it's a known fact.
Progressive Insurance Announcer
Yeah.
Jen
Dr.
Host (possibly Bert)
Wise, look it up.
Jessica
And Burt knows this because he's extensively studied the nipple.
Host (possibly Bert)
I'm a nippologist. Save that more from the survey. While men have long been thought of as wimps and the painstakes especially as it is women who brave childbirth. Yada yada. Bath University pain management unit challenged that myth, asking volunteers to dump their arm in a bath of warm water, then an ice bucket. They then measured their pain threshold, the point where it began to hurt. They also recorded the pain tolerance level, the point when the volunteer could no longer stand the pain. Women were found to have a lower threshold and less tolerance. Expert also found the sexist think differently about pain. Men think more rationally. Okay. About how to treat it. Women are more emotional and focused on how it is and how it makes sense.
Jeff
Just because we're connected to our feelings and connected to what we're going through doesn't mean we don't have coping strategies.
Host (possibly Bert)
You're connected to your inner sissy is what you're connected to.
Jeff
Okay, let's see whose inner sissy comes out today there, buddy.
Host (possibly Bert)
All right, since we don't have the time to do the whole thing. The bath of warm water and then the ice bucket. What I've had producer Tracy do is prepare four identical. Well, what looks like trash cans of.
Jessica
They're very scientific.
Host (possibly Bert)
Ice. Holding containers of ice with ice water.
Jeff
Okay.
Host (possibly Bert)
Okay. All four of us will put our arms in the water at the same time.
Jeff
Up to where? Up to our elbow.
Host (possibly Bert)
We can determine that. Now, what do you want? Well, I got.
Jen
All we can do is our elbow. I think that's all they filled it up with.
Jeff
They gave you the biggest one.
Host (possibly Bert)
And I got alligator arms. I can't even get my arm all the way in the thing.
Jessica
You can only go to about.
Jen
What are you doing, dude?
Jessica
About the wrist.
Host (possibly Bert)
About the wrist.
Jen
Okay.
Jeff
Yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
All right, now, this may take, you know, a minute. This may take 20 minutes.
Jessica
This is actually colder than the water they did the experiment with, which is why the other one went longer. This is gonna be over quick.
Host (possibly Bert)
This. Who knows?
Jen
All right, what are we doing?
Host (possibly Bert)
Who knows? All right, so we all stick our hands in the bucket at the same time.
Jessica
I fight.
Caller/Listener
I fight.
Host (possibly Bert)
And we're gonna prove who has the higher pain tolerance level. Okay. We'll see who. If it's a guy standing last or it's a woman standing last here. Okay.
Jen
And we just see who keeps their hand in the eyes the longest.
Host (possibly Bert)
Now, my fear here is that the four of us are so competitive that somebody's getting frostbite and losing a hand today.
Jeff
Could be.
Host (possibly Bert)
All right, anybody want to take bets on who's going to win this? Jenna's got the look of Rocky in her eyes.
Jessica
I'll pay you what it's going to.
Jen
Be between Jen and Bern. I have a feeling between Jen and.
Jessica
Bert in the end, I'll tell you, I actually will have no problem bailing on this to see Jen and Bert hurt.
Jen
Agreed? Agreed.
Host (possibly Bert)
I fear Jen because she's about as competitive as I've ever seen anybody.
Jen
So, Jeff, five seconds in the bucket, and then we pull out.
Jessica
Yeah, I don't care.
Jen
Okay, Jeff.
Host (possibly Bert)
Not fair for Jeff. He's got a little more insulation than the rest of us.
Jeff
Jeff's been. Never mind. I was just going to make A dirty joke.
Jessica
I. Yeah. I have no. Yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
Like, come on, you guys can't bail on this. Dude, you're doing this for men. This isn't about me.
Jessica
No, you're representing the men now, okay?
Host (possibly Bert)
When has that ever happened?
Jessica
It hasn't. This should be good.
Jeff
I think it's. I think what you just said about sissying out. I think it's a sissy way out.
Jessica
No, I will be perfect. I think it's a sissy way out.
Jen
Sissy.
Host (possibly Bert)
She's calling you out.
Jessica
I'm not being a sissy. I'll be perfectly honest with you. Jen scared me.
Jeff
You're a sissy.
Jessica
When the ice buckets came in, the look on her face.
Host (possibly Bert)
Well, you're proving their point. You're scared even to get in on the competition right now.
Jessica
That's fine.
Host (possibly Bert)
Get in there, you sissy.
Jessica
That is fine. I will go in, but I have no problem coming out early because Jen is frightening.
Jeff
So how far up are we putting our hand in?
Jessica
It only goes into, like, your wrist if you go in all the way. So it's just your.
Jeff
Well, no, mine is going to go further than that. So I just want to make sure. If I only have to do the wrist, I'm only going to do.
Jen
Mine will do the wrist.
Host (possibly Bert)
By the way, I just dipped mine in there real quick, and it's very cold.
Jeff
I don't know. This is going to suck. I know this is going to really suck.
Host (possibly Bert)
And again, this could last 30 seconds. It could last 60. If it goes longer than, like, 60, I'll go to commercials. We may bring Shannon Weissman in here and have to talk to her while we have our hands and eyes. Who knows how long this is gonna go, but we're gonna see who's got the higher pain tolerance level.
Jessica
I think it'll go. I think it's gonna go long. Cause of Jen.
Jeff
I'm telling you, I always wanted to be on one of these, like, Real World Road Rules challenges, baby. I would have been good on a reality show.
Host (possibly Bert)
Are you ready?
Jeff
I think so.
Jessica
I told you we could have been Pearson lobbyists today. Then we would have been. Okay.
Jen
Lobbyists.
Host (possibly Bert)
Labias, labia, labia.
Jen
Tomato, tomato.
Jeff
All taste the. Hey.
Host (possibly Bert)
Whoa.
Jeff
Whoa.
Host (possibly Bert)
I wouldn't know, Melissa. I wouldn't know. Oops. All right, we'll put our hands in. I'll start taking calls.
Progressive Insurance Announcer
Okay.
Jessica
Three, two, one.
Host (possibly Bert)
Three, two, one. Put it in. Oh, good God. That's not cold.
Jeff
It's freezing. Oh, man.
Jen
And it's bucket. Yeah, it's just nothing but ice.
Host (possibly Bert)
Good morning, David. You're on all the hits. Q100.
Caller/Listener
Hey, Bert. Jeff.
Host (possibly Bert)
Yes, sir.
Caller/Listener
Hey, just to say, you know, I.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hate to disagree with y', all, but.
Caller/Listener
My wife delivered our baby about eight months ago at home by herself while I was at work.
Jeff
Huh.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hold on a sec.
Jen
I'll let Jen represent us.
Host (possibly Bert)
Wow, wow, wow. That is cold.
Jessica
This is colder than the experiment, dude.
Host (possibly Bert)
Go ahead, David, continue.
Caller/Listener
So, you know, that being said, I hate to disagree with y', all, but I think women might have higher pain tolerance.
Host (possibly Bert)
Can't hear a word you're saying.
Caller/Listener
Thank you.
Jessica
Thanks for coming by today.
Jen
I'm. Jeff. Has lasted this long.
Jessica
How deep is your hand in there, Burt?
Host (possibly Bert)
It's all the way in.
Jessica
Yeah, yeah. Mine's coming out slowly, Kim. Yep, I got him. Hello?
Host (possibly Bert)
Someone just talk to me.
Jeff
Go ahead. Somebody distract us, please. Hurry up.
Caller/Listener
Talk.
Jen
Hello?
Caller/Listener
Yes, ma'.
Jessica
Am. All right. I'm hoping at some point it goes numb.
Caller/Listener
Hello?
Host (possibly Bert)
Yeah.
Jen
Yes, Go ahead.
Caller/Listener
How you doing?
Host (possibly Bert)
Shut up and say something.
Jessica
I hate you for doing this to me.
Caller/Listener
Are y'. All go.
Host (possibly Bert)
Go.
Jeff
Yeah, go.
Jessica
I'm about to curse at you, you son of a.
Caller/Listener
Calling me names.
Jen
Yeah, you're gonna.
Host (possibly Bert)
Yeah. I can't even tell you.
Jessica
Yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
How tough this is, Jeff.
Jen
I'm impressed.
Host (possibly Bert)
He's got more insulation than the rest.
Jen
All right, Jen, don't think about. Come on, girl.
Host (possibly Bert)
I can't believe you bailed out that early. Kidneys removed.
Jessica
Jen's the only one that dance. To her credit.
Jeff
I don't have.
Jen
I have nothing to prove. I've been through enough.
Host (possibly Bert)
I want to tell you guys something. That my hand has gone sufficiently numb enough that it doesn't hurt as much as it did 30 seconds ago.
Jessica
Mine, too.
Host (possibly Bert)
Still hurts.
Jeff
It hurts like an sob.
Jessica
How you doing, Jen?
Jeff
I'm okay. Just breathing.
Jen
Don't think about it.
Jessica
Just.
Jen
Yeah, breathe deep, girl.
Jessica
Tracy, you're have to continue to hold.
Jeff
My microphone up because of my fingertips. That's the problem.
Jen
Don't think about it.
Jessica
Somehow my right hand has become inoperative because my left hand's in the ice. So, like, I can't really. What do you want if I give.
Host (possibly Bert)
You a redneck interpretation of exactly what's going on right now? This is what happens at a cookout when you're reaching the bottom of the cooler to find that last beer. It ain't in there, but you're still searching. So you keep fighting the good fight because you know you'll find something in there in the end.
Jessica
All right, the last pbr. Is down there somewhere.
Host (possibly Bert)
Yeah, keep looking.
Jeff
How long have we been doing this?
Host (possibly Bert)
I don't.
Jeff
Five minutes.
Jessica
Dude, I just moved my hand. I think I might be doing damage.
Host (possibly Bert)
We're at 5 minutes and 19 seconds.
Jessica
Is it possible we're doing damage? Yeah, I'm pulling out. I think I'm doing damage.
Host (possibly Bert)
Save that. He said that before.
Jessica
I'm out.
Host (possibly Bert)
Are you to the point now where you have, like, these weird, like, tingly shooting.
Jessica
You might be doing damage. Like, mine's out, and if I open my hand all the way, my fingertips hurt.
Jen
Yeah. Bart, you need to pull out because you don't want to do.
Jessica
I'm talking to both of them. I think you should pull out at the same time. Not kidding.
Jen
And call it a draw.
Jessica
Yes. I think you're doing damage.
Host (possibly Bert)
Jen, you got this call. You've been able to focus while I answer calls. This is your one go.
Jeff
No, I'm still. I'm still zening out over here.
Host (possibly Bert)
I know. That's not fair.
Jessica
Seriously, my fingertips hurt.
Jeff
Go to commercial then.
Jessica
No, you gotta stay live.
Jen
Hi, birdshow.
Caller/Listener
Hi. Hey, this is Sassu.
Jeff
Hey.
Caller/Listener
Okay, I'm calling to say this. I was four months pregnant, fell down the stairs, broke my ankle in two places, had surgery. They couldn't give me any painkillers, so I went through that whole experience like, you know, completely sober. No painkillers, nothing. So I know women have a much higher tolerance for pain than men. I can't even begin to understand.
Jen
Well, how would you, you know, argue to, like Jeff about how, you know, how most women are dramatic about.
Jeff
Say it.
Jessica
I'll hit delay. Say it at the same time.
Host (possibly Bert)
Three, two, one.
Jessica
Got it. Seriously, you guys, my hand's in pain right now. Pull out. Same time. Call it a draw. You're doing damage. I'm not kidding. We need a medical expert. Seriously.
Jen
Maybe you should have thought about that before the experiment.
Jessica
I'm telling you that my hand hurts more right now than it did when I had it in the ice.
Host (possibly Bert)
Starting to sweat.
Jeff
I'm sweating.
Host (possibly Bert)
Yeah, that hurts. Boy, that hurts.
Jen
Think of Costa Rica. Jen.
Host (possibly Bert)
How you feeling, Jen?
Jeff
This sucks.
Jen
You go, girl.
Jessica
Same time, you guys.
Jen
Costa Rica, it's hot outside. You need the bucket of ice. Cool off.
Jessica
Call it a draw. Pull it out at the same time. Bastard.
Jen
What was that?
Host (possibly Bert)
What the hell? What was that for?
Jen
Phil just dumped another bag of ice in Bert's bucket.
Jeff
I might have to prove this theory right, y'. All. This is killing me.
Jen
And it was fair and gave it to Jen, too.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hey, John.
Caller/Listener
Hey, good morning.
Jeff
Oh, I don't think I can do it. I'm out.
Host (possibly Bert)
Jen pulled out. I pulled out then right after her.
Caller/Listener
Or at least the guys won.
Host (possibly Bert)
Oh, damn.
Jen
So are you. What's your call?
Caller/Listener
Oh, when I was in high school, my football coach, if you sprained your ankle, used to have to stick your foot in a bucket of trash. Can of ice.
Jen
Uh huh.
Caller/Listener
And the trainers to tell us that if you stick. If 15 minutes is when it's going good for you, but longer than 20 is when it starts causing damage.
Host (possibly Bert)
All right, well, we both. Jim went about 11:50 and I went about 11:52.
Jen
Yeah.
Host (possibly Bert)
And it's over. And I don't feel any better about proving that right at all, so.
Progressive Insurance Announcer
Man.
Jen
Have a high tolerance level.
Host (possibly Bert)
There you go. Like hell. She okay? Jen, you okay?
Jen
Yeah, she's.
Jessica
She's okay.
Jen
She's zenning to try to get the pain out of her arm.
Host (possibly Bert)
Grab the mic, Jen.
Jen
You want me to pull it down for you?
Host (possibly Bert)
There.
Jessica
Jen is on her knees. There you go.
Jeff
It's really bad. I mean, it's like debilitating bad. It's like it was numb for a.
Jen
While, it was cold for a while.
Jeff
Then it got to another level and then it got to like this third level of horrifying and it just won't stop. Like I can't move my hand right now.
Jen
And her hand is bright red as compared to the other one. And you know, and so she's in the third level of hell. And I'm curious. A hot dog eating contest yesterday, sticking her hand in a bucket of ice.
Jessica
Today, why couldn't we just burn each other like I suggested?
Progressive Insurance Announcer
Bert.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hey, Brittany.
Caller/Listener
Hey.
Host (possibly Bert)
Hey.
Caller/Listener
I was just gonna say you guys are crazy.
Host (possibly Bert)
I know. Stupid, stupid.
Jen
We should have pierced our nipples.
Host (possibly Bert)
God, this hurts. But I have proven that men have a higher pain tolerance, have I not? I would say. I would point in the air and say, we're number one. But I have no feeling in my fingers.
Verizon Announcer
The Birch Show. In a world where January is supposed to be boring, one staple of the holidays refuses to end the great deals at Verizon. The joy just keeps on coming. Right now you can save on four new phones and four lines. Critics agree it's the deal that keeps on giving. Come into Verizon and save on four new you phones and four lines on unlimited. Welcome additional terms applied seeverizon.com for details.
Progressive Insurance Announcer
This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching your insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy. Just drop in some details about yourself and see if you're eligible to save money when you bundle your home and auto policies. The process only takes minutes and it could mean hundreds more in your pocket. Visit progressive.com after this episode to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.
Caller/Listener
Want to upskill on one of the most effective ad channels out there? With ACAS Ads Academy, you can learn everything you need to plan and run podcast advertising campaigns completely free. Whether you're new to audio or ready to sharpen your skills, our self paced courses fit your schedule and finish with an industry recognized certification. So if you want to grow your expertise and stand out in a competitive industry, head to go.acast.com academy.
Release Date: January 14, 2026
Hosts: Bert, Jeff, Jessica, Jen (plus callers and listeners)
Theme:
A lively, comedic, and candid exploration of the age-old debate: Do men or women have a higher pain tolerance? The hosts mix personal stories, pop-culture references, a look at scientific studies, and even a live in-studio experiment to test their own pain endurance.
The Bert Show crew launches into the mid-morning with playful but impassioned arguments about which gender can "take it" when it comes to pain. The conversation ranges from colds and childbirth to dramatic in-studio ice bucket challenges meant to physically test pain thresholds, all peppered with good-natured jabs, banter, and listener phone-ins. Besides laughs, the episode offers intriguing personal anecdotes and commentary on gender stereotypes in resilience and coping strategies.
[07:31–17:01] Key Segment
On Gendered Pain:
On Childbirth vs. Male Pain:
On the Experiment:
On the Suffering:
Post-Challenge Reflection:
The episode is exuberant, irreverent, and honest, with hosts poking fun not just at each other but at gendered expectations about pain and coping. Through stories, jokes, and physical feats, “The Bert Show” blends comedy with genuine curiosity about how we experience and react to pain—and how much of our endurance comes from biology, stubbornness, or the desire to win arguments.
Listeners are left with laughs, maybe a little wincing, and lots to think about the next time they stub a toe or fall ill.