Sal Vulcano
Salvatore Edward Anthony "Sal" Vulcano (born November 5, 1976) is an American improvisational and stand-up comedian, actor, and producer from the New York City borough of Staten Island. He is a member of The Tenderloins, a comedy troupe consisting of Vulcano, Joe Gatto, James Murray, and Brian Quinn. Along with the other members of The Tenderloins, he stars in the television series Impractical Jokers, which first aired on December 15, 2011 on TruTV.
Sal Vulcano | |
---|---|
![]() Vulcano in 2010 | |
Born | Salvatore Edward Anthony Vulcano November 5, 1976 Staten Island, New York, U.S. |
Alma mater | St. John's University (BS) |
Occupation | Stand-up comedian, actor |
Years active | 1998–present |
Early life
Vulcano was born in Staten Island, and is of Italian, Cuban and Puerto Rican descent.[1] Along with Gatto, Murray, and Quinn, he was a member of his high school's Improvisation Club, for they saw it as a way to express themselves and meet girls.[2] He received a degree in Finance from St. John's University.[3]
Career
Early career
After being apart for years, Murray, Gatto, and Vulcano reunited after graduating from college and began practicing improvisation at Gatto's house, going on to tour as an improv and sketch comedy troupe in 1999, calling themselves The Tenderloins.
The Tenderloins began producing comedy sketches together, posting them on YouTube, MySpace, and Metacafe, accumulating millions of views online. In 2007, the troupe won the $100,000 grand prize in the NBC It's Your Show competition for the sketch "Time Thugs".[4]
Impractical Jokers and other television shows
Impractical Jokers premiered on December 15, 2011 on TruTV, which was watched by over 32 million viewers in its first season. The show has become the most popular series on TruTV and has boosted Vulcano into the public eye. Sal is currently the most punished joker on the show.[5]
In 2019, Vulcano, along with the other members of The Tenderloins, starred in The Misery Index, which is hosted by Jameela Jamil and is based on Andy Breckman's card game "Shit Happens."[6]
Impractical Jokers: The Movie was released on February 21, 2020.
Podcasts
The Tenderloins Podcast
The group began hosting a podcast in April 2012. It is available on their official website and iTunes.
What Say You?
What Say You?, an occasional podcast hosted by Vulcano and Quinn, was named Best New Show at the 2013 Stitcher Awards.[7] The increased popularity of What Say You sparked a friendly competition among the friends, spurring Gatto and Murray to release their own Tenderloins podcast without the other two members. In 2015, What Say You? was nominated for the Comedy, Entertainment, and Best Produced Podcast Awards at the 10th Annual Podcast Awards.[8] Sal and Q have stated that the podcast is their own side project, not a replacement of The Tenderloins Podcast. The group explained that it was difficult to coordinate the schedules of all four members outside of work, making it challenging to produce their troupe's official podcast with any regularity.
Personal life
Vulcano suffers from germophobia,[9] acrophobia,[10] and ailurophobia.[11] He claimed on an episode of Impractical Jokers that he was hit by a car at the age of four.[12] Vulcano has a tattoo of Jaden Smith on his left thigh as a result of a punishment on the show.[13] In Impractical Jokers: The Movie, Vulcano reveals an updated tattoo of Jaden Smith that was tattooed to Vulcano's right thigh.[14]
An ordained minister, Vulcano officiated fellow Tenderloins member Joe Gatto's wedding.[15]
References
- "What Sal Vulcano was doing before Impractical Jokers took off". looper.com. November 5, 2019.
- "Impractical Jokers' success is rooted in a deeper vulnerability". The Buffalo News. 2018-01-19. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- "Sal Vulcano". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- "About". The Tenderloins. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- "Which Impractical Joker Has Lost the Most Episodes?". In Touch Weekly. 16 November 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- "The Misery Index". www.tbs.com. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- "What Say You?". www.stitcher.com. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- "What Say You?". www.stitcher.com. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- Lerman, Ali (October 19, 2015). "Sal Vulcano Really Hates Continental Breakfast". OC Weekly. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- David, C. "The untold truth of Impractical Jokers". Looper.com. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- "Man With Immense Fear Of Cats Gets Forced To Experience The Cuteness Of Kittens". Bored Panda. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- Puncture Perfect, retrieved 2020-01-04
- "'Impractical Jokers' Stars Talk Getting Jaden Smith Tattoo and Meeting the Man Himself". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
- "'Impractical Jokers: The Movie' Team Talks Paula Abdul, Road Trip Comedy". Variety. February 13, 2020.
- "Sal Vulcano - 5 Things You May Not Know About the 'Impractical Jokers' Star". www.someecards.com. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
External links
- Sal Vulcano on IMDb