Vault: Why is Jeff no longer on the show?

Summary

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Episode Summary: "Vault: Why is Jeff no longer on the show?"

Podcast: The Bert Show
Date: June 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around the sudden and uncertain absence of longtime co-host Jeff Dollar from The Bert Show. The cast addresses listener concerns and discusses, with candor and emotion, the behind-the-scenes contract negotiations that have left Jeff off the air. The conversation peels back the curtain on radio industry realities, team dynamics, and how unresolved business tensions threaten the chemistry that built their enduring success.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jeff’s Absence and Contract Negotiations

• [00:33 – 02:57]

  • Jeff Dollar’s contract expired on the 31st, and renewal negotiations between him and the station (Cumulus/Q100) remain unresolved.
  • The negotiation process, compared to free agency in sports, is individual—not as a team—and some cast are station employees, while others are contractors.
  • The gap: Jeff sees his worth reflected by the show's ratings and revenue, but the station doesn't agree on compensation.

  Quote:

  "There's been a lot of pull and... a lot of push on both sides, and I don't know where this thing's going to end... if it’s not done by Friday, then the reality of the situation is that we’re going to have to try to replace Jeff Dollar, which is impossible to do well."
  — Bert [02:26]

2. Team Reactions and Emotional Impact

• [02:57 – 04:23]

  • The hosts unanimously state they want Jeff to stay; his absence doesn’t feel real yet.
  • The mood is unsettled, with the team grappling with the possibility of change and the concern that the show won’t be the same.

  Quote:

  "None of us in this room want Jeff to go. Every single person here, 1000% wants Jeff to be a part of the show, period."
  — Cast member [02:57]

3. The Chemistry and Longevity of the Show

• [04:23 – 05:43]

  • Morning shows rarely last as long or achieve the same chemistry; the cast reflects on what makes the show special.
  • Bert expresses hope that corporate will see what the team already knows about the importance of keeping the group together.

  Quote:

  "Within our industry, it's so difficult to find what we have built together... Morning shows in radio just don’t last this long and they’re not as successful for as long a time as this one has been."
  — Bert [04:23]

4. Personal Sacrifice, Stress, and Uncertainty

• [05:43 – 08:37]

  • The team describes sleepless nights and a loss of rest due to worry over the negotiations.
  • Bert shares his efforts to mediate, even involving his agent and making direct appeals to ownership.
  • They all agree: "The Bert Show without Jeff doesn’t feel right."

  Quote:

  "This is the least restful vacation you’ve ever had... It just doesn’t feel real yet. Like, it feels like he’s just, like, out sick today or something."
  — Jen [03:59]

5. Listener Engagement and Support

• [08:40 – 11:31]

  • Listeners call in to share how Jeff made the show special for them and to ask what they can do to help.
  • Bert is candid—listener campaigns won't shift the negotiation: "It’s a money game at this point."

  Memorable Listener Quotes:

  "I started listening to this show... because I heard one of Jeff Dollar’s phone scams, and that is what got me listening to this show... Jeff is an essential part."
  — Anna [08:45]

  "There’s no man in radio like Jeff. He’s not replaceable."
  — Nicole [10:36]

6. On Replacing Jeff and the Show’s Future

• [11:31 – 12:26]

  • Bert remarks that replacing Jeff is impossible; there simply isn’t another Jeff.
  • The team stresses that the show will absolutely change if Jeff doesn’t return, but it will continue.

  Quote:

  "The person that we put back in here may not be as good, but we’re all replaceable. The show will be different if Jeff’s not here... but someone’s got to sit there and I got to get somebody in here that’s going to continue to make the show successful."
  — Bert [11:35]

7. Team Members and Contract Nuances

• [13:08 – 15:05]

  • Discussion turns to whether Jessica, Jeff’s wife and show member, would also leave if Jeff does (likely yes).
  • Bert addresses the feasibility of personally hiring Jeff or taking the show independent—currently not possible financially or contractually.

  Quote:

  "There are some morning shows where the host takes the contract out of the hands of the bigger company and handles everything in house, and I certainly have thought about doing that... it financially wouldn’t even be a possibility for me."
  — Bert [14:14]

8. Dissent, Criticism, and The Broader Context

• [15:21 – 16:13]

  • A caller, Joanne, voices the opinion that Jeff is being "greedy" to hold out in a tough economy. The cast pushes back, noting nobody knows the actual numbers, and calls for empathy and non-judgment before knowing the facts.

  Quote:

  "You can’t label it selfish if you don’t know all the details. So the bottom line is I’ll keep you posted as much as I can over the next couple of days."
  — Bert [16:52]

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "I've done everything I can. The Bert Show is not the Bert Show without Jeff. We all need each other."
  — Bert [03:06]

• "Jeff is intelligent. When you guys don’t know things, Jeff will go on his computer and get the truth. When serious matters come up, Jeff makes us laugh... He's not replaceable."
  — Nicole [11:01]

• "Replacing Jeff with another Jeff is not a possibility. But someone’s got to sit there..."
  — Bert [11:35]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:33 — Explanation of contract negotiations and show's internal structure
• 02:57 — Cast expresses their desire for Jeff to stay and team chemistry
• 04:23 — On what makes the show unique and irreplaceable
• 08:45 — Listener Anna on why Jeff matters to the audience
• 10:36 — Listener Nicole underscores Jeff’s uniqueness
• 13:26 — Will Jessica Shops also leave? Likely yes
• 14:14 — Could Bert hire Jeff independently? (No, not feasible)
• 15:21 — Dissenting caller critiques Jeff; cast defends his value

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Tone & Language

The episode is heartfelt, candid, and at times somber. The cast’s affection for Jeff and each other, their frustration with corporate limitations, and uncertainty for the future all come through strongly. Listeners are treated as part of an extended family—genuine, honest, and invited into the emotional core of the show's biggest crisis.

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Summary Takeaway:
The Bert Show's core chemistry is in jeopardy due to unresolved compensation negotiations, prompting the team and its listeners to wrestle openly with the pain and confusion of potentially losing a foundational member. The uncertain resolution leaves everyone, hosts and fans alike, waiting anxiously for definitive news in the coming days.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

will try to sort of recreate a conversation we had to have about 7:15 this morning with you guys that listen late in the show. But behind the scenes, things are a mess with the Burt show right now because Jeff's not here. Jeff's contract expired with the radio station and they're still in negotiations to try to get him back. And Melissa brought up a really good point earlier this morning that this whole radio and negotiations and contract thing is probably so foreign to you guys. So let us just sort of give you Contract Negotiations 101. When it comes to radio, it's very, very similar to sports, to be honest with you. We sign either a one or a two or a three year contract here at Q100 and we don't do that as a team. They have we all have different contracts with the radio station. Some of us are actually employees of Cumulus. Others of us I'm not. I am sort of a freelancer. I've got my own company and I'm not. But I still have to negotiate my own contract with Cumulus. So we all individually have contracts and Jeff's was up it expired on the 31st. The last time he signed was for three years. And Jeff and Q100, specifically cumulus, have been negotiating his deal now for months and months and months and they haven't seen eye to eye. Jeff has taken a look at the ratings and the success that the Burt show has had and the money that it's brought into the radio station and says that he's worth a certain amount of money. Cumulus is taking a look at the market and they've taken a look at what Jeff wants and has decided at this point that they don't want to pay that. So we're at a standstill really right now. And his contract expired, so at this point he's not part of the Burt show. There's been a lot of pull and A lot of push on both sides, and I don't know where this thing's going to end. You know, tomorrow morning, as I said earlier, we. We may come in here, and all of a sudden, corporate and Jeff have agreed on a contract, and Jeff is part of the Birch show again tomorrow morning. That might not happen tomorrow. Maybe it happens Wednesday. Maybe we walk in here on Thursday and it's done. Or Friday. But I can tell you in certainty that if it's not done by Friday, then the reality of the situation is that we're going to have to try to replace Jeff dollar, which is impossible to do well.

[C]

And I think we made it really clear earlier, but none of us in this room want Jeff to go. Every single person here, 1000% wants Jeff to be a part of the show, period.

[B]

And that's even an understatement. I mean, I have done everything that I can as the host of the show to get the two sides together to agree on a contract. I've gotten my agent in on it. I've made personal calls to the owner of the company also to try to make this thing happen too. And I've done everything I can. I mean, the Birch show is not the Birch show without Jeff. We all need each other. This show is successful because it's not a formula. But there's a chemistry here, and it's a chemistry that's worked for nine years. And I've tried to relay that to corporate, and they agree with that. They just. The numbers are apart. The numbers are just apart, you know? So I'm not exactly sure what else to tell you guys, except I know that Jeff wants to work here.

[C]

Mm.

[B]

And I know we all wanna work together. It's not happening right now.

[C]

It's not even really real to me yet. I think, Melissa, you and I are on the same page with that. Cause we've known for, you know, a month or so or a couple of months that this has been going on behind the scenes, and we've all been really involved in it. And I think, Bert, you said this is the least restful vacation you've ever had. And I think all of us would agree because we've been concerned about it the entire time, but it just doesn't feel real yet. Like, it feels like he's just, like, out sick today or something.

[B]

It's really pretty unthinkable, actually. Let me just try to explain again. And some of this is radio speak, and you may get bored by it, but within our industry, it's so difficult to find what we have built together. If you've listened to Atlanta radio for any amount of time at all, you hear morning shows come and go. It doesn't matter if they're good or not. Sometimes they just get in a fight with management, but for whatever. Sometimes they implode. Like one guy doesn't get along with the other guy and a really great show goes to crap. And it's a very tenuous situation at all times. And morning shows in radio just don't last this long and they're not as successful for as long a time as this one has been. So we've got something special here. So the fact that these negotiations started in July, it was unthinkable to me that this show could be broken up. There are morning shows I can point to in Charlotte and in San Diego and in Phoenix and in that are just as successful as we are. There's probably a handful of morning shows that have been doing this as long as we have and as successful as we have. And you do whatever you can to keep it together. And I know I've done that. And I'm hoping our corporate office sees the same way. So it's unthinkable. That's what Jen's saying. She can't wrap her head around this team being broken up.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, no, I think that's my sentiment too, is, you know, Katie and I was constant conversation throughout the holidays about this and yeah. And I'm just like, it's just, it's not real. Like, you know, I guess I'll react to it when there's a definitive end, you know, because I think, you know, conversations have happened for a long time and you know, and you know, for working in corporate America, I mean, you know, you have your reviews every year. You know, I think I remember working in corporate America every review every year. And that's when you give your side of your story and their side of their story and you come to terms in our industry and those of us who are under contract that like Bert said, is three years, you don't have to worry about it. And then that's when it's almost like three years worth of review are being done right now. So I mean, that's kind of the equivalent of non contract employees is that it's just, you know, that's what's going on right now.

[B]

So.

[D]

And they just obviously don't see eye to eye. But yeah, I mean, we don't. We in the room, you know, at least the, you know, Jen and Wendy myself, we don't know anything going on. We're not a part of it. You know, that's another thing that I think people don't understand. Even though we're a team and we're a whole show, we unfortunately have to work individually when it comes to staying on the show. You know, it's not a whole. You know, we don't. We don't go into the office together and come out together and sign contracts,

[B]

you know, and I'm walking a really fine line here because these guys still sign my paycheck, so I can't be too critical yet. On the other hand, I know what makes this show work, and it's all of us together, and Jeff is an integral part of that, business wise. I don't want to do the show without Jeff$, and I don't want to do the show without my friend Jeff Dollar.

[D]

You know, I gotta have somebody to pick on. So that's what I said earlier. And I haven't yelled at anybody today. I haven't hushed anybody today. I haven't told anybody to be quiet. I haven't told anybody not to be rude to listeners.

[B]

So, yeah, you were actually a little rude to listen.

[D]

Yeah. So it's going to have to be one of y' all that I'm going to fuss at.

[B]

So that's really the bottom line here. I hope I don't sound callous. It's just that I've gone through this now for months and months and months, and it really heated up over the last couple of days on vacation and a little bit before I left. Also, I'm exhausted. And if you would have asked me four days ago or five days ago if Jeff Dollar was going to be back on this show, I would have said there was a 10% chance of that happening. Now I'm a little bit more optimistic about it. But there was a time there where I really had to wrap my head around the show goes on without Jeff$, and as soon as I get back to Atlanta, I've got to start searching for a replacement for him. So because I'm not gonna allow the show to fail with Jeff or without Jeff. This show failing is not an option. That's my job. So I've had to allow myself to think about it a little bit. But now that I'm in here today and I'm looking over there and he's not here, I'm like, I just don't want to do a show without Jeff.

[E]

It's strange.

[C]

It's freaky.

[B]

Hey, Anna. Good morning.

[F]

Good morning. How are you guys?

[B]

Okay. How are you doing?

[F]

Okay, listen. I started listening to this show honestly, because I flipped when I first moved here to Atlanta. I flipped the dialogue and I heard one of Jeff Dollar's phone scams, and that is what got me listening to this show. And I love all of you guys, but Jeff is an essential part of this show. He's one of the reasons why I listened to it. What can we do as Q100 listeners to let corporate know that we want Jeff Dollar? We should start the Jeff Dollar campaign. What do we need to do to let them know that Jeff Dollar has to be a part of the Burt show?

[B]

Yeah. If I was going to be completely realistic about it, I would say that there's nothing you can do. They already know. They know the success of the show. They're making money off of the show. So they know how much we want him. They know how much you guys want him. So to bombard a message board about Jeff or to directly call the owner, I really don't think is going to have any impact at all. They already know it's a money game at this point. Jeff wants a certain amount. At this point, they don't want to pay it, and that's where the stalemate is. So I'm not even. I feel as helpless as you do.

[F]

Got it. Yeah. I mean, everyone always cares about their money. Yeah, it makes it tough. It makes it really tough. But, I mean, I'm sure that Jeff is worth whatever he's asking for.

[B]

Well, I think so.

[E]

I think so.

[B]

And Wendy doesn't even know. And she's like, yeah, he's worth it.

[E]

I don't know how much he makes, but I don't want to not stare across the room and not have Jeff sit there making a joke at me or making fun of my little hands all the time. I mean, I'm used to that. I love Jeff. Jeff's always there for me.

[B]

Hey, Nicole. Good morning.

[F]

How are y'?

[G]

All?

[C]

Terrible.

[B]

Faking it. Totally faking it today.

[F]

It's so ironic because during the holidays I thought how I missed you guys, but how I really miss Jeff. Jeff is not replaceable. You're not going to find a person that is as business minded, that is as family oriented in every way possible like Jeff is.

[B]

Yeah, you're right.

[F]

I mean, Jeff is intelligent. When we. When you guys don't know things, Jeff will go on his computer and get the truth. When serious matters come up, Jeff makes us laugh. Jeff is wise. I don't know any man in radio And I listen to a lot of different radio morning shows, but you guys are my favorite. But there's nobody like Jeff. There's no man in radio like Jeff. He's not replaceable.

[C]

We totally agree with you. I mean, Jeff is one of our best friends.

[B]

Certainly not our decision. And, yeah, all of us are replaceable. The person that we put back in here may not be as good, but we're all replaceable. And I totally understand that the show will be different if Jeff's not here. I won't say it won't be as good. Eventually. It's just going to be different for sure. Will he be missed? You bet. You bet. And I don't know. Look, I go to these conventions two, three times a year. I know the talent pool out there, and I know that there is not another Jeff. So he's replacing Jeff with another Jeff is not a possibility. But someone's got to sit there, and I got to get somebody in here that's going to continue to make the show successful. If that happens.

[C]

Let's just hope it doesn't happen.

[B]

Yeah, and there's still time. I mean, I don't want to talk about it like this thing is done either, because it really could. I mean, tomorrow Jeff could be back in here. Wednesday, he could be back in here.

[C]

And he wants to be.

[B]

And he wants to be here. That's really important thing to know is that he wants to be here also. But that's really all I can tell you at about now. So we're all sort of sitting on pins and needles and waiting for the next two or three days to find out how it all goes down. It was looking better for a while. Then it looked like he was out the door. Then it looked like it was getting better. Then once he was off the website. They took him off the website this weekend, which I thought was a really crappy, crappy move on corporate's part, but I thought for sure that was the thing that was gonna push him out the door. And then I found out things were going well, so I don't know. I don't know. Wish I had more answers. Hey, Tim. Good Morning. You're on Q100.

[F]

Hey, Bert. How y' all doing?

[B]

Okay. How are you? No, I'm not okay. We're faking.

[F]

I think we're all a little shaken over this Jeff thing. But the question I have is, I'm just curious, if Jeff, in fact, doesn't come back to the BART show, what about Jessica Shops?

[B]

I would say probably not.

[C]

I mean, you have to remember they are a team first before anything else. I mean, Jeff and Jessica are their own team. Right. Like, they're their lifetime partner team. So wherever he goes, she's going to go and support him.

[B]

Yeah, we probably lose both if that happens.

[F]

Exactly.

[B]

Yeah. She was taken off the website this weekend also, and I didn't know about that until I got texts from you guys. That was news to me.

[D]

Yeah, we didn't know till.

[E]

We didn't know either.

[D]

We weren't told directly either.

[B]

Hey, Jerry.

[F]

Good Morning.

[B]

You're on Q100.

[G]

Hey.

[D]

Hey.

[F]

I've heard about the Jeff dollar issue, and my question is, if Bert has his own company and he's such an integral part, why don't you hire him? Bert?

[B]

Yeah, that's been talked about. Also, there are some morning shows where the host takes the contract out of the hands of the bigger company and handles everything in house, and I certainly have thought about doing that.

[G]

Okay.

[F]

I mean, it just seems like you could take control of this so that you don't lose. Lose the team, lose the group, and then, you know, you may have more control about, you know, syndication and other things.

[B]

Yeah, it financially wouldn't even be a possibility for me to. To be able to take out what Jeff is asking for out of my contract. It's just financially, I couldn't do it.

[F]

So you couldn't renegotiate your contract then? As a team, yours is already set.

[B]

Yeah, mine's already set, so I couldn't do that. Yeah, but, I mean, in the future, that might be a possibility.

[F]

Okay. Didn't know if you could do that,

[G]

then maybe shop it around and do some other things.

[B]

We're gonna do the best we can, but again, it's not done yet. I don't want to paint this picture, but I just do want to let you guys know that the reality of the state of the Birch show is Jeff may not be part of that come Monday. I have one more call. Hey, Joanne. Good Morning. You're on Q100.

[G]

Good morning.

[B]

Hey.

[G]

Well, I love your show, and I love Jeff, but come on, let's get real. It's a tough economy. Everyone's struggling, and I think he's being greedy.

[B]

Well, you don't even know what he's asking for, though, so.

[G]

Well, if he's holding out and he's gonna ruin your show, then he's being selfish and greedy.

[C]

Well, you don't know what they've offered either.

[G]

Do you think he's making less?

[C]

None of us.

[F]

I mean, I didn't get a raise this year.

[G]

I didn't get a bonus this year because of all the crap going on. So I don't feel sorry for him.

[B]

What if it was less that they were offering him? You don't know that.

[G]

Well, then maybe he's lucky to have a job. Maybe we all are.

[B]

He doesn't see it that way. And again, I'm not gonna get into the specifics, but without knowing, I don't think you can really say he's being selfish. Cause you really don't know what's been offered.

[G]

Is it gonna jeopardize your show if he leaves, do you think?

[B]

Of course.

[G]

Seem a little bit selfish.

[E]

He's our family member.

[F]

Exactly.

[G]

He should take one for the team and for the family.

[E]

You don't ask your family to do that.

[B]

I don't see it that way either, so.

[G]

Well, I do.

[B]

His family comes before this family.

[G]

But what if he doesn't have a job? Then his family's gonna hurt that way too.

[B]

Jeff is gonna find a job. He'll find a job.

[G]

Well, I'm sure that they are not offering him less because you guys are awesome.

[C]

But you don't get to. You don't know that. You can't fill in the blanks with your own assumptions on how the negotiations have gone. I understand you, your sentiment, and I think probably other people feel that way. When we talked about this At 7:15, we had a caller who said something similar. So I think your voice is heard, and I think other people probably agree with you. But don't fill in the blanks on what his negotiations have been like because none of us know.

[B]

Yeah, you can't really. You can't label it selfish if you don't know what all the details are. So the bottom line is I'll keep you posted as much as I can over the next couple of days. If there's any movement at all. I don't know that there's gonna be anything to update except the next update is probably gonna be Jeff is part of the show or Jeff is not part of the show. That's where we're at. It's not gonna be I'm 90% sure or I'm 20% sure. The next time we talk about it, either Jeff is gonna be here or we're gonna have to. Unfortunately, which is the crappiest situation that I think any of us have even thought about over the last couple of weeks is go on without him. So we'll let you know if there's anything new over the next couple of days. Hey, the Birch Show.