The John Clay Wolfe Show – Episode #203 (06.15.19)

Aired: February 16, 2026

Episode Overview

This lively episode of The John Clay Wolfe Show delivers the usual whirlwind blend of irreverent car talk, sharp banter about pop culture and current events, and that uniquely unfiltered humor listeners both love and fear. The crew dives deep into everything from car auctions and kooky sales tactics to Canadian basketball angst, political sendups, and the joys (and pitfalls) of broadcast barter deals. Amidst absurd stories, edgy jokes, and the trademark interplay between John Clay Wolfe, Bobbo, J.D. Ryan, Michael Turley, and various colorful callers, the show tackles themes of fatherhood, trust, business, and the thrills and stress of "out-of-your-head" entertainment.

Key Discussion Points & Segment Highlights

1. Weekend Updates & the Potato Diet (00:49–03:30)

• J.D. Ryan jokes about being a "big deal" after losing 7 lbs on the infamous potato diet—prompting ribbing from the team and a recurring thread about diets and body image.
• He shares excitement over receiving a form letter from the White House, allegedly signed by Trump, after inviting him on the show—a source of comedic skepticism.
• Banter ensues about the authenticity of the letter, with Bobbo and John speculating whether it’s actually from Donald Trump or Don Jr., poking fun at political fandom.

Notable Quote:
“I got a letter yesterday from the White House … ‘Thank you for your support. I am confident that together we will continue...’ He didn’t say anything about my request to come on.”
— J.D. Ryan (03:02)

2. Political Parody & Cultural Commentary (03:30–14:49)

• The show’s cast runs a comedic simulation with characters like “Rush Limbaugh”, “Satan”, and Bobbo doing impressions and providing over-the-top commentary about current political events, particularly around Trump's administration, Kellyanne Conway, and Sarah Sanders’ resignation.
• Extended jokes about Sarah Sanders’ “lazy eye,” English cuckoldry, and sexual undercurrents, plus a recurring callback to the song "Lazy Eye" by Silversun Pickups (10:01–10:43).
• Critique of the American presidency, campaign rules, and the oddity of political celebrity culture, all handled through the satirical, improv-heavy style the show is known for.

Notable Moments:

• “Grab ’em by the lazy eye. You heard it here first.”
  — John Clay Wolfe (15:47)

• Running joke about European men—and Englishmen in particular—being “cuckoldy” (07:46–09:06).

3. Car Talk, Buying & Selling Shenanigans (16:46–24:31)

• A block devoted to what's hot at the car auctions; John details recent sales of luxury vehicles (“Porsches, Rolls, Wraiths, McLarens, Ferraris”) and the unpredictability of profits and losses in the wholesale auto business.
• Exposes the competitive “betting” nature of car buying/selling and rails against CarMax’s standardized approach versus the show’s more personalized, flexible methods.
• Live caller action: Negotiation with callers trying to sell their used vehicles (Ford F-150, Ford Expedition, etc.), with John scrutinizing every detail—mileage, rust, value—and infusing humor into every deal.

Notable Quote:
“We buy and sell cars. GiveMeTheVIN.com … we’re basically car betters. Kind of like sports betters.”
— John Clay Wolfe (17:49)

4. Barrage of Barter and Bad Trades (88:00–94:30, 119:03–121:00)

• John vents about the pitfalls of on-air barter deals and radio promotion trades, lamenting offers like $10,000 in free ad time for $500 worth of bar tabs and sandwich discounts.
• Jokes about careless barter management, asks for qualified barter/sales talent, and offers up the recurring “give me the VIN” mantra.

Notable Quotes:
“If you want to sleep right, go to Mattress Firm.”
— Bobbo (93:49)
“We’re giving guys network and inventory for 20% off. This is the dumbest S I’ve ever heard of in my life.”
— John Clay Wolfe (119:03)

5. Car Auctions as High-Stakes Theatre (101:22–109:46)

• Behind-the-scenes look into the chaos and adrenaline of car auctions: John likens himself to a ringleader, needing to be “half-ass crazy” to manage millions in moving inventory.
• Audio clips of live auction banter, including chiding his own team for painting shortcuts, intentionally selling cheap to “chum the water,” and the logic behind accepting losses for long-term market momentum.

Notable Quote:
“You gotta be crazy, basically.”
— Michael Turley (109:46)
“You gotta create so much energy just to keep everyone’s attention and keep the momentum... We’re moving $10 million worth of merchandise in three hours.”
— John Clay Wolfe (102:21)

6. Fatherhood, Drinking, and Trust (67:13–141:46)

• With Father’s Day approaching, John riffs on his ideal “get rid of my kids” celebration, strip club plans, Vegas excursions, and his wife’s easygoing “your pick” attitude (68:14–70:28).
• Panel shares deeply personal and comic tales about teaching teens to drink responsibly, the merits and risks of trust, and generational angst.
• Spirited debate: Is Bobbo’s adult drinking really his devout Catholic parents' fault? Did parental repression fuel rebellion? J.D. and the rest weigh in, sometimes sincerely, mostly tongue-in-cheek.

Notable Quotes:
“That's the great irony of Father's Day... What do you want to do?”
— Bobbo (73:29)
“You trust her. That's huge, dude. You can't tell you how huge that is.”
— J.D. Ryan (136:14)

7. The Bart Reagor/Rager Car Dealer Meltdown (74:06–98:00)

• John delivers a scathing and hilarious expose of the downfall of Bart Rager, a notorious West Texas car dealer. Reagor’s over-the-top motivational sales meeting audio is played (“OPM! Other People’s Money!”).
• Colorful analogies to Wall Street, Enron, and "Glengarry Glen Ross” alongside critique of shady car dealership practices and the naivete of banks failing to see fraud coming.

Notable Quotes:
“He is the definition of all of the personality disorders that you can come up with.”
— John Clay Wolfe (74:40)
“I think everybody ought to just go whip his ass. How about OPM that bitch?”
— John Clay Wolfe (97:48)

8. Rivalries, Canadian Victories, and Listener Feuds (27:54–56:33)

• After the Toronto Raptors’ NBA championship, John and crew roast Canada relentlessly—mocking Toronto, sports expansion, the cultural gap, Drake, and existential confusion about why Canada should participate in American leagues.
• Listeners call in from Canada and the U.S. to spar with the crew and inject local color, local insults, and a brief basketball history lesson.

Notable Quotes:
“I mean, what the hell is Canada doing in the National Basketball Association?”
— John Clay Wolfe (55:19)
“Drake's good... but what does he have to do with the NBA?”
— John Clay Wolfe (56:24)

9. Meta-Reflection on Entertainment & Going “Out-of-Your-Head” (131:26–133:32)

• The team muses on the link between the energy level required to truly engage an audience and the fine line between genius and insanity, comparing peak on-air performance to a "drug habit".
• J.D. confesses to being “the calm one” during the legendary Dallas radio wars—while drinking daily.

Notable Quotes:
“In order to perform to a level that stimulates everybody, you have to be out of your freaking head.”
— John Clay Wolfe (131:44)
“Little bit crazy... part of the magic of entertainment sometimes is a little bit crazy.”
— J.D. Ryan (160:17)

10. Callers, Pranks, and Classic Segments (Throughout)

• Regular listeners call to barter cars, swap stories, or get hilariously bamboozled by Turley; notable repeat characters include Tricky Dick, Drunk-Ass Tracy, and “officer” misidentifications.
• Return of classic show bits, music parodies ("I Buy the Cars" song – 129:25), and badge-of-honor contests like "Car Man of the Week" (165:25).
• Bobbo falls asleep live on air—prompting a round of jokes and playbacks of his authentic snoring (78:46–80:52).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------| | 03:02 | “Thank you for your support. I am confident that together we will continue...” | J.D. Ryan | | 15:47 | “Grab ’em by the lazy eye. You heard it here first.” | John Clay Wolfe | | 17:49 | “We buy and sell cars. GiveMeTheVIN.com … we’re basically car betters.” | John Clay Wolfe | | 74:40 | “He is the definition of all of the personality disorders that you can come up with.”| John Clay Wolfe | | 109:46 | “You gotta be crazy, basically.” | Michael Turley | | 131:44 | “...to perform to a level that stimulates everybody, you have to be out of your head.”| John Clay Wolfe | | 73:29 | “That's the great irony of Father's day... What do you want to do?” | Bobbo | | 15:47 | “Grab 'em by the lazy eye.” | John Clay Wolfe | | 160:17 | “Magic of entertainment sometimes is a little bit crazy.” | J.D. Ryan |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:49 — Weekend banter, diets, and White House form letter
• 03:30 — Satirical “Rush Limbaugh” call, Sanders/Conway resignations
• 10:01 — "Lazy Eye" by Silversun Pickups/sexual politics riff
• 16:46 — Car auction report, luxury cars, profits & losses
• 24:31 — Selling caller’s cars, live on air
• 67:13 — Father’s Day, Vegas plans, fatherhood
• 74:06 — The Bart Rager dealer scandal
• 109:46 — Live auction approach, risk management
• 131:26 — Artistic madness and entertainment, being "out of your head"
• 160:17 — Discussion of creativity, mental health, and radio careers

The Show’s Rhythm & Tone

• Unfiltered, rapid-fire, free-associative: The show bounces from serious to ridiculous, from business strategy to sexual innuendo.
• Satirical, self-aware, and conversational: Even the wildest moments are laced with meta-commentary about the show itself, the car business, and American culture.
• Irreverent and politically incorrect: Few topics are off limits, but the crew keeps it just inside the boundaries for FCC.

For New Listeners

Expect to be swept along by the banter—this show is a mix of Howard Stern for car enthusiasts, Saturday Night Live for dealership insiders, and a little bit of biker bar philosophy. And for those who stick around, you’ll find plenty of running gags, listener participation, and advice (car-related or not) you probably won’t hear anywhere else.