The Dad Bod

The Dad Bod
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Relationships
  • Updated Monthly

The Story Of What It Means To Be A Dad Today, One Dad At A Time Each episode, we interview one dad to get his story of being a dad. Over time, all of these stories will start to tell the bigger story of what it means to be a dad today. Hosted by Shawn, a dad living in NYC with his wife and their two young native New Yorkers. Visit ⁠⁠thedadbodpod.com⁠⁠ to stay in touch and tap the "refer a dad" button to recommend a guest for the show.

  1. Greatest Ever Meet Cute

    6d ago

    Greatest Ever Meet Cute

    The greatest ever meet cute plus a preview of new angles on the original mission of "telling the story of what it means to be a dad today." A written version of this episode is available on The Dad Bod substack. Also, check out the recently launched Dad Bod Instagram. Thank you for listening and sharing!

    11 min
  2. Hashtag No Filter For Reels - Shawn's Sister, Cynthia

    May 23

    Hashtag No Filter For Reels - Shawn's Sister, Cynthia

    We teach our kids to try new things, that it's okay to fail, and that it's good to ask for help. So instead of featuring a new dad this month, I'm seeking help from my sister, Cynthia (@ctay_wong), to start something new that I'm afraid will fail: The Dad Bod Instagram⁠.

    16 min
  3. Stand Up For Your Kids | Pat, Fire of Mom

    May 10

    Stand Up For Your Kids | Pat, Fire of Mom

    Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! The Dad Bod is all about sharing stories of what it means to be a dad today, but we actually captured one mom's story back in season 1. It was during my interview with my fellow dad Edwin. Throughout our conversation, he kept pointing back to his wife, Pat. At one point, I said to himx, “You’ve come a long way in life from your childhood to where you are now. What are the best decisions you’ve made? When did you start to find some stability in life?” He answered, “When I married Pat. She does everything, for our kids, for her parents, for my mom. I wouldn’t be where I am without her. Our kids wouldn’t be where they are without her. She’s the glue that holds us all together.” Months after our conversation, I reflected on Edwin and Pat's story in an essay on The Dad Bod substack simply titled, "Fire," because of the way fire was a defining word, element, and force in their lives as individuals, as a couple, and as parents. So in honor of Mother's Day, I am sharing Pat's story, a specially-wrapped gift for the occasion. I'm grateful to be sharing this conversation with you: Pat, Fire of Mom.

    43 min
  4. Seeking Joy | Abe, Joy of Dad

    Apr 28

    Seeking Joy | Abe, Joy of Dad

    My friendship with Abe began 17 years ago when he was a pastor at my church and my wife and I asked if he would officiate our wedding. After saying "I do" to our proposal, Abe ministered to us in the months before our wedding day by leading us through coursework and conversations designed to prepare us for marriage from the perspective of our faith. Truth be told, I can't recall a single word that Abe said during our wedding ceremony, but I frequently look back at the time that he spent with us - yes, for some specific pearls of wisdom, but most of all for Abe's presence as an honest-to-goodness man a few years and a couple stages ahead of me who made me feel that, yes, the convictions that you swear by are worth keeping. Even though Abe and I have had mostly random, chance encounters over the years, I still think of him in that way. My kids are in grade school; he has two kids in college, one in high school, and one in middle school. So when we sat down, I had three pages of questions designed to check my notes on life against his. But I also had wisdom from experience (and advice from Tony Reali) that it's important to let the conversation take you to places that weren't part of your plan. I think it worked out quite well. I'm truly grateful to be sharing this conversation with you: Abe, Joy of Dad.

    1h 37m
  5. Not About Me Anymore | Andrew, Stages of Dad

    Mar 28

    Not About Me Anymore | Andrew, Stages of Dad

    Andrew is a children's book author whose latest book, "The Colors of My Sky," is a touching story with a timely message on diversity and kindness. The story behind the story is that before becoming a children's book author, Andrew was a stand-up comic for 25 years, as well as a champion bodybuilder. Photos from his website, andrewginsubrg.com, show Andrew on stage as a headliner at Caroline's; Andrew on stage signing books at Barnes & Noble; Andrew on stage at Saturday Night Live; and most eye-popping of all, Andrew on stage smiling and flexing in a thong. I was impressed but also surprised - Andrew barely gestured at these accomplishments in his email to me. The photos, it seemed, were of scenes from a past life. What does it take, I wondered, to turn a stand-up comic into a children's book author? And for that matter, what makes any of us decide that it's time to step off one stage and onto the next? Check out Andrew's children's books, The Colors of My Sky and Critter Caravan as well as his fitness book, Pumping Irony: How to Build Muscle, Lose Weight, and Have the Last Laugh. *UPDATE* shortly after our interview, Andrew added JFK Jr. Look Alike contest winner to his many accomplishments! Congrats, Andrew! A big win for all of us dads and a reminder that WE STILL GOT IT, BABY.

    49 min
  6. Contemplating the Cosmos | David, Meaning of Dad

    Mar 9

    Contemplating the Cosmos | David, Meaning of Dad

    I met David last November at the same dad's night out where I met Andrew, Creativity of Dad. Sitting across from David that evening, I got to know him through the dramatic glow, smoke, and aroma of all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ. Sharp and witty while also deeply contemplative; the son of a Jewish mom yet bearing the surname Rivera; a software developer by profession and a practitioner of Muay Thai and BJJ - only in New York, baby. But was it just the magic of dad’s night and new friendship that brought out the most gregarious and introspective sides of us? Or would the same David and Shawn who bonded over BBQ show up and dive even deeper over a simple cup of coffee? The answer is pretty clear to me, but I’ll let you decide for yourself.

    45 min
  7. Overcoming Tragedy | Logan, Fight of Dad

    Jan 30

    Overcoming Tragedy | Logan, Fight of Dad

    Logan is known by many for his work on Scenic Fights, a YouTube channel where he and his fellow co-hosts apply their martial arts expertise to separate what’s truly real from the pure Hollywood in movie fight scenes. Scenic Fights recently reached one million subscribers - a milestone achieved by fewer than 0.1% of YouTube channels - on the strength of videos like Logan's analysis of John Wick's knife skills which, at 2.7 million views, is Scenic Fights' most-watched video. But when I ask Logan about Scenic Fights, it serves as a mere segue to the biggest fight scene of his life when, shortly after becoming a dad a decade ago, Logan found himself surrounded by his wife's battle with brain cancer, his father's decline, and his cousin's failed suicide attempt. If a happy life consists of health, wealth, and relationships, these events decimated all three for Logan and literally brought him to his knees. Fast forward to today, Logan is newly married to his wife, Sara, and his main focus in life is being a dad to his now 10 year-old son. His number one advice when it comes to fighting is do everything you can to avoid the fight. He gets off his scooter at intersections to look both ways. He's a self-described "funcle" to Sara's son, and his own son just joined a soccer league so that makes Logan a soccer dad.  This splitscreen of Logan's life - today's peace next to yesterday's grief - brings to mind one of the many sayings that Logan uses to guide his life and prepare his son for his own: "Here's the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid."

    1h 19m
  8. Keep Creating | Andrew, Creativity of Dad

    Jan 1

    Keep Creating | Andrew, Creativity of Dad

    I met Andrew a couple months ago, when I was invited by a mutual friend to join their quarterly dad outing. I had a great time that night. It started with virtual reality gaming, where the six of us middle aged dads worked as a team to save the world from zombies; followed by all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ, where we turned back the clock and ate like we were 25 again. But the best thing about the night was the friendship. I was meeting three of the 5 other guys for the first time, and they treated me like I had known them for decades. And so, I am trying to get as many of them on the show that I can, to have them help me tell the story of what it means to be a dad today, because I want to see if I can capture for you a bit of what I felt that night: a group of guys, all appreciative of their roles in life as dads, men, husbands, sons, boys, friends, and, above all, works-in-progress. Specific to Andrew, I learned over multiple helpings of meat that, in addition to being dads, he and I are both IT professionals by day and creative side hustlers by night. Perhaps by learning more about his journey, I can understand my own a little better as well. Check out some of Andrew's work: ⁠Omnipotent Rex⁠ - his published comic book and the source for this episode's cover art Commuter Cast - the sketch comedy referenced during the interview

    51 min
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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

The Story Of What It Means To Be A Dad Today, One Dad At A Time Each episode, we interview one dad to get his story of being a dad. Over time, all of these stories will start to tell the bigger story of what it means to be a dad today. Hosted by Shawn, a dad living in NYC with his wife and their two young native New Yorkers. Visit ⁠⁠thedadbodpod.com⁠⁠ to stay in touch and tap the "refer a dad" button to recommend a guest for the show.

Information

  • Creator
    The Dad Bod
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Dad Bod
  • Show Website
    The Dad Bod

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