By: Audrey Miller I Published: April 23, 2025
Bringing humor to Unity Week, comedian Sal Vulcano entertained Wilkins Theater through comical audience interactions and compelling personal stories. On the night of Apr. 9, Kean University was erupting with laughter.
With the show starting at 9 p.m., students lined the entrance in anticipation of a front row glance at the beloved comedian. Freshmen Jordan Hill and Disha Patel arrived at the doors at 5 p.m., first in line. Their urgency to get a good seat was a reflection of their desire to be at the show.
“I immediately bought tickets,” said Hill. “This is a dream come true and the perfect way to end the year. The fact that they were able to bring Sal to Kean feels monumental.”
Vulcano performed at Kean University as part of Unity Week. Hosted by the Student Government Association and the Graduate Student Government, the goal of Unity Week is to celebrate diversity, community, and traditions. Through activities for students, staff, and faculty to participate in, Kean aims to build a culture of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.
Salvatore ‘Sal’ Vulcano is an actor, producer, stand-up, and improvisational comedian. The Staten Island native is best known for co-creating and starring in truTV’s Impractical Jokers. He is the host of two podcasts: Taste Buds and Hey Babe!. In May 2024, Vulcano debuted his solo comedy special Terrified. He is currently touring throughout 2025 doing another stand-up comedy special called Everything’s Fine.
Hill and Patel were not the only ones with the idea to show up early. A line had formed by 7 p.m., and Kean students were eager. Police officers alike were grinning ear to ear while discussing their appreciation of Vulcano with other fans. One police officer kept referring to Vulcano as “Balsamic Vin” or “Ja’Crispy”, inside jokes only true fans of the show would know.
A group of girls from the softball team came dressed to impress. Student athlete Emma Clemins dressed as a slice of pizza with her friend in clown shoes and red lipstick, posing as Tonka Jahari, Vulcano’s alias from Impractical Jokers.
As the doors opened at 8 p.m. and students flooded Wilkins Theater, Vulcano took the stage at 9. He quickly gained the audience’s attention through his purposeful mispronunciation of Kean. As he warmed up the crowd, he couldn’t help but address the elephant, or pizza, in the room.
“We bonded over Tonka Jahari,” Clemens told Vulcano. Vulcano admired the commitment but was ultimately skeptical about his rising fame throughout college campuses nationwide. He explained how an embarrassing picture from 2003 is now on t-shirts, flags, pillows, mugs, and more, and is consistently repped by college students.
“I don’t know what this means, but it’s important,” he joked. His ambivalence towards his popularity was countered by someone in the crowd shouting how Vulcano is their lord and savior.
As the show progressed, the comedian interacted with the crowd, indulging in stories regarding campus life, roommate horror stories, and Kean’s R2 status. He was able to make light of interruptions like a cop radio going off mid-show, coming back to his improvisational roots from Impractical Jokers.
Vulcano transitioned into talking about parenthood and family life, announcing the birth of his second child. He joked about the comedic misfortunes that come with being an immature adult and parenting. He told a story about messing with his insurance company when asked if his day-old son is single, married, divorced, or widowed.
Vulcano counteracted vulnerable moments in his parenthood with comedy. For instance, he explained how being at the hospital for his son’s birth took a toll on his body, making him lose sleep and not eat. Finally, when he was able to grab food from his favorite childhood pizza place nearby, his wife received life-threatening news. Vulcano articulated his approach to the story with dramatic pauses, making the audience believe this was going in a darker direction. He would then effectively defuse the emotional tension with expertly timed jokes.
“And it was really hard when the doctor was telling us all this,” said Vulcano, looking distraught. “You cannot chew when your wife is getting life-threatening news! Do you know how hard it is to stay focused with food from your childhood pizza place in hand?”
The audience was nothing but receptive to his performance, constantly applauding and laughing. As the one-hour show flew by, the night concluded. The laughs and good nature of the show were not only a reflection of Vulcano’s performance but also the hard work of Kean University’s Student Government Association and the Graduate Student Government.
To learn more and stay connected about future events at Kean, follow the Student Government Association on Instagram @keansga and check Cougar Link.
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