Podcast Summary: "The HoneyDew with Ryan Sickler"

Episode 357: Sal Vulcano - Impractical Parenting
Date: October 27, 2025
Guests: Ryan Sickler (Host), Sal Vulcano (Impractical Jokers)

Episode Overview

This heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply relatable episode welcomes Sal Vulcano back to The HoneyDew. The overarching theme is "Impractical Parenting," as Sal reflects on the joys and anxieties of fatherhood. The conversation explores the unpredictable, sometimes terrifying, always meaningful realities of raising kids—especially as older dads trying to make sense of generational shifts, health, legacy, and the emotional rollercoaster of parenting. The episode balances laughter with genuine vulnerability, touching on the "lowlights" of life that define The HoneyDew.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Ongoing Success of Impractical Jokers

[04:47-09:46]

• Sal talks about 14 years and over 300 episodes of Impractical Jokers and its surprising multigenerational fanbase.
• The show’s unique place as "family entertainment," a consistent comfort to viewers in hospitals and prisons.
• Memorable quote:
  “We got hospitals and prisons on lock... It’s always on in prison.” – Sal [07:14]
• The humbling realization that the show forges unlikely bonds:
  “That’s the best compliment of the show for me… that it’s brought families together… It’s the only thing our whole family can watch together. It’s a conduit.” – Sal [09:00]

2. Entering Fatherhood & Parenting in the Spotlight

[09:46-12:45]

• Sal reflects on his transition to fatherhood and the anxieties of being a public figure while protecting his family’s privacy.
• Ryan’s point: Their kids will eventually have total access to their entire public persona—“There’s no getting away with anything. Not with our kids at least.” [10:41]
• Sal now has two young kids (“in it” with a 3-year-old daughter and 10-month-old son).
• Talks sleep training, transitions from crib to mattress, and the little milestones that feel so big as a parent.

3. Toddler Autonomy and Losing the Comforts (Like Pacifiers)

[11:52-18:08]

• Sal’s daughter learns to open her bed gate and “disregards the rules,” wandering around at night. The battle between wanting to discipline and being impressed by her assertiveness.
• Sal shares inventive pacifier tips:
  “Put them in every corner. I had so many in that crib. You ain’t going to worry—you’ll find one in your sleep with your foot.” – Sal [17:01]
• Transitioning both kids out of pacifiers and diapers; recognizing how every child’s preferences and habits differ, and parents constantly renegotiate their methods.

4. Terrifying Moments and Parental Panic

[19:38-29:03]

• Sal recounts harrowing parenting moments—first, his daughter’s impulsive jump into a pool when he was two feet away, and the split-second rescue.
• Memorable quote:
  “I've never raised my voice at all, ever, in my life, but I'm just like… look at me, you cannot jump in unless I'm in there. You can hurt yourself.” – Sal [21:07]
• Both men share stories of the unique, gut-wrenching fear when a child—as Sal’s does—“disappears” for seconds that feel like eternity (Sal’s daughter was hiding in the car the whole time).
• Ryan’s reflection:
  “The feeling you have in that moment is the most palpable, vulnerable… I almost couldn’t breathe… I was hyperventilating. As soon as they found her, I took a knee. I was crying almost… it took an hour for me to regulate again.” – Sal [27:16]

5. The Lingering Trauma and Mental Health of Parenting

[29:05-32:43]

• Both discuss the long-lasting psychological effects of parental scares.
• Ryan admits:
  “I became terrified of heights. I couldn’t fly anymore... I had to go to therapy.” [31:03]
• The power of therapy, especially EMDR, to help process acute anxiety and “future tripping” on tragedies that didn’t (yet could have) occurred.

6. The Physical Toll and Motivation of Later-in-Life Parenting

[43:01-49:29]

• Jokes about the reality of "man-to-man defense" with two kids and needing to stay fit.
• Sal describes embarrassing (and relatable) attempts to sprint after a toddler and the wake-up call it provides about his own physical limits.
• Motivated by these moments, both started personal training regimens.
• Sal, describing his new fitness journey:
  “Three days later, I started with a personal trainer… I need to build up my strength. I need to be healthy. I gotta play a longevity game here.” – Sal [46:09]
• Ryan adds:
  “I want to be something my dad never was, and that’s an old man… I want my kids to have a dad that’s there when they are parents.” [49:45]

7. Health, Family, and Generational Legacies

[49:52-56:22]

• Both discuss family medical histories, regular testing, and interventions (CT scans, blood panels, genetics).
• The pain of having extended family live farther away, the importance of maximizing the limited time together, and ensuring kids know their grandparents.
• Sal’s comment on family:
  “All I want to do is be around my family.... That has been the hardest thing for me.” [52:05]
• The bittersweet math of being “older dads”—counting potential years left to spend with their children and (potentially) grandchildren.

8. The Emotional Transformation: Parenting as Identity

[56:58-66:13]

• Sal describes how fatherhood gave him a sense of meaning and happiness he hasn't found elsewhere:
  “I didn’t know my life started until my kids… To have a new feeling after 45 years—that was just indescribable.” [58:00]
• The resolve to be present, grateful, and to soak up even the “hard parts”:
  “Even in the worst moments, I’m still grateful. I thrive, I love every moment—not just some moments.” – Sal [63:54]
• Parenting is the Super Bowl of integrity—"Any decision I make is through the filter of my children. Will they be proud? I want them to only see what love is."
• Both agree on the power of perspective: even the struggles of parenting are treasures compared to the alternatives. The deep satisfaction comes from the long game of raising humans, building integrity, and giving their kids what they never had.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Sal, on family audience for Jokers:
  “We got hospitals and prisons on lock.” [07:14]

• Sal, describing the fear of losing track of a child:
  “That panic... I was hyperventilating… It took like an hour for me to regulate again.” [27:16]

• Ryan, reflecting on post-trauma anxiety:
  “My anxiety’s just been chilling in a hammock waiting for its number to be called… Here we go.” [31:52]

• Sal, on starting fatherhood late:
  “First thing that happened when I had my daughter was, like, regret that I didn’t do it sooner.” [42:07]

• On the physical toll:
  “When your brain is telling you that you’re running as fast as you can… I was hobbling to her.” – Sal [44:59]

• On health and wanting longevity:
  “The main thing on my mind right now, without a doubt, is to live as long as I possibly can to be here for the kids.” – Sal [52:05]

• On everyday gratitude for parenting:
  “There’s not one moment that I’m not like, grateful, even in the worst moments.” – Sal [63:54]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Impractical Jokers & Family Impact: [04:47-09:46]
• Parenting in the Digital Era: [09:46-12:45]
• Pacifier & Sleep Regression Stories: [11:52-18:08]
• Terrifying Parent Moments (Pools/Lost Child): [19:38-29:03]
• Anxiety, Therapy, and Parenting Trauma: [29:05-32:43]
• Getting in Shape for Parenting / Health Talk: [43:01-49:29]
• Family, Grandparents, and Generational Shifts: [49:52-56:22]
• The Emotional Core of Fatherhood: [56:58-66:13]
• Episode Close & Plugs: [67:15-68:12]

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is equal parts comedic and sincere. Sal and Ryan blend honest, self-deprecating stories of parental fails with open discussions on anxiety, aging, and love. The mood is one of camaraderie, mutual empathy, and a kind of masculine vulnerability not commonly heard in comedy podcasts.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a must-listen for parents of all ages—especially those navigating fatherhood later in life. Both guests offer wit, humility, and reassurance that even in moments of panic or exhaustion, there is profound meaning, laughter, and connection.

Sal’s Summary Plug:
"Just savocanocomedy.com for all my dates… Big dates coming up: Chicago, Appleton, New York City, Nashville... New talk show Minouche coming soon, special 'Terrified' on HBO Max, Season 12 of Jokers on TBS." [67:36]

End of Summary