Sal Vulcano Will Fight You About Bread | Not Today, Pal

Summary

Not Today, Pal – “Sal Vulcano Will Fight You About Bread”

Episode Date: November 13, 2025

Hosts: Robert Iler (Rob), filling in for Jamie-Lynn Sigler

Guest: Sal Vulcano (Impractical Jokers, Taste Buds)

Podcast: Not Today, Pal (YMH Studios)

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Episode Overview

This episode is a lively, comedic, and honest conversation between Robert Iler and Sal Vulcano, famed for his roles on Impractical Jokers and the hit food debate podcast Taste Buds. With Jamie-Lynn Sigler absent for the first time, Rob steers the discussion through friendship, the art (and therapy) of friendly arguing, growing up on the East Coast, obsessive food opinions, embarrassing social moments, and the outlandish stories that bond friends for life. The episode balances nostalgia, humor, and reflections on relationships, debates, and personal growth.

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Main Themes & Purpose

• Celebrating the joy and catharsis of friendly arguments—especially about trivial topics like food
• Nostalgia for chaotic East Coast upbringings, contrasted with adult attempts at calm and mindfulness
• Examining the evolution of friend and family dynamics through yelling, forgiveness, and affection
• Sal’s journey in comedy, podcasting, and continual reinvention
• Navigating social etiquette and embarrassment with humor
• Embracing differences in opinion as the glue of real, lasting connection

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Yin-Yang of Taste Buds Friendship (00:00–10:59)

• Rob’s praise for Sal’s “Taste Buds” and its classic NY friend energy:
  • “If you want to feel like you’re back home, throw on Taste Buds… your friends arguing, this is what you do.” (00:33, Rob)
• Sal on putting multiple busy projects (Taste Buds, Hey Babe) on hiatus for quality:
  • “We were in like three years, starting to get hard to fit into the schedule... I don’t want to half-ass anything.” (00:59, Sal)
• Sal teases new podcast, “Minouche Solo”, a “really weird talk show, half conversation, half sketch” (01:36).

2. Arguing (and Eating) Like New Yorkers (04:17–07:58)

• Origin of Taste Buds during COVID lockdown: Poolside food fights led to “Is this a podcast?” moment with Joe DeRosa.

  • “Is this a podcast?…You want to just argue about food?” (03:38, Sal)

• The unique role of friendly shouting among NYers:

  • “Everything was a fight. The dog barking, the bell… but then when I get back in it, I’m like, this is good.” (05:36, Rob)
  • “Arguing loud is just normal… it’s not me getting mad.” (06:37, Sal)

• The magic: Everyone has passionate, nonsensical opinions, especially about food and dumb topics.

3. Turning Arguments Into Art (13:35–17:30)

• Sal shares the behind-the-scenes rituals for “getting salty:” The pre-show chant of “It’s time to get salty”—and the post-fight “No matter what happens, I love you” mantra

  • “We’d hold each other’s arms… ‘No matter what happens, I love you’... all because Joe was second guessing if you were actually getting too heated.” (15:29, Sal)

• Merch was made: “No matter what happens, I love you.”

4. Family Holiday Fights—And Fast Forgiveness (17:33–19:18)

• Both reminisce about never making it through a holiday without a “full-on blowout,” but always repairing it through casual, unspoken means (“I left a hat over there”).

  • “There never did a healthy makeup ever really…” (19:01, Rob)

• On chaos in big families, and the new generational wave of “little kids running around.”

  • “I invite that chaos—I love seeing it with the kids now.” (22:17, Sal)

5. Arguments About… Absolutely Anything (26:03–34:24)

• Sal recounts the most heated but silliest Taste Buds debate: “heroes vs. rolls” (bread discourse), so real some listeners felt like “their parents were fighting” (27:38).

  • “At the end of the day, you’re listening to us argue about heroes vs. rolls!” (27:58, Sal)

• The age-old “couple” vs. “few” argument in marital life:

  • “‘A couple’ always means two.” (29:28, Sal)
  • “But what about… ‘a couple minutes late’?” (29:45, Rob)

• The “next Wednesday” debate: Is it this Wednesday or the one after? (31:39)

6. Emotional Intelligence and Personal Growth (34:17–36:46)

• Both discuss therapy, communication, and learning to pause before reacting, especially in marriages and adult friendships.
  • “The fight is never about what it’s about… it’s an emotional reaction manifesting itself.” (34:24, Sal)
  • “You learn how each other communicates—discourse is good, even in relationships.” (36:21, Sal)

7. Food Fights: Bread, Butter, Garlic Knots, and Core Memories (37:00–44:39)

• Rapid-fire Taste Buds rounds:

  • Garlic bread vs. garlic knots—Sal’s passionate about the “airplane wing” loaf (37:16–38:16).
  • Nostalgic tales about Italian bread, red sauce, and the cult-like joy of bread-and-butter (“One of the great joys in life”—Sal, 40:03).

• Notable Quote:

  • “Put me at a Michelin restaurant… give me hot, fresh bread and butter, and it’s gonna compete with the best. It’s one of the great joys in life.” (40:03, Sal)

• Hysterical “yesterday’s bread, horse” story: Sal’s friend calls out stale bread in a French restaurant—pure, authentic East Coast comedy (41:14).

8. Personal & Social Embarrassment: Etiquette, Coupons, and Mishaps (66:51–79:33)

• The ultimate debate: Do you use a gift certificate on a first date? (67:04–71:18)

  • “I would judge the person on how they reacted… if they thought it was tacky, I’d be like, you’re not real.” (68:28, Sal)

• Red Lobster coup: The “Impractical Jokers” crew pranks their intimidating former network boss into an absurdly lavish Red Lobster bill, capping it with a $5 coupon (73:44–77:30)

  • “He opened it up and was like, ‘Ah, f*** your coupon!’” (75:38, Sal)

9. Embarrassment Olympics: Bad Breath, BO, Social Faux Pas (82:02–91:44)

• Brainstorming a new podcast: Announcing to people (anonymously or not) that they need to address their bad breath or BO (82:51).
• The etiquette of telling someone about food in their teeth—tell them IMMEDIATELY, never after a delay (86:44–86:57).
• “If you spit on someone, acknowledge immediately—‘I just shot food out, I’m so sorry.'” (88:53, Sal)
• Most mortifying: Spit landing on your face or in your eye (“I feel like 28 Days Later, I’ll turn into a zombie!”—91:10, Sal)

10. Closing Thoughts: The Value of Arguing and Forgiveness (94:10–94:32)

• On why “Taste Buds” and similar friendships are needed now:
  • “People need to be able to say ‘F*** you, I hate you,’ and then go to dinner and laugh about it.” (94:24, Rob)
  • “It’s just a little tolerance… Friends are idiots and that’s why I love them.” (94:35, Sal)

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Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “If you want to feel like you’re back home, throw on Taste Buds… your friends arguing, this is what you do.” – Rob (00:33)
• “We’d hold each other’s arms…‘No matter what happens, I love you’... all because Joe was second guessing if you were actually getting too heated.” – Sal (15:29)
• “There never did a healthy makeup ever really… It was always like, hey, I left a hat over there.” – Rob (19:01)
• “Put me at a Michelin restaurant… give me hot, fresh bread and butter, and it’s gonna compete with the best. It’s one of the great joys in life.” – Sal (40:03)
• “You just spit in my face, but you don’t say anything, now I’m talking to you with a bead of your spit, my whole body is feeling like it’s dying…” – Sal (88:09)
• “People need to be able to say ‘F*** you, I hate you,’ and then go to dinner and laugh about it.” – Rob (94:24)

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Memorable Moments

• “Yesterday’s bread, horse” story in a French restaurant (41:14): A perfect old-school New York moment.
• The Red Lobster prank—turning an intimidating boss’s promise of a Per Se dinner into a $700 Times Square seafood feast, ending with a coupon for added spite (73:44).
• Sal arriving at a costume party one day early—dressed as a Picasso, walking into a family eating dinner (61:35–64:57).
• The spontaneous business idea: a podcast for breaking the news about chronic bad breath or BO, complete with “rehabilitation reunions” (82:51).

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:33 — Rob’s perfect pitch for Taste Buds’ NY energy
• 03:38 — Taste Buds’ COVID incept, “Is this a podcast?”
• 15:29 — “No matter what happens, I love you” chant
• 27:38 — The most heated Taste Buds fight (heroes vs. rolls)
• 29:28 — A couple = two vs. a couple = a few
• 34:24 — “The fight is never about what it’s about...”
• 40:03 — Bread & butter is a “Michelin-star” bite of joy
• 61:35 — Showing up to the wrong day for a costume party
• 73:44 — The Red Lobster “coupon” incident
• 82:51 — Brainstorming a bad breath/BO notification podcast
• 88:09 — The agony of being spit on
• 94:24 — “People need to be able to say ‘F*** you, I hate you’…”

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Tone & Style

• Affectionate, candid, filled with fast-paced, animated exchanges
• Both hosts show self-aware, “New York therapy” energy—big on yelling, fast on forgiveness
• Playful, vulnerable, quick to swap jokes and stories, and to turn even cringeworthy memories into cathartic comedy

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Summary

A heartfelt, hilarious episode that celebrates messy but loving debates, family chaos, the quest for culinary and social satisfaction, and the power of letting trivial things go. Sal and Rob remind us that the best friendships aren’t defined by sameness but by their ability to navigate (and laugh about) their differences, and that, now more than ever, the world could use more “Taste Buds” style arguing—and forgiving.

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For longtime fans or newcomers alike, this episode is a masterclass in New York banter, food obsessions, and the kind of friendship that can survive, and even thrive on, a screaming match over garlic bread.

Transcript

[Sal Vulcano]

Not today, pal.

[Brian Redban]

Welcome to the pod. My guest today is Saul Volcano. Most people know him from impractical jokers. To me, your. You should go down and always be known for taste buds.

[Sal Vulcano]

Ah, thank you, bro.

[Brian Redban]

It's the best.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, man, thank you, dude.

[Brian Redban]

It's so. Because after, like, I think you were.

[Sal Vulcano]

You were a guest on it before.

[Brian Redban]

You had me on. I think I had seen, like, I watch it just to be like, oh, to know what I was going to do.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And then after did the deep dive and I was like, this is. If you're a New Yorker and you're living somewhere else, if you want to feel like you're back home, that's dope. You just fucking throw on taste buds and it's like your. Your friends arguing, but they. This is what you do.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like, this is what you do.

[Brian Redban]

It's okay to fucking fight and be like, I hate you. You're a fucking idiot. You're so stupid. Like, where do you want to go for lunch?

[Sal Vulcano]

Like, exactly how we are.

[Brian Redban]

It's. It's the best.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, that's. That's like the. One of the best, like, descriptions and compliments I've gotten for that show, which is on hiatus. I have two podcasts on hiatus. Hey babe and Taste Buds. I do other comics, Joe derosa and Chris DiStefano, but we just got a bunch of projects and we were in like three years into both of them and, you know, it was. It was starting to get hard to fit into the schedule and I would like to half ass anything. So we're like, let's. Let's pause it. Let's take a break, let the audience, like, miss us and we'll come back in a little while. And people still like, oh, yeah, you really not. You're not coming back. It's, you know, bullshit. And it's like, no, we truly, truly will come back when we want.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, right.

[Sal Vulcano]

We have no int. We love doing it. I know no intention of not doing it again. But like, things get in the way and like, so it's like, let it breathe a little bit and then when we can, we can put time and effort into it, you know, I don't want to do anything half, you know, like, so 100%. So I was going back. I actually am. I'm starting a new talk show podcast called Minouche Solo. One that I'm. That's coming out at the end of the fall, which is completely different. It's like a one on one, like, absurd, like, tongue in cheek interview thing. That's like half. Half conversation, half sketch, and it goes like in and out of conversations and sketch comedy.

[Brian Redban]

That's great.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's different. It's. It's completely different. I'm shooting in, like, 10 episode seasons, so I don't have to do it every week, because that was. The issue with that is, like, I needed to do two every single week. Right. You know, between touring other projects. It's tough. So I started this project. I'm excited about it because the first one I've done solo, I did a podcast with Q from school. What say you? Like, for a while. But, like, this is the first one. And it's. It's just than. Than what's going on out there right now. It's more like a talk show. It's like a really weird talk show type of thing. So. But yeah, I'd love to have you on.

[Brian Redban]

Of course. But, yeah, plug everything.

[Sal Vulcano]

Sure, sure. So I'm. I'm on tour right now. Sal Volcano Comedy for tickets. I'm adding dates all the time. I'm touring all the way through 2027, so there's like 40 cities up now, but a lot more be. But I have a lot of big shows coming up. I'm in Austin February 1st. I'm playing the Ryman Theater in Nashville in April, the Beacon Theater in December in New York, and the Chicago Theater November 14th. Chicago. So always updating those dates. And I got a new pod coming out called Minouche, which I mentioned to savalcanocomedy.com for tour info and stuff.

[Brian Redban]

Can't wait.

[Sal Vulcano]

But. But taste buds. Yeah, I appreciate that. And if you had Joe deroza, who was my partner on this part.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

So you got a taste. Your audience got a taste of what he's like.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, he's great.

[Sal Vulcano]

That's how we conceive the show. It's like Joe can pretty much argue about anything. It could be taxing and a little exhausting.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

But it's. It's why you love them. So, like, we 100, during COVID we, like, rented a. Like a friends of ours and, you know, we rented a house when you had to, like, stay in your own clique or whatever, you know?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, of course. And we.

[Sal Vulcano]

We.

[Brian Redban]

What was it called? Your. Your pot.

[Sal Vulcano]

No, you're. You're.

[Brian Redban]

What was it called during COVID your.

[Sal Vulcano]

Group stay with your own.

[Brian Redban]

Your pod. Is it a pot?

[Sal Vulcano]

Like, I forget they had a name for it.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

So your circle, your. I don't know. Whatever the heck. Yeah. Anyway, so We. We were lucky enough to go up, like, to Long Island. We had a pool during, like, for a little bit. So we were in the pool every day fighting about food. And. And we were just going at it. And, like, I'm like, is this a podcast? He's like, I think it is, dude. And I was like, do you want to do this? You want to just argue about food? Because, like, first of all, like, I hate. Like, everything's so, like. Like, I just want to be escapism. Like, you know, I mean, just nonsense stuff. It's. You know, I think what. It's so funny that we got so passionate. Passionate.

[Brian Redban]

It's the best.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like, we got into real screaming arguments about this stuff. But it's like, the other good thing is that everyone has an opinion on food. Everyone.

[Brian Redban]

100.

[Sal Vulcano]

So it's like, when you listen along, it's like, it is. Hopefully the idea was that it was engaging, you know, but.

[Brian Redban]

Well, for sure. But I also think what's so annoying to me now is, like, there's this. Not that it's a new thing, but I feel like there's a thing now where people are like, well, if you're in an argument and you get, like, animated, you lost. Or, like, you. You're supposed to stay calm in this. Where. For me, it's like, the reason I became an actor is because my manager saw me on the street being animated, and, like, that's who I was. And that's the reason why he was like, hey, he should do commercials.

[Sal Vulcano]

Really?

[Brian Redban]

This. Because, yeah, I was just on the street with my dad, and this guy came over and was like, hey, I'm a manager. Like, here's my card. He should go on.

[Sal Vulcano]

What were you doing in that moment? Who knows?

[Brian Redban]

I was just being a New York kid. Like, why? Like, whatever I was doing. And he was like, oh, like this kid. But, like, you know, there's this thing where it's like, oh, you should. You should always stay calm. And it's like, I love back in the day being with my friends and at the top of our lungs being like, you're a fucking idiot. I'm not ordering from there. I'm ordering from here. Because we could. We could order from both.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like, how we spoke.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. And it was. It's the best. And I miss it because, like, you know, people I'm friends with now, mainly, especially here, now that I'm sober too, and everything, it's like, there's a much calmer. And it's like. Which is great. But then, like, you Know, sometimes I miss the. And that's like.

[Sal Vulcano]

I grew up around loud, you know?

[Brian Redban]

Oh, constantly. Yeah. It was. Everything was a fight. The dog barking, the bell go. Like, everything was just, like, loud and intense and this. So it's like, I am happy that I'm away from it, but then when I get back in it, I'm like, o, this is good. And I think it's why. It's a reason also why, like, for a while, I. I was into, like, watching, like, the Real Housewives, you know, because it's like, I can control this crazy. Like, I'm totally calm now in my life. I don't drink. I don't do anything. It's always calm. I meditate. I. This. But then there's sometimes where it's like, I need. I need to watch these crazy, crazy people be crazy. And then turn that off and go, I'm so happy I'm not back there. But I need to know.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

That I need to get back for a minute.

[Sal Vulcano]

I understand. Yeah. And then, you know, and that's. I think that was the juxtaposition of, like, getting really fiercely argumentative about, like, everything. Bagels is. That juxtaposition was hopefully comedic as well, but for sure.

[Brian Redban]

But you know what it is, too? It's like, people with me, I notice, like, now, outside of New York, when I argue with something with somebody, people will be like, oh, you're getting mad.

[Sal Vulcano]

And I'm like, man, yeah, bro, you're raising your voice. I'm like, it's not me. Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

I'm like, I'm. On a scale of one, there was one time where any I think was like. Was like, yo, yeah. Somebody said that you were mad in the pod. And I was like, from a 1 to a 10. It was zero.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right.

[Brian Redban]

I don't even know what you're talking.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right.

[Brian Redban]

Like, it was just like. Right. It. It goes and that. And it's. I really think, like, obviously it happens everywhere, but I think it's a very New York. Like, you know, Joe Rogan has talked before where, like, when you're driving a car, the reason you snap so quick is because you're in this, like, pressure situation. Like, every move is. Could be your life or that.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right.

[Brian Redban]

We're like, when you're walking around New York and, like, everything is so much.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Then when somebody's like, hey, you have a dollar, you'll let me the fuck alone. Instead of being overstimulation.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.

[Brian Redban]

So you can. Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

I just kind of get Zen, though. Too. I'm trying to do that as well. But, like, but you know, our, like, you know, our normal. Our normal growing up was a lot of yelling.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. And sometimes it's like, fun to me where there's some people where it's like, no, no, this is never fun. Like, I never want to be in this.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

I'm like. And that's why there's some pods I put on where it's like, I just want to check out and not be. But with your pod, it was something where, like, you wanted to be in the room so many times to be like, are you fudgeing kidding? Like, how do you think that this is a real.

[Sal Vulcano]

You got to come back when we start again. Because now you got. Now you got. Now you could, like, really lean into it.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. 100%. I love. I could fudge it. I could argue about food all. One of my best friends, his girlfriend used to always be like, I know when you guys are on the phone because you'll talk about food for an hour and a half.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

I'm just like, yeah. And be like, we'll argue over like, you know, you have to order the chicken franchise from the place to Lizzie is that we would get. You have to order it well done. You know, and you'd be like, oh, no. But they should just. Why don't they just do it? It was like this whole thing.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. And I, you know, I, I, I, I wasn't like a food expert, but, like, after doing like 200 episodes of that podcast, like, people come to me for like, commentary on food. And like, I, I just became like, in the food space.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

And it's all I'm doing is just giving my opinion, but I'm like, fighting. Sometimes we would do like, non food items because we didn't want to just like, want to branch a little bit. But also as ridiculous. Like, we'd argue pencil versus pen.

[Brian Redban]

Right.

[Sal Vulcano]

You know what I mean? Or like, so good, you know, morning versus night, you know, whatever. But it's like the point. The whole, like, secret sauce was getting passionate. Which is really easy to do with Joe because.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

I mean, you were just talking about him coming into the room. The studio last time. Yeah. And he was already like a head case about something.

[Brian Redban]

His first. But I think before he said hello to Jamie, his intro was, I don't want to offend you guys. Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

I don't know.

[Brian Redban]

Talking about something that he thought would be offensive. We said it wasn't. And then a minute later he was like, I, I, I Don't think we should talk. This is a fan. We're like, what? Like, what are you talking about? So it's. It's like. But when I. You know, watching him on taste buds and also watching him on, like, the Stefano, like, stuff he did with the Stefano where he would. He would come in with the premise of, like, I'm so hungover. I'm this, I'm that. And then when people would be like, hey, maybe you need to. He'd be like, I'm fine. Like, that's. I love it. Like, I wish I knew him better, so I felt more comfortable making fun of him right now. You know, I don't know him well enough.

[Sal Vulcano]

No, you can. You can. He's. That's what. That's the beauty of him. You just right away dig in. You know what I mean? So.

[Brian Redban]

So, yeah. As somebody who loves to debate stuff, here's what I want to ask you.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Jamie Lynn is not here. This is the first episode that we've ever done that she's not here for.

[Sal Vulcano]

Are you serious?

[Brian Redban]

The first one. So, so happen.

[Sal Vulcano]

What did I do?

[Brian Redban]

And this is. This is my question. Is this respect or is it disrespect? Because when we can't do it, we've done over 100. When we can't do it together, nor. They say, like, hey, this person's in town, we go, no, it's okay. Like, we don't want. But when I heard you were in town, I was like, we have to. Have to do it, man. So is that respect or is it disrespect that she's not here?

[Sal Vulcano]

That's the respect from you. Disrespectful Jamie. Yeah, we'll deal with her on the.

[Brian Redban]

God, I don't know. I wish.

[Sal Vulcano]

I'm sorry she couldn't make it. I had never met her prior to this, but she's the best. But. Yeah, no, but we can hold it down. That's cool.

[Brian Redban]

Oh, yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

I will try to do it proud, you know?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. I think it's great that we made it to over 100 without. Without having. I thought we would have to.

[Sal Vulcano]

That's pretty good, man.

[Brian Redban]

She's got two kids.

[Sal Vulcano]

She. Yeah, she's working.

[Brian Redban]

So I was like, oh, we'll definitely at some point have to do it.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right?

[Brian Redban]

And we didn't even have to do.

[Sal Vulcano]

This guy, but we didn't even have to do this. We.

[Brian Redban]

This was, like, at a choice. Usually when you do, like, a sub where the person's not there, it's because you have to like, you're like, oh, we need a pod this week, right? We're like, we. She went away. You weren't.

[Sal Vulcano]

You weren't in. You weren't in Darius Straits for a pod.

[Brian Redban]

Not at all.

[Sal Vulcano]

It was. I love it.

[Brian Redban]

You were in town and I was like, I can't let him leave. That's without getting them on the show because I got to tell him how much I love taste buds.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, dude, you make me feel good. That's so nice. So thanks, dude.

[Brian Redban]

For anybody who doesn't know taste buds, we.

[Sal Vulcano]

I feel funny because it's like, I'm not doing it right now, but one day. One day.

[Brian Redban]

But that's what's so great about, like, YouTube and like, it's all like, for.

[Sal Vulcano]

Somebody who's never gonna watch 200.

[Brian Redban]

Like, it's brand new. It's not like a show from the fucking 70s. Or you're like, oh, this doesn't work anymore.

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[Brian Redban]

Yes. What an ad. I'm go. I'm already signed up for Shopify. I'm going to double down. So I pulled a couple of clips just to give people a taste of what I love about this show.

[Sal Vulcano]

So do you.

[Brian Redban]

I.

[Sal Vulcano]

Sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy. Do you feel like I'm going crazy? You think our friends.

[Brian Redban]

All right, go to the.

[Sal Vulcano]

Just go.

[Brian Redban]

You can just rifle them off. No, I know.

[Sal Vulcano]

Swear to God. You just, you just make up. I don't make up. You just put yourself. I hang out with you every week. Oh, my God, Joe. My goodness.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

What?

[Sal Vulcano]

Yes, you do.

[Brian Redban]

The way you.

[Sal Vulcano]

That is insane. I stop acting like people that smoke pot smoke it once a week. Oh, this was a heated one. You smoke it once a week. People that smoke pot. I didn't, I didn't say. I said habitually.

[Brian Redban]

It's, it's.

[Sal Vulcano]

I love meat versus alcohol was a heated one. Yeah, I remember, like, there's a handful that, like. And then afterward people would be writing like, I don't like it when you really fight. I'm like, guys, we went to eat right after that. Like, I don't know. What are you talking about?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, I know. Like, it's like your friends have to be able to do this. And you be. Yeah, just like.

[Sal Vulcano]

No, that's.

[Brian Redban]

That's just how they. Or maybe it's just. It's not. They should, but that's how it was.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. You know what's so funny though, right? Like, Joe, you remember how he said he came in, he's like, I don't want to insult you. Then he was like, maybe I shouldn't say it. And he second guessed himself. So sometimes we'd get into a heated debate, right? And then so one day he writes me and he goes, hey, are you taking any of this home with you? And I'm like, no. What do you mean? He's like, like, you know, like, we got into a heated debate. Are you mad at Me. And I'm like, joe, what do you mean? Like, it's a comedy part where we argue. Like, I. Don't you think I'm thinking about weed versus alcohol when you leave? Like, no, I'm not mad at you. He's like, all right. He's like. Cause I just, you know, I just don't want to. And I'm like, what do you. So we started doing this thing where we started doing these chants.

[Brian Redban]

It's the best.

[Sal Vulcano]

So. So to get us in a headspace of wanting to, like, really fight each other in the beginning, we would chant, it's time to get salty. It's time to get salty. It's time to get salty. And then we would each insult each other once, right? And so, like, whatever. I went on the spot, and usually it's funny and stuff. And then we get into, like, a real competitive. But then after he started saying that, he was, like, nervous to, like, bring this energy outside. We would go. We'd hold each other's arms and look at each other as he goes before we start and go, no matter what happens, I love you. No matter what happens, I love you. No matter what happens, I love you. And then we would. And then we'd take a nice thing and then start doing it. And that was all because Joe was second guessing if sometimes you were actually getting too heated where it would, like, be affecting our real relationship.

[Brian Redban]

And. And can I tell you what that is? That's not. Because I know from personal, that's not having kids and a wife and all this stuff, because some. There's been like two or three times or something happened on this podcast, and I would hit up Jamie, like, a few hours later and be like, hey, you're. You're like, with what? Like, you sure you don't want to take that out? And she's like, I forgot. Because she's. She gets home and the kids are like, I need this, I need that. And then where. For me, I go home to an empty apartment, and then you're sitting around something, and then you go, hey, wait, I wonder. Like, Jamie's all right, right? Or other people who have. They leave here and it's constant, right? You. They don't dwell. Like, Jamie's never dwelled on something and been like, you know, a month later. Or this where I'm like, hey, you're. I'm just making sure she's all right.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, yeah, you got. You got that. Just that extra space is not being taken up by the kids to bang around in there. And Second guess stuff. Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And it's also.

[Sal Vulcano]

Or be considerate.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Right.

[Brian Redban]

And also when I lay in bed, I'm not exhausted and passed out from exhaustion because a kid woke me up at 6am Like, I'm in our camp.

[Sal Vulcano]

Because I, you know, I have kids, so. But yeah, I try not to dwell on that. Joe definitely is. Is the you in that scenario.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, it happened. But. But it's like, you just have to. You have to know that you're with somebody who, like. Because I have best friends in New York that I grew up with were like, no matter what happens, I'm never like, are we all right? Are they okay? You know, it's like, no, that's. That's.

[Sal Vulcano]

We started. We started making merch. No matter what happens, I love you. It was like a big seller.

[Brian Redban]

You love it. It's. I mean, dude, I. I remember growing up in my family, like, we never made it through a holiday.

[Sal Vulcano]

Never made it through a holiday without fighting.

[Brian Redban]

You mean without full on, like a blowout or something, leaving, like, get in the car, like, you know, and you're like, oh, but when you were a kid, you're like, yeah, this is, this is what happened.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Holidays, there's a lot of moving parts.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You know, whose house you got to get to this. That. The other. Because just a lot going on, you know. Did you grow up with siblings or.

[Brian Redban]

So I. At first I was an only child, and then I. My mom had one kid and my dad had four other kids.

[Sal Vulcano]

Okay, so you were around.

[Brian Redban]

But I've been a part of both. Like, I've tasted both.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. The bigger the family, the more chaotic, obviously.

[Brian Redban]

But yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, it's.

[Brian Redban]

And you know what? It is too? It's like, like the men in my family always drank and the women didn't. But a lot of times it was the women who were. Who ended up in the fights. Yeah, about. Shit. Yeah, it was. You know, I'm thinking back to very specific things. You're like, wow. Yeah, they were, they were really getting out. I wonder why too. I wonder because. Maybe it's because we didn't make it until night time even. Like, I remember the. Get in the car, the sun was still out, you know, and in New York during holidays, that's like 5pm Right.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right.

[Brian Redban]

And it's like, get back in the car. Okay. We're leaving here.

[Sal Vulcano]

And this.

[Brian Redban]

We're like, I think the alcohol fights start coming around 9, 10 at night. You know, where the. I just hate. But the crazy thing is also. And maybe that's why I don't like carry that anger with people who I fight with is like, the next day my family was fine.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

There was never. And, and they never did a healthy makeup ever really. It was always like, hey, I left a hat over there, I'm gonna come get it. And then like, just make it okay like that. But it was never like, hey, I want to talk about what happened. Like now that I'm a 40 year old adult and I guess times have changed.

[Sal Vulcano]

So funny. I remember one time because a lot of people asked me, like with the show, with impractical jokers. The show. I've known those guys since I'm 13, you know, and, and we were. When we're working, like, we're really working, like, because we like, we'll, we'll be filming the show and I also tour with them. Besides my standup tour. I tour with them. That stopped now. But like, so I've never stopped touring. I'll tour for two years alone, then two years with them. That. Two years alone and two years. So when we're touring and in production, I see those guys five, seven days a week. So it's like, you know, now we're doing the show 14 years, it's like people like, do you guys fight? And I think like, we've learned to manage each other and work really well together for people that are with each other 247 and understand how the give and take of it all and stuff like that. But, but it's inevitable. Like you're going to like every once in a while have like a blow up or a fight over something. We don't try to dwell on it. I remember one time, I don't even remember what it was about, but. Because we don't have a lot, but Q and I got into a blowout and, and, and we like, I made a yelling blowout. And then we had to film the next day, you know, it was like a real one. And I had forgotten my shirt at his house. I left my hat, right? And then I remember he came to set the next day and I'm like, what's that gonna be like? Because we like fought yesterday and he just walked in and he's like. Because he, I, I knew I left my shirt. He just had my shirt on him. He just threw my shirt. He goes, you left your shirt in my house? I wet my ass with it. And then we just moved on.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, that's it. And now that I'm like, you know, I've, I've had a Couple relationships and this. And I'm 40 and sober and this. It's like I'm. I'm. I try to approach things in a way of like, okay, here's. Let's. Let's talk about what happened this way and that. But I'm like, I don't. Is that right? I don't know. My family seems fine. Like.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And I'm like, they never have to sit, but sometimes I think it's about.

[Sal Vulcano]

What works for you, you know, like, that's all it is. I mean, you know, I, I have been trying to definitely become more Zen because, like, stress will kill you.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

And I, and I come from a long line of worriers. Like my, my grandparents, my parents, they're worried people. You know what I mean? And it's like I, I don't want to take that on. I have. I, like, I'm something that, like someone. I obsess over every little decision, second guess myself in those contexts, in like life context.

[Brian Redban]

Ye.

[Sal Vulcano]

And was always like worried about something. I always just. I'm too controlling, you know, Like, I want everything to, to, you know, go the right way. And I, and I obsess over that. So I'm trying to let go a lot. So like, I've been working on doing that, you know, like just like not sweating the, the small stuff and stuff just to get to that place of like even Keness. You know what I mean? But, but like that's just me internally. But with the family, it's like if we're having still to this day, we're having holidays, it's like it's mayhem. Yeah, it's mayhem. Especially now with like a lot of us have younger kids and like that whole new crop of cousins is like, it's not us anymore.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's like the little kids. And I'm watching them like vicariously like remembering like me and all my cousins and all the stuff we did and like how what that was like.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

To see all that like again with them is just awesome. So I, I love, I invite that like chaos and them running around.

[Brian Redban]

Sure.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

But I feel, I think the age old argument is like, well, who, who is healthier? The people who just let it all out and then they're fine the next day or the people who are like, you know, because now that I'm like, dude, when I was 20, there was no such thing as like, maybe I shouldn't say that.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right?

[Brian Redban]

No one in my family, none of my friends, we never had that. It was like, whatever you What? Like, it's all coming out where now that I'm 40, it's like, here's what I want to say, but let me wait. Let me sit with that. Let me see if that's really what I should say.

[Sal Vulcano]

That's a big one. I. That's a big one. That's helped me to not. Not react emotionally. So if I'm having an emotional reaction, like, I'll just, like, I'll say, like, I'm gonna wait a day on this. And it really does change. Your state of mind, changes your approach, changes the way you respond to people, change. You don't say anything that you might regret. Like, I. That's been a big one for me. But, like, you know, when I was younger, I go to my grandparents, my grandma, like, you're getting fat. Oh, yeah, thanks. I didn't get insulted. I'm like, yeah.

[Brian Redban]

They would call you nicknames that just meant fat. Like, you know, and. And, yeah, like, oh, yeah, I'm. I'm fat. That's right.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

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[Brian Redban]

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[Sal Vulcano]

You.

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[Brian Redban]

Guys, I'll tell you, investing has saved my life. It saved my life.

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[Brian Redban]

Yeah. I don't think I would be here if it wasn't for investing.

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[Brian Redban]

No way, guys. ACORNS is incredible. Tell them James.

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[Brian Redban]

What do you think is the most annoyed you ever got with him during the pod? Was it.

[Sal Vulcano]

There was one. There was one episode toward the end where it was. It just got to the point where I think we were both like stressed already. Yeah. And it really was like a. Oddly, it wasn't, but it was okay. So to the viewer itself, I forget what it. It was something ridiculous like Burger King and hero, heroes versus roles. And it was like it was the most mundane thing and it just took on a new level where like we really, really were fighting. I did not care afterward. I really didn't at all. Yeah, he did a little. And the viewers, like, the listeners really were like, this is insane. And they were taking sides. And to be honest, 90% of the people took his side, which I. Looking back, I don't see it. But also it's not that. It's not that important. Like, but. But the listeners were like, fuck this. I'm not listening anymore. That's unfair. And like they got like. And at the end of the day I'm like, guys, you're listening to us argue about heroes versus roles. Like it. Because it's that thing where we started arguing about the argument and that the way we were arguing. So like it took on another life of its own. Then we started arguing about that and so it wasn't even. So then we started like, just like, arguing about, like, don't do that. You do that after, like, 100, like, 80 episodes. You know, we're keeping fights contained to comedy, arguments contained to comedy. So I think one got away from us where it was like. I think it felt a little bit more like people were like, this is like, listen to my parents, like in a fight, you know?

[Brian Redban]

Right.

[Sal Vulcano]

And. But again, at the end of that episode, yes, I could recognize that it went a little different than usual, but I didn't care. And it was just so funny. Like, the blowback on those comments, I think I turned and was like, tell me in the comments, who's right right now? And everybody was like, you. All right, all right, I'll take the L if I need to take. It's no big deal. What?

[Brian Redban]

You found it, you think?

[Sal Vulcano]

I'm pretty sure here.

[Brian Redban]

Let's. Let's listen.

[Sal Vulcano]

Bread.

[Brian Redban]

We sell.

[Sal Vulcano]

We make rolls. I don't know that it is Italian bread. Italian bread, to me, has a very different consistency. That's a role. It's a. Well, it's a hero. When you say a role, we make roll. That's a kaiser roll. Then there's a hero. If you go into the store for me and I said, get me ham and cheese on a roll. Would you come back with hero bread? No, I might round bread. I would ask you what kind of roll you want. I don't know where you're from. Philadelphia, baby. Yeah. I don't know what that's about. The sandwich.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You say, I want a hero or I want a roll? It's two. Oh, good. Rules to the rest. Standard. Most. We had to do a part. 2. We started fighting so much. We did two parts because you. I hate when you do this so much.

[Brian Redban]

I hate it so much.

[Sal Vulcano]

It makes me so mad. It makes me so mad. When you apply the three stupid shops you've eaten at your whole life to the entire globe. 47 years of living in New York and eating on the same three blocks.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. I'm the exact same way. And I've had this thing. But. But here's one that's, like, kind of very similar to this. Right? Is like growing up, when you said a couple, it meant three, four, five, sit, like, whatever. And then there's people who are like, no, no. A couple always and only means two.

[Sal Vulcano]

Okay, this is really funny that you're bringing this up. This is a current and continuing debate between my wife and I, but I'm in the camp of a couple always means two.

[Brian Redban]

And I get it.

[Sal Vulcano]

She Says a couple, and I take it as two. And she means three, four, five. And I'm like, who are you? And look it up, just look it up. Like 100% few is three or four. A couple is two. That's the distinction made between the two. If you're taking three or four to mean a couple, then a couple has no point anymore.

[Brian Redban]

But what about if somebody says, I'm going to be a couple minutes late?

[Sal Vulcano]

Two. No, wait. Okay, wait.

[Brian Redban]

Hold. See?

[Sal Vulcano]

Very good. No, no, that's good, that's good. I jump reacted to that in that context. I believe that to mean I give you. I give you more than two things there. I give you more. I probably give you up to 10 in that scenario, but that's a very unique scenario. Very well, very good.

[Brian Redban]

Thank you.

[Sal Vulcano]

But I, but, but, but when, you know, when she says, I need a couple of apples or like, you know, like, you know, there's going to be a couple of kids, you know, from her class there, or like, you know, whatever the hell she says, like, I just. And she says three, four. And it, we might as well make an episode out of it because this is the. I'm like, it gets me so frustrated.

[Brian Redban]

Or if somebody says, hey, can I have a couple of your fries?

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. Okay. In that instance, I would take that to mean a few. But I, but I'm interpreting it and understand what you. But then there's instances where you say a couple. And I'll tell you right now, no, that means two right there. That means.

[Brian Redban]

Right. That's why it's a thing.

[Sal Vulcano]

So which one are you in?

[Brian Redban]

I, I always grew up, and to me, it was always. It meant, you know, anything under five.

[Sal Vulcano]

Okay.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Or whatever.

[Brian Redban]

But there's things where I stand strong on my thing where this is not. I think this is a thing that's like. I don't know. I think it's open to interpretation. It's a tough one, but it, it is hard for me when, when somebody stands on that, like, no, it always means two. And I'm like, I don't know.

[Sal Vulcano]

I think, well, okay, I, I just think if you say something like, I'll be home in a couple hours, I think that's two. We're going on vacation for a couple of weeks. I think that's two. You know, stuff like that. Like, I don't know. I, I wish I knew the context in which she. Because she always says a couple when she means a few. One other thing that she does is she says, next Wednesday.

[Brian Redban]

Oh, this is.

[Sal Vulcano]

Which is the next possible Wednesday. That's this Wednesday. Next Wednesday is the Wednesday after the next. This next Wednesday. And she always says, next Wednesday. And I'm like, so two Wednesdays from now. She goes, no, the next Wednesday. I'm like, that's this Wednesday. That's in a couple of days. Because today's Monday.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think that's a tough, like, yeah, if. So on a Monday, if someone says next Wednesday, I think not two days from now. Nine days.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, right.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But. And I've had that same thing with people. And I'm like, you said next. I almost think, like, the same way. It's like, you know, people talk about, you know, with your body and. And with food and, you know, basically, like, any food you eat, it's strenuous on your body. Like, they try and find what's the best food to eat. And it turns out, like, anything you eat is strenuous on your body. And sometimes it's good for things when they're strenuous on your body. Like going to the gym. It's healthy, right? And I almost think, like, for. Maybe it's just for me, when you have these moments and you watch friends argue or you're arguing with your friend and this. I almost think it's like going to the gym for me. Like, I think it's good.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. You're tapping into a part of your brain that. That's engaging. It's responding to that and engaging. So you're stimulating yourself with something that you're familiar with, probably. You know what I mean?

[Brian Redban]

So, yeah. And I don't want to do it with a stranger on the street.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right.

[Brian Redban]

I want to do with somebody who I feel safe with, I'm comfortable with. And I know, like, this is okay. And I can be loose. I don't have to go, like, maybe I shouldn't say, I can. And then me and that person a week later will go, can you believe we were arguing about this?

[Sal Vulcano]

Right?

[Brian Redban]

What I see. So I. I'm almost always with my friends, the non couple guy. So when I show up and. Or when people who are married or this.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

I feel like I'm watching from the outside. And I could go, I think this is what's going on.

[Sal Vulcano]

Okay.

[Brian Redban]

My friends who are married, together for a long time, everything. I would say, 9 out of 10 of their fights are like, right before dinner, heading to dinner, you show up to dinner. And I'm like, you guys are just hungry.

[Sal Vulcano]

And I'm not joking at all.

[Brian Redban]

Like, it's like, you guys are fudgeing hungry. Like, why are you so mad that they're taking an extra five minutes? Because you're hungry. Like, I know women who are married who go, like, when I'm getting ready for, to go out to dinner, I put a snack for my husband. And we never fight. Like, it doesn't become a thing. And I. And I'm like, yeah. And like, that's a great thing because I'm the same way. Like, sometimes I can be an asshole with my friends.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And then like, I'm. As I'm eating something, I go, why did I do that? Oh, I was fucking hungry. Like, my bad. And now, you know, now that I'm older, I can realize it and apologize and say it, but I can't imagine when I was 20, how many of my fights were like, I was hungover.

[Sal Vulcano]

The fight is never about the fights. I go to therapy, like, and my wife and I also go to therapy because it's great. It's like, it was really very helpful.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Especially like with kids in like a high pressure environment and everything. Like, it's like, it's good to set aside time and just talk. You know what I mean? Like, it's. You owe yourself that time. So we invest in ourselves by going to therapy. It's not like we're, you know, whatever, but you learn a lot of things. And one thing I learned is like, the fight is never about what it's about out. It's always an emotional reaction manifesting itself in a way like that. And so the, the key is then to try to understand and identify immediately, like, where, where that's coming from instead of just plotting forward and going through with a fight over nothing. Because those things start to accumulate and build up. And that's the ebb and flow of when you're in like a rut or like, you know, you're, you're, you guys are like short with each other over everything. It's like compounding because you're not taking a time out and just assessing what you need to assess. And so that's something that we try to put into practice. And so, like, that's why I could sound like I could speak to something like this. Yeah, no, listen, like, I'm a professional. Like, let me tell you something.

[Brian Redban]

One of the last girls I dated, what we would mainly fight about is, like, she would say something and then I would bring that up later and she would be like, I didn't mean that literally. Like, I didn't mean that. And she would Be like, you're too, like, logical with stuff where, like, if you hear someone say this, it means the exact thing that they said. And then I'm sitting there going, I wish someone was here to hear this. You're telling me that we fight because I repeat what you say and. And hold you to what you. And it. And I. And like, you know, part of me, like, there were times where it was frustrating, but there were parts where, like, when we were getting along and would talk about that stuff, it was fun. Like, it was fun to be like, this is just so different. Because when you say, like, she would say something like, I don't understand how people could do X, you know, like, for anything, like, politically in this. And. And like, not that I was even on these people's side, but I would go, well, this is why, like, this is how they do it. And then an hour later, she'd be like, mad at me about something, and I'd be like, well, you said you didn't understand it. And she'd be like, well, no, that's not what I meant. And I'm like, what'd you mean? And then that just be like, you said.

[Sal Vulcano]

That becomes a lot of times what we say is not. Is not what we meant either. So it's like, it's understanding how each other communicates, right? That's exactly what it is.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. And it's. It's part of the, like, some people just, like, reject that and push that away. And sometimes with me, like, I like to get into it, right? I like to be like, wait, wait, let's figure each other out and like, talk. It is interesting.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, it is. I mean, in discourse is good even in relationships and like into, you know.

[Brian Redban]

But when I was 20, it was like, I want. No. I want. No. As soon as it was like, if I thought somebody was being ridiculous, it was like, get me the.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, you don't have the capacity.

[Brian Redban]

You pull a rip station. Yeah. Where now I'm like, wait, wait, let's get as deep as we can into this thing, baby.

[Sal Vulcano]

That's the 40s.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. Now I'm. I'm 40. All right. I got. I got some like, almost like rapid fire kind of taste bud shift. Like, it was weird that that one said garlic bread. Because my question for you, the first one is garlic bread or garlic knots?

[Sal Vulcano]

For me, it's garlic bread.

[Brian Redban]

Garlic bread.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yes. Yeah. I mean, you know, pizza places, a lot of them do the garlic knots. I'm not. Not. I love garlic and bread. In any form you guys put, you're pitting those two against. I like the actual like half loaf of garlic bread. I like eating it like it's a fucking airplane wing. The whole thing that, you know, right. Just spread like just olive oil and, you know, the knot is a different consistency. It's good to like, bop them. It's like the bon bon of bread, you know? But yeah, but I like that golden brown, like crispy, like half a loaf of Italian bread cut in half kind of thing. Of course. Yeah, yeah. Or you could actually like make a chicken sandwich on the garlic bread or something like that. You know what I mean?

[Brian Redban]

Oh, that's the best. But the reason why I think I might go garlic knots is because, like, I can go to a dinner and have 15 garlic knots and, and, and leave the dinner and go like, I don't know why my stomach hurts. If I eat a, a cut in half loaf of garlic bread and then I want more after that half, I'm like, this is gonna hurt.

[Sal Vulcano]

The issue with the garlic bread in general is like, I almost can't stop. It's like you become a goal. Like, I just, I will keep eating it until, like, there's a problem.

[Brian Redban]

If you give me red sauce with it. You know, I actually had a thing with Jamie where I was saying, like, I never thought this before I was fucking 35, but now I might actually like Italian bread with butter in red sauce better than pizza.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, dude, I know exactly what you mean.

[Brian Redban]

I mean, it's fucking.

[Sal Vulcano]

There's not a better bite. It's just a slap on that butter right there. The bread's hot and crisp. You dunk it in the sauce. And then the sauce with the cold butter, but the sauce is hot.

[Brian Redban]

You want to make it a 10?

[Sal Vulcano]

I'll punch my grandmother right in the face.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, if you want to make it a 10. If it's sauce from like lasagna or something, you get a little piece of meat in the sauce, it's a fucking 10 out of 10. Like, it's like, this is better than, like, if you put that meat on a piece of pizza and eat it, it doesn't do the same.

[Sal Vulcano]

Dude, I, I actually. Seriously, I have a friend who had a couple of little restaurants and stuff, and I called up and I was like, I have an idea. I was like, I think. I was like, I think that you should. Or we should like, is this a good idea? A place called bread and butter, and you come in and it's all different types of butters and all different types of breads. And maybe we serve, like, you know, just some drinks. Whatever kind of drinks you want, whether it be beer, coffee, beverages. But then you just sit down with a piping hot, fresh bread basket. Different assortment of both. And just. Because really, honestly, I've said this in the past, but you're a genius. Put me at a Michelin. Put me at a Michelin restaurant. Give me, like, tell me the best chef. Give me his best bite. And then also just give me hot, fresh, warm bread and butter, and it's gonna compete with the best Michelin. It's. It's one of the great joys in life.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

And so I'm like, I want to go to a place where I could just get fresh, hot bread and butter and just pound it.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You know what I mean? If that was healthy for you, I would look like Michael Phelps or something, you know?

[Brian Redban]

It's so good.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

So, like, you know, I. I grew up going to public schools in New York, so I had my friends who were like, like, oh, you live in this really nice apartment. You can't believe it. And then I had friends like me grew up in income housing and this.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right.

[Brian Redban]

So those friends would collide, you know, we'd all go out to dinner somewhere. And I remember one of the hardest I've ever laughed. So my friends. Parents owned a French restaurant, and me and my friends had never. Now we're older now. Like, this is my friends in a later time, but we're like, 16, maybe 15. And they're like, for the first time ever, he's like, yo, we can go to my family's place for dinner. It's my birthday. Whatever. Like, six of us are going. It was. You have to wear a jacket. And we're like, I don't even know. Like, mine is like a starter jacket. Yeah, yeah. I got a dolphin jacket on with a zipper. He's like, no, no, not this. And I remember we're all, like, dressed up, and like, I. I don't know if I've ever seen my friends dressed up at 16. Like, it was like the first. Like, unless it was like a bar mitzvah maybe or something. Like. Yeah, it was like. We were like, wow. Like, this is crazy. So we go into a gentleman.

[Sal Vulcano]

Gentleman about town.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. We're like, look at us. And we. And we so don't. As soon as we were, like, smoking cigarettes out there outside, smoking weed, and we walk in and we sit down and we start eating, and the guy comes over with, like, a bread assortment, like, all different things. And he has like the baguette, this thing, that thing, another thing. And he goes to my friend's business, he goes to my friend Frank, who is like the most not fitting in right now. And he goes, which one would you like? And he, and he says, the baguette. So he puts the baguette on his little, little side plate. And my friend Frank, I still to this day, my friend Frank picks it up and he taps it on the plate and it's like, ding, ding, ding. And he looks like, he goes, yesterday's bread horse. He used to have a nickname for everyone. You just call him Horse. He'd be like, hey, a horse. And he tapped it on the plate and he looks at, he goes, yesterday's bread horse. I. For like the, the entree came and.

[Sal Vulcano]

I still kid in the suit jacket just trying to school a French waiter.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Oh.

[Brian Redban]

And I. And this guy had no. Didn't even smile at him. He's holding the tongue, just looking at him like, you piece of Howard. Because he knew he's serving a bunch of 15 year olds. It's a kid's restaurant. He's not getting a tip.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Oh, my God. And I just, we. We let like. I literally remember not like not enjoying my entree as much because I was sweating, I was laughing so hard. And he didn't say it like, hey guys, I'm. I'm doing a joke here. He did it between him and this guy and he was like, he was like, yesterday's bread.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's, it's, it's funny just on paper, but you put a 16 year old saying it in a sports coat, it's even funny.

[Brian Redban]

My God, we laughed forever. And then the other time that he said something like, this was on my 21st birthday. We all got. The club in Vegas was like, hey, we'll send you a limo and pick you up at your apartment. Your friends will pay for everybody's hotel rooms, your 21st birthday, everything. So I was like, all right, I hit up all my boys. I'm like, we're going to Vegas, baby. You know, so we go, we get the, we're in the limo.

[Sal Vulcano]

This.

[Brian Redban]

And my one friend's friend was, was like paying his own way, but he wanted to come with us. And we were friends too, but like, he didn't know my friends in that way. And we're sitting in the, in the limo and we're all together and my friend, like, this guy Frank, he's like, you know, he's in good shape and he's like, yeah, you know, I'm in the gym every day, and this other kid goes, oh. He goes, I go to the gym every day, too. And he looks right at him. He goes, what do you do? Mop the floors, bro.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

We.

[Sal Vulcano]

This is the. He said that to the kid that wasn't part of the group.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, he said that. This guy who was not in good shape at all, but he was like, I. To the gym every day. What do you do? Mop the floors. We.

[Sal Vulcano]

You open the door up, man. That's when people talk to each other.

[Brian Redban]

You open the door at the airport, and we fell out laughing. And it's like 20 minutes later. And this poor guy, he doesn't know us. And his intro to we're on the Plane.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, but Trial by Fire, now he's part of the group, you know, like.

[Brian Redban]

It'S like on the plane, just crying. And we. We were in Vegas yelling over the casino. What do you want? We thought it was the greatest. And. And he. And he just had that thing.

[Sal Vulcano]

Was he able to. Did he see the funny in it or was he.

[Brian Redban]

Like, when we got to Vegas, we were drinking. It was good. But in. In, like the limo and everything, it was very awkward. Yeah, he didn't, because. And you know what. What happened was, like, all of us heard it and he didn't. So we're all laughing, and he's going, wait, what? What? And we're laughing even harder because, oh, my God, man. It was my boy Frank, man. He's. He.

[Sal Vulcano]

He hit him with a few core memories, man.

[Brian Redban]

So good. All right. Would you rather watch a movie at home or in the theater?

[Sal Vulcano]

I'll go with it. I would say. Depends on the movie. There are some movies, like, I kind of like, they're good for the couch and they're good for, like, pain, like, just paying attention. And the one on one guy and then just some. You kind of want to share with, like Star Wars.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like, you want that. Like, the energy of people. Like, I've seen movies in theaters with amazing crowds that I think made the movie better.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You know, it's just like a. Even a comedy show, like, if. If that crowd is hot, it's, like, addictive. And everybody's got this, like, kind of similar energy and feeling, the same vibe. It's. It's an elevated experience. But then there's sometimes where I've been to a movie, then I hated it. Like, people don't stop talking, or it's like the seats are. You know, it's Just, you know.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

It is what it is. I'm old school. I do like to try to get to the movies. It changed a bit for me after Covid, but I recently been trying to go back to the movies for certain movies. Like, I just saw Weapons in the movie theater. I'm trying to see that new Paul Thomas Anderson movie with Leo and.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Great.

[Sal Vulcano]

I heard it's great. Yeah, I went. You know, so I'm trying, but. But I also, like. I'm like a guy that likes to be home as well, though.

[Brian Redban]

I'm always.

[Sal Vulcano]

Sports I'd rather watch at home than in a bar or, like.

[Brian Redban]

Or even at the thing.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, at the thing. Yeah. Like, going to a game. I do it because it's, like, it's fun and you want to get one in every once in a while.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

But especially if the game is important or, like, you really want to pay attention to the game. I, like, want to hear every. Every word.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, I. I like.

[Sal Vulcano]

I throw a Super bowl party every year. I just been doing it, like, maybe the last, like, five or six years. And, like, it's great because I get all the. Like, my friends and the comics come over and everything, but I always have an internal debate where I'm like, I never watched the game. Like, you don't watch the game the same way.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You know where it's like, on a regular Sunday. I'm a Steelers fan. I'm watching the Steelers. I'm, like, locked in, you know, like.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm always at home. Guy. What if. What if you don't know what the movie is going to be? If someone just says you're about to watch a movie, Would you rather be. If you. If you don't know, like, it's gonna be Star Wars.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

It's gonna be some thing you'd rather be.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. Like, take that out of the equation.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

If you. If you remove the fact that I'm always pretty tired, you know, like, if I'm just a normal person on paper. I think getting out to the movie theater is the experience of the movies, you know?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. See, I've. I've gone to Pete, like, when you talk about. It's better sometimes when you're in the theater. I've gone to, like, a friend's premiere of, like, a show or something like this, and you watch it and you're like, oh, my God. Because, like, you're in this. You're also.

[Sal Vulcano]

Premieres are great.

[Brian Redban]

You go to a premiere and you go, that show is great. And then you put it on at home and you go, this.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. Yeah. It's. It's. It's like, that's so funny because, like.

[Brian Redban]

It'S a free popcorn.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's. It's stand up. When a crowd is really great, you almost can't judge your material on them because it's not an accurate indicator.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

So it's like, if I have a. You know, it's somewhere in between. If I, like, have a terrible crowd or a crowd that's like. If I'm like, hey, like, oh, my God, he's the greatest man alive.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's like, you can't really. It feels good, but you can't judge it. So, like, premieres, they make the movie better because I've done this, I've gone home. Like, oh, that wasn't even half as good as I thought, Right?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. My. My friend was like, hey, my buddy Kevin Hart is doing a set at the Cellar. And I had never been to the Cellar. I've only been to a comedy club, like, three or four times.

[Sal Vulcano]

In your life?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. Just because, like, ever since I've been sober, like, they feel a little dark to me.

[Sal Vulcano]

I get the smell, like, everything.

[Brian Redban]

I'm like, this is. I get a little, like, ye.

[Sal Vulcano]

Supposed to be by nature, like, dark and, like, low ceilings and moody and, like. Because that. That's, like, what. That's how comedy is best experienced. But I know what you mean by that.

[Brian Redban]

And when I go now, it's like to see my friends and they're like, come in the green room and this, and I feel uncomfortable. I don't feel like I belong there.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

I'm like, I don't. I don't want to be here. But also, it feels rude to be like, no, I'm leaving. It's a weird kind of thing where, like. But so my friend's like, hey, you know, Kevin Hart's going to do the seller. He's going to leave tickets for us if you want to go. I'm like, okay, let's go. Nobody in the crowd knows he's coming. So you watch the crowd with these other comedians who they've never heard of and how they respond to them. And then as soon as somebody gets on the mic and they're like, all right, we got a surprise for you guys. Kevin. Kevin Hart. And they go nuts. He literally would be like, I'm walking down the street the other day, and they're howling, laughing, like, you can't even hear some of the jokes. They're just. And. But it is. It's that excite. It's that premiere thing where, like, you're with your friends, free popcorn, free soda. You sit down, and there's, like, a vibe. Everybody's happy to be there. And then you're like, hey, this show was good.

[Sal Vulcano]

He's in the movie. Look at the guy. You know?

[Brian Redban]

And then the worst part part is I. I very, very much value my friends valuing my opinion about shows and movies and stuff, because I'm not somebody who just throws around like, you should watch this. But then you leave there and somebody asks you how it was, and you're like, good. You should watch it. And then they're like, what the. Did you tell me to watch? They're like, this is dog. I'm like, what? It was great. We had it. But you get caught up.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, it was great. But I was sitting next to Keanu Reeves at the time.

[Brian Redban]

Right? Exactly. Yeah. You're like. It was. Everybody was buzzing.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like, strategy.

[Brian Redban]

When the names came on the screen, everyone clapped.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, exactly.

[Brian Redban]

Right.

[Sal Vulcano]

Name.

[Brian Redban]

And they're like, yeah, right, right.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. Okay. This is one that I only realized even was a thing at an older age. What about outdoor mall versus indoor mall?

[Sal Vulcano]

I'm gonna go. As a kid, I didn't even have. There was no outdoor mall. Really. It was like. Those came later, but, like, outlet and stuff.

[Brian Redban]

That's what I'm saying.

[Sal Vulcano]

Indoor mall. It's like I took the bus with my friends, like, the girl, like, when I hit, like, eighth grade, and I would go with, like, 20, 25 bucks, go to Spencer's, get a poster, you know, get some pizza. And then maybe, you know, like. I don't know what, but. And it was like a whole adventure in the mall that day. It was like the. The whole day was in the mall, but it was like, you may as well have been outside. You run into people, you know, you try to talk to girls.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You know, you're buying, like, shit. You know, you just. So that was my, like, youth experience. If I had to choose now. Outdoor mall, though, it's so much better. It's just so much better now that I'm older. You get fresh air, you cut, you know, in and out. It doesn't feel like you're just like you're getting.

[Brian Redban]

You feel like you're getting your steps in. I'm like, am I golfing or.

[Sal Vulcano]

I like it. Outdoor mall. I also, like, just, like, looking down the. You know, just. I could, like, you know, I don't know. Just. It's.

[Brian Redban]

It's so much better.

[Sal Vulcano]

To me, one of the things I miss is going to malls. Like, I don't do it near. I probably don't do it. I used to do it a regular amount. And then I like, I. I don't. Because, like, I can't go where I live. It's just too close to home.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

And it won't be a normal experience. You know, malls are like, that kind of actually, because, like, you know, for someone in the public, like, people just start tailing you, right. And then, like, word gets out, and they text their friends and other people. And then people start coming, and they follow you into a store, and then you're, like, looking at a shirt, and then you look around, there's, like, people looking at you. And so, like, one of the things I always, like, say to my wife is, like, I miss. Like, I. I do miss. Like, not that I'm like, I can't even imagine what someone really famous, like, really famous has to put up with, but just on my own level of it, like, I do miss simple things. Like sometimes, you know, we're going to the supermarket. I'm like, I want to go. Like, it's like, it sounds like the best thing ever. Like, I just miss that. You know what I mean?

[Brian Redban]

See, I could do it in 49 states and nobody bothers me. If I tried doing in Jersey.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, dead.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. People will call their friends and be like, you can't believe who's here anywhere else. They don't give a. But when you're in Jersey, I always say, like, so interesting in Jersey or.

[Sal Vulcano]

New York, too, maybe.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. But in New York, they're so jaded that, like, they're not going to call their friend to be like, the guy from Sopranos is here. You got to get down here. No one gives a fuck. You know? But in Jersey, it's like, you're the president. I always tell people when I go to Jersey, I can't tell you how many people go, I was watching Sopranos last night.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, last night.

[Brian Redban]

I'm always like, it's like, it's still on here.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. I mean, it's. It's arguably the greatest show of all time.

[Brian Redban]

But it's. It's also like, the. If I think about, like, the five blocks I grew up in, if there was a great TV show that was based on just a. The five blocks I grew up in. I probably watch that all the time where, like, Jersey people are like, no. In the credits. They pass my. This.

[Sal Vulcano]

And it resonates so much with Them. It's like. It's from Jersey, you know, it's like. Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. And, you know, if the show was bad, it'd probably still be that people from Jersey love it.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Like. Like the fact that it did well and, like, put Jersey in a place where, like, now people go to Jersey to. There's, like, Jersey locations.

[Sal Vulcano]

I always pass the. Was it the Bada Bang? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was in, like, Lodi.

[Brian Redban]

I think so. Yeah. Satin dolls. Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Still, like, every once in a while, I gotta pass that way. And you never not pass and go with the.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. I've gotten a text probably every year for 20 years where somebody said, like, I'm getting a lap dance right now looking at your face. Oh, you think? I think they have, like, our headshots or, like, there's some re. I. I don't know. I haven't gone.

[Sal Vulcano]

Okay. I can't really say. I won't say the person, but I. Where I live, I live next to someone who owns Paulie Walnut's car. From the movie. From the show. I'm sorry? From the show. Like, the one like that. It's like a black Cadillac that.

[Brian Redban]

He never watched the show.

[Sal Vulcano]

It was a screen. Okay. I think it's the one where, like, they go to the Pine Barrens, maybe, or something like that.

[Brian Redban]

Okay.

[Sal Vulcano]

So I. I see that in, like. I see that car all the time. Right. It's, like, right outside my place.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, I know. They. They did.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's kind of neat, but, like, that's what I'm saying. Like, the dedication to the. To the show is insane.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You know, they.

[Brian Redban]

Because people. Yeah. People outside of Jersey still are quoting it or this or whatever, but. Yeah, man. In Jersey, it's. And you love it. Like, you love to see how, like, they take so much pride in it, you know? And, like, when we would be filming and they would come over, like, just the best, like.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And I always thought that Jersey caught a bad rap. Like, when people are like, jersey's the armpit of the America that I'm like, I. I only had good experiences in Jersey, even, like, before it was.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. I think it's like anything else. I mean, you could point out things that suck about a place or point out the best things about a place. It's just what you decide to focus on.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

People aren't. I mean, Jersey essentially is home to me. Yeah. It's. New York and New Jersey are the same thing to me.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

For sure. You know? I mean, different. I mean, New York City is different. But, like, as a kid growing up in the suburbs from Staten Island. Jersey is in Staten Islands, an extension of Jersey and vice versa.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

A lot of friends, family. Like, it's. There's no difference. Like, being in Jersey feels like I'm home.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. 100. So I even, like.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, yeah. So, like, even watching your show, like, I. Same thing. Like, I could. Could completely relate to it. It just, you know, not the. You know, not like the. The mafia boss stuff, but like, just the life, you know, I mean, just the surroundings and everything. Like, it just was familiar, you know?

[Brian Redban]

Well, that's the thing. Like, when people see Joey Diaz, like, they love Joey Diaz because they're like, you're like, nobody I've ever met, everybody I know, I love doing, like, you make me feel at home. You make me feel safe, like. Or it's like that guy. I'm like, yeah, that's my whole. Yo, me and Jamie always talk. Talk about this, but it's like, where is she from? She's from Long Island.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, there you go. Yeah, that's just it. Long Islands. That's the extension as well.

[Brian Redban]

That's it.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Long Island. But she. She grew up in a way where, like, her family was like, oh, you know, you better make sure people like you. My family was like, them. Like, every. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just every. That guy that anybody. And it was like, I. It's a great. It's a great tool to have, you know? Or you could just. It's like, you know, somebody said that you're like that. Where she doesn't. She does not have that tool.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Like, you could be like, jamie, I met a stranger on the street. They said they didn't like your. This. She'll be like. Like, it's the same as, like, someone who she's so close to.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

That person, you know, like, who.

[Sal Vulcano]

I love how you say it, too, because you say it the right way. Like, it's like that you say, like, it's like, you know, it's like, yeah, that guy. You know, it's so funny because, like, I know when someone's auth. Like, I know when I'm talking to someone, like, even when I'm, you know, like, on the road and I do a meet and greet, I'm like, you're from. You're from East Coast. You're from New York.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's just because if someone, like, tries to say that that's not from New York, they'll say it. But I. There's. I know the authenticity to it. Like, I've. Because from hearing it out of my ears, you know, like, it's like. It's like I always. It was fascinating when people get a dialect coach and, like, I'm watching something, I have no idea. This person's Australian, and they're like. I'm like, how do they nail it to the ear that much? You know, like, some people can really do. I don't know how they do it.

[Brian Redban]

But, like, it's like succession or like these. What was. There's another show where you're like, oh, the whole cast.

[Sal Vulcano]

Succession was one of them that I was like, what?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

So I watched the extras and, like, they're from New Zealand, and I'll show. I'm like.

[Brian Redban]

Or you see, like, Tom Hardy and something. Yeah. How.

[Sal Vulcano]

How do they do it?

[Brian Redban]

He's. He's unreal.

[Sal Vulcano]

He's a chameleon. Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

So, like, how do you.

[Sal Vulcano]

But he would be like, that guy, you know? Yeah, there's something like.

[Brian Redban]

But it does. It does help because, like, I. I can't. I'm not, like, really good at accents. But one time, me and my friend during COVID we went and we got a house in. In, like, by San Diego, and we're just, like, hanging there for a week. And we happened to find Not Love on the spot, Love island. And it was the Australian version of Love Island. And we were watching it all week, and by the end of the week, I was great. Yeah, full Australian.

[Sal Vulcano]

And Australian's a fun one.

[Brian Redban]

Now if I try it, I can't even do it anymore. Yeah, but we had. We had it.

[Sal Vulcano]

You got a submerged. Submerge yourself.

[Brian Redban]

It was immersion best. We would just call. Everything was, like, yelling at him from. I was upstairs, he was downstairs, yelling at him from upstairs. Just all full Australian.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And then it was like, we. I remember, like, my friend, we went down there because my friend lived down there, and, like, his friends were like, for the first five minutes, they met us over Australia.

[Sal Vulcano]

Because I love doing that. I love doing that, dude. I love doing that. Sometimes I'll fake an injury. I, like, limp over and, like, I'll hold that for, like, 10 minutes. I'm like, you all right? I'm like, yeah. Acting just fun.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. I, I, I find ways to amuse myself when nobody else is involved. Constantly. Yeah, Like, I'm doing, like, that all the time.

[Brian Redban]

I was watching a thing last night about when, so Ricky Gervais told a guy who was. I think he might have been like, a delivery guy at the time that, like, to come and he wanted to see him to possibly be on one of his shows. And he's like, the elevator door open, and Ricky was standing right. Like, right there. And it wasn't his house. It was just like a office. And, like, he said to the guy, he's like, oh. He's like, take your shoes off. And the guy started taking his shoes off in the elevator. And Ricky was like, what the are you doing? Like, it's an office. Like, why are you taking your shoes off? And he's like, just the. I didn't even say hello to him before he.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, yeah.

[Brian Redban]

You know, bought me on the head. It just made me look stupid. Yeah, it's so good.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. You just remind me of something that happened to me, like, a few months ago. So there was, like, I. I got invited to this party, this really, really big, like, party of these, like, wealthy people that I. I met through somebody else. Like, I. I got invited, like, secondhand. I didn't know these people at first, so I went to their party. It's like this crazy. They live in, like, a penthouse, like, in lower Manhattan, like, just an insane thing, like, to see. But they go all out and they're known for their parties. And they'll be like. There'd be all sorts of stuff going on. Like, there's a tattoo artist there. There's a full dance floor. There's, you know, this food. It's like five different levels. There's a freaking pool in it that's.

[Brian Redban]

Like a YMH Christmas party.

[Sal Vulcano]

Sounds like it's just wild, right? And. And. And there's always a theme because it's usually like the woman's birthday or whatever. And. And so, like, the first year was like, 80s, like, when the first time I went was like, 80s, like rock, man, whatever it was. Everyone's all dressed up. It's a sight to see, Right? So I missed a year, and then I got invited back, and it was like. The theme was art imitates life. And so you had to dress up as either inspired by or like, a painting and artist. And so people were coming. It was really avant garde and like, like. And they were going all out. So I. I invited two other friends of mine. My buddy Ari Shafir, who is a comedian.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

And then my wife. And then so. And then my other buddy, his name's James Blake. He's like a music. He's a producer, musician. He's like. And I'm like, we're gonna go to this cool party. They were only in town for a little Bit. I'm like, this is what we're gonna do. I went last time. It's a site and everything, so we have to. To get all dressed up. Like, we commit. I love. I love a good, like, costume. Like, commit to it. You know, I kind of think. I hate it.

[Brian Redban]

That. That should be our. When we do a pod, you should argue getting dressed up.

[Sal Vulcano]

I like it as a break from. A break from the norm. Is it. It helps put everybody's mind in the same place, whether you're all on the same page. I think, like, that. That, like, will change the vibe of a party, you know?

[Brian Redban]

You're making me angry.

[Sal Vulcano]

So. So my. One of my friends who's coming with us, she's, like, literally in the art world. She's an artist. She's an art broker, and she, like, lives and dies and stuff. And she's very artful. And so she creates all of our costumes from scratch. She goes to the store. She buys supplies. She talks to us. She made me.

[Brian Redban]

If somebody else could do it, then I would be okay.

[Sal Vulcano]

So she outfitted us. It. It was insane what she did. My wife was wearing, like, a boa. A boa consisting of, like, you know, latex, like, gloves. Like. Like, you know, latex, like, hot pink ones. She, like, blew them up, like, a hundred of them, made them into a boa. Like, we looked cr. Like, she was like a Picasso, my friend. And she made me, like, the. I forget the name of the. It's a famous painting. I went as a famous. We're all. We look crazy. I have a huge apple coming out of my head. And. And so we get. So these people live in this insane loft. Penthouse. Right. And we get. We all meet downtown, and we're all dressed up, and we look insane. And we get to the place, and we go in and we see the door person. And I'm like. I'm going up to, you know, whatever. And she's like, all right. And then she's just like. She takes. She takes the name, and she goes, all right, go ahead. And we get in the elevator, and it's one of those places where the elevator opens up into the house.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right. A place that, like. I mean, I don't. I don't even know. How well do you have to be to have this place?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. You even feel a little guilty telling the story that you were there.

[Sal Vulcano]

I do.

[Brian Redban]

I know. I could feel it.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Because it's not like, God bless them, and they're wonderful people and. Oh, my God. Like.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Holy. But like, it's just, you know, it's just something it's, like, to see. So we get to the. You said. Because you said the elevator opened, right, Ricky? So the elevator opens, and when we step into the house, and, like, there's nothing going on. Like, I. I've been to this house. There's hundreds of people. It's a nuts party. So we step into the house and, like, there's nobody there. Nobody costumes. I went on the wrong day. I brought five. Four of my friends and me, five us, show up, dress as Picasso paintings. We step into this person's home, and they're just living their lives in the home. And I went. Though. I went one night early, and we walked into the. We walked into the living room, and I literally was dressed as a Picasso painting. And she's like, hey. And I'm like, hey. I go. She goes, did you mean to come here tomorrow? I go, I think so. I go, I'm so sorry. I felt. And my friends, like, they're all dressed up. She made these costumes from scratch. And I. I was like, oh, my God, I am so freaking mortified right now.

[Brian Redban]

That's.

[Sal Vulcano]

And, like, they were eating dinner. Like, we just walked into their living room.

[Brian Redban]

So what, do you just back up into the.

[Sal Vulcano]

She was gracious enough to be like, oh, no, no, you could. You know. And then, like, she's like, the workers are gonna get here in a little bit. Like, the workers were coming then coming up to, like, they set up a stage in there.

[Brian Redban]

Right?

[Sal Vulcano]

And so, like, it was like, the workers, like, working on stuff. I just was like, I'm so embarrassed. Right? Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

As soon as you left, she's like, this is why I said, we don't do it at our house.

[Sal Vulcano]

I should have known, because last time I went in the lobby, there was, like, a line of people, like, arriving. And, like, you could hear the party. This is a bill. They're in a building. They project on. The building next door was a huge white brick building. They project, like, movies and art onto the building next door. So that when you're up in the balcony, you're watching this. This whole show.

[Brian Redban]

This is in the city, in New York.

[Sal Vulcano]

And so, like, I didn't. It didn't register to me that I didn't hear anybody in the balconies. I didn't see the light show. Nobody was in the party. Yeah. And then so the lady at the front door was, like, at the front lobby. Like, she was like, oh. I go, we're here for the party. And she's like, the party. And I'm like, yeah, the party. And she's like, I don't think there's a party.

[Brian Redban]

The party.

[Sal Vulcano]

She goes, I don't think there's a party. And me, like, just so ignorant. All right. I go, trust me. I'm like, there's a party. I'm like, it's a huge party and I've been to it before. Like, I was like, you know what I mean? I didn't say like, that in my head. Yeah, with a huge apple on my head, I'm like, there's a party. Like, I know there's a party.

[Brian Redban]

So what happened when you walked out five minutes later? Real.

[Sal Vulcano]

And when the doors open and there was no party, I was like, oh, my God. The lady tried to warn me, like, there is no. But she didn't say that the party's tomorrow. She just was like, there's no party. And I was like. I looked at my friend. I'm like, there's a party. Don't worry. It's.

[Brian Redban]

It's top secret.

[Sal Vulcano]

We're going to go up there and it's going to be the best day of your life. Then not. I also, I talked it up so much. I was.

[Brian Redban]

Were all those people around the next day for you to go back?

[Sal Vulcano]

Yes, My buddy. I don't think my buddy James went back, but we made it a point to go the next day. And word had gotten out to everyone there that we showed up the day before. So when we got there, everyone was like, you. The. You. The people that showed up yesterday.

[Brian Redban]

Oh, that's. That's right.

[Sal Vulcano]

It was a mortifying situation that ended up okay. But, like, it was to walk into someone's. That space of someone's home like that while they're eating. Did like, just dressed as a Picasso was ridiculous.

[Brian Redban]

I did the opposite of that one time where I was home and it was like, whatever, 11am and I'm like meditating. I did like, I like to take. I used to take an hour with no phone when I woke up. So like, usually now I'm doing like 30 minutes. I'm not as good. But this day I did like an hour and a half. I'm like, no phone? No. I'm so gone. Out some reading. I'm like, this is a fucking great day. And I finally grabbed my phone and look, and it's fucking emails from any Jamie, everybody. And they're like, where are you? Are you okay? They thought I was dead. We had to podcast that day. But what happened was, like, in the text message, it said like, hey, we're moving to this day. And I was like, okay. And then they moved it back and I missed it somehow. But I. Because normally when you're late or missing something, you have this frantic energy.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

I could not have been more peaceful. While they were just script. They were like this guy's. And you know I have a substance abuse history.

[Sal Vulcano]

He fell. The mind goes. Right. So they're all sitting around like he's at Foxwoods right now in Foxwood sweats.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. And Jamie literally was going through the like her last text from me being like, no, he seemed fine. Like he seemed okay. And then I just show up. I'm like, that is my worst nightmare. Yeah. Being like you guys are all sitting around waiting for me and I'm him, I'm on my couch. Yes. This is the life. Yeah. Yeah. And like, like, and he's always around and like his second email was like sincere, you know? Like it was. I forget what it was, but it was like, bro, are you. We're a little worried over.

[Sal Vulcano]

We love you, man.

[Brian Redban]

I felt like such a piece of. So one last thing before we go that I want to ask you about is you're obviously you're. You're not dating, but if you were dating and you have, you're going on a first date.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

You have a gift certificate to the restaurant.

[Sal Vulcano]

Okay.

[Brian Redban]

From somebody from Christmas or your birthday or whatever. Do you use it on the first date or do you feel like it's. It makes you seem a little.

[Sal Vulcano]

So. Okay. So my, my guttural instinct is that I would feel a little bit weird to use that. But if I stop and think, there's no reason to feel that way. Way. And so I would think better of it and I would. I would proudly use it. See, I think I, I know what you mean. Cuz I. That's my. Where my where I go immediately. But if you just start, like what is wrong with that? Like, honestly, you have a gift. It's almost crazy to go to the place and then they have to go back again because you didn't use it the first time.

[Brian Redban]

It's insane.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

But I could. I, I, it just, I'm feeling.

[Sal Vulcano]

Wait, wait, is this a topic that's been talked about before?

[Brian Redban]

No, no, I just thought of this.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh really?

[Brian Redban]

And I'm like, it feels to me because here's, here's the deal, right? There's some restaurants now where it's like it looks like a credit card and you have a thing and you're here. I have enough money. They bring it back. It's like, no, no, none's the wiser.

[Sal Vulcano]

But then some are like, they printed out, like, an inkjet. And you're like, I said, this is.

[Brian Redban]

That is exactly what I have right now. And I'm like, I just. I. I can't do. Because the last time I did it, I was alone or, like, I was with a friend, and they're like, oh, what's the serial number? And I'm like, I. I'm like, £74. And I'm reading it, and I'm like, I can't. I can't. But. But since it's at the end of the date, I guess you can assess the date.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. If I. If I was having a better, I.

[Sal Vulcano]

Would judge the person about how they reacted to me doing it, because if they thought like, oh, this is tacky, I'd be like, dude, you're not. You're not real. This is it. Come on.

[Brian Redban]

That's something she doesn't say out loud. She says it to her friend.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right. Right. You got to buy me. Maybe.

[Brian Redban]

Maybe I don't. I think you're so caught up in.

[Sal Vulcano]

Reading, and you're starting to say, like, £3 5. That's embarrassing, Dash.

[Brian Redban]

And they're like, what's the date on it?

[Sal Vulcano]

I'm like, that's like that thing sometimes if something. The card rejected, and you know nothing's wrong with your card, right. It's like you paid your balance. Like, you have no idea why. Like, maybe they think it's fraud or maybe like, it's not real, and you just feel like. Like, you just feel like you're shunned by society in that moment, like, everyone.

[Brian Redban]

What?

[Sal Vulcano]

You're just like, what do you mean?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Everything's fine. I'm telling you. Like, you feel. You feel. It makes you look guilty.

[Brian Redban]

I've had it.

[Sal Vulcano]

I'm like, I swear to you, everything's fine.

[Brian Redban]

The person was like, it's. It's okay. Just. It's just a water. Like, go ahead. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. You get that machine. Fire that up. You restart the whole machine.

[Sal Vulcano]

Especially if you're paying.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like with somebody. So sometimes that happened to me in reverse, where someone's like, I'll take care of it, and then their car gets rejected, and I want to. I. I don't know exactly. Exactly what's going on. I want to be helpful, and I'm like, please, I'll get it. You know? But I also don't want to insult them. And that's a sticky situation.

[Brian Redban]

That's enough.

[Sal Vulcano]

Because you. You feel what they're feeling because, you know, it's a universal. I. I don't want them to feel that feeling, but how do I make you not feel that feeling? But then if you're like, I'll get it. You might be, like, kind of, like, exacerbating, like, the. The feeling, like, being like, I'll get it for you. Don't worry about it. You know?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

But you also don't want to just be, like, not say anything. And then. You know what I mean? I had that happen.

[Brian Redban]

And you're like. And then you're a block away.

[Sal Vulcano]

You're like, someone tried second card, and that didn't work.

[Brian Redban]

You're hanging out with the wrong group.

[Sal Vulcano]

I don't remember. I don't remember the scenario or the person, but I remember distinctly.

[Brian Redban]

You dropped them immediately after.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, no, I didn't. I felt horrible about it. I felt so bad for them because I understand that's like, double dose of, like. But it shouldn't be embarrassing, but it just kind of is. And I worked as a bartender for, like, a. Like a decade, and, like, I would have to run cards, and I was also in that scenario as the guy run the card and then having to tell the person. And I would try to, like, couch it. I wouldn't even be like, it's. Some people just, like, it's rejected. You know, I just be like. As. I would just be like, do you have an alternate card? I think that Chip might not be reading or something like that, you know, like. Something like that, you know, but. And then you always feel even embarrassed, secondhand embarrassment for that person.

[Brian Redban]

Him. Yeah, of course there's. I. I think I wasn't sure my answer until we talked about it. I think I would. If the date was going perfectly.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

I think I just pay and I. I don't even try the gift card. But if I'm unsure at all about the date, I'm gift card. And all day, like, I'm like, I don't give a.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like, whatever.

[Brian Redban]

But if I'm like, oh, I just don't want. Yeah, because just like, you just, like, Joe Derosa goes home and he sits with the thing of, like, oh, you'll think about maybe this, but like, I might sit with it. But also, it's like. Like when you had to pay for that person's thing when their card got rejected twice. You know, at some point when you had time to think later on, you're like, I hope everything's all right with that person. You know, Like, I hope they're okay. But I just. I think it's just to avoid any. Now, second date, third date, I don't give a. Oh, yeah, fire. I'm.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

I'm.

[Brian Redban]

I'm.

[Sal Vulcano]

I'm using a coupon. Yeah. Never mind. A gift certificate. I'm like, $10 off.

[Brian Redban]

I'm telling her we're going here because I got the gift card.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Like, it's great. You have just the first date.

[Sal Vulcano]

Do you have time for one small story?

[Brian Redban]

You. We could be here all day. I'm just trying to let you.

[Sal Vulcano]

I don't want to let you know I'm good at. I mean, it's just. It's appropriate to what we're talking about. So in the beginning, when we got the show on. On true tv, it's on TBS now, but impractical jokers. The person that was running that network was this guy. And. And he, He. He ran the network in a way that, like, everybody, like, was afraid of him. And like. Like nobody would speak up. And like, it really, like, affected a lot. And so he. Later. That guy was later let go, and they changed regimes and then, you know, probably know how television and this landscape is. Since I've been there for 14 years, I've had four or five full regime changes of the place, you know. Right. So this guy, he. Me and my friends, me and the guys from the show, we had this long standing thing that whenever we celebrated something, we would go to Red Lobster. Right. It was just a thing. Yeah, the freaking. The sea biscuits, we call them. Right. So we just. Something we love to do. It's like, we'll go. And it's like a thing we did, you know. So we're in his office in the beginning of the show, and he says. He says to us, you know, if the show's a success, you know, I'll take you guys out to dinner or whatever. And he goes, you know, like, you know, we'll go someplace real nice, you know, like, we'll go to like, per Se or something. Yeah. John Joy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And per se is like this, you know, fancy ass. Like you're picking a pay author. And he's like. He's. Yeah. And he's like. We were like, oh, cool. Like, actually, you know, when we celebrate, we go to Red Lobster. And he's like, red Lobster. And we're like, yeah, that's, you know, like, we just always did it. He's like, okay, so when the show came out to like a handful of episodes, it was doing really well. So we went to the Red Lobster in Times Square and we asked for a table. And they give you like the beeper to let you know when it's ready. It's like a red claw. The beeper is like a red claw that glows.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

And so we asked for a table and then just stole it. Right? And then we put it in a velvet, fancy velvet box. Like, satin box. Like, like, it looked like a hope diamond in there. And we put it in there and we mailed it to his office. And it was like the buzzer to get for a table of Red Line. So he gets it and he's like, all right, let's go to Red Lobster. He calls them up and he, he. I guess they have a private room in that location at Times Square. It's like the captain's quarters or something, right? So he reserves that for us. And the guy, I could say this now because I'm a decade removed from this man, but nobody liked the guy. And he didn't treat anyone with respect. And he thrived off of. Of making people fear him. And he had, like, outbursts. He would threaten us and threaten people and I'll. I'll cancel the show or I'll fire you. And he just was.

[Brian Redban]

That's fun.

[Sal Vulcano]

A douche. Yeah, right. I'm sorry. And if you've reformed, you're. If you're watching this and you've reformed, good for you.

[Brian Redban]

But.

[Sal Vulcano]

But I think word probably got back to you that nobody liked the way you acted toward people. So fuck it if you know now. But. So he was like a real asshole in that way. And so we get to Red Lobster and they take us to this back room and he's not there yet, right? And we didn't like this guy. So we say to the waiter, we say, look, when we order, we're gonna order like anyone would normally order. Like, if I say I'll have this, this, or this, that's what we're gonna say. Then we're telling you right now, we want like five, five pound lobsters. We want every item on the menu. Like, we want bring endless this. So when I say, I'll have this meal, bring me the biggest lobster you have. So. And we're not telling this guy. So he gets there and the second in command get there and we have this dinner. I actually still have a photo of this, of this dinner from this tape. I just saw this the other day and I Was like, yeah, this is it. This is the actual picture of us at dinner.

[Brian Redban]

I want to see the guy no one likes.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's the guy with the glasses in the front, though, so. So this is a picture we take. So we were there for a few hours.

[Brian Redban]

Wow, you guys look so young.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, it was 20, like, 11. So we. We finished this meal, and the. The waiter comes and drops the check. And this guy, he got the check, and, like, we're, like, making nonsense. But I'm watching him, and he opens the book, and the thing folded like a. It was like a CVS receipt. It was like a quadruple fold. And he. He. He went like that, and he looked at it, and he looked it up and down, and he. He was confounded. He didn't understand. And it was like, 700 Red Lobster. $700 is a lot of money. And you would tell that he, like, was. He didn't want to say nothing, but he was like, what the fuck? And then he. He didn't want to play cool. He didn't want to call the waiter over. But this thing. I tried not to laugh. He. And then. And my buddy on the show, he had printed out on his inkjet printer $5 off at red Lobster. And he had it folded like this. And as soon as he opened it up and he was, like, looking at it, my friend was like, oh, I have this as well. And he slid it over, and the guy. And the guy was like, rodney, he opened over $5 off. He went, oh, fuck your coupon. He literally. Literally was like, I. I don't know. I guess he. I guess he, like, kind of, like. I don't know. He was. I guess he kind of, like, knew that we were around. Yeah. I don't know if he didn't know that we ordered all that stuff extra, but I think just even. No matter what the bill was, he was gonna slide over. So he. He knew he was joking with $5 off, but I think he was upset about that. It was 700, and he just looked at it. He went, all your coupon. Threw it back out. But speaking of, you know, $5 off coupon. That's it. We nailed it. That guy.

[Brian Redban]

It's such a shame.

[Sal Vulcano]

That was the only way we could get him, and we got him.

[Brian Redban]

It's such a shame that people like that can be unlikable. It's so easy because I. You know, growing up in the business or whatever, it's like, you've met the people where you're like this. You can't believe how nice this guy is. Like, you know, somebody. Guy who's rich and powerful and this. And then you meet the other people and you go, you're a real piece of. Like.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And it was even. I look back now and I go, I was a kid. Like, I remember being 13 and people just being a piece of. And being like, you're being a. Like you're. You have everything from the outside, and you, like, you know, look, you have this.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's a miserable person, no matter what.

[Brian Redban]

They have to do. And then you meet other people where you go, like. Like, you know, rest in peace. But Brad Gray was a guy who. You know, I forget. I think it was Gray. Brag Ray. Whatever it was called, like, Gray. And he was the nicest guy. Every time that we would go out there, he would have a party at his house with all of us. We'd show up on the right day. Yeah, but, like, you'd. And he had a bathroom in his place made out of Legos. He had route. He had a giant fat. Why am I losing the word for a. What. What's the.

[Sal Vulcano]

I do this every day.

[Brian Redban]

You can.

[Sal Vulcano]

I lose my words every day in.

[Brian Redban]

A store that wears the clothes. I'm so stupid.

[Sal Vulcano]

Mannequin.

[Brian Redban]

A mannequin, I was thinking, happens to me every day.

[Sal Vulcano]

Welcome to 40.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, he's. He's with a. He has a giant fat mannequin in his basement with. With the actual bus outfit that Ralph Cramden wore on the Honeymooners.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, my God.

[Brian Redban]

And he would show. He'd be so happy to walk you down and be like, this is. And I was a kid. He didn't care. He had so much fun. He fed us in this amazing way.

[Sal Vulcano]

He did.

[Brian Redban]

So, like, in the beginning, we weren't winning any Emmys, so he would do, like, a fake Emmy Award for us. That was like, a fake award. And everybody won for, like, these stupid reasons.

[Sal Vulcano]

It was like.

[Brian Redban]

It was like. Like, the one I got was like, best swimmer, and I'm, like, flailing in a pool in one scene. And, like, they just had. And it's like, you meet people like this, and then you meet the scum and you go, yeah, just be in the middle. Like, you don't gotta be this nice guy. But, like, how are you just a shame piece of.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. You're gonna cross paths with every. With both types. Right. It's just like.

[Brian Redban]

I won't say who it was. This guy wasn't a piece of. But I just reminded me last thing before, name names. Yeah. I can't say who he was, but. So we have a meeting with this guy in his office, right? And it's a really nice office or whatever. And one of the, like the, the bookshelves opens up and he comes walking out of it. Cuz that's what he was. And he's got the wet hair. You could see like the kind of wet marks on his like, suit shirt or whatever. And he's got little pieces of toilet paper on two bloody spots on his face that. That's a shower and a bathroom where he can shower. But for some reason he sat there through the whole meeting with the toilet paper bloody. That. You see the blood, people like, yeah. Coming through the toilet paper. And, and you can't. I don't know a word this guy said the whole meeting. I couldn't tell you. I'm just like, yeah, I'm agreeing to things. I don't even know what the is going on, but I'm like, this guy is bleeding.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Out of his.

[Sal Vulcano]

He's got a fresh wound, right? He's got an active wound. Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And we're all walking up like, all right, you ready for the meeting? And he comes out wet and bleeding.

[Sal Vulcano]

And we're like, like, what the is it?

[Brian Redban]

But that, that stuck with me forever. I'm like, this guy is just so removed, whatever, that he comes out. But. And he doesn't like, listen. In the insane world, you do that.

[Sal Vulcano]

You go, listen, you, you break the tension immediately.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. You go, I got. I'm a idiot.

[Sal Vulcano]

I'm bleeding. Guys, please look at anything but my face. Please, guys.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, this guy, nothing. He's got suspenders on, never addresses, just the blood. And you're watching during the meeting dry and get darker. And I'm like, I can't look away.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. I've spoken to people with like an active wound.

[Brian Redban]

Like.

[Sal Vulcano]

And you're just like, I, I. It repels you.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You're like, I can't. You have a fresh wound right now. What? You have more important things to be doing. Like, what are you talking about? Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Lot of, lot of active wounds in New York City.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, that's one. It's like the end of the spectrum of like, if you're talking to someone, like something in their teeth, that's always the thing too. It's like, I don't want to embarrass them, but I also want to help them. Like, if you got something in your teeth, you hope. I tell you always.

[Brian Redban]

But I always tell people too. I think the hard one is the breath.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. Breath is tough unless you're close with that. Or if it's close, you're like, dude, you got. You gotta do something 100.

[Brian Redban]

Or if it's a one off, like, if you go like, yeah, we. Because like, I, I have a friend who will tell me all the time because I eat kimchi.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And she'll go, I know you ate kimchi today because it's. You've got the kimchi burps or whatever, which is that. That's totally fine.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right?

[Brian Redban]

But it's hard when it's like a chronic.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, it's tough bro thing.

[Brian Redban]

And you go like, I know. One of my friends got me.

[Sal Vulcano]

I won't say it if it's chronic. I. I know, I know, I know chronic people. And I just. You got to stay the 3, 4ft away and that's it. And then you don't say anything because it's never gonna. It might not change. How do you approach? How do you tell? Even if you want to be helpful, you don't want to embarrass that person. You wonder, do they know? As everyone in their life not told them, have they never been closer than four feet?

[Brian Redban]

But this leaves it open that anybody could be crying chronic. Because I could be chronic and no one's telling me. Yeah, you gotta tell. Listen, I. If I'm around someone all the time and I love them, I, I would. I. You, you bring it up. You have to. But the hardest thing is, like, when you have friends who you haven't seen in a while and then you see them, you don't want like the first visit back to be like, hey, you're chronic. Yeah. Like, so you're just like, what do I do? But I. You. It's such a tug of war inside.

[Sal Vulcano]

But sometimes, like, with the teeth is like, also like, I'm like, do I. Do I tell them they have something in their teeth or it's hard to talk to them. Oh, you know what the most embarrassing thing is? I don't. You go, cuz I don't want you to forget this.

[Brian Redban]

This. This is the next pod. This is the idea for the pod. We call people and tell them they have bad br.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, dude.

[Brian Redban]

So what we do is first you go through everyone you know on the pod. Then you start saying, hey, here's our email, here's our phone number, which we'll call whoever you want.

[Sal Vulcano]

We'll call them for you.

[Brian Redban]

That's what I'm saying. That's our. That's our pod.

[Sal Vulcano]

That's mortifying. That's something I would watch.

[Brian Redban]

If you don't know somebody, you're just helping. You don't.

[Sal Vulcano]

You're just not hard to.

[Brian Redban]

You. You call, up you go, hey, listen.

[Sal Vulcano]

Brenda says, oh, wait, is it anonymous? What if it's anonymous?

[Brian Redban]

Well, that's what I'm saying. We can leave it up to them. We leave it up to them. We say, hey, do you want us to tell your friend that it was from you?

[Sal Vulcano]

Okay.

[Brian Redban]

And then we get updates from people.

[Sal Vulcano]

Okay, here's the way. So you can give them the option to opt in or out. So you say, hi, we're calling you and we want to know. We're going to tell you some information. Do you want to be. Do you want to be anonymous or would you like to be identified? You're anonymous. Okay. And would you like to know the person that contacted us or would you like that to be enough?

[Brian Redban]

Well, that. That we leave up to the person who corroded.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Brian Redban]

So once they say okay, then we ask the other person.

[Sal Vulcano]

So if that person wants to anonymous and this person wants to remain anonymous, then we say an anonymous person is telling you that you need to do something about your breath because it's been. It's been an issue for quite some time. No one's gonna know now who you are. So this. We come in peace. Like, this has to be. You shouldn't come away from this shamed. You should come away from knowing you have someone that cares for you because nobody knows. You're not getting embarrassed right now. I'd still be embarrassed if it was me on the other line.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Because we know who it is and.

[Brian Redban]

We also do BO just for people out there. So, you know, we also conquer.

[Sal Vulcano]

I think BO is almost worse because you could eat something bad and like, be like, all right, this isn't the norm. But like, when someone always. Oh, I guess I don't know. Some people, I think, okay. I think someone who has. Okay. People can have chronic. I guess they call halitosis and either not know it and there's nothing they could do about that. I think more so than not, bad breath probably can be controlled. But when someone always smells like bl, that's a whole, like it. It goes from just the mouth to the full bod. That's tough to, like, let them know that because that's like. That's not like, can you have a mint? That's like, you're a stinky person.

[Brian Redban]

But then what we do, what we do once a year, like to show intervention the end we have the people who we've rehabilitated.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And they come in and they go.

[Sal Vulcano]

They're like, hey, yeah.

[Brian Redban]

And we sit right next to them. We go, this is delightful.

[Sal Vulcano]

My buddy Casey Jo, he's. He's on Jokers. He's now the director. He's been with us since day one. He's really fun. He has, like a. Just a running gag every day on set. He walks up and hands me a mint every single day, no matter what, though, you know, like. And he. We've had guests on the show, and he makes them do it. Like, so he's got like, John May, accounting. One time he's like, you. You need a mint. Even though. Even if I don't. But it's. And I'm always like. It's funny, but I'm always like, do I.

[Brian Redban]

My. My one friend had a thing where, like, he would. He would always have gum. And you would say to him, can I get a piece of gum? And he'd go, you.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

You.

[Brian Redban]

You know, or do you have gum? You go, you know, I always have. So then it became I always have. And then you'd be like, yo, I always have. Be like the guy. Like, oh, my God.

[Sal Vulcano]

So the most embarrassing thing I think I can think of right now is if you have something in your teeth, that's nothing.

[Brian Redban]

That's a twister.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, but if you're like. If you're midday and you're like, chia a chia seed right here. I. I had that at 7am it's 4pm you're like, I've been walking around like a lunatic. People don't trust you. Like, if your glasses are crooked or, you know, there's a hole in your sock or something like this, there's telltale signs. We, like, nah, that person's not stable.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

All day with a piece of kale right here. Yeah. Like, I talk. I tried to lease a car and nobody told me.

[Brian Redban]

So you're saying sometimes you don't tell people when they have stuff in their teeth? I'm 100%.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. I. I'd like to think that I'm the person that's like, Immediately like, hey, you have something in your teeth.

[Brian Redban]

I'm.

[Sal Vulcano]

Right away. Immediately this way. But if you don't tell someone right away, if you. If I'm talking to you for a half hour and I go, you have something to. Teeth, that's an issue.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You got to tell them right away. Otherwise it's like you can't let them know you've been having an internal battle, and they've been looking like a fool for 30 minutes.

[Brian Redban]

See, that podcast wouldn't be as successful. Hey, you got something in your teeth. People call us while they're out at dinner, and they're like, hey, help me out.

[Sal Vulcano]

Check this out on FaceTime. My husband right now.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, no, it turns out.

[Sal Vulcano]

Here's the thing that I think is the most embarrassing. When you inadvertently are talking and, like, food shoots out of your mouth.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Oh.

[Sal Vulcano]

Or like, spit or food. Like, if we were talking right now and I laughed or something. Spit shut out of my mouth. Two things happen. One is it, like, you have to. Immediately. What I do is I immediately acknowledge it. Immediately I have to cut it off. Right There I go. I just shot you. Look, I, I me, I just shot a piece of, like, bagel out of my mouth. Like, that was embarrassing. Yeah, but it's still embarrassing. It's of no fault of your own, but there's something about food that's been in there a minute that's been just marinating, and then all of a sudden it shoots out when you're, like, in the middle of saying something. And the worst is if it lands on you or.

[Brian Redban]

Or if it lands in your food. Oh, that's the word. Because now it's just gone. It's food in food.

[Sal Vulcano]

I've had close talkers recently. Recently, I had someone talking to me, and they spit. Spit. When they were talking, they were this close to my face. Their spit landed right here. And, like, now I gotta be like, if I wipe my face, because he's not saying it. He knows he's spit on my face.

[Brian Redban]

I hit him with the thanks.

[Sal Vulcano]

I know he spits in my face. So if he doesn't gonna say, I just spit in your face, then that means that I have to go, you just spit my face. I don't want him to feel like that. So now I'm talking to this guy with a bead of his spit right here, and my whole body is feeling like it's dying. And I just. I'm like. And I can't wait to get away and get the spit off. And then I gotta touch it. His spit, you know, so if you spit on someone or you shoot the. It's. Or.

[Brian Redban]

You think that's why our grandparents had handkerchiefs?

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, yeah. Just like, in the back.

[Brian Redban]

Pock.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, yeah. Like the paisley always. Yeah, yeah. But if, like, same thing. Or if I. If I'm talking to you and, like, my food, like, if I just, like, shoot out a piece of potato chip and it lands like right there. I have to be like. And I'll say it. I'll be like, I just shot food out of. But I'll also be like, look at you in the eyes and be like, I'm so sorry.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Because it's, it's so mortifying. But it's not really any fault of our own. Own. But there's something about that was supposed to go down my trachea and now it's on your sleeve and it's like very embarrassing.

[Brian Redban]

You got to give it to women. I feel like out of the. What you're talking about.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Out of a hundred times, 99 times it's a guy. One time it's a woman. Like I've never dated a woman any. But I have friends all the time where I'm like, this motherfucker spit on my arm. When like women somehow don't do that.

[Sal Vulcano]

One of my first dates ever, I was like 15, I set up with this girl and I met her at the ice skating ride drink. And like we were sitting on the benches and she laughed and she shot a piece of lettuce out of her mouth like onto my, like, onto my. Like it was on me. I remember that maybe it was on my, my pant leg. We were sitting down and I literally did not know what to do. I didn't have the social experience to be like, I don't know. And like she was really cute and everything and I was like. It was nervous just to be there. So when the lettuce shot out onto my leg, I just was like, like. And she. Cuz she was laughing and she went. And it like shot out and. And then like she saw it and I saw it and nobody said about the lettuce. So I think, I think I was traumatized from then.

[Brian Redban]

I think probably, yeah, it's a bad listen when you get. Yeah. And like I've been in one or two situations where you don't want to wipe right away, but I immediately, if there's spit hits my face, I go, oh, thanks. Thank you. Got to hit it.

[Sal Vulcano]

That's nice. That's a. That's a. That's a. You're doing me a service if you do that.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, but. But there's nothing you could. It's not like the bad breath of the bo. There's nothing you, you can't take back the spit. You don't a week later go, oh, I'm controlling the spit.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

There's nothing reason.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's more embarrassing to me when you spit?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, it is when something shoots out.

[Sal Vulcano]

Of my mouth because it's showing you.

[Brian Redban]

Have no control over like you're just a wild. Yeah, just.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's just weird to shoot food out of your mouth. Spit onto someone's face.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

It happens to the best of us, you know? Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

But it's, it's. Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Even I've had it go.

[Brian Redban]

This is really.

[Sal Vulcano]

I don't talk about it, cuz. Yeah, I was gonna say my eyeball though. Like I had it go in my eyeball and I feel like 28 days later. Like I just feel like I'm like in a few moments I'm gonna turn into a zombie. You know what I mean? Like, I'm like, like I just feel like whatever you have, I have.

[Brian Redban]

That's such a great idea for a skit. Like now that you have AI and you could use it's like so cheap achieve to make like special effects. Like somebody spits in somebody's eye and.

[Sal Vulcano]

They just start spitting in the eye is another level. Because I can't look at you and be like, you just spit in my mucous membrane, bro. Like your spit is mixing with my eyeball juice.

[Brian Redban]

We've just become one.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. Like, and, and then, so then what's happening internally when you have to continue that conversation? My body's having a full, full panic attack.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like I just feel it this bit marinating in my. I, you know, it's the worst. I just feel like I'm gonna get like pink eye or AIDS or whatever it is. Like, I don't know. I don't know if you could do aids. I don't know how it happens, but oh my.

[Brian Redban]

You know what the worst is? Like it's happened to me probably maybe three times in my life where you're walking. So like when I'm in New York, my favorite thing is to walk around just, just like I'll go west side highway, east side and just. You want hit somebody up. You want to go for a two hour walk and you just fucking go. And you end up eating and then you walk again. The. If a runner comes by and bumps into you and you get the sweat, I'm done. Like my whole. That day is ruined. The walk is ruined. My week is. It's over.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like sheen.

[Brian Redban]

And they're like, sorry because they're in the zone. So they're like, sorry. Like that's life this.

[Sal Vulcano]

And I'm like, no goosebumps.

[Brian Redban]

I want them to die.

[Sal Vulcano]

The texture and feeling of it is if you ever do you ever work in a deli? No. Okay. Well, when you slice open the boar's head ham, it's, like, pink and wet. Like, that's the. That's what I feel like their skin feels like when it touches you. Like a boar's head ham. It's just like, that icky, like, you know, like.

[Brian Redban]

Ah. I think I. I have. I have. Where I was standing 10 years ago when that's happened to me. Like, it burns. Like you were saying. It burns in my memory.

[Sal Vulcano]

I got a new one.

[Brian Redban]

Okay.

[Sal Vulcano]

You're on the subway. Somebody gets up, you sit in their seat. It's hot.

[Brian Redban]

Oh, yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, my God. Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's just so disgusting.

[Brian Redban]

See, I gotta say that.

[Sal Vulcano]

But that's not even transferring. It's just their body heat. But for some reason, I feel like I'm taking on their disgustingness.

[Brian Redban]

That, to me, is less than when it happens somewhere else. Because when I'm on the train, I'm prepared for disgust.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

I'm in that zone where I'm like, something fucking. It's not so bad gonna happen.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. It's not as bad as a woman next to you masturbating.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, I remember there. I forget. It was a video of somebody was eating spaghetti on the train.

[Sal Vulcano]

I saw. Unless there was more than one.

[Brian Redban]

But I saw that you just got spaghetti on the. Like, I. I can't. I couldn't eat spaghetti, like, right here in an hour. I know. Like, because it's just, like, you know, I don't need to do this.

[Sal Vulcano]

Spaghetti on the train is crazy.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. That's the name of a pod. Spaghetti on the train. Yeah. It's just.

[Sal Vulcano]

That's a really funny name for, like, a pot about, like, people that don't have etiquette and, like, Spaghetti on the train. That's funny. Funny.

[Brian Redban]

Dude, I could talk to you.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

[Brian Redban]

I feel like sorry to them.

[Sal Vulcano]

Everyone went into overtime. I'm sorry about that.

[Brian Redban]

Everybody's dead. Dead in the booth.

[Sal Vulcano]

Did we. Do you have to edit it down to 60 or can you show.

[Brian Redban]

We could fire off. Yeah. This will be our longest pot ever. And I'm happy. This is what happens.

[Sal Vulcano]

Oh, my God.

[Brian Redban]

The one that she didn't show when. Listen, when the. What is it? When the cat's away, dude. Thank you.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah. This was so much fun. It felt like 10 minutes.

[Brian Redban]

Bro, please bring. You got to bring back taste buds.

[Sal Vulcano]

I will.

[Brian Redban]

We will. It's. It's just the best.

[Sal Vulcano]

We will.

[Brian Redban]

We always hear friends arguing and then being okay.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Because it's just so important, especially in the time this world is in right now.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

People need to be able to say, you, I hate you, and then go to dinner and laugh about it.

[Sal Vulcano]

I couldn't. Couldn't agree more.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Couldn't agree. That's what we're missing right now.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. And that's what taste buds is so that. Man.

[Sal Vulcano]

It's just a little tolerance.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

You know?

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. Yeah. It's like, yo, I don't have to. Like, my friend's an idiot. That's why I love. That's it. It's over.

[Sal Vulcano]

Like what I love about it.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah.

[Sal Vulcano]

Yeah.

[Brian Redban]

Dude. I just. Thank you. Thank you enough for coming.

[Sal Vulcano]

So much fun, man.

[Brian Redban]

And all. And the people. No one stuck around. Who is this person? But Jamie will be back next week. Calm down. You know, the people who are like, I saw Jamie wasn't here. I'm leaving right away.

[Sal Vulcano]

I know. I wonder how this will be received being like, we basically. They could have watched Dances with Wolves instead of this. Yeah. This is like a three out of five. But hopefully you guys don't hate me because she's not here.

[Brian Redban]

Well, it makes me think of Titanic. But we were. We were at Jamie's house, like, a few weeks ago, and Jamie's like, oh, I was watching Titanic with my kid, and they fell asleep right when it was about to get good. I was, like, about to get good. It's like the biggest tragedy right when the boat snaps in half.

[Sal Vulcano]

I can't believe I dozed right before the mass casualties.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah. Yeah. I'm like. And he's five years old.

[Sal Vulcano]

I'm like, I basically just watched a cruise.

[Brian Redban]

Yeah, you fell asleep right before you were able to get traumatized.

[Sal Vulcano]

What's your problem?

[Brian Redban]

All right, we got to stop the problem. I'll keep going forever. All right. Thanks for listening. Thank.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

You.

[Sal Vulcano]

Not today. Hey, not today.

[Brian Redban]

Battery.

[Sal Vulcano]

Not today.