The John Clay Wolfe Show — Episode #212 (08.24.19)
Overview
In this episode of The John Clay Wolfe Show, the crew dives deep into their quintessentially irreverent blend of car talk, workplace comedy, social commentary, and freewheeling banter. Broadcast across multiple cities, the show leans heavily on John’s car-buying empire (GiveMeTheVIN.com) but ventures constantly into R-rated workplace drama, Midwestern/Southern humor, American cultural history, and sharply authentic call-in confessions.
Working through a full Saturday morning, John, Bobbo, JD Ryan, DJ Pre K, and their colorful cast of coworkers and callers riff through stories about employee antics, parental struggles, regional stereotypes, redneck mythologies, pop culture, car sales, addiction, and more. Several memorable call-in moments bookend the show: listeners confess inbred family ties, try to sell cars, share wild workplace stories, or ask for jobs at the car-buying company ("I'm an alcoholic, which seems to be a prerequisite…").
If you need pure, unfiltered talk radio about the real world of cars, work, family, and American craziness—all with unvarnished comedic honesty—this episode is a wild ride.
Main Segments, Key Points & Quotes
1. Opening Banter: Car-Buying, Weed, and Workweek Stress
- [01:38–02:10] The show kicks off with laughter about the week's frenzied pace at GiveMeTheVIN’s offices, with Bobbo marveling at "40, probably 50 hours" worked, and the entire crew expressing gratitude for Saturday mornings together.
- Tone: Affable, slightly ragged, “highlight of the week” camaraderie.
Quote
"Sometimes it is a joy to get up on a Saturday morning and just hang out with you guys and do... whatever it is, this thing that we do." —Bobby Brown [02:02]
2. Mocking Regional Stereotypes & American History
- [03:27–06:24] The crew jokes about the "chicken choker" sign, then spins off into a satirical breakdown of the West Coast’s supposedly sensitive, "liberal, whiny" culture. The “Okies” and “post-Dust Bowl mentality” are discussed as the roots of regional quirks.
- [07:40–09:42] They debate why Oklahoma is "fundamentally wrong," joking about inbreeding and comparing Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
Quotes
“Anything west of Albuquerque besides Nevada is liberal, whiny, bitchy, dying to be offended.”
—John Clay Wolfe [04:06]
"That was a very—did you really dump that? Yes. Just ask it again, JD."
—John Clay Wolfe, on accidentally saying 'mental retardation' on-air and the need for radio censorship [08:11]
"Small-town Oklahoma is definitely different than city… carve Tulsa, Oklahoma out on its own and shove it over to Missouri."
—John Clay Wolfe [09:04]
3. Confessional Calls: Inbred Family Trees and American Taboos
- [13:23–15:46] Deborah from Virginia calls in to share that her grandparents were first cousins, discusses health issues, and what was culturally “normal” in earlier immigrant communities.
- [10:22–11:53] Bobbo tells a friend’s “kissing cousin” story out of Wichita Falls, TX: a passionate fling, its abrupt ending at a family reunion, and the shock of realizing she’s a second cousin.
Quotes:
"My grandmother and grandfather are first cousins and married and… their children had health issues. In the 40s and 50s, they came over from Italy, they married each other and had babies." —Deborah [13:43]
"Is that a counter? Where do you draw the line?"
—John Clay Wolfe, musing on family relations [11:41]
4. On the Car Lot & Dealer Wars: Real Talk on Selling Your Car
- [27:13–31:03] John recounts a run-in with a "prick" CarMax employee: his friend tries to get the best price, is told “they [GiveMeTheVIN] lie”—leading to honest breakdowns of used car pricing, the truth about dealer checks, and inter-company rivalry.
- [44:07–47:01] Multiple listeners call in to sell cars; John quickly appraises them live, explaining pricing logic, expected reconditioning costs, and transparency on potential profits.
- [50:59–53:37] John offers real bidding on specific vehicles with instant, transparent math to convince sellers.
Quotes
"Don’t start that. First of all, I’m flattered we made it… their managers are sick of hearing about GiveMeTheVIN." —John Clay Wolfe [30:00]
"Oh, you like him, Bob."
"...And of course, he’s got a little whiskey dent on his Carfax."
—John Clay Wolfe, to a self-described alcoholic car seller [111:15]
5. Workplace Drama: Otis the Drunk & HR Chaos
- [65:00–81:36] A running soap opera involves “Otis, the Drunk Buyer”—a high-performing employee unable to hold a manager role due to drinking benders—culminating in a live call-in confrontation where John lays down an ultimatum about job performance.
- [82:41–107:50] Similar drama with "Betty," the company’s HR manager, whose chronic absenteeism, drinking at the bar, and frequent “my kid’s sick” excuses come to a head. The crew discusses her firing/resignation, the unemployment office, and workplace honesty.
- Cultural Note: The crew’s tolerance for eccentricity is high—until lies and lost money enter.
Quotes
"You ain’t Zeke Elliott, you ain’t Dak Prescott. You’re okay, and could be great, but I’m losing love… So I am going to sweep your book out unless you get your ass in there RIGHT NOW." —John Clay Wolfe (to Otis, live on air) [80:14]
"She works like two and a half solid days a week. I'm going to impress the hell out of everybody, right? ...she takes care of something in Vegas, then she peeks in my office—she really has the nerve to come see me..." —Connie, HR [105:16]
6. Pop Culture & Listener Engagement
- [20:42–25:39] The crew riffs on TV shows (Yellowstone, Billions), Howard Stern, and whose “soul is going straight to hell,” via a recurring “Satan” voice bit—targeting Oprah, Michael Douglas, and the Charlie’s Angels cast.
- [125:06–132:40] DJ Pre K’s “Rosetta Stone Hood Slang”: The word “thuca” (means ‘gun’/‘strap’ in current slang) prompts fun interactivity as callers from around the US guess its meaning.
Quotes
"Do you know what a thuca is, Randy?"
"Don’t ever say that to me again."
—John Clay Wolfe as Randy the Chipmunk [125:50]
7. Parenting & Confession: Sport Parent Blues
- [51:00–52:59] John’s honest take on watching his son struggle in football, coaches, and the urge for vicarious parenting: "I just need to back off and let him do his thing..."
- [56:55–59:29] Caller from Maryland relates about pushing his son in baseball, the cost of trainers, and the eventual realization about letting kids find their own path.
Quotes
"I just need to forget about it. Just forget about it."
—John Clay Wolfe [58:46]
8. Auction Antics & Behind-the-Scenes Car Industry
- [33:11–34:19] / [139:39–141:53] John, in the heat of the weekly car auction, interrupts the action with personal questions about employees’ ethnicities and driver photos for buyer trust—a window into how personality still creeps into automated business.
- [142:14–143:39] Stand-up riffing with the auctioneer about a “stripper bus” and the value of “female-driven” cars and even free watermelon as an unexpected crowd-pleaser.
Quotes
“Not that Puerto Rican would make a car worth less or more, but you’re saying a sexy one…”
—John Clay Wolfe [140:27]
"Way less diseases than that Lexus."
—Auction bit [141:39]
9. Job Hustles, Lessons from the Car Business, and the American Work Ethic
- [111:02–112:49] / [161:04–162:56] Listeners and the crew swap tales of car-industry wanderers: job seekers, ex-DJs looking to become buyers, techs and mechanics discussing the future of labor and skilled trades.
- Hiring Advice: Diesel techs and honest car buyers are "writing their own ticket" in income.
Quotes
"If you want him to make a hundred thousand dollars a year as a mechanic, get him into diesel school."
—John Clay Wolfe [162:15]
10. Musical Bookends & Outrageous Closing
- [164:07–165:26] Outtakes over the bumper music lead to Bobbo mocking a listener who critiqued his musical selections (“Screw you, Ricky. It’s my job.”).
- [166:34–167:29] Brief news segments (Hasbro buying Death Row Records; creepy headless dolls in Missouri) round out the satire and Americana-laced absurdity.
Quote
"Strange things happening in Missouri... creepy little cloth children’s toys posed at odd locations around town..."
—JD Ryan [166:35]
Notable/Memorable Moments
- On-air confrontation with "Otis the Drunk" [77:41–81:36], a disarmingly honest (and hilarious) slice-of-life dialogue on workplace tolerance and realistic management in the crazy car world.
- Candid caller confessions about family inbreeding and 1950s immigrant culture [13:23–15:46].
- “Satan” reads out a satirical list of doomed celebrities [24:05–24:45]: "Oprah, Michael Douglas, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu..." blamed for “the ass dance.”
- Workplace discipline ethic (and blunt HR talk) [103:33–105:05]: “You make it effective immediately... You don’t have to pay her. She’s done.”
- Real car pricing logic explained, live—with math and ego on full display [45:04–46:14].
Highlighted Timestamps
- Workplace everybody’s got an Otis/Betty: [65:00–107:50]
- Live car appraisals start rolling: [44:07–47:01], [99:07–]
- Parenting/Youth sports struggles: [51:04–52:59], [56:55–59:29]
- Caller from Virginia with proud, inbred family story: [13:23–15:46]
- Auction house hijinks/demonstration of personality in car business: [33:11–34:19], [139:39–141:53]
- "Rosetta Stone" slang lesson (“thuca”): [125:06–132:40]
Typical Tone
- Blunt, self-deprecating, deeply honest, slightly profane, unfiltered, and regionally specific (Texas-Oklahoma-LA-Dallas radio energy).
- Constant swings from raucous laughter to genuine reflection, often in a single segment.
Conclusion
The John Clay Wolfe Show barrels through taboo topics, behind-the-scenes car industry wisdom, and wild workplace comedy, all bathed in humanity and self-mockery. If you want to know how real business, family, and American radio get made—by the fast-talking, code-switching, always-on crowd who buy and sell your car—this episode is a crash course. As John says:
“We make radio and content and drama out of real life. It’s very, very real—and you can’t write it.”
For full scenes, laughs, and learning how not to get ripped off by a car dealer, listen in, and remember: It’s so easy, you can do it in your underwear.