The Bonfire w/ Big Jay Oakerson & Robert Kelly

Episode: “Saudi Cheesecake Factory”
Date: October 14, 2025
Host: SiriusXM
Show: Faction Talk, Channel 103

Overview

On this episode of The Bonfire, Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly bring their signature blend of blunt honesty and raucous, unfiltered humor to a sprawling conversation touching on everything from Tekashi 6ix9ine’s notorious persona, the psychology of street culture, and poor-person apartments, to the hot-button topic of American comedians performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia. The duo unpack the moral complexities (and the financial allure) of accepting massive overseas paychecks, riff hilariously on what a Saudi Cheesecake Factory might be like, and poke fun at the dynamics of comedy’s ever-adapting culture. With help from Christine and a few memorable tangents, Jay and Bobby deliver a classic Bonfire deep-dive into ethics, greed, and the evolving world stage of stand-up.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tekashi 6ix9ine: Persona, Downfall, and Street Culture

[01:44 – 17:00]

• The guys banter about rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, his over-the-top “thug” persona, and the realities behind his image.

• They laugh through infamous clips of him being kidnapped, beat up, and snitched on—contrasting his stage bravado with his real-life reactions.

• A recurring joke theme: how certain “intimidating” street fashions (like sucking pacifiers or wearing diapers) take on wildly different meanings depending on who’s doing them.

• Bobby and Jay riff on street fashion, “hood vibes,” and the social hierarchy of “looking thugged out.”

  Notable Quote:

  “Isn’t it funny? You’re letting these neck tattoos and face tattoos paint a picture for you that’s not really real. I’m wearing all these colors because I’m happy, not because I’m crazy.”
  — Big Jay Oakerson [04:07]

• They poke fun at poor-person status symbols (radiators, rickety apartments) and the authenticity in hip hop image, with Christine chiming in about loud old apartments and TV volume over blasting radiators.

2. Comedy Pranks & Street Robbery Viral Videos

[08:25 – 10:26]

• Jay describes viral social experiments where pranksters walk through rough neighborhoods flaunting expensive goods (like PlayStations or cash) and inevitably get robbed.

• They dissect the difference between white and Black robbery styles—delivered with their trademark lack of filter—and lampoon how internet “pranks” often turn unexpectedly real.

  Notable Quote:

  “Robbing a motherfucker—white guys allow it to happen. A brother robs you, it’s quick, smooth, just BAM, guns out of sweatpants. It’s great.”
  — Big Jay Oakerson [08:25]

3. Rundown on Tekashi’s Documentary and Darker Actions

[17:14 – 21:20]

• Bobby recalls his shifting view of Tekashi after watching his Hulu documentary: originally impressed, he backpedals after learning about Tekashi’s criminal and abusive history.
• The hosts discuss performing morality wake-ups, owning past endorsements, and the question of separating art from artist.

4. Life in Shitty NYC Apartments

[19:43 – 24:22]

• Classic New York chit-chat about crashing pipes, prewar buildings, uninsulated walls, landlords who fight you from the basement, and the “angry snake” radiator.
• Jay and Christine share horror stories: burning themselves, neighbors pounding on the ceiling, and the realities of rent control.
• Laughs over improvising window sticks, first-floor life, and lamenting over $325/month rents of yore.

5. Behind-the-Scenes Bonfire Dynamics

[14:39, 43:43 – 45:00]

• Jay calls out Christine (the producer) for her over-insistence on “gray chairs” and lack of delivery on their requested comfy seating for the Fishbowl show.

• The team jokes about production blunders and office politics, poking fun at each other and “earning” their chair privileges like Ron Bennington.

  Notable Quote:

  "Ron Bennington has paid his dues... he deserves chairs. We deserve stools. Let’s earn it."
  — Big Jay Oakerson [43:00]

6. The Riyadh Comedy Festival: Money, Ethics, and Comedy Diplomacy

[33:43 – 54:45]

Initial Reactions & Pay Scales

• Massive comedian paydays for performing in Saudi Arabia: rumors of $150k to $1.6 million, sparking debate about necessity, greed, and hypocrisy.

• Disbelief at certain comedians (Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Joe Coy, "Fluffy" Gabriel Iglesias, Louis CK, Tom Segura) needing the dough, and speculation on smaller earners.

  Notable Quote:

  "If you have $40 million, another $1.6 million is still $1.6 million."
  — Big Jay Oakerson [47:10]

Who Went and Who Didn’t – and Why?

• Grill over which comedians needed the cash versus who just took it—sometimes for the thrill, sometimes for the principles, sometimes for charity.
• Bobby and Jay discuss social media storms around Jessica Kirson (a gay comic), highlighting both vitriol and support she received for performing there.
• They examine Chappelle’s comments about “comedy being easier in Saudi Arabia” and challenge the naiveté of comparing cancellation in the U.S. to being at risk in a repressive regime.

Cultural Commentary & Morality

• Jay and Bobby kick around serious points cloaked in jokes: Is it okay to perform in a country with bad human rights? Does art help advance progress or does it launder reputation?

• The pair makes up sketches of what an “Italian president” would be like in America, how Saudi Cheesecake Factory would feel (cue riffs on “Oreo goat cheesecake” and “Happy Birthday Jihad”), and recalls how every culture appropriates and adapts American pop culture.

  Notable Quote:

  “Comedy breaks walls down... If it changes them just a little bit, it’s great.”
  — Big Jay Oakerson [48:02]

  “I’m morally opposed to performing at it—about as much as the layman. I’m just like, yeah, why would you go perform for the architects of 9/11?”
  — Robert Kelly [40:09]

• They ultimately agree there’s no definitive answer—just lots of personal hypocrisy, financial temptation, and shifting boundaries as comedy globalizes.

  Notable Moment:

  “You know what? Just own it. Yeah, I went. I know it might have been the wrong thing. It was crazy money. Always wanted to go. They offered me a sick deal.”
  — Big Jay Oakerson [53:09]

7. General Bonfire Energy: Running Jokes, Sidebars, and Absurdities

• Constant callbacks to recurring Bonfire bits: “sucking a pacifier,” “stuff all your money in my bib front,” debating the pronunciation of “Havarti cheese,” and roasting “Bobby’s dumb” notes on the studio screen.
• Play-by-play humor and teasing that leans into, and makes fun of, their own contradictions and the moving goalposts of comedy ethics.

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• [04:07] Big Jay Oakerson: “Isn’t it funny? You’re letting these neck tattoos and face tattoos paint a picture for you that’s not really real. I’m wearing all these colors because I’m happy, not because I’m crazy.”
• [08:25] Big Jay Oakerson: “Robbing a motherfucker—white guys allow it to happen. A brother robs you, it’s quick, smooth, just BAM, guns out of sweatpants. It’s great.”
• [43:00] Big Jay Oakerson: “Ron Bennington has paid his dues... he deserves chairs. We deserve stools. Let’s earn it.”
• [47:10] Big Jay Oakerson: “If you have $40 million, another $1.6 million is still $1.6 million.”
• [48:02] Big Jay Oakerson: “Comedy breaks walls down... If it changes them just a little bit, it’s great.”
• [53:09] Big Jay Oakerson: “You know what? Just own it. Yeah, I went. I know it might have been the wrong thing. It was crazy money. Always wanted to go. They offered me a sick deal.”
• [40:09] Robert Kelly: “I’m morally opposed to performing at it—about as much as the layman. I’m just like, yeah, why would you go perform for the architects of 9/11?”

Important Segment Timestamps

• Riffing on Tekashi 6ix9ine & street culture: [01:44 – 17:00]
• Comedian pranks & robbery breakdown: [08:25 – 10:26]
• NYC apartments and radiators: [19:43 – 24:22]
• Comics at Riyadh Comedy Festival (moral debate): [33:43 – 54:45]
• Fishbowl show chair debacle: [43:43 – 45:00]
• Italian president and “Saudi Cheesecake Factory” riff: [57:58 – 59:46]

Conclusion

In this episode, Jay and Bobby embody everything that makes The Bonfire a SiriusXM standout: quick-witted banter, fearless honesty, a willingness to wade into the murkiest comedy controversies, and riff after riff that never loses momentum. Their exploration of the Riyadh Comedy Festival controversy models their genuine confusion and curiosity about comedy’s evolving morality—interweaving real questions with relentless humor. Whether they’re roasting Tekashi, reminiscing about bad apartments, or visualizing a “Saudi Cheesecake Factory” menu, the laughs rarely stop, even as the topics turn heavy. Ultimately, the episode provides a raw, hilarious, and thought-provoking snapshot of how stand-up is globalizing (and paying), one fat check and dodged debate at a time.