The Bonfire w/ Big Jay Oakerson & Robert Kelly

“Corey's World Part 2” with Marcie Hume (Dec 24, 2025)

Guest: Marcie Hume, Director of the Corey Feldman documentary

Episode Overview

This episode dives into Corey Feldman’s enduring fame, the unique psychology of surviving child stardom, and the making of the new documentary Corey Feldman vs. the World, with filmmaker Marcie Hume. Hosts Big Jay Oakerson and Robert “Bobby” Kelly mix affection, astonishment, and signature comedic honesty while swapping stories about the realities of fame and touring, both in comedy and the wild world of Corey Feldman. Hume provides behind-the-scenes details and reflects on her approach to documenting Feldman’s world. The discussion traverses celebrity, self-perception, the complexities of child star legacies—and the irresistible weirdness of Corey Feldman.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Bizarre Burden of Child Stardom

• Early Fame’s Psychological Toll
  • Feldman’s fame is rooted in his childhood, altering his sense of self and connection to the outside world.
  • Marcie Hume [04:38]: “We put in him talking about being famous from the age of three... I just don't think we could possibly wrap our heads around that and establishing your relationship with the world based on that.”
• Never-Ending Recognition
  • Feldman’s fame is generational and inescapable, persisting even as his financial situation shifted.
  • Bobby Kelly [03:34]: “He will never lose...the girl screaming teenage excitement of it...he goes to a mall, people know who he is.”

2. The Dysfunctional Economics of Fame

• Wealth Peaks, Then Disappears
  • Feldman's past riches ("Goonies money") seem gone; his house is modest for a supposed superstar.
  • Oakerson [03:34]: “He doesn’t have that Goonies money anymore...business dries up.”
• Illusions and Lifestyle Gaps
  • The fill-in between public perception (wealth, success) and private reality (eviction, modest living).
  • Fame’s material perks don’t last; downshifts hit hard.
  • Bobby Kelly [06:11]: “It hurt...I could have had a bag of heroin [before], now I’ve got no overhead. Just holding my tits, trying, you know, it was like, fuck, what a—”

3. Searching for Validation & Coping with Decline

• Ineffable Need for External Validation
  • Feldman’s actions (Angels project, music tours) are attempts to regain the “love” of his peak years.
  • Robert Kelly [08:20]: “I feel like that’s what he’s doing. He’s trying to get back to where he was instead of kind of being where he is...”
• Lessons from Fame’s Discontents
  • The hosts and Hume reflect on fleeting perks (first-class seats, luxury, etc.) and their aftertaste.
  • Marcie Hume [07:39]: “You figure out what do I actually need to feel like people love me enough...I do think fame messes with that in profound ways...”

4. Life on Tour: Buses, Bands, and Broken Dreams

• Touring Realities vs. Rock'n'Roll Myths
  • Tour bus living is romanticized but unpleasant; stories highlight the mundane and absurd.
  • Marcie Hume [11:00]: “There is no fantasy for me ever of a rock tour bus.”
• Behind the Scenes: Bus Mutinies and Tuna Sandwiches
  • Amusing anecdotes about bus hierarchies, sandwich-making, and unexpected social dynamics.
  • Bobby Kelly [12:12]: “He should have gotten some self-respect and be like, I’m not making your tuna.”
  • Marcie Hume [16:04]: “I was just trying to be there and be as...non-obtrusive, like a fly on the wall as possible.”

5. Documentary Ethics & Feldman’s Creative Control

• Honesty vs. Fluff in Reality Docs
  • Discussed how real documentation is often shaped into "fluff pieces" when stars retain control.
  • Hume [14:25]: “…that’s so boring...in principle, the idea, like, imagine if we made something about ourselves...”
• Navigating Access and Trust
  • Hume shares her method—never pushing Feldman so as not to risk losing access.
  • Hume [15:50]: “If he said stop filming, I stopped filming. I didn’t push back...I was just trying to not be confrontational.”

6. The Angels, Adoration, and Ambiguity

• Tour Power Dynamics
  • The doc gives voice to the “Angels” (band/dancers) and examines the complex roles, agency, and blurred boundaries.
  • The film deliberately refuses to pass judgment, instead letting viewers make their own conclusions.
  • Marcie Hume [37:44]: “It’s all there. And it’s...the film does not make a decree of what is going on. And it leaves it there for you to reconcile and figure out what you think is going on...”
• Fans’ Mixed Motivations
  • The hosts admit they love Feldman’s icon status, even as they “lovingly mock” him.
  • Bobby Kelly [31:38]: “He’s an icon, undeniably...He certainly is.”

7. Notable Documentary Moments & Memorable Scenes

• The Comic Con Book Moment [27:27]:
  • A moment where Feldman won’t sign a fan’s book, but the caption reveals he’s actually trying to sell his own Comic Con book, not turn down a fan.
  • Robert Kelly [28:03]: “I thought it was that he wouldn’t sign it because he was too popular.”
• Pizza in NYC [21:06]:
  • Humor about Feldman eating “bad” pizza in New York, a detail that amused and bewildered the hosts.
  • Bobby Kelly [21:29]: “That looks like a bad piece of pizza for New York City.”

8. The Enduring Allure of Corey Feldman

• Why He Remains an Icon
  • The weird blend of nostalgia, pathos, and spectacle keeps Feldman in public affection.
  • Robert Kelly [32:00]: “If he could embrace it a little bit, he would sell so many tickets.”
• Audience Participation & The Show’s Plea
  • The hosts urge listeners to watch and re-watch the documentary, citing Easter eggs and hidden layers.
  • Bobby Kelly [27:00]: “You need to own it because you need to go back through it because you’ll watch this over and over again.”

9. Reflecting on the Documentary’s Reception

• Ambiguity as Strength
  • The documentary leaves room for all types of viewers—fans, haters, and the simply curious—to draw their own conclusions about Feldman’s triumphs and failings.
  • Robert Kelly [37:21]: “You did not put a—‘this is what it is.’ You let it all hang out. So...you can have your own view of what this was.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On child stardom:
  Marcie Hume [04:38]: “I just don’t think we could possibly wrap our heads around...establishing your relationship with the world based on [fame from age three].”

• On the fleeting nature of success:
  Robert Kelly [06:11]: “There wasn’t room [for my] overhead. They had to check it at the gate. And yeah, I was just standing there and then I was just holding my tits, trying...fuck, what a—”

• On touring realities:
  Marcie Hume [11:00]: “There is no fantasy for me ever of a rock tour bus.”

• On Feldman’s Icon status:
  Bobby Kelly [31:38]: “He’s an icon, undeniably...you can't even change that…”

• On documentary ambiguity:
  Marcie Hume [37:44]: “The film does not make a decree of what is going on. And it leaves it there for you to reconcile and figure out what you think…”

• On audience engagement:
  Robert Kelly [27:00]: “You need to own it and you need to go back through it because you’ll watch this over and over again.”

• Fan endorsement:
  Jacob (text, read by Marcie, [43:47]): “Corey Feldman vs. the World is an absolute masterpiece. It’s one of the best films I’ve seen in the last 20 years. Every scene is hysterical and fascinating at the same time. There isn’t a single dull moment to be had. He’s a loon. That should be cherished.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:36 – The early fame dilemma and states of celebrity
• 03:34 – Never escaping fame; living visibly, even as fortunes shrink
• 06:11 – The pain and absurdity of “fame downgrade” moments
• 10:00 – Tour bus life: reality vs. fantasy
• 14:02 – Who controls the narrative in documentaries
• 16:40 – Hume’s fly-on-the-wall strategy, and Feldman’s respect for process
• 18:37 – The money ask: Feldman and the $10m “feature film” funding
• 21:06 – The New York “pizza incident”
• 27:27 – The “Comic Con book” misunderstanding (memorable moment)
• 31:38 – Feldman as an icon; generational impact
• 37:44 – How the doc leaves judgment open
• 43:47 – On “masterpiece” status; fan Jacob’s review

Tone & Style

The conversation is irreverent, affectionate, and unsparing—balancing sincere admiration for Feldman’s legacy with comic bewilderment at his eccentricities. Marcie Hume brings a documentarian’s humility and nuance, while the hosts’ banter is blunt but rooted in genuine interest and personal experience.

Recommended Action

Hosts urge listeners to buy (not rent!) the documentary “Corey Feldman vs. the World” from coreyfilm.com and to revisit it for its revealing layers, humor, and cultural insight.

Summary prepared for those who missed the episode or want a detailed refresher on this unique and lively Bonfire conversation.