Everything entertainment including TV, music and movies.
I love me some Pixar and Disney animated movies as well as the best from Universal and Illumination (the Despicable me series) but I was not going into this movie called “Small Foot” with much hope. It seemed like a cute idea but it didn’t seem like it could be enough for a feature length …
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The new song “SOON” by Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol is a very emotional tribute to his father who’s been diagnosed with dementia. The music video shows the lead singer with his dad looking at old photographs along with many clips of home movies that really captures how precious our time is here on Earth and …
Continue reading SoonThere are many songs that capture the shock that parents feel when they realize that their little ones have grown up in the blink of an eye. This song by Michael W. Smith “How to Say Goodbye” does a wonderful job showing the relationship between a dad and his daughter from little girl to her …
Continue reading How to Say GoodbyeI really enjoy Japanese anime especially the excellent films made lately. Koe No Natachi (A Silent Voice) is an outstanding story about a bullied deaf girl and the impact of the bullying not only on her but also on the bully and all those around them as kids in school. It’s a moving story with …
Continue reading A Silent Voice
Tim McGraw just won a country music award for his music video for “HUMBLE AND KIND” which was inspired by his daughter going away to college. It’s such a wonderful song and the video is beautiful with a wide range of diverse cultures represented. It made me think of the advice my wife and I …
Continue reading Cute Sweet and Smart (CSS)
Look, I grew up watching Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole Peanuts gang. I still enjoy watching their holidays specials every year with my kids because of the nostalgia factor so I am sure that I will always love them. We are all super excited to watch the new Peanuts animated 3D motion picture that’s …
Continue reading The Days of Whine and Roses
I was a little doubtful that Pixar could pull off another incredible animated masterpiece going into the theater to see their latest release, “INSIDE OUT” but all of my doubts were erased within the first few minutes. I was smitten with this story immediately. It was all about the emotions of an 11 year-old girl …
Continue reading Inside Out
“Life Father, Like Son” is a powerfully moving film that truly makes you think about the true meaning of love and family. The premise is rather simple but so incredible in its delivery: Two families learn that their sons were accidentally switched at birth so they have to swap them with each other after several …
Continue reading Like Father Like Son
State Farm has nailed the male experience with its latest “NEVER” commercial. The dude tells his buds how he’s never ever going to get married then he’s in the jewelry store getting the rock… and well you know the rest!
Continue reading Never Say Never!We dads love the whole concept of being super heroes for our families and being able to swoop in and save the day at a moment’s notice, but we all know that we are more Clark Kent than Superman. Still, we do our best to be strong and protective for the ones we love and …
Continue reading Super HeroesThe Cast of Dads finally got together again for another gabfest about fatherhood and then some.  There is always something for us to talk about, and as usual, we cover a wide (and not necessarily logical) range of topics – in this episode everything from the serious (the Boston Bombings) to the sublime (licking the butts of …
Continue reading Kissing Butt (Ant Butt, That Is…): Cast of Dads Episode 57Some of us men aren’t that good when it comes to expressing how we feel through words but for some reason we find it easier to show how we feel through actions by doing things that mean a lot to the one we love. Some men are excellent when it comes to sweet talk but …
Continue reading Men of ActionOk, I admit it.  I am a male, and I am not much of a football fan.  So, once again I am the butt of the “big game” jokes as the Cast of Dads gathered for our own little “pre-game” show. Of course, as is typically the case, this being the Cast of Dads we talk …
Continue reading Super Bowled Over: Cast of Dads Episode 56Here are some motivational speeches from movies from fathers to their sons and in the last one from a coach (Al Pacino) to his players. The first one is from Sylvestor Stallone from Rocky Balboa. Rocky Balboa: “You ain’t gonna believe this, but you used to fit right here. I’d hold you up to say …
Continue reading Father and Son AdviceEveryone is creating lists this time of year. They are for favorite things of the year or best of all-time, etc. This list we are sharing today is for the best Christmas movies of all-time. We noticed one list today that excluded Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” which is insane! It is one of …
Continue reading Best Christmas MoviesI had the immense pleasure and honor of interviewing Greg Page, the original yellow Wiggle who has rejoined the band for a farewell tour that ends in December 2012. He along with two other original members, Murray Cook and Jeff Fatt will be retiring from the band after over 20 years. Greg Page took the …
Continue reading Wiggles Farewell TourOur children and our childhoods sparked an olympic discussion in the lastest episode of the Cast of Dads podcast.  Where else can you listen to five disparate dads debate topics from malaria to Mini-Coopers, from the Olympics to the “Orangutang Hang!”  Enjoy! You can CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS EPISODE 53. Topics discussed in …
Continue reading WTF Is A Huckapoo Shirt? – Cast of Dads Episode 53One of the best perks of being involved with Dad-O-Matic is getting to meet wonderful people like the members of the family band Laughing Pizza. We’ve covered them before on here when I shared their wonderful song called DADDY. Well, this time around I got to sit down with them before their show here in …
Continue reading Laughing PizzaA few days before Father’s Day, the Cast of Dads got together with a serious case of the LOL’s – and there were no cats involved.  I’d say you had to be there, but you can!  Just click the link below to listen to the show…  Just be prepared, as laughing is known to be contagious. We hope everyone …
Continue reading Grown Men Giggling: Cast of Dads Episode 52On this Father’s Day I’m remembering some of the good portrayals of dads on television which sadly is few and far between. One of the best ones that comes to mind is “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” starring the late Bill Bixby. I loved that show as a kid because I grew up without a …
Continue reading TV DadsBecause of this promotional video (commercial) that One Republic made for Disney and because my kids sang this over and over again all throughout our time in Disney World recently, this song “Good Life” will forever make me thing of that magical place. I really would love to live close to Disney World someday so …
Continue reading Good Life(This episode of Cast of Dads is sponsored by the new Motorola Droid RAZR.  Want to win one? Listen to the show and find out how!) Everyone at the Cast of Dads and Dadomatic hopes you and your families enjoyed a great Mother’s Day this past weekend!  Four of the five Cast of Dads got together to recap …
Continue reading Mother’s Day, Razr’s, And A Dad At SeaI’m lucky that in my professional travels, I have a chance to work with and meet so many wonderful people. Â In February, while attending the Blissdom Conference in Nashville, I was fortunate enough to have a few minutes to meet and talk with singer Chris Mann. At the time…Chris was one of dozens of contestants …
Continue reading Vote for Chris Mann on The Voice Tonight!Woohoo! Â This is EPISODE 50 of the Cast of Dads podcast! Â As we hit this milestone, I thought I would share the tale of how the Cast of Dads came together… Back when Sony came a callin’ and invited myself and four other dads to become “DigiDads” and get the chance to play with some …
Continue reading 5 Dads, 50 Conversations, Tons of FunI truly recommend watching a movie called “MY DOG SKIP” which was based on a true story. It’s a wonderful coming of age movie featuring the cute little dog named Skip, of course. It’s full of funny little moments and captures the essence of youth, especially about the special relationship between the only child and …
Continue reading My Dog SkipI’m back from New Orleans and a whirlwind few days with fellow Cast of  Dads hosts C.C. Chapman and Brad Powell (we sorely missed our other two hosts Michael Sheehan and Max Kalehoff.)  We had a great time with the LG team, who were gracious hosts and made sure we had a fantastic experience both …
Continue reading Three Dads At The Final FourI love basketball. Â To be more specific, I love playing basketball. Â I’m not tall, not light, and I’ve never actually been that good at it, but that never stopped me from loving the game. Â That probably comes from growing up in a part of Queens N.Y. where asphalt was everywhere and thus so were rims. …
Continue reading Help Me Get My March Madness On!Spring is here and the Cast of Dads have sprung back into action with a new fun filled episode.  Next show will be EPISODE 50, a nice milestone for any podcast.  Thank YOU for listening to us rambling dads for all this time.  We greatly appreciate you putting up with us – er, listening to us, and hope you …
Continue reading Getting Back On The Bike: Cast of Dads #492012 is already fast underway, and while it may seem like the Cast of Dads have been absent this year, we actually recorded a great show in January that was lost to the digital demons.  It was probably our best show ever – funny, poignant parenting tips… heartfelt fables of fatherhood… and so much more.  Alas, you …
Continue reading Meatloaf Again??? Cast of Dads Episode 48When I lived in New York and was just starting my family, we moved to a house in Rockland County. Â As someone who grew up in an apartment, and whose parents both grew up in apartments, it was my first experience with living in a house (and becoming a homeowner) and it was a bit …
Continue reading My Son, The Mowerman, and the Toxic Crusaders (Or, How a 2-Year Old Helped Create a TV Villain)From the lost film archives… Meet The Parents (my parents…): Once we become parents ourselves, our perspective on our own parents changes. Â Suddenly many of the things that annoyed us about our folks when we were young begin to make perfect sense. Â We see ourselves interacting with our kids in ways similar to how our …
Continue reading Meet The Parents (Cast of Dads & Sass Edition)Everyone gives love lip service but it’s action not just words. We men especially need to learn that it’s important for us to show our love with actions and not just our mouth. It’s what we do that counts the most. It isn’t the flowers or mushy greeting card or expensive gifts, but the every …
Continue reading Love is Action Not Just WordsThe Cast of Dads got together to talk turkey (or in my case, Tofurkey) in the 47th episode of our (almost) weekly gabfest. Â As always, we are hard pressed to stay on any one topic for too long, and we run the gamut from Thanksgiving dinners to toddler vandalism to kids pooping in the dryer. …
Continue reading Macaroni and Cheesy… Cast of Dads Episode 47Here’s a beautiful song called “Just Fishin’” by Trace Adkins who’s become the unofficial music artist of Dads because we’ve featured several of his songs on here already. What can I say? Trace truly understands and appreciates the power of being a dad and a parent. His songs on this subject matter truly captures the …
Continue reading Just Fishin’November is Movember and thus there is an abundance of facial hair around the Cast of Dads.  Please consider supporting the cause and donating to Max, Brad, Michael or C.C.‘s efforts to raise money and awareness to fight cancer in men. As the holidays are already approaching it is exciting to see that we are fast approaching our 50th episode of …
Continue reading A Hair Raising Month: Cast of Dads #46More fun for free: Make a comic strip of your very own family life. Yes, this really happened. :: Joe Hage is chief storyteller for Medical Marcom, a medical devices marketing consultancy helping medical companies become more approachable and engaging. ::
Continue reading The Real Hages of WashingtonMy blog posts on Dad-O-matic have sparked a running joke where some readers compare them to interviews by Barbara Walters because they both tend to make people cry. I take it as a compliment of course. I enjoy sharing some amazing songs with intensely emotional meaning such as my pieces for “You’re Gonna Miss This” …
Continue reading It Won’t Be Like This For Long“Dear Zachary” is an amazing documentary that everyone should experience. It’s a tough one to get through but it’s so worth it if you do. I won’t give away anything surprising but all I can say is that you will be moved and I think changed for the better after witnessing this masterful film. In …
Continue reading Dear ZacharyDad-O-matic is focused on dads and the family and once in a while that means addressing the subject matter of the relationship between fathers with mothers. After all, they are partners in the business of raising children, right? Too often we parents are so busy working on all of the details involved with taking care …
Continue reading Reminders of LoveI heard this absolutely beautiful song called “Daddy” at the end of Curious George by a group called LaughingPizza and I just had to find out more about it and hear it again and again. It truly got to me and I think it will for any parent. Such a sweet sentiment and such a …
Continue reading You’re The Best Daddy (Song)The Wiggles are celebrating their 20th anniversary which is an impressive milestone for any band nevermind one for children. They’re currently on a US tour celebrating this achievement. Much like last year when I got to interview Jeff (the purple Wiggle), I had the pleasure of speaking to Sam (Yellow Wiggle) this time around. Me: …
Continue reading One on One with a Wiggle: Sam MoranMy 8 year-old has been after me to watch Meet The Robinsons for the longest time so I finally made time to watch it with my kids and I sure am happy I did. I absolutely loved the movie. Now, I have to admit that I’m a sucker for most of the animated films these …
Continue reading Little WondersThe title of this post says it all. A a dad of daughter who is now 19, while she will always be a cutie in my eyes, I can fondly remember when she was the age of these incredibly cute (and talented) contestants on America’s Got Talent. Â I love seeing the parents in the wings …
Continue reading I Looked Up Cute In The Dictionary and This Is What I Found…Happy 4th of July Weekend! The Cast of Dads got together before the weekend to share our post Father’s Day adventures and we had a blast sharing some of our own stories of fireworks and other explosive topics. Â We also announced the winner of our Father’s Day Dell Inspiron Duo giveaway, thanks to our friends …
Continue reading Let the Fireworks Begin! Cast of Dads #43We’re baaack!  It’s been a few weeks, but the Cast of Dads got back in front of our respective microphones, phones and headsets to deliver a new, fun-filled episode.  With political private parts in the headlines, bathroom humor abounds and we make our fair share of “weiner” jokes.  Brad goes so far as to reveal that …
Continue reading Showing Our Junk (And a Father’s Day REWARD!)Last week I had the chance to speak about kids and technology with Intel‘s Peter Biddle on his MashUp Radio show. Â We had a fun conversation that ran the gamut from toddlers and tablets, to “Free Range Kids,” to marketing to kids, to the concept of our kids never being alone thanks to technology. Peter …
Continue reading Talking Tech and Toddlers on MashUp RadioParents always have a special song or two for each of their babies. One of my favorites is John Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy” which still touches me deeply every time I hear it because I used to sing it to both of my sons at bedtime. Adding to the bittersweetness is the fact that John Lennon’s …
Continue reading Beautiful BoyThe kids from “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” reunited on the Today Show for the 40th anniversary of the film classic. Check out Charlie Bucket, Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt & Mike TV as they look now all these years later. Noticeably absent is their ring leader, Gene Wilder and Grandpa Charlie who …
Continue reading 40th Anniversary Reunion for Willie Wonka and The Chocolate FactoryAs you know if you’ve been following me here, some of the Cast of Dads had the chance to go to the NY International Auto Show, courtesy of Sony and Ford. Â As you may know, the Cast of Dads podcast began as an offshoot of the Sony DigiDad project, which brought together myself, C.C. Chapman, …
Continue reading Coffee, Cast of Dads & Conversation…I took the family to Disney World for spring break 2011 and it was even better than expected. Maybe it was because the kids were a little older this time (ages 12, 8 & 5) or maybe it was merely experience paying off, but all I know is that we had the times of our …
Continue reading Free Apps for Your Next Trip to Disney WorldThis week the Cast of Dads are feeling inspired by the spring in the air and the spring in their steps, but even better weather cannot keep us focused on just one topic.  Where else can you find five clueless dads debating everything from Justin Bieber vs. Rebecca Black to MacGuyver vs. MacGruber in a single …
Continue reading How Old Is Justin Bieber? The Cast of Dads Want To KnowFor many geeks, the true March Madness is the trippy trip to Austin, Texas for South By Southwest (SXSW). Â Last year, fellow Cast of Dads dad C.C. Chapman and I had the pleasure of visiting the DadLabs Studios, where Daddy Brad (Brad Powell) and his paternal posse produce their short fatherhood flicks. Â This year we …
Continue reading Beer & Coffee: The Cast of Dads at SXSWOne dad clearly #Winning in the news these days is Charlie Sheen, and the Cast of Dads took a few sips of Tiger Blood while recording our 40th episode.  As usual, we cover a cornucopia of topics, from Charile’s angels -er, goddesses, to Dr. Seuss.  As a true sign of a dedicated dadcaster, our own Max Kalefhoff …
Continue reading Whining and #Winning!I am currently suffering from a bout of empty nest syndrome and one of the symptoms is recalling all sorts of memories of my kids at various stages and ages. Â My oldest, now 22, recently ran a half marathon – his first – and afterwards he threw up. Â Watching him barf as a young …
Continue reading An Ode To Parenting and Puking“You Can Let Go” is the debut song from Canadian country artist Crystal Shawanda which knocked me for a loop. I know that I’m a big ole sucker for these types of songs but I really was moved by this one. It tells the tale of a little girl and her dad as she grows …
Continue reading You Can Let Go Now, DaddyThe full Cast of Dads got together for the first time this year and we talk turkey about one of the most feared feats of fatherdom – having the “sex” talk with your child. Â The Cast of Dads’ kids range from toddlers to teens and beyond, so we all have our own unique takes on …
Continue reading Having THE Talk: Cast of Dads #39Three of us Cast of Dads (CC, Michael and myself) were in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and we got together upstairs in the Intel booth to record both a video and audio special episode of the Cast of Dads podcast. Â We invited Dave Delaney of Griffin Technology to join us as …
Continue reading Discussing Dadgets: The Cast of Dads At CES 2011With the hype and hoopla over, there will be plenty of talk around the water cooler tomorrow about “the game,” and of course, about the commercials. Â One of the standout commercials was the “The Force” by Volkswagen for the 2012 Passat. Â More than just Star Wars fans will love this humbling homage to the power …
Continue reading Super Bowl, Super Ad, Super Dad!As part of the Dad-O-Matic CES coverage, Chris Brogan shared a look at the Crayola ColorStudioHD iPad app and “digital crayon” coming soon from Griffin Technology. Â Cool as the Crayola app is, it wasn’t the only neat thing we saw from the Griffin gang. Â Dave Delaney also showed me the Griffin LightBoard, which is a …
Continue reading A Kid Friendly iPad Case That Lets You Trace!I had the pleasure of catching up with Dave Delaney from Griffin Technology at the Consumer Electronics show, and he caught us up on the really cool app that Griffin developed with Crayola, called ColorStudio HD. We shot this little review here: Can’t see this video, click here. Check out the Crayola ColorStudio HD and …
Continue reading Coloring for the iPad with Crayola ColorStudioHDAs 2010 and another year (and decade) wind down, the Cast of Dads got together to squeeze in one last show for the year.  In this eposide you will hear about CC making bacon, Max blowing off some steam, Michael musing over MacAllan, Brad blowing glass, and me… ? Well, you’ll just have to listen to …
Continue reading Happy New Year From The Cast of Dads! (and Dadomatic)A little over a year ago I joined forces with four other dads and we launched the Cast of Dads Podcast. Â The five of us, all with kids of varying ages, first came together thanks to Sony and the Sony DigiDad Project, and we got along so well we wanted to “keep the dream alive” …
Continue reading Happy 1st Birthday Cast of Dads!Last week one of the Cast of Dads, C.C. Chapman, was celebrating the release of his new book, Content Rules (Affiliate Link) and I saw him tweet, Laura just brought home a sexy 25 Year Old to help us celebrate #ContentRules Well, before you let your mind go right to the gutter (as, of course, mine did), …
Continue reading Celebrating With A Sweet 25 Year Old: Cast of Dads #36We’re baaaack!  We missed a show due to technical difficulties, but that means the Cast of Dads had all sorts of pent up energy for our festive gab fest this week.  As we prepped our families for Thanksgiving we peppered our conversation with everything from freedom of speech issues to drinking and smoking, with a few …
Continue reading From Deep Thoughts To Deep Frying: Cast of Dads #35GameTruck is a new birthday party idea for video game-loving kids that kicks Pump It Up’s ass. My kids went nuts for it.
Continue reading If your child likes video games …If you have kids then there is a good chance that at one time or another you may have found yourself scratching your head and asking “how do I get rid of lice???”  It’s a question that has been itching a few of the Cast of Dads (and their kids) so we talk about some things you …
Continue reading Lice, Lice, Baby! (Cast of Dads #34)Even a few dropped calls and technical glitches could not stop the Cast of Dads from chiming in on anything and everything that might be on a Dad’s mind… As the title of this post says we dive into a discussion that starts with diapers and ends with sex.  (Perhaps we had things backwards as oftentimes …
Continue reading From Diapers to Dirty Old Men: Cast of Dads #33From a toddler’s first steps to the steps we need to take to ensure the online safety and security of our kids, the Cast of Dads sound a bit more serious this week as we address our typically diverse topics.  Our serious tone was set perhaps by the breaking news as we recorded of the student …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #32: An Educating EpisodeI’m watching the recent movie adaptation of Astro Boy, a year or so after my daughter watched it. There are so many emotional upheavals and elements I probably didn’t want my daughter to see without some conversation. She’s a smart kid, but this movie is all about rejection. There’s tons and tons of situations of …
Continue reading Parental GuidanceWith the 1977 release of Star Wars, audiences were introduced to Darth Vader, the baddest bad guy in the entire galaxy. As the story unfolded and the prequels arrived on the scene, many people were surprised to learn that Darth Vader was not always such a bad dude. It may be equally surprising to learn …
Continue reading Darth Vader’s Dos and Don’ts for DadsIn this, the “Silent But Deadly” edition of Cast of Dads we dish about everything from decapitation to divorce (and no, there is no discernible connection between the two).  In true Cast of Dads form, even though we touch on some serious parenting issues, from safety helmets to adolescent desires, we still end up flabbergasted by flatulence in the …
Continue reading Fart Is A Four Letter “F” Word… (Cast of Dads #31)Trust me, it’s hopeless.  Do you dread walking into your kid’s room?  Are you tired of picking up socks, clothes and toys off of the floor?  Do you beg and bribe your kids to clean their rooms?  Well, you might as well stop right now and save yourself years of stress and anxiety.  You can reduce your future botox bills …
Continue reading Stop Picking Up Their Clothes!A while back, I wrote 600 Days Without Solid Sleep. Well after yet another night marked by a 2AM wake-up call, I thought I would run the numbers, and what do you know? A nice round 1000 days! How could I not mark such an auspicious occasion? Pardon me if I appear a bit snarky, …
Continue reading 1000 Sleepless NightsBefore I post a new episode of Cast of Dads I always listen to it, and even though I was “there” and part of the recording, I try to listen back to the finished show as a “listener” and experience it as I hope you will. Â I have to say, this show, our 30th episode, …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #30: Stuffed Animals, Stuffed Mouths, and Other Stuff…One of the fun things about getting together with the Cast of Dads is that sooner or later each of us gets the chance to share an embarrassing moment…  Or maybe that’s just me who keeps sharing goofy moments?  Well, if it is me, this episode is no exception as I dive into a poorly sung rendition …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #29: From Dudes To Doggs…Summertime is often a time we catch up on reading and this summer is no exception.  I finally sat down to read a book I purchased last summer, Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival (Amazon affiliate link) by Norman Ollestad.  This is a true story, but written with the depth, pace, and strong characterizations one …
Continue reading Book Review: Crazy For The Storm – A Memoir Of SurvivalIn this episode of Cast of Dads one of the dads tells of a late night spill that ended with a trip to the ER and some stitches… which leads to a discussion of kids and injuries… which leads to me recalling the tale of my daughter and her missing finger tip… (you’ll have to listen to …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #28: Stitches, Veggies and Scooping PoopIn the latest episode of Cast of Dads, we actually started the show with a couple of specific topics in mind: “Kewl Birthday Parties” and “the dangers of drowning.” Â From happy to scary and everything in between we cover it all, and then some, in a show that combines serious parenting tips with a lot …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #27: Same Old Spit…When we were kids, entertainment was mostly a passive activity.  We plopped down in front of the TV and zoned out on BATMAN and THE MONKEES (ok, I might be showing my age here, but those are the shows I was enamored with…)  Our kids, however, are growing up in an increasingly connected, interactive world, …
Continue reading An Entertaining Future is #StillHereMuch is being written about the awesome and uber viral Old Spice campaign featuring former football player Isaiah Mustafa. Â It turns out the “Old Spice Guy” is a dad, and, it seems a great dad at that. Check out this “call out” to his daughter as part of the interactive “real time” videos that Old …
Continue reading A Most Awesome “Dad†Moment Courtesy of Old SpiceI was fortunate enough to interview Jeff Fatt, the purple Wiggle from the world famous Wiggles! They’re going to be coming to the USA for their Wiggly Circus tour this summer. Jeff took the time from his hectic schedule to give me a call. I tried to ask him questions that I’m sure many of …
Continue reading One on One with a Wiggle: Jeff FattThe heat was on for this week’s Cast of Dads show as the Northeast experienced record breaking (and air conditioning breaking) temperatures. Â From the humidity to stupidity, we crack open some beer and wine and I cracked some of my usually corny jokes (well, you might not consider them jokes). I seemed to have had …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #26: Hot Fun In The Summertime…The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming!  From warships in San Francisco, to spies to Diplomatic tweets, this week the Cast of Dads hopped around more topics than a room full of kangaroos.  If you’d like us to be a little more focused in the future feel free to E-mail us your topic ideas! Meanwhile the …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #25: Russian Home To The FamilyThis has been floating around Cyberspace a while I think, but it just landed on my radar and it is too good not to share with Team Dadomatic. Enjoy! Dad Life from Church on the Move on Vimeo. Kudos to the super creative team that wrote and produced the Dad Life song and video! Â Go …
Continue reading Hip Hop By Pop: Dad LifeI’m going to admit that I’m on the fence. With this ad for Huggies Diapers (click through if you can’t see it in your reader), the ad itself is a bit awkward (adult women making “oh he’s HOT” faces at toddlers – yes, it’s tongue in cheek), but I dunno. Diapers that look like jeans? …
Continue reading Huggies Jeans DiapersIn this show the Cast of Dads regroup to recap our respective Father’s Day activities, but as usual we can’t possibly stay focused on one topic.  Before long we jump from discussing a dad’s happiest day, to a day many dads fear: V-Day! (with “V” standing for Vasectomy!)  Want to know which of the Cast of …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #24: From Father’s Day to “Vâ€-DayHave you heard the story about the married couple photographed together at Disney World 15 years before they met? (I found out about it from a link Chris Brogan shared via Twitter.) The couple didn’t know each other, and they didn’t even live in the same country at the time the photograph was taken: That …
Continue reading Happy Father’s Day, GodYou may not like Mondays, but this week the Cast of Dads decided we did like them, especially since a Monday evening recording session allowed us to whet our whistles with beer, putting us all in an especially buoyant mood for our pre-Father’s Day show. As dads ourselves we have the pleasure of celebrating both …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #23: Beer, Father’s Day, and the “Swedish Special!”Dealing with the crazy schedules of five busy dads, this week we recorded Cast of Dads on a Monday, and it felt like the show had a different vibe from our normal Sunday morning chats.  That said, like always we geek out over a wide range of topics, from “Intel Inside” to pitching tents outside, to …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #22: From Intel to In TentsIn this episode the Cast of Dads memorialize our Memorial Days, and as usual, we jump through more topics than a circus dog through hoops! Most importantly, we pay our respects and thanks to all those who have served and continue to serve in the Military, and we are forever grateful for the sacrifices made …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #21: Memorial DazedThe Cast of Dads gathered this weekend at 5pm instead of our usual morning date, which led to a little more giddiness and a lot more “adult” talk.  In fact, the original title of the episode is “From Douche-bags to Dish-washing!  To find out how we managed to align such disparate “D” words, you’ll have to just listen to the show! Topics discussed …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #20: Does The Bag Make The Man?Once again the Cast of Dads go off on several tangents, from lawn-mowing wives to touch screen computing, and hand-written thank you notes, we leave few stones unturned in this week’s Podcast. Topics discussed in this episode include: Wives mowing the lawn Thank You Notes Resurrection of hand written letters Teaching writing in school Dragon …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #19: U CAN Touch This!Here’s another wonderfully touching song from Trace Adkins. Much like “All I Ask For Anymore“, and “Then They Do“, this one, “You’re Gonna Miss This“, is another tribute to families. This one is a reminder for us all to try to stop and appreciate these magical times–even when things seem like utter chaos and mayhem. …
Continue reading You’re Gonna Miss ThisJust before Mother’s Day the Cast of Dads got together for our weekly gabfest and as usual we covered a wide range of topics, from our daughter’s dancing to, well, things a bit more disgusting. Â We even had to “bleep” out a few references in order to protect you, our listeners, from a Google search …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #18: From Dancing to DisgustingHere’s a wonderful Trace Adkins song about a man who has changed his priorities in life. He shares all the things he used to pray for like cars and money but now understands that the only thing that truly matters is his family. All he ever asks for anymore is for the health and safety …
Continue reading All I Ask for AnymoreThe Cast of Dads celebrated Spring by jumping from the Cub Scouts, to Crying, to Candy Cigarettes and our greatest fears. We had fun talking and we hope that you have as much fun listening. Topics discussed in this episode: Video Game badge from the Boy Scouts Brownie Try-It badges The softening of our children …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #17: Tears For FearsOn death: “Is it uncomfortable to live underground?” and other gems from Joe Hage’s kids.
Continue reading Tweet Your Kids #5In this episode of Cast of Dads, the Dads get down to the real poop of being a father. While we always try to keep the show “family friendly” and avoid any potty mouthed talk, that doesn’t restrict us from talking about the potty, and this week we tackled both the input and the output …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #16: In One End, Out The Other…A review of the new family-friendly movie, Secrets of the Mountain, brought to you by Walmart and P&G.
Continue reading Secrets of the Mountain – Review & Give-AwayThe Cast of Dads recorded our latest show on April 3rd, the same day Apple released the now much ballyhooed iPad.  Of course us geek Dads couldn’t help but talk about it, even though only CC already had one.  (NOTE: CC’s daughter Emily – pictured below – gives her own child’s eye view of the iPad here.) …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #15: iPad, You Pad, We All PadThe Cast of Dads have been on quite a roll lately and after our “live video” show from Austin Texas we recorded another audio episode the week before Easter.  Due to C.C.’s knee surgery, we are a little late posting the show, but we hope you’ll agree it was worth the wait.  We were all a little …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #14: Car Seats, Common Sense & The Grill Of Your DreamsWhile our intent is for Cast of Dads to primarily be an an audio podcast, a couple of weeks ago we found that three of us were actually going to be in the same city at the same time: CC and I were both in Austin, Texas for SXSW, and DaddyBrad’s home court, DadLabs, is …
Continue reading Cast of Dads Special: “LIVE” From SXSWThey say “the show must go on” and this week was no exception. Â I am on the road for business and called in from my hotel for this week’s episode of Cast of Dads. Â I was in Austin, Texas to attend SXSW, and while in town, three members of our cast were able to gather …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #13: Talking, Texting & Tracking From Texas??No??, this is not a show about Tony Danza and Alyssa Milano, but in this week’s Cast of Dads podcast we do start off discussing who plays the role of chief disciplinarian in each of our homes. Â And of course, what would a show about discipline be without a healthy peek at punishment. Â From “dunce …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #12: Who’s The Boss???Next??. ?Next. Next. Whoa! NEXT! Next. Hey now! Next. Next. Next…  If you have been clicking on “next” a lot lately, perhaps it is because you have been one of the millions of Internet users checking out the latest on-line fetish fad, Chatroulette.  If you live in a cave and haven’t yet heard of Chatroulette Jon …
Continue reading From Chatroulette To Dadroulette!As noted here, in this week’s episode of the Cast of Dads podcast we talk about how to be prepared for a natural disaster. Â The topic was no surprise, since we recorded the show just hours after the earthquake in Chile was reported and while the world waited to see what coastal areas would be …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #11: A Disaster Of A ShowAt the opening of this episode you will hear a promo for The Boom Effect, an auction and fund raiser for fellow dad and good friend Tee Morris who recently lost his wife.  Tee will be raising his little girl known as “Sonic Boom” on his own, and the Podcasting community has been very supportive …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #10: Walking The Line OnlineThe Cast of Dads gathered early on Valentine’s Day to catch up and compare notes on our romantic plans for the day.  Despite a few pregnant pauses as we contemplated Cupid, we managed to cover a wide range of topics, from our daughters dating, to the pleasures of power tools.  Here is a complete rundown of …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #9: Pausing For Valentine’s DayDespite the siren song of beer and wings calling in the distance, the Cast of Dads set aside time on Superbowl Sunday to record an episode: “Superbowl Sunday With The Cast of Dads.” While the talk quickly turned to football, some of us – er, me – revealed we are I am not as up …
Continue reading Cast of Dads #8: Winging It For The SuperbowlWe men took more than our usual bashing during the 60 or so commercials played during SuperBowl Sunday. We deserved some of the mocking but come on already, Madison Avenue. It’s time to give us men a little more credit, don’t you think? Still, I enjoyed the funny ones as much as the next guy. …
Continue reading Favorite SuperBowl AdsCongratulations go out to the New Orleans Saints for beating the Indianapolis Colts tonight in the SuperBowl 31-17 behind the MVP arm of Drew Brees. I was happy to see them win mostly because of everything the people of New Orleans went through a few years ago with Hurricane Katrina. It’s such an amazing story. …
Continue reading WhoDadHere’s just a quick comedy break… hilarious stuff
Continue reading E*Trade Baby OuttakesThis week the Cast of Dads took a step back from tech talk and focused our discussion on more fatherly pursuits, thanks to some feedback and suggestions from our listeners. We appreciate getting your feedback on the show and if there are specific topics you would like for us to tackle let us know in …
Continue reading Cast of Dads 7: More On Morons…Lemonade is a documentary short that delivers a powerful message. It focuses on several advertising professionals and how they dealt with the shocking impact of being laid off. Many of them looked at this sometimes devastating blow as a wake up call and chose to go for their dreams and do what they’ve always wanted …
Continue reading When Life Gives You LemonsAn apple a day… gives the media lots to talk about.  This week both the tech news and so called “mainstream media” was all abuzz about the long rumored, finally revealed, “tablet” device from Steve Jobs and his team at Apple.  When all the dust settled, as expected, everyone’s attention turned to the “core” of …
Continue reading The iPad vs. The iDad!Nesting behavior has always baffled me. So I was more than a little frightened when I returned home from a business trip to find my wife had recovered her car seats and the den furniture in blue fleece and installed matching carpet in both. “Honey,†I asked cautiously, “do you know something I don’t?†“We’re …
Continue reading A father’s guide to safety devicesMy favorite show on TV these days is without question MAD MEN which has won best drama Emmy for its first two seasons. I love the era they cover, the early 1960s and the look back at American families from that period of time. The thing that comes to mind right away is just how …
Continue reading Dad Men The Cast of Dads could not resist getting together to record one last podcast for 2009.  Certainly one of our highlights of the year was getting together because of the Sony DigiDad Project, and we have been having a lot of fun sharing our stories and just “shooting the breeze” together ever since in …
Continue reading Cast of Dads 4: Happy New Year (and Making it to Midnight!)As parents we are many things. At times we are the masters, at times we are the mentors. We have to be both teacher and preacher. We have to lead and feed and seed our children so that they grow into happy and productive adults. We live in stressful and complicated times and now, more …
Continue reading Opening Doors To Your Children’s DreamsThe “Cast of Dads” is back for our last recording before the Christmas Holiday, and it’s a doozy. Somehow our Holiday chatter leads us from the manly to the metro-sexual.  In this episode we discuss: Snow Days Holiday Gifts We Want Mustaches Massages and Massage Envy Guys like the spa too Pedicures? Really? Daddy Spa …
Continue reading Cast of Dads Podcast Episode 3: Mustaches, Massages & Man Purses!Are you guilty of buying your spouse or significant other a bad gift? Over the years I have purchased my wife a salad spinner, stuffed her stocking with Listerine Breath Strips (what the heck was I thinking?) and purchased concert tickets for a show I was much more interested in than she was. What are …
Continue reading Bad giftsThanks to technology, our kids are growing up in an amazing time. Homework assignments that I would have had to use construction paper, crayons and Elmer’s Glue to complete are now being accomplished with laptops and PowerPoint.  Stacks of papers and notebooks have been replaced by files on key chain sized USB drives.  Those are just …
Continue reading How A Social Media Guru Helped My Son With His HomeworkThe movie City Slickers (1991) was a successful comedy starring Billy Crystal but what I loved most about the movie is its many tender moments like the clips I’m sharing here. There are some great life lessons here such as the one thing lesson from Jack Palance or the Best/Worst day stories from Billy and …
Continue reading Life Lessons from City SlickersMy job requires a lot of travel. It’s a fact of life; in a way the balance of our marriage teeters on it. I have overheard my wife assert on many occasions that I am required to spend at least one night a week on the road so she can get the house fully clean. …
Continue reading Nesting Danger SignsPhil Vassar’s wonderful song “Just Another Day in Paradise” captures the feeling most of us dads have but more than likely never express so eloquently. Its message is so pure and so simple, yet so profound. Even when things appear messy and chaotic and things don’t go the way we planned them (they rarely do), …
Continue reading Just Another Day in ParadiseWe had a wonderful Thanksgiving and the whole family settled down to watch The Hannah Montana movie. While I’ll admit that I think her show is actually funny and entertaining, I have to say that I was not thrilled with this movie selection. So I tried to make the best of it by making my …
Continue reading Caterpillars and ButterfliesI was going to post a story here to share with your kids, but I posted the only kid’s story II have had published that is scary last year…in case you missed that you can find Cat Candles Here: CAT CANDLES If you are in the mood to have someone tell you a story… I …
Continue reading This One is for the Dads … Two storiesImage via Wikipedia The adventures of Max and his wild, woolly friends has always been a favorite of mine. The unique visual style of Maurice Sendak‘s images mesmerized me as a child, and again as I frequently read WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE to my own kids, living vicariously through them my own fond memories …
Continue reading Where The Wild Things Are (Or Aren’t)As parents, one of our jobs is to prepare our children for the future so we do our best to teach them how to be self-reliant and independent. Unfortunately, we sometimes get so focused on that one particular mission so much that we tend to lose sight of the fact that they are just kids. …
Continue reading Let Them Be LittleIt’s that time of year again. It’s time to sort the CDs. Oh, I’m sure you’re thinking “Why don’t you just keep them in order as you use them?†and normally I would agree with you. After all, that’s how I use them. But I live with children. Four of them to be exact. And …
Continue reading Daddy’s Music HelpersMy family enjoys many children’s performers such as the Wiggles, Dan Zanes, and Raffi. Recently we were introduced to Buck Howdy. My wife was working so I decided to load the boys up and take them to our local zoo for the day. The zoo’s barnyard area is contained and I can let all three …
Continue reading A Kiddie Roundup with Buck HowdyMy wife and I work somewhat separate schedules. I work a typical 9-5 schedule while she works part time at a hospital. That means I spend some time watching our three boys by myself. When the kids get all spun up and I start to get frustrated we need to find something to calm us …
Continue reading I am a rock star!All of us dads at Dad-O-matic (over 80 strong and growing!) want to wish everyone a Happy Father’s Day! Obviously, this is an important day for us because we strive to be the ultimate voice for dads and their families. This day always makes me think of my dad who passed away rather young while …
Continue reading The Living YearsSpeaking for those who have children and have to deal with this, you’re not alone… The Commercial Airline Industry is a Public Industry Hey arrogant business folk who tweet, moan and complain about kids and babies on planes; please realize you’re riding public transportation-an air compressed tube in the sky with 100/200 other people-one should …
Continue reading Sorry My Kid Disappoints You On This FlightMy son’s eyebrows met in the middle as his upper lip disappeared beneath the lower. “The library?†he asked. His tiny nose scrunched the way it always does when he knows the answer is no. I shook my head. My boy is now on his 264th guess, give or take. “Nope,” I said, “try again.†…
Continue reading Great Guesses and Remarkable MemoryI’m all for positive nuclear family images in kid films, even the “hit-you-over-the head-with-a-mallet” kind (see: Spy Kids). What makes me uncomfortable is when divorce is superfluously depicted to kids as the end of the world. The obvious inference to real-life children of divorce (of which there are roughly one million a year): Your family is broken. Happy ending for us; stinks to be you.
Continue reading Why Must Kid Films Demonize Divorce?I’m a big film geek, I have been for many years. It probably all began when my mum took me to go see House of Wax in 3D, starring Vincent Price. No, I’m not “that” old, it was a re-release. 🙂 I decided last weekend to take my son to go see a movie, Monsters …
Continue reading Monsters vs Aliens vs My 3-Year Old SonZiggy Marley‘s new “FAMILY TIME” CD hits stores on May 5th! In honor of his first album featuring songs for children and the family, we are announcing an exciting little contest with several prizes. All you have to do is: 1. Subscribe to Dad-O-Matic 2. Share this post on Twitter 3. Leave your contact info …
Continue reading New Ziggy Marley CD Give-AwayEven though I’m sure Martina McBride’s wonderful “In My Daughter’s Eyes” is really meant to be a song for moms and daughters, I think dads can totally appreciate the beautiful sentiment behind it. I know I sure do. I love this song and totally understand what it’s all about. It can just as easily be …
Continue reading My Daughter’s EyesSteven Curtis Chapman’s “Cinderella” is a strong contender for record of the year at this year’s Dove Awards on 4/23/2009 which is the Christian world’s equivalent to the Grammy Awards. It’s a poignant and extremely touching reminder for all us dads on how quickly our precious little cinderellas grow up. In the blink of an …
Continue reading CinderellaI still get chills when I hear the theme from Finding Nemo (2003). Thomas Newman always does that to me with his scores but this one touches me deeply as a dad. I think it’s because it reminds me of the opening scene when the father discovers his Nemo as the lone surviving fish egg …
Continue reading Lessons Learned from Finding NemoRick Springfield is best known for hits like “Jesse’s Girl” but one of my favorite songs that he did was his tribute to his dad called “My Father’s Chair”. It’s such a personal song about the painful impact the family experienced when Rick’s father passed away just as Rick was about to explode with massive …
Continue reading My Father’s ChairThe alternate title for this piece could have been, “Be Careful What You Wish For” because it’s all about how we shouldn’t ever look forward to a future when we’ll have time for ourselves again once the kids grow up and leave the nest. If we do that we’ll learn the harsh and painful truth …
Continue reading Then They DoNow why would Dad-o-matic cover something called the Mom Song? Well, first, because it’s a hilarious and spot-on look at the work that our better half does on a daily basis. Of course, many fathers are Mr. Moms so they can really relate to this song too. I think it’s also applicable to the job …
Continue reading The Mom Song VideoRodney Atkins’ “I’ve Been Watching You” is one of my favorite songs for many reasons. One of them is because my six year-old loves singing it at the top of his lungs while watching the video with me. The other reason is because it’s a wonderful song for parents because it brings home the message …
Continue reading Monkey See, Monkey DoThis past weekend we gathered the clan in the family room and plugged in the new comedy from Dreamworks, Kung Fu Panda. This film features the voice talents of a star-studded cast, Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, and Jackie Chan, to name a few. In our family, we like to find a film every …
Continue reading Kung Fu Panda – a Family Movie With a Mesage“Wide Open Spaces” by the Dixie Chicks is a good companion piece to my previous post called “Toys in the Attic” which covered the pain of realizing your child has outgrown playing with their beloved toys. In this song, the parents have to come to grips with the sobering reality that their little girl is …
Continue reading Wide Open SpacesThe scene in Toy Story 2 when Jessie tells Woody her story about the girl that owned her is a heartbreaking one for me every time I see it. I think it stings more with time as my three children continue to grow up and abandon their once beloved toys one by one. It’s such …
Continue reading Toys in the AtticLike many of you, our Christmas break is going to include some road tripping to visit family. In my case we are driving from Indiana to New Jersey and there is no way I can deal with 14 hours of If You’re Happy and You Know It or London Bridge. While my oldest son will …
Continue reading Holiday Road Trip? Kid's Music Choices That Don't SuckI am not one to make excuses. I was really busy yesterday. I promised my wife that Is stay off blogs and the Internet, I broke the promise but for good reason so I could post this. Danni, my daughter, is the little girl in the middle with the Santa hat on! Enjoy and Merry …
Continue reading Why There Was No That's What She Said Wednesday: She SingsWelcome to my regular Friday feature, Worst of the Week. As a white, suburbanite husband and dad of two kids, there’s a lot that can go wrong and this entry is all about how to fix it. I hope you enjoy it! Just when things could get any worse for a family living in Detroit, …
Continue reading Worst of the Week: Our School Is ClosingTwilight has a major following among teen and tween girls (like my 12 year old niece who spent all Thanksgiving plowing through the books or my 17 year old niece who went to a midnight showing when it opened and told me it was “incredible”), but I think it’s also a movie that boys and …
Continue reading Becoming a Man: A Father of Boys watches "Twilight"The 49 UP documentary series is an incredible experience that every parent should make time for. It began in 1964 and has grown to become a collection of seven documentaries that has followed the lives of 14 British children every seven years from the age of seven to 49 in the most recent release. The …
Continue reading The Dreams of YouthI love to cook. For years my pantry included the “cooking wine” that’s probably in your pantry as well. One day I was watching Michael Chiarello’s show on Food Network, a show about risotto con funghi, one of my favorites. He paused after toasting the arborio and said something like, “At this point I like …
Continue reading Children's Music Is Evil.Mark Schultz wrote “He’s My Son” while he was a youth minister for a boy he knew that was diagnosed with leukemia. No matter what your religious background might be, I’m sure you will be moved by this song and the emotions of the parents that Mark so eloquently captures. The song has become an …
Continue reading He’s My SonEvery dad knows this song, Harry Chapin’s classic “Cat’s in the Cradle”. It was a number one hit in 1974 and originally written as a poem by Harry’s wife Sandie who received credit as co-writer of the song. Incidentally, she didn’t write it about Harry’s relationship with their son as commonly believed but actually about …
Continue reading The Cat’s in the Cradle“Father of Mine” by EverClear is an extra special song for me because it truly hits home for me on a deep personal level. I relate to the words so much because my father left our mom with four sons in a strange new land when I was a toddler and I never really got …
Continue reading The Sins of Our FathersHey everyone, Kathie and I are not yet parents. Fetus Wilder isn’t scheduled to make his debut until November 27th. Happy Thanksgiving! So at week 34, Kathie is getting pretty round and she’s loving every minute of it! Yeah, it hurts to sit too long. It hurts to stand too long. It hurts to be …
Continue reading LullabyOne thing I’ve learned through experience is that raising a child makes you a father, not simply the act of procreation. Far too many men can do the latter but a precious few ever even try to be the former. I respect and admire anyone that accepts the sacrifice and challenge of raising a child …
Continue reading He Didn’t Have to BeShe’s Having a Baby is another one of those underrated comedies that touches you in ways that you never forget. John Hughes broke free from his high school brat pack mold (Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, Pretty in Pink, etc.) and totally captures the amazing experiences of marriage and parenthood in this wonderful movie. It includes …
Continue reading This Woman’s Work (She’s Having a Baby)The song “Father & Son” by Cat Stevens has become increasingly poignant and powerfully meaningful to me as I raise my three children. They continue to grow up faster than I want them to but what can you do about it? All I can do is try to be the best example I can be …
Continue reading Father and Son