The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly

Episode Title: Holding Hands and Praying
Date: October 28, 2025
Host: SiriusXM Faction Talk 103

Episode Overview

This episode of "The Bonfire" centers on the highs and lows of daily life, comedian-style venting, and the sincere absurdity of human encounters. Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly mix hilarious banter with genuine friendship as they riff on everything from family stresses to traveling comedy gigs, the oddities of prayer circles with strangers, and the tricky art of saying "no." The hosts are joined by their regular crew—Christine, Jacob, Black Lou, and DJ Lou—creating a dynamic, uncensored roundtable that veers from raucous belly laughs to moments of introspection.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Opening Riffs: Monday Blues and Comedy Life

[01:07 - 04:16]

• Bobby arrives in a bad mood, poking fun at both himself and others for the “Monday joy” some bring.
• Early banter revolves around the challenge of lightening up when life feels heavy, especially with family and on-the-road demands.
• Jay delights in using Puff Daddy’s “Bad Boys For Life” as a mood lifter, prompting impromptu dances and light-hearted mockery.

Memorable Quote:

• “Hey, they're not all winners, Jay. You know, it's Monday, baby.” — Robert Kelly [02:06]

2. On Parenting, Marriage, and Comedian Burnout

[04:16 - 10:08]

• Bobby describes the whirlwind of family life—balancing the needs of his wife, Dawn, and their son, Max, with the pressures of club gigs.
• Jay and Bobby discuss comedy club politics, particularly Tampa’s Side Splitters versus the Improv, with praise for BT's club ("top four in the country" [04:59]).
• The hilarious struggle with family tones: Bobby’s minor grievance with Dawn’s voice and her reaction to crisis, particularly after their son sustains a concussion at school playing rugby.

Notable Exchange:

• “My wife's voice... she just has a tone. Everything is a tone. Oh, your happiness makes me sick.” — Robert Kelly [02:51]

• “Your son's masturbating in the basement.” — Big Jay Oakerson, playfully piling on [06:11]

3. Roleplay Therapy: Dealing with Family Arguments

[10:23 - 17:00]

• The gang stages reenactments to help Bobby cope with marital squabbles, letting Jacob play the part of Dawn with comedic precision.
• Jay tests if humor and a change in approach could defuse arguments—“I want to see if I can put something in your mind that will change that while it’s happening.” [10:23]
• The segment morphs into improv therapy with zany asides about comedian Louis J. Gomez and parental miscommunication.

Standout Moment:

• Jacob, as Dawn: “I don’t know.” (Repeated with spot-on monotony, driving Bobby up the wall.) [11:17, 17:00]

4. Tales from the Road: Farmer’s Markets and Prayer Circles

[19:41 - 31:30]

• Bobby recounts a surprisingly moving encounter at a Florida farmer’s market, where two strangers offer to pray for him and his son, Max, leading to an impromptu prayer circle amidst the mango stalls.
• Mike Calta, comic and friend, is bewildered by Bobby’s willingness to join prayer circles and overshare.
• Follow-up discussion about a similar event in Maine at 12:30am, as strangers surround Bobby and Max for a late-night prayer.

Quotes:

• “They want to hold a prayer circle in the middle of the farmer's market... and I just went, ‘yeah, sure, go ahead.’” — Robert Kelly [22:18]
• “Mike was so freaked the f*** out about it.” — Big Jay Oakerson [23:55]

5. Is It All a Scam? Religion, Skepticism, and the American South

[31:30 - 38:03]

• Christine and the group dive into the suspicion surrounding public prayers: Is it a set up for theft, a scam, or genuine goodwill?
• Bobby insists the gestures were sincere, “old white people” style, not grifters or criminals.

Quote:

• “They do it door to door, too. No, these guys were old white people. They weren't robbers.” — Robert Kelly [30:57]

6. AI Hilarity and Viral Videos

[50:01 - 53:40]

• Jay brings up AI-generated meme videos, from wild chiropractor fails to Hasidic Jews grabbing coins at football games, and the rise of bizarre, viral content.
• The group marvels at just how realistic (and ridiculous) this digital comedy is becoming.

Notable Line:

• “AI can be funny... That’s good use of AI. I don’t care about Lewis rollerblading around 9/11 that much…” — Big Jay Oakerson [51:23]

7. Political Violence & Public Safety Fears

[54:02 - 58:00]

• Discussion turns to the No Kings rally in DC, heightened police presence, and recent news about a “sniper’s nest” found near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago arrival.
• They riff on the odd wording of “sniper’s nest” and the surge in political violence compared to years past, referencing the Paul Pelosi hammer incident.

Memorable Banter:

• “I think we have a sniper feeder in our tree because we’re hoping to get some snipers. No, one season’s back.” — Jay Oakerson [55:55]
• “A sniper’s not a bird, Jay.” — Robert Kelly [56:02]

8. On Praying, Saying No, and Awkward Politeness

[38:09 - 44:34]

• Jay confesses he only prays in “major, major crisis,” while Bobby admits he can’t say no to strangers—even when it means holding hands with prayerful weirdos.
• The team jokes about the spectrum of small talk and confrontation avoidance, with Bobby dubbed “the king of small talk.”

Quote:

• “Here's the problem. I don't know how to say no... I have a hard time saying no.” — Robert Kelly [43:22]

9. Small Town Vibes, Social Aspirations & Harmonizing White Guys

[44:05 - 48:10]

• Jay teases Bobby for his true desire to be a preppy, small-town “club” guy—sporting handlebar bikes, sweaters, and friendly local banter, like Colin Quinn does in New York.
• They riff on the horror of public harmonizing versus public prayer.

Quote:

• “This is actually worse than praying in public. Harmonizing in public is worse than praying. I'd rather hold hands.” — Robert Kelly [45:55]

10. Comedy Plugs & Closing Prayer

[59:41 - End]

• Bobby jokes about a “Bonfire” prayer to end the show, wishing well for the crew (and a hot wife for Jacob).
• The hosts rattle off their upcoming stand-up dates (Bobby at Side Splitters Tampa, Jay at Ice House Pasadena), and toy with the idea of public prayer tours.
• Jay: “Should we kiss each other's necks while we're at it, too?” [59:44]
  Bobby: “If you want it. Lord Jesus Christ, please watch over everybody here in the Bonfire crew…” [59:47]

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On Marital Frustration:
  “My wife's voice... she just has a tone. Everything is a tone. Oh, your happiness makes me sick.”
  — Robert Kelly [02:51]

• On Prayer Circles:
  “They want to hold a prayer circle in the middle of the farmer's market... and I just went, ‘yeah, sure, go ahead.’”
  — Robert Kelly [22:18]

• How to Say No:
  “Here's the problem. I don't know how to say no... I have a hard time saying no.”
  — Robert Kelly [43:22]

• AI Comedy:
  “AI can be funny... That’s good use of AI. I don’t care about Lewis rollerblading around 9/11 that much…”
  — Big Jay Oakerson [51:23]

• On Public Prayer:
  “This is actually worse than praying in public. Harmonizing in public is worse than praying. I'd rather hold hands.”
  — Robert Kelly [45:55]

• On Small Talk:
  “I love small talk. I am the king of small talk.”
  — Robert Kelly [44:34]

• A Closing Blessing:
  “Lord Jesus Christ, please watch over everybody here in the Bonfire crew. Jay, Christine, make their relationships be stronger with every day that goes by. Lou, keep him sober. Black Lou... Jacob. Please, God, find him some. A wife, something. Please, God, make this happen.”
  — Robert Kelly [59:47]

Timestamped Highlights

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------|-------------| | Monday Mood Banter & Bad Boys Song | 01:07–04:16 | | Parenting & Club Comedy Drama | 04:16–10:08 | | Family Argument Roleplay & Therapy | 10:23–17:00 | | Prayer Circle Story & Market Encounter | 19:41–24:28 | | Is Public Prayer A Scam? Crew Debate | 31:30–38:03 | | AI Memes, Chiropractor Fails, and Humor | 50:01–53:40 | | Political Violence & “Sniper’s Nest” Chat | 54:02–58:00 | | Saying No & Small Talk Reflections | 38:09–44:34 | | Harmonizing vs. Praying in Public | 44:05–48:10 | | Closing Prayer & Upcoming Show Plugs | 59:41–End |

Tone & Takeaways

• Language/Tone: Raw, unfiltered, and warmly antagonistic—the humor is blue-collar, irreverent, quick on its feet, and steeped in mutual affection.
• Vibe: Listeners are welcomed into a circle of close friends who swerve hilariously between emotional honesty and relentless ball-busting. There’s advice for managing moods, bits on modern life’s weirdness, and a recurring meditation on why friendliness (to strangers or prayerful weirdos) is both easy, and hard.
• Best for: Fans of stand-up comics, people who appreciate offbeat life advice, anyone who’s ever dodged—or joined—a street prayer.

For more absurd laughs, tune into The Bonfire live on SiriusXM’s Faction Talk, Channel 103, every Monday through Thursday at 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific.