Bert Kreischer's Daughters Were Originally Against Him Using Their Names in 'Free Bert'

Controversial comedian Bert Kreischer is best known for his shirtless calling card, his "the machine" story about accidentally robbing a train in Russia, and the action-comedy of the same name. He's controversial, in part, because of his dogged defense of using offensive slurs, his dismissal of "wokeness," and his propensity to make almost anything about himself. He even admitted on the 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast that his friends think he's a narcissist, although he can't see it.

Naturally, Bert created a comedy series about himself. The series focuses on Bert attempting to fit into Beverly Hills society when his daughters start attending an elite school there.

Bert Kreischer's first scripted TV series, Free Bert, is actually based on Bert's real life and family. He said that the series is a "fictitious take" on "nonfiction parts of his life." In the series, he writes fictional versions of himself, his wife, and his two daughters. The characters use their real names. His daughters, Ila and Georgia, are now 21 and 19, but they are portrayed as fictional versions of their younger selves.

TV Insider asked Bert whether he feels pressure about how the show is received because it's about his family. Bert said that he feels like his fans know his family, so he's not too worried about it. He said, "I’m just hoping new fans find it and identify with it. I’ve gotten a really good response from the show so far that I really didn’t expect," noting that Gayle King and Drew Barrymore loved it.

On CBS Mornings, Bert revealed that his daughters were initially against him making the series because it was about their family. They didn't want their real names and likenesses to be used. However, he said that after they watched some of the footage, they changed their minds.

However, he told TV Insider that he's still not sure what they'll think about the fictionalized versions of themselves, and is dreading the calls he'll get from them about it.

Bert shared, "I’m sure that has to be a sensitive area. At the same time, these are fictitious takes on nonfiction parts of my life. I’m hoping everyone is going to be on the same page and see the art for what it is." He added, "At the same time, it’s their names and their likeness. If they are not happy, I’ll deal with it then.

In Bert's CBS Interview, Gayle brings up Bert's daughters cursing in the show. Bert said that, in real life, his kids weren't allowed to curse until they were 16. He added that they had a somewhat traditional household. Bert said that he and his family definitely shared funny moments together when the girls were young, but the comedy and plot in the show are heightened and fictionalized.