The Yak — “We Are Using Big Cat For Clickbait” | February 13, 2026

Overview

This lively episode of The Yak brings together Kate, Brandon Walker, Francis, Eddie, Nick, and others for a classic freewheeling Barstool hangout. With several regulars (like Big Cat and Kyle) out or on vocal rest, the crew covers everything from hair transplants and nostalgia for 80s haircuts, to wedding etiquette, social media habits, feuds within Barstool, and some especially memorable live stunts that keep the show’s unpredictable energy alive. The conversation shifts rapidly through comedic anecdotes, lighthearted debates, and insider Barstool tales, all wrapped in the group's signature irreverent style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Missing Roster and Show Setup

• Roster Update: With Big Cat, Kyle, and Titus out, Kate steps in as host. The show immediately notes the absence: “We did send Kyle home—vocal rest. I told him to take next week if he needed it.” (02:44)
• Host vs. Hostess Language: Light banter about dropping gendered titles: “Is ‘hostess’ not a thing anymore?...they're saying calling ladies ‘actors’ now.” (02:53)

80s Hair, Hair Transplants, and Embarrassing Hairstyles

• Barstool's Hair Transplant Trip: Kate and Brandon discuss colleagues traveling to Turkey for hair procedures, joking about people who are “bald-stool” and those who maybe don’t need it. (3:42–5:02)
• Destigmatizing Hair Procedures: Francis explains his own experience: “I did something called FUE,” — where individual follicles are transplanted — and the crew jokes about past horror stories with “plugs.” (08:05–08:44)
• Brandon on Losing Old Jokes: “One of my frustrations is the destigmatization of it. Losing a way to bust someone's balls…” (07:13)
• Body Hair & Maintenance: Kate shares she'd “rather just remove” hair permanently from anywhere but her head.

Notable Quote:
Brandon: “We don't see a horseshoe anymore...entire hairstyles of old sitcom characters are just gone.” (07:28)

Freckles, High School, and Nostalgia

• Vanishing Freckles: Brandon opines that kids today don’t have as many freckles, possibly because they're inside more. “Did Covid kill freckles?” (09:09–09:45)
• High School Throwbacks: Stories of “smoking areas” in schools, daycares for students' kids, and the infamous Marilyn Monroe piercing as a teenage rite. (10:37–11:10)

Content Standards, Anxiety, and Canned Work

• Canning Content: The hosts discuss projects they've never released. “We'll can ANUS episodes often…probably every other month.” (15:24)
• Anxiety Over Output: Kate admits to over 1,000 unpublished blog drafts and the nerves of pressing ‘post.’ (16:19)
• Social Media Strategy: Brandon outsources most of his Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok: “Katie Stats runs my Instagram.” (17:17)
• Facebook Monetization: There's surprise at Facebook payouts; Brandon realizes he may be missing out: “Maybe that's why Katie keeps doing it…” (18:09)

Comedy, Relationships, and Candid Moments

• Francis’s Stand-Up: Francis talks about shelving a special focused on his marriage post-divorce: “It felt so dishonest... it would have been out of time with how things were.” (13:49)
• Valentine’s Day Planning: “Comedy show is one of the most underrated dates you can do.” (13:05)
• When Canned Content Helps: Francis admits that Tommy Walker is such a standout kid in his video series that “there are no other children who can hold a candle to Tommy Walker.” (19:27)

Wedding Traditions & Speech Anxiety

• Best Man/Maid of Honor Speeches:
  • Eddie shares about recently giving one: “I went off the dome. I rehearsed it...it was at 9:30.” (30:01)
  • Francis is an old pro: “I have spoken at 14 of the 16 weddings that I’ve been to.” (33:33)
  • Kate: “Kept it quick—three quick jokes, something heartfelt.” (33:32)
• Changing Traditions: Less emphasis on family roles for speeches, more creative/varied entrances, and some regional traditions like the “dollar dance.” (35:03)
• Weddings at Barstool: “The couple met opening night at the Barstool bar in Chicago...I just fuck around. They lasted longer than the Barstool bar.” (34:39)

Aging, Loss, and Reflecting on Life

• Friends Passing: “First 40 years of your life, you spend gaining friends. Then the last 40, you’re losing them.” (37:34)
• On Death in Small Towns: “Everybody knows everybody...all the people that raised us are just dropping out…” (38:07)

Barstool Feuds & On-air Grievances

• The ‘Charity Case’ Tweet: Brandon vents displeasure about being called a “charity case” by Dante: “From that point on, I just saw white…when I rewatched, I got even madder.” (40:13)
• Clarifying Previous Jabs: Francis feels compelled to clarify comments from previous shows, especially regarding Jack Mac and Hannah Montoya, emphasizing respect for their work. (41:32–42:42)

Memorable Moment:
Brandon: “I was fucking seething on The Yak...I got madder on the rewatch…” (40:13)

Barstool Character Roast: The Mincy/Whitney Feud

• Ryan Whitney Roasts Mintz: Whitney unleashes a diatribe about colleague Mincy’s oblivious behavior—airplane etiquette, freeloading, etc.—prompting group reflection. (51:02–54:04)
• Brandon’s Take: “...he is a good-hearted guy who does bad things. He isn’t a bad-hearted guy.” (58:45)
• The ‘Mincy Conundrum’: The crew debates whether being annoying but unaware is worse than intentionally being a jerk.

Notable Quote:
Francis: “You also can’t replicate it...He is just so singular...” (58:11)

Gay Dating, Compliments, and Masculinity

• Connor Griffin’s ‘Gay Date’ Story: Connor shares being asked out by a male barber, which everyone treats with humor and as a compliment. Francis: “I get asked out by gay men so frequently that I would never tell anyone.” (66:13)
• Masculinity, Style, & Confidence: Francis reflects: “Men are enterprising…we’re hunter-gatherers…I think it’s just good style.” (66:41)

Stunts, Gags & The Wheel

• The Infamous ‘Wet Wheel’ & Piss Punishment: The iconic Yak wheel lands on an especially wild penalty—one crew member has to pee himself on camera, sparking laughter, horror, and the kind of edge only Barstool pulls off. (101:05–109:19)

Memorable Moment:
Kate: “Just go ahead and...Yeah, towel up...Some people get shy and they have to get wrapped up in something to be able to do it.” (107:08)

Miscellaneous Laughs, Candy, and Fudge

• Candy Shop Faves: Crew debates best candies (turtles, s’mores, fudge, bark, caramel apples), with some giving tips about getting post-Valentine’s chocolate on the cheap. (79:46–81:18)
• Bad Haircuts: Discussing terrible hairstyles and how they were received, even sharing embarrassing old photos and admitting they didn’t realize how bad it was until Barstool. (87:19–89:44)

The Magic of Big Cat

• Clickbait in the Thumbnails: The show jokes about using Big Cat’s image and name to boost views even when he’s not present: “We got to find a way to get him on the thumbnail.” (92:37–92:50)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On losing old-age hair styles
  Brandon: “We have entire hairstyles of old sitcom characters that are just gone. And I wish we had them back.” [07:28]

• On the loss of childlike innocence
  Brandon: "Did Covid kill freckles?" [09:45]
  Kate: "You were walking around cross-eyed and freckled. That's disgusting." [09:55]

• On social media and monetization
  Brandon: “Katie Stats runs my Instagram. She...runs my Facebook.” [17:17]
  Francis: “I think people are not adjusted to this new era of me actually not having humongous reserves of open tickets available…” [13:09]

• On Mincy
  Whitney: “Everything that he does is just inconsiderate to others, constantly.” [51:00]
  Brandon: “It's good to see Whitney and them discover this.” [53:04]

• On childhood mishaps
  Brandon: “…I was the fall guy for a stolen Pringles ring…I didn't even do it it was somebody else…” [71:26]

• On masculinity and gay dating
  Francis: "I get asked out by gay men so frequently that I would never tell anyone." [66:13]

• On candid self-reflection
  Brandon: “If he had two straight eyes, this is fun.” [59:33]

• On the unpredictable Yak wheel
  “The wheel has a mind of its own…A 4-0 sweep means the person who got swept has to piss their pants on camera instead of going to get wet.” [105:01]

Important Timestamps

• 02:44 – Roster update and Kate's vocal rest plan for Kyle
• 07:28 – Brandon laments disappearing 80s men’s hairstyles
• 13:49 – Francis discusses scrapping his divorce-related standup special
• 19:27 – Reflection on the failed attempt to make Tommy Walker's act a recurring series
• 33:33 – Francis reveals he’s spoken at 14 of 16 weddings
• 40:13 – Brandon vents about the “charity case” incident
• 49:46 – Francis breaks down the economics and etiquette of taking openers on the road for comedy
• 51:02–54:04 – Ryan Whitney rants about Mincy’s behavior
• 66:13 – Francis on being hit on by gay men
• 79:46–81:18 – Crew talk favorite fudge and candy shop items
• 101:05–109:19 – The “piss yourself” wheel stunt

Conclusion & Tone

The episode is a textbook Yak: sharp banter, self-deprecating humor, personal stories, meta-commentary on life at Barstool, and bold, sometimes outrageous bits that push comfort zones and test camaraderie. There’s a constant undercurrent of ripping on friends, nostalgia, and an "anything goes" approach that keeps even a Big Cat- or Kyle-less show feeling fresh.

Final Sign-off:
Brandon: “Alright, we'll see you guys Monday. That’s Pissing himself.” [109:19]
Eddie: “Go piss yourself this weekend. Bye.” [110:18]

For Yak newcomers

It’s an episode that encapsulates all things Yak: wild group dynamics, open-book honesty, relentless teasing, the surprise of live stunts, and an unapologetically Barstool vibe. Even with the regular headline names missing, the team keeps everything flowing, funny, and just a little bit dangerous.