The John Clay Wolfe Show – Episode #196 (Original Air Date: 04.27.19)
Episode Overview
This episode of The John Clay Wolfe Show, powered by GiveMeTheVIN.com, is vintage JCW at its best. Broadcasting live from Wolf Radio Studios, John and the crew riff their way through cars, car culture, drugs (weed, CBD, and wild 90s stories), sex, politics, rock & roll, and everything in between. Listeners call in with their rides for on-air bids, and the team dives deep into life’s lighter (and raunchier) side, veering from Snoop Dogg and swinging parties to the business of buying and auctioning cars. The free-floating, irreverent banter is fast and occasionally edgy, pushing boundaries as always while navigating call-ins from across the country.
Key Discussion Points & Notable Segments
1. Breakfast of Champions: Coffee and Weed
- 00:25 – 03:40 – The show kicks off with playful speculation about who’s high, with Michael Turley denying any current narcotic use—"Not this morning!" The group jokes about “coffee and weed” as a breakfast tradition.
- JD Ryan recounts a “worst experience ever” with pot brownies, and the group discusses legal marijuana and the ever-changing weed business.
- Notable Quote:
John Clay Wolfe: “When you touch my hand and talk sweet talk I got a knocking in... [breaking into song]... Good morning, everyone. DJ, are you high on cocaine or some other substance?” [00:22]
2. CBD at Airports & Edibles Gone Wrong
- 02:40 – 03:40 – Discussion about the legal grey area around CBD oil, with J.D. warning, “they have stopped people at airports and arrested them for having CBD oil.” They riff on the absurdity of minor THC traces being criminalized.
- Notable Quote:
JD Ryan: “I'm telling you, they have stopped people at airports and arrested them for having CBD oil.” [03:05]
3. Swingers in the Suburbs & Political Roleplay
- 06:00 – 08:00 – The crew pokes fun at rumors about suburban swinging parties, roleplaying suburban and political stereotypes.
- Memorable Moment:
Bobbo (in a pretentious voice): “Speaking of Saturday plans, Muffy and I are having a little soiree at the Watergate at 9:00pm this evening. Bring your undies.” [07:57]
4. Trust-Fund Kids and Yacht-Life Stories
- 08:04 – 10:30 – John shares a colorful story about a “Thurston Howell III” type, Roby Penn, a trust fund baby floating through life between windfalls, living in DC's Watergate and later on a yacht in Palm Beach.
- Notable Quote:
John Clay Wolfe: “He was one hit to one hit. When the cash would come in, he was rich. And then towards the end of that, he was not rich. And then here would come another dose of cash. He was rich. Unbelievable. The fake. The fake in that world.” [09:37]
5. On-Air Car Appraisal: Impala SS & Classic Car Market
- 13:09 – 18:20 – Chris from Clarksburg, Maryland calls to sell his pristine 1996 Impala SS. John negotiates and explains the realities of classic car values, bidding $15K vs. the seller’s hope for $19K. Great insight into how the car buying operation works.
- Timestamps:
- Chris’ call: [13:09]
- Negotiation: [15:11-16:44]
6. Cars, Coffee, Wet T-Shirts, and Beers
- 18:23 – 21:10 – The crew riffs on “cars and coffee” events and proposes a new spin with “boots, boobs, and cars.” Raucous musings on integrating wet t-shirt contests with car shows.
- Notable Quote:
John Clay Wolfe: “Could you judge, like, the wet T shirts and the size of the boob inside it and the way it smashes against the hood of a wet car? That’s nice.” [19:46]
7. Mixing Business with Comedy: Classic Car Call-ins
- 21:15 – 23:08 – Multiple listeners call in about classic trucks and unusual rides. John lays out what classic models the show is interested in (“Anything in Happy Days, not Great Gatsby!”) and the realities of classic car demand.
8. Politics, Primaries, and Pooty Tang
- 24:44 – 28:36 – The morning’s most topical shift: Joe Biden’s entry into the 2020 Presidential Race. Audio clips play and the gang cracks wise about early endorsements, Obama’s “strategic delay,” and (in classic JCW fashion) compare Democratic primary crowding to a football team or a round of “Undercover Brother.”
- Notable Quote:
John Clay Wolfe: “So he’ll bring in Undercover Brother at the end with the big guns. That’s what I’m trying to say.” [28:36]
9. On Names, Identity, and Hyphens
- 29:02 – 30:55 – Banter about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the proliferation of hyphenated last names, riffing on modern gender, marriage, and political optics.
10. “Give Me the VIN” Appraisals and Real-World Dealer Talk
- 38:22 – 42:12 – A listener tries to bluff with a high CarMax offer, leading to a reality check on car values, appraisals, and John’s transparent, tough-love approach.
- Memorable Exchange:
- “If they gave you a bid for $34,000, you need to take a picture of it...I wouldn’t beat 34. That doesn’t make any sense.” – John Clay Wolfe [40:36-41:26]
11. Presidential Impressions: Trump's “Sleepy Joe” Riff
- 42:54 – 43:29 – Audio of President Trump roasting political rivals, with his take on Biden (“Sleepy Joe”), Bernie, Beto, and Mayor Pete.
- Notable Quote:
Caller/Guest (Trump audio): “I think we’re calling him Sleepy Joe because I’ve known him for a while and he’s a pretty sleepy guy. People wanted me to change the word sleepy to something else that rhymes with it… I thought it was too nasty.” [42:54]
12. Show-Within-a-Show: “Carpet Munchers” Skit
- 67:26 – 68:12 – A tongue-in-cheek radio commercial for “Carpet Munchers,” a carpet cleaning and disposal service. Bawdy double entendre throughout, and the crew is nearly in tears.
- Quote:
Bobbo: “Carpet munchers isn’t afraid of diving in and finding that sweet spot in your home. Your floors will look beautiful.” [67:53]
13. Listener Cars vs. Breakfast Sandwiches
- 57:01 – 58:09 – Hilarious moment where a listener tries to sell a 270,000-mile VW Jetta, and John says Dan’s breakfast sandwiches from Weinberger Deli are worth more.
- “I think Dan’s sandwich is better than your car.” [58:10]
14. Listener Stories: Town Prostitutes & Rural Life
- 71:53 – 81:15 – Multiple calls featuring small-town color: listeners recall “town prostitutes” in rural Texas and Virginia, juxtaposed with thoughtful appraisals on their (older, high-mileage) rides.
15. One-Legged Man vs. Fat Man Race Challenge
- 81:59 – 84:51 – The classic “Can a 400 lb man or a guy with one prosthetic leg win in a footrace?” discussion, potential pay-per-view, and the prospect of tying it into a wet t-shirt contest for maximum absurdity.
16. Natty Light, “Natter Days,” & Southern Drinking Culture
- 128:56 – 141:45 – Extended and hilarious debate about Natural Light (Natty), new “Natter Days” (strawberry lemonade beer), and the morning beer culture.
- “Of Natty Light is purchased in the morning. Only 5% at late at night. That’s a morning beer.” – JD [141:05]
- Bobbo’s go-to: “Six tall boys. 16 times 6. 96 ounces of delicious Natural Light.” [139:47]
17. Weed, Stoner Food, Snoop Dogg & Hip Hop Reverence
- 115:14 – 131:13 – Snoop Dogg’s Dallas appearance, the multi-generational, multi-ethnic appeal of hip hop, and Pre K’s own stoner rhymes about burning down a blunt “like the Notre Dame.”
- Stoner Cookbook/Riff: “A Molly”—Bobbo’s invention: sandwich with ham, Swiss, apple butter and bacon-ranch. Crew theorizes about stoner cookbooks and Snoop Dogg’s own “Platinum Recipes.”
18. Life Lessons: Drinking, Smoking, Living Long
- 155:31 – 156:14 (and throughout) – The show’s recurring riff: Life is to be lived, moderation is for other people, and quitting your vices is more likely to kill you than keep you alive. Includes stories of grandfathers who smoked Pall Malls into their 80s and doctors prescribing a return to alcohol to stave off seizures.
Running Gags and Recurring Characters
- Kulog (Strip Club DJ): Colorful side characters like Kulog add ribald comedy throughout.
- Satan: Regular call-ins (as “Satan”) to comedically explain the invention of drugs and warn about mushrooms vs. God’s natural creations.
- Drunk Ass Don & Drunk Ass Tracy: Listeners/callers who add to the “morning drinking” motif.
- Rush Limbaugh parody: Dropping in commentary and promoting natter days.
Notable Quotes & Standout Moments
- “You call in. We BS about it. 800-800-7234. 800 RADIO.” — John, weaving car business into the banter [12:22]
- “I want to create a form that is so short that they won’t get... Don’t you hate those web forms... No, this thing’s like, give me the damn VIN number, the damn miles, you son of a bitch. And press go. And here’s the damn number.” — JCW on designing the GiveMeTheVin site [144:17]
- “Which is the drugs and sober, which is the alcohol. So then how do some people say that they’re clean?.. Because they’re lying to themselves.” — JD Ryan on AA and recovery [05:29-05:41]
- “I can buy cars, I can buy motorcycles, I can buy RVs, but I don’t want a damn boat.” — JCW, on the realities of his car business [100:23]
- “We’re at the top of spring. Sports cars, jeeps, all that stuff, now’s the time. We’re buying!” — John promoting seasonality and how it affects car bids [131:14]
Timestamps of Key Segments
- [00:22] – Opening banter about being high and morning routines
- [03:05] – CBD and airport arrests
- [06:00] – Start of the swinger party discussion
- [13:09] – Clarksburg, MD Impala call, detailed negotiation
- [19:46] – Wet T-shirt judging banter
- [24:44] – Biden’s 2020 campaign announcement debate
- [29:02] – Ocasio-Cortez and hyphenated names segment
- [38:22] – CarMax “real talk,” bluff call
- [42:54] – Audio: Trump’s presidential rival roast
- [67:26] – “Carpet Munchers” fake ad
- [81:59] – One-legged man vs. fat man race
- [128:56] – Natty Light & Natter Days in-depth
- [155:31] – Living long vs. vices
Tone and Style
The show is a loose, fast-and-loud blend of car business, Southern humor, wild true stories, and unfiltered (often rowdy) honesty. The crew’s chemistry is palpable—they riff and roast each other, blur the line between show or party, and never miss a chance to puncture political or social pomposity with a well-timed joke.
Final Note
If you’re new to The John Clay Wolfe Show, this episode is a hallmark example: irreverent, sharp, crass, and surprisingly informative about both the car market and the psyche of American dudes. It’s not for the easily offended, but the ride is always wild.
Full episode, minus the ad breaks and padding, is wall-to-wall with humor, cars, stories, and that unpredictable “anything goes” spirit.
