Podcast Summary: The Bonfire w/ Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly
Episode: "Not My Thing with Chris Porter"
Date: December 17, 2025
Guests: Chris Porter, Mike Fenoia
Host: Big Jay Oakerson
Absent: Robert Kelly (brief call-ins only; on the road in Canada)
Episode Overview
This episode of The Bonfire is an unfiltered, hilarious hang with guest comedian Chris Porter and co-host Mike Fenoia filling in for Robert Kelly. The crew dives into the realities of modern comedy—public scrutiny, handling trolls, online backlash, and the weirdness of self-promotion. They also riff on pop culture absurdities like the Las Vegas Sphere concert experiences, Costco excess, the value of gold, and the perils of fake internet validation. Through it all, they keep it real, mixing personal war stories with laugh-out-loud commentary.
Key Discussion Points and Highlights
1. Maturing Perspectives on Rock Stardom & The Doors
- Big Jay admits his lifelong love for Jim Morrison/The Doors has soured with age:
- Quote (01:14):
“Everything that I thought was cool about his rock star behavior is now as a professional performer...I’m like, not that I still—some of the rock star behavior I think is the awesomest...But, show up for the gigs. Dude, you can’t start up the work when the work’s up!”
- The group laughs about the disastrous consequences for fans when rock stars flake out (Amsterdam no-show story).
- Quote (01:14):
2. Steve Rannazzisi & The "9/11 Lie" Backlash
- The crew discusses Steve Rannazzisi’s fallout from falsely claiming to have experienced 9/11:
- Quote (05:51):
“He was gonna ride it into the sunset. And then 9/11 happened. And then 20 years after 9/11 happened...”
- They probe the podcast-and-cancel-culture climate, arguing that “overpunishing” mistakes is common.
- Mike Fenoia dishes about the “never forget” irony and everyone acknowledges how much tougher it is for comedians under public scrutiny.
- Quote (05:51):
3. Podcasting & Comedians’ Cancel Culture Anxiety
- Big Jay outlines how things comedians said on early, nearly-private podcasts now resurface online:
- Quote (09:15):
“The amount of things...But 15 years ago was long enough ago that those first 200 episodes were like, well, this is going to nobody ever.”
- They joke that someone would literally have to pay to dig up their worst skeletons (“You’re gonna have to pay to ruin us” – 09:34).
- Quote (09:15):
- They address how some people, like the infamous “Seth Simons,” hunt for jokes to get mad about, rather than just enjoying comedy.
4. Navigating Online Trolls and The Anxiety of Feedback
- Chris and the guys reminisce about hurtful (and pointless) internet comments:
- Quote (11:06):
“How many of the things that have maybe hurt you the most are coming from someone where it’s like laughably...bad his life—like, in a chair that he never gets out of.”
- Quote (11:06):
- Anecdotes follow about lovers, trolls, and the futility of arguing with anonymous “eggplant emoji” commenters (10:31–12:05).
- Chris Porter shares a real-life “not my thing” moment (12:04):
- Promoting a show, first comment: “meh, not my thing.”
- Quote (12:04):
“You could have just scrolled and not said [anything]. No one needs to know it’s not your thing.”
5. The Comedian’s Curse: Overhearing Negativity
- Mike describes overhearing people outside a club reject his show after seeing a clip:
- Quote (13:12):
“Whatever clip they put up...these people didn’t like. And they were like, ‘We just go like fisherman’s wharf maybe or something.’”
- Quote (13:12):
- Jay and Chris lament how a single negative comment can undermine confidence, even amid success.
6. Online Self-Promotion, Algorithm Weirdness, and Comment Sections
- They reveal the emotional rollercoaster of dropping a new special on platforms like YouTube:
- Quote (16:26):
“But it only takes about three [comments] down before someone goes like, ‘Dude, why don’t you guys start putting some good stuff up here?’”
- Quote (16:26):
- Frustrations fly about self-release, catching “the algorithm,” and the predictability of haters.
7. Gold, Costco, and Modern Absurdities
- The conversation veers delightfully into randomness—Costco’s eclectic product range, the artificiality of gold’s value, the joy of buying a gold bar, and bulk shopping habits.
- Quote (22:28, Robert Kelly):
“If you don’t think I’ve looked up how much it would cost to own one of those gold bars like you see in Die Hard.”
- Jokes abound about Kirkland gold, mushroom chocolates in a safe, and the post-Costco “blackout regret” (24:16–25:34).
- Quote (22:28, Robert Kelly):
8. The Sphere in Vegas: Backstreet Boys, Eagles, and Tech Overload
- Chris Porter details seeing both the Eagles and the Backstreet Boys at the Sphere:
- Quote (27:41, Robert Kelly):
“I saw Eagles and Backstreet Boys. The Backstreet Boys, I was like, watching the visuals...It was insane...frozen in a mountain and they’re singing like their Mount Rushmore.”
- Discussion follows about the visually stunning but often ridiculous nature of Sphere concerts, including recycled effects for different acts (29:01–30:22).
- Quote (27:41, Robert Kelly):
9. Country Music—The Divide
- Short riff on modern country vs. “bluesy” artists like Marcus King, Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton (30:53–31:24).
- Everyone admits to being picky about “new country” but loving certain crossover artists.
10. Behind the Scenes with Comics & Musicians: Touring with Jelly Roll
- Chris Porter recalls performing guitar live with Jelly Roll on the “Fully Loaded” tour:
- Quote (34:05, Robert Kelly):
“You saw me have, like, the greatest, worst night of my life four nights in a row when I would go out and play with Jelly Roll.”
- Night one: guitar fails, 8,000 people wait in awkward silence. “This is not how I pictured this.”
- Quote (34:05, Robert Kelly):
- Stories swirl about wild tour moments—doing shows in stadiums, missing out on “fun” group excursions, and the well-meaning, sometimes exhausting curiosity of superstar musicians like Jelly Roll.
11. Kid Rock’s “Fake Watch” Prank
- Jay and the crew share tales of musicians’ signature bits—like Kid Rock gifting $18 watches, pretending they’re worth $200,000, and the confusion it causes:
- Quote (33:05, Big Jay):
“He wears $18 watches just to give them away and go, it’s a $200,000 watch, right there...It’s Ari Shafir-level of, like, ‘I’ll leave this chaos and it’ll unfold while I’m gone.’”
- Quote (33:05, Big Jay):
Noteworthy Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On online trolls:
- “You don’t know that I’m a guy who’s always got snot coming down, and he’s like, ‘You’re ugly,’ and it ruins that girl’s day.” (11:06, Big Jay)
- On digging up old podcast moments:
- “You have to subscribe to ruin us...Hey, if you want to take us down, smash that subscribe button.” (09:39, Big Jay)
- On comedy algorithms:
- “They’ll just put you in front of their audience...not just my people. But it only takes about three [comments] down before someone goes like, ‘Dude, why don’t you guys start putting some good stuff up here?’” (16:26, Big Jay)
- On the Las Vegas Sphere and Backstreet Boys:
- “It’s Mount...Dorkmore. Mount Fuckmore.” (28:23, Robert Kelly riff)
- On Kid Rock’s watch prank:
- “Kid Rock gives you a watch, man, whether it fits or not, you just wear it.” (32:31, Big Jay)
- “He wears $18 watches just to give them away and go, it’s a $200,000 watch right there.” (33:05, Big Jay)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Timestamp | Topic/Quote | |------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:14 | Jay on outgrowing Jim Morrison’s legend | | 04:56 | Steve Rannazzisi’s “I was at 9/11” backlash | | 09:15 | Early podcasts and cancel culture anxiety | | 12:04 | Chris Porter, “Not my thing” comment story | | 13:12 | Mike overhearing people reject his show live | | 16:26 | YouTube hate comments and algorithm roulette | | 22:28 | Gold bars, their price, and obsession over value | | 24:16–25:34| Costco excess and irrational bulk shopping | | 27:41 | Vegas Sphere, Eagles & Backstreet Boys | | 30:53 | Modern country music vs. “bluesy” authenticity | | 34:05 | Chris Porter’s “greatest, worst night” with Jelly Roll | | 33:05 | Kid Rock’s prank watches |
Tone & Style
The episode is fast-paced, candid, and sharply funny, peppered with honest war stories and playful roast-style banter. Everyone brings their signature comedic voices but the camaraderie is as real as the gripes about modern showbiz and digital-age comedy.
For New Listeners
Whether you’ve seen the Bonfire before or not, this episode will pull you straight into the world of working comics—it’s all here: humility, anxiety, brutal honesty, and the unbreakable rule that if you’re not laughing about it, you’re not doing it right.
Don’t miss Chris Porter on tour, and check out everyone’s latest projects for more of this unfiltered, unmissable humor.