Podcast Summary: The Bert Show

Episode: Vault: What Horrific Thing Did You Do While Taking Ambien?

Date: March 25, 2026

Overview

In this episode, the Bert Show team explores the bizarre, funny, and sometimes alarming things people have done while under the influence of Ambien, a popular prescription sleep aid. The hosts and callers share first-hand and anecdotal stories about sleepwalking, strange purchases, and even uncharacteristic behaviors—often with no memory of these actions the following morning. The tone is candid, humorous, and slightly incredulous as the cast and callers try to make sense of the drug’s unpredictable effects.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ambien’s Strange Side-Effects ([01:14]-[01:51])

• Host Tyler Redick introduces the topic by sharing about his mother’s bizarre behavior while using Ambien, such as food and knives left out on the kitchen counter with no memory of it.

  • “My mom was on it for a while. She was waking up in the morning and there was food and knives all on the kitchen counter. And she had no idea what she was eating. Zero idea.” (Tyler Redick, 01:14)

• Callers add to the theme with their own family stories, including a grandmother waking up on the front porch and someone making sandwiches in the middle of the night.

Hallucinations and Unusual Behavior ([01:51]-[03:11])

• Caller Melissa recalls a vivid hallucination involving a Tranquility Buddha figurine chasing her around her bedroom, then realizing she had called a friend in the middle of the night to report it—something she didn’t remember at all.

  • “The first time I ever took Ambien I hallucinated this Tranquility Buddha jumped off the mantel and chased me around the room…You called me at 3 o’clock this morning to tell me all about it. No idea, sorry.” (Caller Melissa, 01:53)

• Melissa also admits to late-night emailing while on Ambien, with no recollection.

• The hosts and callers debate the legality of Ambien and compare its effects to feeling “really drunk,” noting some people use it recreationally.

Embarrassing or Relationship-Altering Consequences ([02:55]-[05:13])

• Caller shares about sending inappropriate, “nasty” texts to a new boyfriend under Ambien’s effects—leading to confusion and embarrassment the next day.

  • “She took Ambien and she sent him some really nasty text messages that she didn’t even remember…and the next day he was like, what’s up with you?” (Caller, 02:58)

• Tyler discusses stories of spouses discovering their partners had intense, uninhibited behavior in the night, only to find out those actions were completely forgotten the next morning.

  • “…the husband walks down…his wife just attacked him and they had freaky, freaky, freaky…she was like this animal…and four days later they both realized that she had no idea what she was doing.” (Tyler Redick, 03:18 & 03:40)

Physical Altercations & Relationship Fallout ([03:49]-[04:33])

• Caller Tanya describes waking up to her boyfriend wrapped in dirty towels on the floor, covered in scratches, after unknowingly beating him up during the night on Ambien.

  • “Apparently I beat the ever living crap out of him and wouldn’t give him a blanket and wouldn’t give him a pillow and didn’t even let him in the bed.” (Caller Tanya, 03:51)
  • “He was in the dirty laundry. He was sleeping with dirty laundry to cover himself.” (Caller Tanya, 04:15)

• Hosts joke about the scenario, highlighting how out-of-character and extreme Ambien behavior can be.

Medieval and Thematic Hallucinations ([04:33]-[06:18])

• Caller Shannon tells a surreal story of “ancient history sex” with her husband, involving imaginary swords and shields, which she didn’t remember afterward. Her husband now anticipates Ambien nights.

  • “I felt like we had had ancient history sex. Like he had a shield and a sword…apparently, we had sex again…and I don’t remember any of it.” (Caller Shannon, 04:38)
  • “He said his odds are working out really good for him right now with Ambien. So every night he’s like, hey, you taking that Ambien before we go?” (Caller Shannon, 05:02)

• Another caller recounts bidding on and winning medieval helmets and chain mail on eBay, items she had no interest in, after a night on Ambien.

  • “I went and ordered all of these, like, old knight helmets, you know, with the chain mail. And I have no interest in that stuff at all…my husband’s freaking out, thinking that I’ve lost my mind.” (Caller, 05:37)

• The hosts joke about Ambien’s apparent tendency to inspire medieval and fantasy behavior.

Sleep-Driving and Night-Time Excursions ([06:18]-[07:05])

• Caller Clay describes a story of his sister who got dressed, left the house, drove to McDonald’s, bought food, and returned—completely unaware of any of it until waking up with food in her bed the next morning.

  • “…she grabbed her pillow, dressed herself, and walked right out the door. Jumped in her car, went and picked up food, came back home and went straight back to bed and had food all over her bed and she didn’t know how it got there.” (Caller Clay, 06:22)

• The team highlights the seriousness and humor of waking up next to fast food with no memory.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “How is that stuff legal then? If it does this to everybody, I don't know.” (Caller, 02:32)
• “You got to reevaluate that relationship.” (Caller, 04:30) in reference to someone forced to sleep with dirty laundry for warmth.
• “He’s crushing it up into your dinner. You don’t even know it.” (Tyler Redick, 05:09) joking about a husband taking advantage of Ambien’s effects.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:14] — Host introduces Ambien stories with personal anecdote
• [01:53] — Caller Melissa’s hallucination and late-night calls/emailing
• [02:58] — Texting new boyfriend inappropriate messages
• [03:18] — Uncharacteristic sexual behavior and forgotten nights
• [03:49] — Physical altercation: boyfriend forced to sleep on the floor
• [04:38] — “Ancient history sex” and Ambien-fueled relationship boosts
• [05:37] — Medieval eBay purchases made in an Ambien haze
• [06:22] — Sleep-driving to McDonald’s and waking up with food in bed

Tone & Language

The style throughout the segment is informal, lighthearted, and often self-deprecating. The hosts and callers approach potentially dangerous stories with humor, but there’s an underlying acknowledgment of the seriousness and unpredictability of Ambien’s effects.

Summary

This episode of The Bert Show serves as both an entertaining and cautionary tale about the power and unpredictability of Ambien. Through a collection of outrageous listener stories—ranging from sleepwalking and hallucinations to unexpected intimacy and accidental shopping sprees—the hosts highlight that while some side effects are hilarious in hindsight, they can also lead to genuine risks. The unique blend of audience participation and candid conversation gives this topic a relatable and comedic edge, reminding listeners to be wary of what might happen after popping that little white pill.