The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson & Robert Kelly

Episode: The Soul Behind Jay
Date: October 15, 2025
Host: SiriusXM Faction Talk Channel 103

Episode Overview

In "The Soul Behind Jay," Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly dive into a memorable and infamous incident from Big Jay's comedy career—being physically dragged off stage by an audience member during a show at Soul Joel's comedy club. The episode revolves around their usual banter, social commentary, a playful debate about pop divas, and a deep (and darkly funny) breakdown of the onstage mishap. Their frank, hilarious dissection explores stand-up comedy hazards, crowd management, and the unpredictable nature of working the live circuit.

Main Segments & Discussion Points

1. Breaking Down the Cyndi Lauper Tribute

(01:28–07:30)

• The episode kicks off post-ads with chat about the "Grammy salute to Cyndi Lauper" TV special.

• Jay admits to his enduring crush on Lauper; Bobby teases about her appearance and eccentric outfits.

• There's a playful, irreverent back-and-forth about aging pop stars and iconic songs.

• Notable Quote [02:29]:
  Jay (referring to "She Bop"):
  “This is a song about female masturbation, dude. How exciting is that?”

• The debate shifts from Lauper’s career to Kelly Clarkson’s place in pop culture:

  • Bobby champions Clarkson for her humility and singing chops.
  • Jay defends Lauper's status as an "icon," contrasting her with Clarkson's post-Idol TV stardom.

2. The Soul Joel Book and Comedy Club War Stories

(07:35–16:00)

• Christina finds “Soul Behind Joel” (Soul Joel’s memoir) in the studio.

• Crew reads aloud sections that cover Philadelphia comedy history, Soul Joel’s club’s pandemic era, and references to Jay’s fateful set.

• Light teasing about being mentioned in fellow comedians’ books.

• Notable Quote [13:31]:
  Jay (on finding himself depicted):
  “Oh, those were good days, huh?”

3. The Infamous Stage-Diving Incident: Jay Gets Yanked

(16:00–35:00)

• Reading from the book recounts the entire onstage altercation:

  • Drunken heckler (regular’s stepdaughter) disrupts multiple sets.
  • Her brother ultimately rushes the stage and yanks Jay off his stool by the ankles.
  • Jay details the wild moments—crowd’s reaction, club owner’s role, and co-host Lewis J. Gomez’s attempt at heroics.
  • Jay and Bobby riff on the absurdity and danger, while breaking down the logistics and psychology of audience confrontations.

• Notable Quotes:

  • [18:44] Bobby (voicing Joel’s audiobook):
    “You should do the audiobook for them… it should have that music in the background and you doing it in that accent.”
  • [19:22] Jay (on the heckler’s outburst):
    “For calling everyone racist, you’re the only person here who confessed to murdering a black person.”
  • [27:18] Bobby:
    “It’s such a great move on his part… like when your kid’s being an asshole, you just grab his ankle.”

• The mechanics—they dissect how Jay barely avoided a head injury (“That second foot down was everything”) and the fast, bizarre escalation:

  • Lewis J. Gomez jumps into the fray.
  • Audience members pile on to help (“the whole melee happened about two minutes from when Jay was about to wrap up the show” [17:52]).
  • Reflections on the club turning into a “roadhouse” venue, with people showing up for the wild unpredictability.

4. Comedy Crowd Control, Dreams of Heroism, and Aftermath

(24:09–42:01)

• Jay explains, despite the drama, he always tries to de-escalate and "be friends" with troublemakers before flipping the crowd on them.

• The club owner's perspective—profiting from notoriety and using the story for bookings.

• Bobby and Jay joke about the “dream” of being able to heroically beat up an attacker if Jay were hurt.

• Discussion of the aftermath:

  • The girl and her brother’s family, their parents’ strange apology (“Our son’s a drunken loser, our daughter’s a dumb twat…” [39:31]).
  • Police inaction and their tendency to look for ways not to file reports if the comedian is at fault.

• Notable Quotes:

  • [30:09] Jay (mocking):
    “You do have grabbable ankles, man.”
  • [36:24] Jay (on club owner’s attitude):
    “You’re lucky I didn’t sue you, dude. Like, that’s crazy, to be, like, so cavalier.”

5. Reflections, Riffing, and Closing Out

(40:19–44:47)

• The comedians reflect on the regional oddities of Pennsylvania, the prevalence of racism, and the behaviors of small-town police.
• Frustrations with people who try to cozy up post-incident by disparaging their own families.
• Quick plugs for upcoming live shows and comedy specials from the hosts.

Memorable Moments & Highlights

• Banter about Pop Icons:
  Jay and Bobby hilariously compare diva aging, outfits, and musical legacy (01:28–06:00).

• Recounting the On-Stage Attack:
  Jay relives, in vivid detail, how he was yanked from his stool and survived by getting his "second foot down" (23:35–28:00).
  Jay: “If my head hit that stage, I’d have been—”
  E: “I was like, oh my God, he was knocked.”

• Morbid Comedy:
  Jay’s savage retort to the heckler about racism and abortion triggers the incident:
  “For calling everyone racist, you’re the only one who confessed to murdering a black person.” [19:22]

• Backstage Club Realities:
  Honest discussion about how violence and controversy can ironically help a club’s business:
  “It sucks… not because of my comedy. You’re like, oh, this place… something might pop off.” [35:50]

• Aftermath, Policing, and Weird Apologies:
  The victim’s family shifts blame, police try to avoid paperwork, and Jay explains crowd justice:
  “Royersford police… a bumbling group of… They were dumb as… they didn’t help.” [41:26]

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:28 | Start: Cyndi Lauper tribute, pop icon banter | | 07:35 | Found: “Soul Behind Joel” book, reading about Jay | | 16:00 | Full breakdown: Jay’s stage assault at Soul Joel’s | | 18:44 | Jay’s retelling vs. the book’s version | | 24:09 | Handling hecklers, “be friends,” crowd psychology | | 27:18 | Play-by-play: how the ambush unfolded in seconds | | 30:09 | Bobby & Jay riff on Jay’s "grabbable ankles" | | 39:31 | The strange apology from attackers’ parents | | 41:26 | Police and town reactions, reflections on aftermath | | 43:15 | Comedy tour plugs, closing out |

Tone & Style

• Blunt, irreverent, and deeply confessional with plenty of inside-comedy references.
• Raw retellings of traumatic/funny career moments, laced with self-deprecation.
• Mix of roast comedy, camaraderie, and satirical takes on pop culture and small-town America.

Essential Quotes

• On Stand-up Dangers:
  “I didn’t factor it as a possibility… my feet are still on the rungs of the stool. He just locked in on those anky.” —Jay [30:30]
• On Being Mentioned in the Memoir:
  “He's lucky I didn't sue him, dude. Like, that's crazy. To be so cavalier.” —Jay [36:24]
• On Comic Survival Instinct:
  “For calling everyone racist, you’re the only person here who confessed to murdering a black person.” —Jay [19:22]
• On Small-Town Police:
  “Royersford police are a bumbling group of… They were dumb as… they didn’t help.” —Jay [41:26]
• On Roadhouse Comedy:
  “It became Roadhouse. Something might pop off, you know what I mean?” —Jay [35:50]

Conclusion

This episode is a masterclass in comedians processing chaos and turning real-life calamity into shared legend. It offers a wild window into onstage dangers, the peculiarities of live audiences, and how notoriety turns to both profit and punchline. The raw banter, quick wit, and brutal honesty make this a signature episode for fans of unfiltered, behind-the-scenes comedy talk.