Roar with Kim Congdon

In this episode of The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly, comedian Kim Congdon takes center stage, delivering a series of electrifying, self-deprecating, and deeply personal hero stories that blend absurdity, trauma, and triumph. She recounts two life-threatening rescues in Puerto Rico: first, saving a drowning Indian father and son from a fast-moving jungle river, and then rescuing a white man with Parkinson’s disease from a deadly rip current—both within a single week. Her vivid storytelling, complete with dramatic reenactments and emotional honesty, paints her as a reluctant but undeniable hero. The conversation then spirals into a darkly comedic exploration of real-life heroism, with guests sharing their own bizarre, often morally ambiguous 'hero' moments—like Yamanika stopping a gas attack at a playground or Christine preventing a fire by turning off a space heater. The episode culminates in a surreal, satirical deep dive into the infamous 1981 film *Roar*, a horror movie made by Tippi Hedren and her daughter Melanie Griffith, where real animals attacked cast and crew, resulting in injuries, near-death experiences, and even fatalities. The hosts dissect the film’s dangerous production, its legacy, and the psychological toll on those involved, using it as a metaphor for the blurred line between heroism and chaos. The episode closes with a flurry of sponsor plugs for upcoming comedy tours and Ari Shafir’s new comedy series, before returning to the theme of how heroism is often invisible, chaotic, and deeply human.