Impractical Jokers’ Sal Vulcano was destined for comedy as his background before the success of the show coincided with his chosen career as a comedian.
Impractical Jokers was created by long-time friends and co-hosts of the show, Joe Gatto, James ‘Murr’ Murray, Brian ‘Q’ Quinn, and Sal Vulcano.
The real-life friends, who first met in high school in Staten Island, New York, became a comedy troupe act called The Tenderloins before the success of the show, and had other professions.
Sal Vulcano, who even before breaking into the mainstream comedy scene, was destined for comedy as even his previous career paths were steered towards comedy.
Initially, starting out as a bartender, he then later worked as a bar manager, then a writer and producer, before finding success with Impractical Jokers.
What is Impractical Jokers?
Impractical Jokers is the show that gave travelling comedy troupe act, The Tenderloins, international acclaim. The candid camera and skit reality-format show first premiered on truTV in 2011, and to date, has nine seasons and counting.
The premise of the show is, “Comedians Joe Gatto, James ‘Murr’ Murray, Brian ‘Q’ Quinn, and Sal Vulcano are real-life best friends who love challenging each other to the most outrageous dares and stunts ever caught on hidden camera.”
However, the tenth season is set to mark the first season of the show without Joe Gatto, who announced his exit in December 2021, due to personal reasons.
Impractical Jokers: Sal Vulcano
Impractical Jokers’ Sal Vulcano was born on 5 November 1976, making him the youngest of the four friends.
The comedian was born to parents Sal Vulcano Sr. and Dianne Fernandez-Vulcano, who subsequently got divorced when Sal was still young.
Sal is their only son, with three sisters, namely, Kelly Ann, Diana, and Jenna who has appeared on Impractical Jokers. Her most memorable episode being when she married Murr as a prank on the show
Though Sal joined other clubs in the private Monsignor Farrell High School since 1994, such as the chess club, it was when he joined an improv class that he would meet three other teenage boys and form a comedy troupe called The Tenderloins.
The comedy improv troupe would work together, even after high school, as a travelling group before their success with the creation and subsequent television premiere of Impractical Jokers in 2011.
Sal Vulcano after high school
Following his high school graduation, Sal Vulcano would work as a bartender and further his studies, acquiring a business degree from St. John’s University.
After his university graduation, he put his experience to good use, becoming the manager of a bar called The Full. At the time, the bar was a well-renowned music and comedy venue in Staten Island.
Moreover, he bought a stake in the bar, only to later sell his share in 2014, before the club closed down in 2016. It re-opened as Hashtag Bar.
Sal Vulcano’s involvement in comedy before Impractical Jokers’ success
Besides continuing to work as part of the comedy troupe, The Tenderloins, after high school, Sal Vulcano expanded his comedic experience.
This is since Sal worked with fellow Staten Island comedian, Jay Miller, on his long-standing, talk-format live show called Midevenings, which gave Staten Island’s locals a chance to showcase their talents.
The two continued to work together when Miller was hired as a producer for Impractical Jokers in 2014.
Furthermore, The Tenderloins, created a YouTube channel which is considered the initial inception of what Impractical Jokers would eventually become.
The channel is still active and shares pranks, skits, and candid camera videos made before the premiere of Impractical Jokers.
What is Sal Vulcano doing now?
Sal Vulcano is currently still a part of Impractical Jokers, as the show is counting down to the premiere of season 10 in April 2022.
Moreover, following the success of Impractical Jokers, Sal has starred in other productions, namely, Bones and 12 Monkeys.
He has also become a sought-after stand-up comedian, and his current stand up show is titled Sal Vulcano’s California Love, which will continue in May 2022.
However, his most recent new venture includes podcasting, with Sal being part of two podcasts including Taste Buds with Joe DeRosa, and Hey Babe, a talk-format podcast series with fellow comedian Chris DiStefano.
Final thoughts
Impractical Jokers has been the springboard for the four real-life friends and comedians, Joe, Sal, Murr and Q.
This is because the show gave the initial comedy troupe, The Tenderloins, international acclaim and the opportunity to make a living from just comedy and adjacent projects.
Sal Vulcano, 45, who, before the success of the show, worked in the underground comedy scene in Staten Island, used his business degree to manage and co-own a comedy club.
Moreover, he honed his skills as a producer and writer of comedy with his subsequent podcasts, Taste Buds and Hey Babe.