The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly

Episode: Aggressive Clown Rap w/ Sal Vulcano
Date: September 4, 2025
Guest: Sal Vulcano (Impractical Jokers)

Episode Overview

This episode sees Big Jay Oakerson joined by comedian and Impractical Jokers star Sal Vulcano, sitting in for Robert Kelly. The pair dive into Oakerson’s recent experiences at the Gathering of the Juggalos, shining a hilarious and often irreverent light on juggalo culture, the enduring strangeness and specificity of “clown rap,” and the comedy of subculture conventions. They touch on Sal’s friendships with Insane Clown Posse’s Shaggy 2 Dope, reminisce about ‘90s comedy characters, deconstruct the tropes of stand-up comedy in film/TV, and candidly riff about the ups and downs of cruise ship comedy. The episode is fast, chaotic, and full of playful, teasing banter—with tons of insider references and sharp takes on pop culture and comedy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Encountering Juggalo Culture

• [00:51–02:15] Jay recounts his experiences at the Gathering of the Juggalos, particularly how defining Juggalos by “smell” says more than physical traits:
  • “A juggalo smells like three days of sweat, glitter and dirt, aggressive clown rap and frivolous butthole fingering.” (Big Jay, 00:56)
• Both agree you can recognize a juggalo’s presence—“You can walk into an elevator and be like, a juggalo's been in here.” (Sal, 01:20)
• Sal reveals he’s good friends with Shaggy 2 Dope from ICP and shares how the duo travels: “He comes with, you know, lady. And he hasn't brought kids.” (Sal, 02:43)

2. Riffing on Clown Rap & Comedy Tropes

• [02:34–04:14] The pair riff, mocking clown tropes and inventing “clown rap lyrics”:
  • “If you smell my flower, whoops, it’s water. Shake my hands.” (Jay, 02:59)
  • “Electric shocks.” (Sal, 03:09)
• Jay notes clown/character rap’s longevity compared to aging nu metal themes, e.g. Papa Roach still sings about teenage angst at 60, “Your grandpapa roach.” (Jay, 04:28)

3. Nu Metal’s Shelf Life vs. Juggalo Agelessness

• [04:14–05:35] Jay and Sal joke about how angsty bands from the ‘90s have to repeat adolescent lyrics well into middle age.
  • “If you use your money properly, your children shouldn't have these feelings or understand your music whatsoever.” (Jay, 05:00)
• They playfully imagine what’s “ironic” about musicians whose kids connect with their dad’s music about pain (“I tend to find that I'm a little angsty...when my stay at home mother is making me a delicious meal with a crust.” (Jay, 05:19)).

4. Inside the Gathering: The Attendees & Rituals

• [06:13–08:27] Jay describes the diversity of festivalgoers, from surreptitious professionals (“She said she was an accountant...especially when they're half naked, and tell that they are an aggressive cutter.” (Jay, 06:14–06:38)) to “hippies there for the drugs.”
• The clean-up crew deals with everything from turkey legs to whole squids thrown on stage: “I'm not exaggerating when I say a squid. A full turkey leg.” (Jay, 07:36)
• Sal is fascinated by the “rite of passage” for those who have attended all 25 years: “If you were 20 years old in 2000...I'm sure there were 45 year olds going that have been to every one of them.” (Sal, 09:04)

5. Drug Culture & ‘Nitrous Mafia’ at Concerts

• [09:31–13:23] Open drug use is rampant at the Gathering, with a permissive “barrier system” more important than the actual drugs.
  • “You know there's people, like, booting up heroin into their girlfriend's toes right there. And he's like, yeah, but you're in front of the barrier.” (Jay, 09:46)
• Sal and Jay delve into the “nitrous mafia” running the balloon trade at concerts: “There's been violence with people protecting...who's going to be the people selling the nos.” (Jay, 12:59)
• Sal tells a hilarious story about accidentally inhaling nitrous at a Flaming Lips concert, thinking it's helium:
  • “This is how much I don't know about this stuff. I thought it was for helium...I sucked it in, and my voice is not changing.” (Sal, 11:52)

6. Nitrous Misadventures & Comedy Connections

• [14:05–15:12] Jay reflects on drug experiences never quite living up to the hype, “I'm always looking left and right at people enjoying drugs more than me...I'm just like, that's kind. Hey guys. It's kind of fun, right?” (Jay, 14:24)
• Brief digression into ‘90s stand-up: Jay references Craig Shoemaker’s “Love Master” persona and its eventual film adaptation:
  • “One of the regular, like, Evening of the Improv stuff…he always did a character called the Love Master.” (Jay, 15:12)

7. Why Do All Stand-Up Movies Suck?

• [16:14–19:50]
• Jay and Sal lampoon stand-up in movies and TV—the endless parade of cliché “struggling comedian” stories.
  • “Who care. We've explored all of the ups and downs and woes of it. We did it. It's a shitty business.” (Jay, 16:41)
  • “My family doesn't understand the struggle and how I need to do this.” (Jay, 17:05)
  • “They needed movies. So they take chances on movie theater movies…The Love Master is one such film…where, yeah, his alter ego is what's making him popular with the ladies.” (Jay, 15:54)
• They mock the overused seller backdrops, including the “stickman telling jokes.”

8. Deconstructing Comedy Clichés and Industry Realities

• [33:01–36:16]
• The conversation shifts to hack material, the comfort (and creative danger) of “killing,” and advice from Patrice O’Neal:
  • “How many people stop at learning how to kill? And that's not really the tell. Obviously you want to kill, but it's like, can you kill and then have everybody else who can kill see you uniquely…” (Jay quoting Patrice, 34:54)
• Reflect on comedians who “never leave the cruise ship circuit.”

9. Cruise Ship Comedy: Fantasy vs. Reality

• [36:17–39:27]
• Both riff on the grim realities of cruise ship comedy:
  • “It’s very funny to watch. It's like, dude, three meals a day at the old shitty buffet. Like, I can't get laid if I wanted to because if I go to someone's room, I'm in trouble…” (Jay, 36:41)
• Sal explains comics are forbidden to fraternize/hook up with guests, and the extreme penalties if caught.
• Compare it to their experiences on the Impractical Jokers Cruise, where the rules are far looser:
  • “On the Impractical Jokers Cruise...you see, fuck anybody you want. And there was a couple of loose wild sluts on the...Cruise. Believe it or not.” (Jay, 39:15)

10. Hilarious Anecdote: Hookups & ‘Local Rap Dancing’

• [39:27–41:23] Jay shares a story from the cruise about setting up a hookup, but having to feign interest in the woman’s “local hip hop music video dancing” career:
  • “You have to be nice to this girl and let her think you give a fuck about her stupid local rap dancing and tell her she's really good at it.” (Jay, 40:44)
  • “You have to lay foundation. It's quick dry cement. But you gotta lay it.” (Sal, 40:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On describing a juggalo:

  • “A juggalo smells like three days of sweat, glitter and dirt, aggressive clown rap and frivolous butthole fingering.”
    – Big Jay Oakerson, 00:56

• On the endurance of clown rap:

  • “Because it's written from that thing. There is no exploration on it as long as they...And also think about wearing makeup. It’s like Slipknot with the masks. You're ageless.”
    – Big Jay Oakerson, 04:00

• On nu metal bands aging:

  • “Your grandpapa roach, they Are.”
    – Big Jay Oakerson, 04:28

• On the reality of cruise ship comedy:

  • “It's like, dude, three meals a day at the old shitty buffet. I can't get laid if I wanted to because if I go to someone's room, I'm in trouble.”
    – Big Jay Oakerson, 36:41

• On hookup etiquette:

  • “This is what hooking up is. You have to be nice to this girl and let her think you give a fuck about her stupid local rap dancing and tell her she's really good at it.”
    – Big Jay Oakerson, 40:44

• On the business side of comedy:

  • “How many people stop at learning how to kill? And that's not really the tell...Can you kill and then have everybody else who can kill see you uniquely?”
    – Patrice O’Neal via Big Jay, 34:54

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [00:51] “What is a juggalo?” — kicking off the Gathering discussion
• [03:19] Inventing clown rap lyrics
• [04:14–05:35] Satire on nu metal and aging rock stars
• [06:14] The Miss Jugglette accountant—professional diversity at juggalos
• [09:31–10:13] Open drug use at the Gathering
• [11:49] Sal’s nitrous/helium confusion story (“I thought it was for helium...”)
• [16:41] Why stand-up comedy movies are played out
• [34:54] Patrice O’Neal wisdom about comedians “learning to kill”
• [36:41] Realities of cruise ship comedy
• [39:27] How Jay and Christine had to sit through a dancer’s videos in a hookup scenario
• [42:36] Sal teases his forthcoming podcast “Minouche”

Closing Details & Plugs

• Sal Vulcano Live:
  • Chicago Theatre, Nov 14
  • Beacon Theatre NYC, Dec 27
  • Tickets: salvolcanocomedy.com
• New Podcast:
  • “Minouche”—10-episode run, fall release on Sal’s YouTube
• Impractical Jokers:
  • Season 12 airing on TBS, Thursdays at 10pm

Tone & Vibe

Throughout the episode, the tone is irreverent, playful, and brimming with inside jokes and self-aware asides about the comedy industry. Jay and Sal invite the audience into their world of stand-up, with all its absurdities and harsh realities, while affectionately lampooning the scene and themselves. Their chemistry ensures every tangent lands as a bit, making even the obscure asides feel accessible and hilarious for fans and newcomers alike.