The John Clay Wolfe Show – Episode #156 – 07.07.18
Original Air Date: July 7, 2018
Summary Date: February 13, 2026
Host: John Clay Wolfe
Recurring Hosts/Guests: Bobbo, Mike Turley, Norman, DJ Pre K
Podcast Theme: Cars, Sports, Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll – and whatever else passes the FCC test
Episode Overview
Main Theme:
This episode of the John Clay Wolfe Show captures the show’s signature blend of irreverent humor, automotive insights, quirky listener calls, rock & roll banter, and tales from America’s heartland and highways, punctuated by musings about California and stories from the auction world. The program weaves through segments on car sales, July 4th fireworks (and the burn bans), life observations, dubious advice, and offbeat games—all in the rowdy, fast-talking style John Clay Wolfe and his crew are known for.
Key Topics and Segments
1. Broadcast Check-Ins & Syndication Woes
Timestamps: 00:30–06:18
- The show opens with the crew troubleshooting technical difficulties, checking if their broadcast is live in various syndication cities (Dallas, Corpus Christi, Midland/Odessa, New Orleans, Baytown, etc.).
- Light-hearted ribbing about Dallas being the only city not able to get the show on air:
John: "Dallas couldn't just get it straight." (05:44) - Listener call-ins from across the Southwest and a running joke about "Iran, Texas."
2. Auction Talk: Behind the Scenes
Timestamps: 06:22–12:52
- Recap of a hectic week involving simultaneous car auction lanes (a rarity), likened to a chaotic horse race.
- Bobbo impersonates Phil (an auction character), much to the delight of the team.
- John references the expansion of his car sales business to Los Angeles, revealing the strategic differences between the Dallas and West Coast markets.
Notable Quote:
John: "The Dallas, Texas car market is the middle point… but the West Coast Highline market is… now we can start paying more for Lux cars and heavy cars, and we're gonna send them all out there…we're gonna start running another lane out in Los Angeles." (12:06–12:45)
3. Life in California vs. Texas
Timestamps: 10:33–12:52 / 25:28–29:05 / 71:05–76:34
- John and Bobbo trade stories of recent trips to California: driving up Pacific Coast Highway, visiting wine country, getting sunburned surfing.
- Observations on differences in lifestyle, weather, and even car culture ("G Wagons everywhere" in California).
- Nostalgia for the West Coast and a recurring theme: "Why come home?"
Memorable Moment:
John: "I see why people go to California and don't come home. If I was 22 and I had enough money, I wouldn't have come home… I'm 45, I have four children and a wife, and I don't want to come home." (25:49–26:33)
- Discussion of real estate prices in SoCal:
John: "…in the desert, junk is a million dollars an acre because you're only like, what, an hour from the ocean?" (28:24–28:43)
4. 4th of July Fireworks, Burn Bans, and Family Memories
Timestamps: 22:34–25:55
- The crew reminisces about July 4th celebrations, sharing disappointment at burn bans in Texas.
- Turley talks about buying $300 in fireworks only to be prohibited from using them.
- Bobbo's nostalgia for teaching his son the art of lighting fireworks: "There's nothing like, you know, your boy's 10 years old and you're showing him how to light a punk…" (25:01)
- John shares about experiencing fireworks in Paradise Cove, California, where the Beach Boys filmed the "Surfing USA" cover.
5. On-air Car Auctions & Real-Time Bids
Timestamps: 15:17–20:05, 32:43–68:55, 91:18–122:34
- Listeners call in to pitch cars; John provides live valuations and sometimes buys on the spot.
- Comedic banter about car conditions: "cotton seats" becomes an inside joke.
- Real insights into the used car market: luxury imports, trucks, and even high-mileage survivors.
- The show’s unique value proposition: Get a firm bid instantly; beat CarMax or get $100.
Notable Quote:
John: "Remember, if we do not beat your CarMax or Texas Direct written offer, we will send you a check for $100. $100. So worst case scenario, you're either going to get more for your car or you're going to get a hundred dollar bill." (09:41–10:16)
6. Pest Control Man: The Womanizer Caller
Timestamps: 53:04–58:26, 61:00–64:59, 119:04–119:13
- “Chris the Bug Man,” a pest control technician, calls in and reveals his unusual perk: getting lucky on the job during home visits.
- John probes for details in his trademark, tongue-in-cheek style, and the crew runs with the story.
- Discussion on how often contractors/hands get propositioned, with input from another caller who did home A/V work.
7. Rock & Roll Culture: Bands, Concerts, and Opening Acts
Timestamps: 35:05–41:41
- Stories from recent classic rock concerts.
- Bobbo on buffs and blunders at big shows—like Eagles’ Timothy B. Schmidt greeting Dallas as “Houston.”
- Commentary on how opening bands suffer performing in daylight (“sunlight is a gig killer”), and the shifting energy between warmup and headliner acts.
Memorable Quote:
John: "It's too bad how a band that opens for the headliner in the light...whoever's in the sunlight just doesn't even have half the punch..." (37:08–37:41)
8. Game Segment: What Did You Buy at Walmart?
Timestamps: 39:09–48:34
- DJ Pre K introduces a new game: he buys an item late at night post-clubbing; callers must guess what it is after a series of yes/no questions.
- Prize: the actual item purchased. This time, it’s a car air freshener (a pine tree “felony forest”—a cop caller reveals that’s their code for cars hiding the smell of weed).
- Lively calls and inside jokes about both car culture and personal vices.
9. Rush Limbaugh Parody & Mock Political Commentary
Timestamps: 28:43–32:38
- Bobbo channels “El Rushbo” for a segment lampooning conservative talk radio, mixing political headlines (Scott Pruitt resigns from the EPA) with personal tales of Vicodin and scotch hangovers.
- John and Bobbo riff on American anxieties: "It's like skipping your period... it makes you feel like you're missing something." (29:16)
10. Cars, Cards, and Jokes: John’s On-air Chemistry
(All Through Episode)
- The show’s fast-paced rhythm swerves between legit car deals, recurring gags, and boundary-pushing asides.
- Running jokes about “cotton seats,” sex, “big gay Cal,” and failed attempts to avoid FCC fines.
- Underlying message: Life is short; let’s laugh, buy something, and have a hell of a time.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- On work-life balance:
Bobbo: "I can't help it, man. I've been saying it for 30 years." (01:05) - On auction chaos:
Bobbo: "So many moving parts. It's like being at the races..." (03:39) - On musical identity:
John, on California: "It just comes on in your head. It just happens automatically." (25:49) - On the "Felony Forest":
Caller/Police Officer: "We call that the felony forest... when you got 18 of them hanging from your mirror." (47:40) - On beach weather:
John: “That place is busy...I can’t believe everybody’s not dead from wave death.” (72:09)
Timestamps for Important Segments
| Segment | Start | End | |-------------------------------------------|-------|--------| | City Broadcast Checks & Syndication | 00:30 | 06:18 | | Auction Recap, Phil Impersonations | 06:22 | 12:52 | | California Expansion & Culture | 10:33 | 12:52, 25:28 | 29:05, 71:05 | 76:34 | | July 4th, Fireworks, Burn Ban | 22:34 | 25:55 | | Car Auctions & Live Bids | 15:17 | 20:05, 32:43 | 68:55, 91:18 | 122:34 | | Pest Control Man Tales | 53:04 | 58:26, 61:00 | 64:59, 119:04 | 119:13 | | Concerts: Eagles, Tesla, Opening Acts | 35:05 | 41:41 | | Walmart Game w/ DJ Pre K | 39:09 | 48:34 | | Rush Limbaugh Parody | 28:43 | 32:38 | | Work, Labor & State Taxes (CA/TX) | 125:18 | 132:32 |
Overall Tone & Style
The episode is energetic, off-the-cuff, crass in places but always quick-witted and deeply attuned to its blue-collar, all-American audience. The hosts riff with each other and listeners, regularly veering into comedy and raw slice-of-life stories in between moments of serious automotive know-how.
If you want to know anything about the used car market, classic rock tours, firework nostalgia, or the unexpected adventures of a pest control guy, this episode has it—served up with humor and heart.
For the full, uncensored experience, including raucous banter, explicit humor, and a crash course on Texas/California living, listen to the complete episode at johnclaywolf.com or wherever you get your podcasts.