Public Figures Podcast | Episode 6: Air Travel (with Fiona Cauley)

Date: March 11, 2026
Hosts: Aaron Weber, Brian Bates, Dusty Slay
Guest: Fiona Cauley

Episode Overview

This episode marks a milestone as the Public Figures Podcast hosts their first ever guest—Fiona Cauley, a Nashville-based touring stand-up comedian, who joins Aaron, Brian, and Dusty for a lively, humorous, and sometimes poignant discussion on air travel, accessibility, stand-up comedy, and life as a comic living with a rare disability.

The conversation flows naturally through inside-comedy stories, debates about air travel etiquette and accessibility, commentary on everyday annoyances, and some personal insights into how disabilities are handled (and misunderstood) in travel spaces. The group also addresses listener comments and shares memorable anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points

1. Introducing Fiona Cauley & Comedy Trajectories

[01:53]–[07:19]

• Fiona is welcomed as the podcast's inaugural guest and friend of the hosts.
• The group discusses big "breakthrough moments" in a comic's career:
  • Fiona talks about how appearing on “Kill Tony” changed her career overnight, comparing it to the Johnny Carson or Ed Sullivan bump.
  • Dusty adds, “the weirdest part about doing Kill Tony...everyone’s like, ah, your life’s gonna change, but it takes two weeks for it to come out. So you’re sitting in there like, I don’t believe you.” [03:37–03:54]
  • Everyone reflects on the unpredictable impact of late night shows vs. viral podcasts in launching careers.

2. Superstition, Friday the 13th & Ides of March

[07:19]–[13:24]

• Fiona brings up the upcoming Friday the 13th and the "Ides of March,” sparking a tangent about superstitions and history.
• Aaron cites the historical link between Friday the 13th’s negative reputation and religious/mythological events. [08:56–09:15]
• Debates about Shakespeare’s authorship and the origins of Hollywood and superstition.
  • Surreal “historical anxieties” and the intersection of pop culture with myth are jokingly analyzed.
  • Notable Quote: “I like the term historical anxieties.” – Dusty [09:51]

3. High School, Technology, and Generational Gaps

[14:15]–[16:32]

• The crew reminisces about phones in school (Motorola Razors, Sliders) and stricter old-school rules.
• Discussion on technological evolution: “I can’t even imagine what they’re doing now with the ChatGPT, AI stuff. ... Education’s done.” – Dusty [14:11]
• Age differences and the introduction of Spark Notes vs. traditional Cliff’s Notes.

4. Shingle Ladies & Early Standup Jokes

[19:12]–[20:23]

• Brian shares his "Shingle ladies" joke, a so-bad-it’s-good relic from his early standup days, to much laughter (and mock disbelief):
  • “No, I meant ‘where my shingle ladies?’ … I’m looking for a lady with shingles.”
  • “If you liked it, then you should’ve put some cream on it.” [20:13–20:18]

5. Living—and Performing—with Friedrich’s Ataxia

[20:23]–[29:47]

• Fiona candidly discusses her rare neurological disease, Friedrich’s Ataxia, diagnosed at 18.
  • She explains the challenges growing up, being misjudged as drunk, principal smelling her breath, practicing walking at home, and difficulties in being diagnosed.
  • “I started losing coordination...they thought I was like, like, on something or not taking it seriously. And I wasn’t. ...Everyone’s like, she is so committed to this bit.” [24:14–25:29]
• The emotional and practical realities for her and her siblings (all three diagnosed), and how her experiences shape both her material and traveling as a comic.

Listener Comments & Interactive Segments

[30:38]–[54:25]

• Hosts read and riff on user-submitted comments from podcasts and social media, covering everything from passwords, Southwest wheelchairs, to Helen Keller “conspiracy theories.”
  • “Helen Keller was Shakespeare.” – Dusty [33:47]
  • Discussion of ableism and faking disabilities on airlines (“Jetway Jesus”).
  • Important Air Travel distinction: Difference between a “direct” and “non-stop” flight clarified by a listener. [55:26–56:45]
  • Travel recommendations: discussion of best towns for families, comedy travel picks, and small-town charm (“bit of a methy vibe, but it’s OK” – Brian on Springfield, MO [39:00])

Main Topic: Air Travel Etiquette & Accessibility

The Package Reveal & Launch into Air Travel

[59:20]–[60:00]

• Podcast’s topic revealed with a model plane: “Today we are talking about air travel.” – Fiona [59:56]

Fiona's Air Travel Experience as a Person with a Disability

[60:03]–[66:44]

• Problems with new airline boarding policies, esp. Southwest:
  • “The handicap seating is an extra $85, because it’s seen as their first class. ...Instead of having accessibility, the highest bidder gets it.” – Fiona [62:52–63:14]
  • Discussion about “fakers” abusing accessibility accommodations (“They run by me on their legs!” – Fiona [69:08]) and the lack of adequate policy for real needs.
  • Notable quote: “If you use the perks of being disabled ...you should have to get off last. Like I do.” – Fiona [69:54]
  • Real stories: being denied bathroom access by others in accessible seats, viral videos influencing airport/TSA policy, and the frustration caused by system abusers.
  • Calls for “certification” or standardized proof to prevent abuse while maintaining dignity for actual disabled travelers.

Annoyances in Airport Design & Etiquette

[90:17]–[95:00]

• Rants about baggage claim crowding, standing on moving walkways (“If you want to stand, fine, but just stand to the one side...” – Brian [92:29]), and travel infrastructure that ignores accessibility.
• The need for marked space, enforcement, and a “wall of shame” for those who misuse family/gender-neutral/disabled restrooms—another venue for non-disabled people to create bottlenecks for those who genuinely need access. [93:31–94:44]

Miscellaneous Riffs on Air Travel

• Clothing in airports (e.g., “No pajamas” rule controversy in Tampa, but general comic consensus is: comfort > formality unless you’re a “Tweety bird pants” abuser). [80:21–81:17]
• Hotel check-in/check-out times and lack of accessible rooms; difficulties booking through Airbnbs or ridesharing as a disabled traveler.
• Dogs and “service animal” loopholes:
  • “I abuse it. My dog’s not a nervous dog. …I have historical anxieties.” – Fiona & Brian, joking [104:43–106:09]
• Flight anxiety & turbulence stories; best/worst airports (Newark, O’Hare, LaGuardia ranked worst for delays; Nashville praised).

Featured Quotes & Moments

• On career breakthroughs & comedy:
  • “It used to be Johnny Carson back in the day…now podcasts can be that.” – Fiona [03:24–03:28]
• On accessible seating now costing extra:
  • “Instead of having accessibility, the highest bidder gets it...I’m like, what an angel. Thank you.” – Fiona [62:52–64:02]
• On abusive/fake disabled behavior in airports:
  • “If you use the perks of being disabled…you should have to get off last.” – Fiona [69:54]
  • “They run by me [on their legs]…We all need chairs!” – Fiona [68:08–69:08]
• On not eating ice cream due to family trauma:
  • Fiona tells of being told her dad left while being taken for ice cream as a child, leading to lifelong aversion.
  • “If you ask me, do you want to go get ice cream? I panic and assume you have something terrible to tell me.” [53:47–53:56]
• On travel recommendations:
  • “It’s a bit of a methy vibe, but it’s OK. So is McMinnville.” – Brian [39:00]
• On airline travel animal shenanigans:
  • “If you have a service raccoon...somebody's really got issues.” – Fiona [106:20]
• On improvement ideas for airports:
  • “If we all just back up [at baggage claim], we could all see our bags.” – Aaron [91:17–91:30]
• On standing up for oneself:
  • “See, before you came on the pod, we would all just hold it and be uncomfortable. But now...” – Aaron [96:49]

Useful Timestamps

• [01:53] – Fiona’s introduction & Kill Tony breakthrough
• [07:19] – Friday the 13th and superstition talk
• [20:23] – Discussing Friedrich’s Ataxia & misdiagnosis
• [24:14] – School struggles, misjudgment, and family disbelief
• [62:52] – Southwest Airlines new disability-unfriendly policy
• [69:54] – Solution: “Get on first, get off last”
• [73:34] – Story of being blocked from the bathroom on plane by fake disabled passengers
• [74:01] – Solutions: certification, account-based accessibility, wall of shame, better infrastructure
• [91:17] – Baggage claim etiquette
• [95:44] – Family/disabled/neutral restrooms, crowding, and policy gripes
• [101:20] – Emergency landings & turbulence stories

Notable Quotes with Attribution

• “I like the term historical anxieties.” – Dusty Slay [09:51]
• “The handicap seating is an extra $85... Instead of having accessibility, the highest bidder gets it.” – Fiona Cauley [62:52]
• “If you use the perks of being disabled...you should have to get off last.” – Fiona Cauley [69:54]
• “If you ask me, do you want to get ice cream? I panic and assume you have something terrible to tell me.” – Fiona Cauley [53:47]
• “Helen Keller was Shakespeare.” – Dusty Slay [33:47]
• “If you want to stand, fine, but just stand to the one side and let other people move along.” – Brian Bates [92:29]

Air Travel Fun Facts & Stats

[96:05]–[99:38]

• ~45,000 flights daily in the US, sometimes over 50,000. [96:23]
• Worst airports for flight delays: Newark, O’Hare, and LaGuardia.
• Best flying days/times: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, midday (late morning/early afternoon).

Closing & Upcoming Shows

[120:12]–[127:55]

• Each host and Fiona plug their upcoming standup dates.
• Fiona is recognized as the podcast’s first guest, warmly welcomed back any time.
• Closing with thanks, goodbyes, and the usual irreverent camaraderie.

Episode Tone & Style

• Conversational, irreverent, and edgy, with classic standup comic camaraderie; self-deprecating, occasionally dark humor, but affable and inclusive.
• Frequent asides, call-backs to former jokes, and riffing on each other's foibles.
• Honest, insightful, and unfiltered when discussing personal or disability-related experiences, but always with levity.

Summary

This episode of Public Figures is a wide-ranging, laugh-out-loud deep dive into the realities (and absurdities) of modern air travel, as seen through the lens of standup comedians—with a vital dose of real-world accessibility advocacy from Fiona Cauley. Listeners gain new empathy for travelers with disabilities, insight into the inner workings of comedy careers, and a whole arsenal of travel etiquette gripes and solutions—plus plenty of comic gems along the way.