Podcast Summary: The Bonfire w/ Big Jay Oakerson & Robert Kelly

Episode Title: New Year's In The Jungle
Original Air Date: January 27, 2026
Hosts: Big Jay Oakerson & Robert Kelly
Location: SiriusXM Faction Talk, NYC

Overview

In this lively New Year’s episode, comedians Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly reunite after their holiday break to trade hilarious and brutally honest stories about their recent vacations, especially Bobby’s chaotic family trip to Costa Rica. The two riff on everything from international medical tourism rumors to jungle mishaps, family dynamics on the road, gift-giving disasters, and the eternal misadventures of their friends and fellow comics. The show is packed with irreverent humor, personal anecdotes, and their signature banter about life, love, and the comedy scene.

Major Topics & Key Discussion Points

1. Returning from Break & Vacation Debrief

• [01:06] Jay and Bobby return from a long holiday break.
• They discuss vacation tolerance (“Three days, I’m good. Nine days, gotta get back to my life.” – Jay [01:36]).
• Bobby's trip was packed with family, adventures, and "doing nothing" compared to Jay’s more laid-back approach.

2. Costa Rica Adventures & Family Antics

• [02:04] Bobby details his family vacation and traveling with another family, the Kaltas.
  • Activities included:
    • Surfing lessons (Bobby’s first attempt; video antics with bad camera work)
    • Jungle zip-lining and hiking (including hanging bridges over the rainforest)
    • Marlin fishing expedition with frustratingly slow stakes but eventual triumph
    • Wildlife encounters: monkeys, raccoons ("coati mundi"), a spider in the house, and a lizard falling asleep on Bobby's back
  • Quote: "I screamed like a little girl... it was a three-foot lizard sleeping on my back!" – Bobby [47:05]
• Jay jokes about the dangers and discomforts, mocking Bobby’s ability to wander into trouble and survive:
  • “You Mr. Magoo your way through this vacation without getting murdered. It’s crazy.” – Jay [46:33]

3. Travel With Other Families

• [16:07] Bobby talks about the challenges and quirks of traveling with another family.
  • The Kaltas prefer familiarity (finding Starbucks everywhere, less adventurous) vs. Bobby’s desire for exploration.
  • “They like to just take Tampa and put it wherever they are.” – Jay [16:28]

4. Comic Friends’ Antics Abroad

• [03:13] Story of Ralph Sutton, Gas Digital co-founder, and his “swinging single” adventures in Costa Rica, including rumors about medical tourism.
  • Jay and Bobby riff on single guys vacationing for hookups vs. their own family-focused trips.
  • “I was happy with what I got, but I do like the fact this guy is down there swinging his dick at his age.” – Jay [03:35]

5. Sex, Gender Tourism Rumors & Hilarious Detours

• Jokes about Costa Rica as a hotspot for cheap hair plugs and sex-change surgeries.
• The hosts discuss the prevalence of transgender people in Brazil and Thailand compared to Costa Rica with tongue-in-cheek speculation.
  • “It’s only three grand down there. Hair plugs and a sex change operation.” – Jay [07:17]
  • “Costa Rica’s not there yet. You go to Thailand for real ladyboys.” – Jay [13:43]

6. Wild Animal Encounters

• [22:20 & 47:05] Bobby’s spider and lizard stories.
  • Screens himself trying (and failing) to catch a huge spider with a Starbucks cup: “The spider was very fast!” [23:38]
  • Later, wakes up from a nap to find a lizard using him as a mattress: “I let it sit there for 15 minutes!” [48:10]
• Encounters with “Costa Rican raccoons” (coati mundi) and monkeys.
  • Discussion about not feeding monkeys and their aggressive behavior.

7. Marlin Fishing Victory

• [36:01] After a slow and boring fishing trip, the big catch:
  • “We went from the most boring, worst thing ever to the best thing ever in a second... a 250 lb marlin!” – Bobby [37:23]
• Explains the process (photos, styrofoam replicas, catch & release):
  • “No one’s got a real marlin up on their wall. It’s all replicas now.” [18:10]
• The experience brings the family together and provides a highlight for the trip.

8. Vacation Aftermath, Bonfire Planning & Miami Dreams

• Jay and Bobby dream up escaping winter blues by moving “The Bonfire” temporarily to Miami or Las Vegas.
  • “Let’s snowbird, come back up in May. We leave in November.” – Jay [40:20]
• Jokes about whether the show could afford to bring the whole staff or just do a “bromantic” two-bedroom Airbnb.

9. Gift-Giving Disasters & Family Dynamics

• Bobby laments his poor track record as a gift-giver, buying Christmas presents from Facebook ads and Marshalls.
  • “Every Christmas present I got Dawn, except for Costa Rica, she hated.” [53:41]
• Stories about buying Dawn a fuzzy headband that ended up as a dog toy, and a custom Patriots hoodie for Max that was “garbage.”
• Discussion about joint bank accounts, oversharing financial info, and the pitfalls of shopping for spouses.
  • “As soon as I buy something, ding, it comes up on her phone.” [58:03]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Vacation Fatigue:
  • “Three days, I’m good. Nine days, gotta get back to my life.” – Jay [01:36]
• Comic Single Life:
  • “I do like the fact this guy is down there swinging his dick at his age.” – Jay [03:35]
• Medical Tourism Running Gag:
  • “Hair plugs and a sex change for three grand!” – Jay [07:17]
• Costa Rican Wildlife:
  • “I screamed like a little girl… it was a three-foot lizard sleeping on my back!” – Bobby [47:05]
  • “The spider was very fast!” – Bobby [23:38]
• On Travel Partners:
  • “They like to take Tampa and put it wherever they are.” – Jay [16:28]
• Family Vacation Woes:
  • “You Mr. Magoo your way through this vacation without getting murdered. It’s crazy.” – Jay [46:33]
• Fishing Triumph:
  • “We went from the most boring, worst thing ever to the best thing ever in a second… a 250 lb marlin!” – Bobby [37:23]
• Gift Failures:
  • “Every Christmas present I got Dawn, except for Costa Rica, she hated.” – Bobby [53:41]
• Financial Oversight:
  • “As soon as I buy something, ‘ding’, it comes up on her phone.” – Bobby [58:03]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:06] - Show kicks off; vacation fatigue, holidays recap
• [02:04] - Bobby’s Costa Rica family saga begins
• [03:13] - Ralph Sutton sighting and single-dude travel antics
• [13:43] - Jokes about international gender surgery destinations
• [16:07] - Family vacation planning and personality clashes
• [18:06] - Surfing and zip-lining misadventures
• [22:20] - The giant spider incident
• [36:01] - The marlin fishing story and big catch
• [40:20] - Miami-vs-Vegas snowbird dreams and remote studio debate
• [47:05] - The lizard on Bobby’s back story
• [53:41] - Christmas gifting disasters and family finance
• [58:03] - Joint bank account complaints and marriage logistics

Tone & Style

Hilarious, brash, personal, and unfiltered. Jay and Bobby riff nonstop, roast each other, and share stories with vivid, often self-effacing honesty. They bring out the absurdity of both family life and singlehood, using their trademark comedic chemistry.

Takeaway

"New Year's in the Jungle" is a classic Bonfire episode: a mix of wild travel tales, family absurdities, stand-up camaraderie, and comic improvisation. It’s as much about parents being out of their element as it is about the ongoing struggle to balance adventure, work, comedy, and marriage. Even the mundane—botched gifts and joint bank accounts—gets the Bonfire treatment, becoming memorable, laugh-out-loud content.

For full episodes and more spontaneous banter, subscribe to The Bonfire on SiriusXM’s Faction Talk.