The John Clay Wolfe Show – Episode #164
Date: September 8, 2018 (aired February 13, 2026)
Podcast Theme: A wild, irreverent Saturday morning ride through the worlds of cars, pop culture, sports, celebrity gossip, and offbeat humor.
Episode Overview
This episode is classic John Clay Wolfe Show: the crew celebrates the legacy of Burt Reynolds, riffs on “cry movies,” chats about classic rock, buys and bids on listeners’ cars, pokes fun at radio rivalries, dives into sports, and dissects oddball news with their signature unfiltered (and sometimes edgy) humor. Highlights include a tribute to Burt Reynolds with hilarious and heartfelt stories, a running “Pimp My Ride” fundraiser for DJ Pre K’s Cadillac, fake call-ins from ‘Satan’ and radio legend Paul Harvey, and quick-fire car deals—plus a deep dive into sports, celebrity sightings, and the business of cars.
Key Topics and Discussion Points
1. Remembering Burt Reynolds – Movies, Laughs & Tears
(00:27–08:36)
- Opening Salute: JD, Turley, and John reminisce about Burt Reynolds, his iconic movies, and his “legendary stud services.”
- JD: "Biggest movie star in the world for some time..." (01:04)
- Turley admits: “That’s one of my secret good cry movies, man. Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” (01:16)
- Classic Reynolds: Deliverance, Boogie Nights, The Longest Yard, Smokey & The Bandit are all discussed, with anecdotes about his athletic background (Florida State running back), celebrity relationships, and infamous Playboy centerfold.
- Behind-the-Scenes Stories:
- Turley’s story: “He had a jet airplane painted like the Trans Am... they did more cocaine and hoors and all the party crazy living stuff.” (06:20)
- Burt’s Regrets: A caller notes Reynolds turned down Han Solo, John McClane, and the astronaut in Terms of Endearment: “He could have been Han Solo in something called Star Wars.” (15:18)
2. “Cry Movies,” Guilty-Pleasure Songs, & Sentimentality
(04:35–08:39)
- The team openly shares what “makes them cry” in movies and music.
- Turley: “When October Goes by Barry Manilow just kills me... and that Asleep at the Wheel song, Got a Letter from My Kid Today.” (04:54)
- John deadpans: “Probably when I slammed my pecker in a door.” (05:36)
- Banter about South Park’s “Big Gay Al” and “songs too sappy for your friends.”
3. Fleetwood Mac’s New Lineup & Classic Rock Revelations
(17:50–20:59)
- Turley reveals: Fleetwood Mac replaced Lindsey Buckingham with Neil Finn (Crowded House) and Mike Campbell (Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers).
- Live performances on Ellen: Clips of the new lineup playing “The Chain.”
- John’s take: “You know, when these big rock stars go home, their wife still beats the hell out of them…” (19:53)
4. Car Buying, Car Talk & “Lightning Round” Bids
(13:28 and throughout, esp. 82:12–129:44)
- Classic segments: Listeners call in with their vehicles. John bids rapid-fire, cuts to the bottom line, and pokes fun at high-mileage Oklahoma rides.
- John: “Does five grand buy it? …Does 13 grand buy it?” (23:34, 70:44)
- High-end sellers get special attention: Ferrari Phil calls in with a McLaren (85:18); “If I don't beat your CarMax offer by $2,000 on a car over $70,000, I'll kiss your ass…” (83:09)
- Behind-the-scenes market talk: “The year just happened into August, beginning of September. Happens every year. The 18s turn into 17s.” (13:48)
5. “Pimp My Ride” for DJ Pre K’s Cadillac
(26:09–32:47; 51:06–52:43 and intermittently)
- GoFundMe campaign: Raising $1,500 so DJ Pre K can deck out his Cadillac with a Gucci top, Dayton wheels, and “hood gear.”
- Radio stunts: They switch the GoFundMe image to a crying African baby to “speed up donations”—and debate if this will send them to hell, with Satan chiming in.
- Turley: “It takes a village to raise a pimp, man.” (52:43)
- Celebratory conclusion: They hit the $1,500 goal thanks to “Albert Gonzalez.”
- Albert: “I heard the desperation in your voice. I gotta help John out…” (76:10)
6. Mock Celebrity Call-ins & Show Characters
(54:36–56:43; 57:08–59:59 and others)
- Paul Harvey delivers news with dry zingers (55:53):
- “At least now the F150 will be known for more than just its sheer ugliness.”
- “Kalashnikov...are confident they can manage to have the car elected to public office in the United States by the year 2020.”
- Rush Limbaugh (parody): Talks hurricanes, Percocet breaks, and Trump's White House drama (62:36).
- 'Satan' answers letters, riffs on lost t-shirts, and debates charity ethics.
- Goat Boy & Randy the Chipmunk: Give sports picks and animal-life analogies with tongue-in-cheek wisdom.
7. Sports, Football, & Gambling Banter
(60:22–111:06, scattered)
- John, Turley, Bob, JD: Recap NFL and college football, including the Cowboys’ chances, TCU vs SMU, and “nut rot” in chipmunk football.
- Chipmunk’s Betting Advice: “Don’t ever go home with wet nuts...” (80:24)
8. Rival Radio Show & Listener Engagement
(90:07–91:49 and assorted)
- Call-in to Rod Ryan Show: Listener stirs rivalry by declaring, “I love that [John Clay Wolfe] show. I think it’s hilarious.” (90:43)
- Wolfe jokes about not planting callers and pokes fun at the idea of a “radio riot.”
- Listener feedback: Truckers, car sellers, and loyal fans check in from all over, including San Diego, Las Vegas, and San Antonio.
9. Unfiltered Social Commentary & Cultural Observations
- On import tariffs & the car industry: John gives a blunt explanation about why luxury Mercedes prices are so high and blames Trump tariffs. (113:51)
- On health: John shares out-loud about doctor visits, weight, hernias, HGH, and midlife aches, with the guys chiming in. (117:16–121:54)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Burt Reynolds:
- “He had a jet airplane painted like the Trans Am...they did more cocaine and hoors and all the party crazy living stuff.” – John (06:20)
- “Flags will be at half ‘stash’ this week.” – Turley (13:13)
Guilty Pleasures:
- “When October Goes by Barry Manilow just kills me...” – Turley (04:54)
- “Probably when I slammed my pecker in a door.” – John (05:36)
On Car Dealing:
- “Does five grand buy it? ...Does 13 grand buy it?” – John (23:34, 70:44)
- “If I don't beat your CarMax offer by $2,000 on a car over $70,000, I'll kiss your ass…” – John (83:09)
On Raising Funds:
- “If you put a starving baby on the hood of the Cadillac, it will…” – John (28:13)
- “It takes a village to raise a pimp, man.” – Turley (52:43)
Goofy Banter:
- “Don’t ever go home with wet nuts.” – Randy the Chipmunk (80:24)
- “I took my 6 year old and taped him to a wall with a big gray duct tape.” – John (104:21)
Celebrity Parodies:
- “Paul, you did a big Super Bowl commercial… ‘That was what they called a hot bitch of an ad.’” – Turley as Paul Harvey (54:44)
- “You know, when these big rock stars go home, their wife still beats the hell out of them…” – John (19:53)
Key Timestamps
- 00:27–08:36: Burt Reynolds tribute, “cry movies,” wild stories
- 13:28; 23:34: Car buying call-ins, dealer talk, trade-in values
- 17:50–20:59: Fleetwood Mac, classic rock, line-up changes
- 26:09–32:47: Pimp My Ride fundraiser for DJ Pre K
- 54:36–56:43: Paul Harvey parody news
- 57:08–59:59: Keith Richards, “Gimme Shelter,” the art of playing guitar stoned
- 60:22–111:06: College and NFL football, sports betting, chipmunk sports analysis
- 113:51–116:39: Tariffs, Mercedes, and China talk
- 117:16–121:54: John’s doctor visit, hernia, HGH, midlife confessions
Tone & Language
- Loose, unfiltered, and southern-inflected humor; wild storytelling
- Authentic, sometimes edgy banter—with frequent playful jabs between cohosts
- Mix of heartfelt, silly, and slightly irreverent (e.g., “I don’t want to kill him, but if [he] died, I wouldn’t go to his funeral”)
- Frequent references to classic rock, sports, rural Texas, and working-class cultural touchstones
Flow Summary
The show opens with a heartfelt and raunchy group therapy session about Burt Reynolds, cycles through pop culture and guilty pleasures, pivots to car deals and the business of buying and selling—punctuated by absurdist comedy and listener stories. Fundraising for DJ Pre K provides a running joke. Sports and “sports oddities” fill out the latter half, with fake celebrity call-ins and listener feedback providing color throughout. The episode ends echoing the show’s mix of mayhem and mayhem management, signature wisecracks, and an open invitation for America to “call in and sell us your damn car.”
This episode is best enjoyed if you’re in for a wild ride, unflagging banter, and a slice of Texas radio mayhem—cars, music, sports, and all.