Dusty Slay & Theo Von Talk Trailer Parks, Netflix Special “Wet Heat,” & Growing Up (Ep. 601)

Episode Metadata

Title
This Past Weekend with Theo Von (Episode 601)
Host
Theo Von with mentions of collaborators Bobby and Mo
Guest
Dusty Slay comedian from Opaikica, Alabama
Episode #
601
Air Date
Aug 7, 2025

Introduction to Dusty Slay and his projects

  • Dusty Slay has a new special out on Netflix called Wet Heat and his own podcast called We Are Having a Good Time 00:37

Childhood experiences and neighborhood dynamics

  • The conversation touches on the topic of people with disabilities being more visible in the past, with examples of individuals with crosseyed vision and other conditions being more commonly seen 05:07
  • The discussion also mentions unusual names, such as Misty, Stormy, and Dusty, which were popular in certain areas or communities 07:37
  • Dusty Slay shares his experience growing up in a trailer park in Opaikica, Alabama, with a diverse group of people, including Asian kids, and how it felt exotic as he got older 09:25
  • The neighborhood had a unique dynamic, with a mix of trailer homes and brick houses, and a distinct social hierarchy, where being too smart wasn’t considered cool 11:33
  • A friend named Squirrel had a notable presence, with an above-ground pool and a stepdad named Sid, and was seen as having a desirable lifestyle 11:49
  • The community had its own set of values and talents, such as whistling, were highly regarded, and having unique skills or possessions, like laser discs, was a status symbol 17:14

Growing up in a trailer park

  • A person’s buddy’s dad installed a window upside down, and it was compared to a car window, letting it down instead of pushing it up, which was seen as defying gravity 19:17
  • The discussion involved growing up in a poor neighborhood with trailers, including the use of lattice work around the bottom of trailers, which could attract cats that would get under the trailer and cause problems 22:32
  • The person reminisced about their childhood, including stealing wood from their dad’s barn to build a clubhouse, not realizing the barn was not abandoned, and living in a trailer park with a sense of community, where everyone knew each other’s business 25:32
  • Growing up in a trailer park, there was a sense of community, but also a lack of personal space, and incidents like calling the police on a church for playing music too late were not uncommon 29:21
  • Tornadoes and storms were a big concern in the trailer park, with trees being a major hazard, and experiences like having a tree limb fall through the roof of the trailer were not rare 30:36
  • Childhood experiences, such as throwing pine cones and riding bikes, were a big part of growing up in the trailer park, and the lack of supervision and lawsuits made for a unique environment 33:39

Various life experiences, jobs, and memories

  • The discussion involves bodily functions, including peeing, and how it can be affected by factors like clothing, with a mention of wearing 100% cotton underwear for comfort 39:44.
  • There’s a conversation about flying and the challenges of finding the right time to board a plane to avoid waiting too long to use the restroom 40:37.
  • Memories can be changed, lost, or difficult to recall, and the brain is not a flawless archive of everything experienced 49:01
  • Some people use substances like LSD to try to expand their minds and recall memories, but this can lead to unpredictable and potentially dangerous situations 50:02
  • The conversation also touches on past work experiences, including a job in pesticide sales, where the individual had a wild summer with a coworker and managed to maintain good sales numbers despite their partying lifestyle 56:28
  • As a kid, time was often spent sitting in a car, trying to find ways to kill time, and enjoying simple things like smoking cigarettes or dipping, with the ability to sit in a car all day with just a radio and nicotine 58:35
  • The experience of being left in a car as a kid was common, and it was a time for exploration and learning, such as figuring out how to use the cigarette lighter 59:13
  • Learning to drive a stick shift was also a challenging experience, with the added pressure of being yelled at while trying to master the skill 01:01:13
  • Working with a parent, in this case, helping with credit card signups at colleges, was a way to learn how to hustle and drive to different locations, including Southeastern Louisiana University 01:03:01
  • Other jobs included working at a restaurant called Hyman’s in Charleston, a tourist spot with good food, where many employees were hired and it was common to run into former coworkers all over the country 01:04:31
  • Worked as a pizza delivery guy for Papa John’s, which felt like a blue-collar job, and would often get high while delivering pizzas 01:07:50
  • Used to pick up friends at a gas station and they would ride along while delivering pizzas, getting high and listening to the radio 01:08:26
  • Recalls a story about someone defecating in the meat at a newly opened Taco Bell, which led to its shutdown 01:10:46
  • Discusses people working in restaurants and how some individuals have been known to contaminate food, including a person who made TikTok videos of themselves peeing in people’s food 01:11:21

Career in comedy and related stories

  • Talks about his career in comedy, feeling good about making it this far and enjoying standup, after initially starting out as a way to meet women and have something to do on Fridays 01:15:02
  • A Tim Hortons has opened in Hermitage, and the Canadian wife of someone mentioned this, also bringing a Tim Hortons mug as a gift 01:17:11
  • There was a discussion about Texas Roadhouse and their birthday celebrations, where a gay employee named Benjamin was often asked to sing the birthday song, making him feel taken advantage of 01:17:51

Random events, news stories, and hypothetical purchases

  • Someone used to work cleaning out wishing wells as a summer job, where they would collect money and other items thrown into the well, and they would get to keep a share of the money found 01:19:58
  • Memories of eating at McDonald’s as a child, including getting a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit, are shared 01:26:18
  • The story of Jelly Roll, a rapper from Nashville, wrestling Logan Paul is discussed, with comments on Jelly Roll’s weight loss and energy 01:28:05
  • Childhood memories of watching wrestling, including Hulk Hogan and other WWE and WCW wrestlers, are reminisced about, with a mention of a neighbor who dated a Hulk Hogan impersonator 01:32:15
  • The topic of AI stealing jobs, including that of comedians, is briefly discussed, with the idea that AI may not be able to replicate a comedian’s unique delivery and style 01:33:50
  • Microsoft released a study showing 40 jobs most affected by AI, including phlebotomists, nursing assistants, and hazardous materials removal workers, with some jobs like prosthetic makers and roofers being less likely to be automated 01:35:41
  • The study also listed jobs that are safe from AI, with entertainment jobs being mentioned as one of them, but it was noted that people may not have the money to spend on entertainment if they are struggling to survive 01:36:52
  • A recent incident in the WNBA involved spectators throwing sex toys onto the court, with some suggesting that the league could embrace this as a way to get more people interested in the games 01:40:44
  • A person has purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren’s home, which contains many allegedly haunted and occult items, and plans to open it for overnight stays and museum tours 01:46:34
  • The discussion leads to talking about what they would buy if they could, with one person mentioning they would like to buy a lot of land to have woods, mountains, creeks, and water, and build a food forest 01:47:10
  • Another person mentions they would like to have a small castle with a drum tower, and have a little village inside with friends and family, living off the land and trading skills 01:49:21
  • A truckload of hot dogs spilled across a Pennsylvania interstate after a crash, and crews had to clean up the mess, with a frontend loader used to scoop up the hot dogs 01:55:14
  • The fire chief mentioned that hot dogs are very slippery, and four people required medical attention for non-life-threatening injuries 01:56:48
  • Dusty Slay’s comedy special “Wet Heat” is available on Netflix, and he has his own merchandise, including a limited edition hat with the phrase “All right” 01:58:05

People Mentioned in Episode 601

Hosts

  • Theo Von – Host of the podcast This Past Weekend with Theo Von.
  • Bobby – Collaborator of Theo Von, merch available on vonstore.com.
  • Mo – Another collaborator mentioned by Theo.

Guest

  • Dusty Slay – Comedian from Opaikica, Alabama; Netflix special Wet Heat and host of We Are Having a Good Time podcast.

Other Comedians & Celebrities

Family Members & Childhood Friends

  • Dusty’s dad, mom, sister, stepdad Sid; Theo’s dad, mom, sister, stepmom – Shared family anecdotes.
  • Enoy, Chukiot, Hook, Sherry – Friends from Opaikica.
  • Squirrel, Donnie, Jason, Bubby Jenkins, Eddie Joe, Larry Tisdale, William Teague, Alton – Theo’s and Dusty’s childhood friends.

Other Mentions

Places Mentioned in Episode 601

Countries

  • Canada – Origin of Dusty Slay's wife and location of outdoor comedy festival.
  • Laos – Referenced as origin of "Le Oceanian" people in Opaikica.
  • South America – Mentioned in context of Jelly Roll's weight loss.
  • United States – Implied setting for most locations mentioned.

States

Cities & Towns

  • Atlanta – Dusty’s tour stop.
  • Charleston – Where Dusty lived and started comedy.
  • Chicago – WNBA game incident location.
  • Miami – Referenced in joke about "wet heat."
  • Phoenix – Referenced as a "dry heat" city.
  • Winnipeg – Outdoor comedy festival location.

Specific Locations & Venues

Products, Brands & Sponsors Mentioned in Episode 601

Companies / Brands / Sponsors

  • vonstore.com – Theo Von’s merchandise store featuring Bobby collab items and classic merch.
  • Netflix – Streaming home of Dusty Slay’s specials Wet Heat and Working Man.
  • BlueChew – Chewable ED tablets; promo code theo for first month free (pay $5 shipping).
  • ShipStation – E-commerce shipping platform with discounted carrier rates; free trial via URL.
  • Rocket Money – Personal finance app for managing subscriptions and spending.
  • BetterHelp – Online therapy platform; 10% off first month via URL.
  • Lowe’s – Retail home improvement store where Dusty sold pesticides.
  • Home Depot – Retail home improvement store where Dusty sold pesticides.
  • Papa John’s – Pizza chain where Theo worked as a delivery driver.
  • Taco Bell – Fast-food chain mentioned in a humorous story.
  • Hardee’s – Breakfast favorite of Theo’s, also known as Carl’s Jr.
  • McDonald’s – Fast-food chain; subject of boycott and various anecdotes.
  • Starbucks – Coffee chain mentioned in a drive-thru story.
  • UFC – Mentioned in relation to Dustin Poirier’s gloves.
  • WWE/WWF/NWA – Professional wrestling organizations admired by Theo and friends.
  • TikTok – Social media platform mentioned in multiple contexts.
  • Microsoft – Mentioned regarding AI job impact studies.
  • ESPN – Referenced for its “30 for 30” documentaries.

Consumer Items / Products

Sponsors

Celsius: Go to the Celsius Amazon store to check out all of their flavors. 

Perplexity AI: Ask anything at https://pplx.ai/theo and download their new web browser Comet at https://comet.perplexity.ai/

Better Help: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp – go to http://betterhelp.com/theo to get 10% off your first month.

Blue Chew: Go to http://bluechew.com to get your first month of BlueChew FREE with promo code THEO!

Rocket Money: Go to http://rocketmoney.com/theo to cancel your unwanted subscriptions.

Ship Station: Sign up for your free trial at https://shipstation.com/THEO

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