Modern Dadhood Podcast: Examining Fatherhood With Care & Compassion

 Ear Worthy reviewed Modern Dadhood in December 2024. Some podcasts, including superb shows, hit a plateau and remain at that level through the run of the show. They haven't "jumped the shark" as in a TV show desperate to boost ratings. We wanted to see if that was the case with Modern Dadhood.

The answer is that in the 16 months since we last reviewed it, the show has gotten even better, hitting its stride and on a hot streak, just to mix sports metaphors.

 American social commentator Will Rogers Jr. once said about fathers, "Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance." 

It's been a rough ride for Dads in today's society. Depicted in numerous sitcoms as an immature boob, and known culturally for bad jokes called Dad Jokes and for a doughy body called a Dad Bod, fathers have struggled to find a comfortable spot in which to perform their parental duties.

Moms, of course, are known, rightfully so, as the caretakers and work harder than any other family member. The number of Mom podcasts -- either about Moms or with Moms as hosts -- has reached geosynchronous orbit around Earth. Dad podcasts are audio weaklings by comparison.

In this article, I want to introduce you again to an excellent podcast and definitely the best "Dad" podcast in the audio space.

It's called Modern Dadhood with a subtitle of "Unpacking fatherhood + parenting for Dads (Moms). That's an ambitious subtitle, but the podcast itself aims higher, and I'm happy to report has found its niche in the podcasting universe.

The show's been around through over 140 episodes and since the end of 2019. 

The co-hosts are Adam Flaherty and Marc Checket -- two dads from suburban New England. The show's elevator pitch goes as such: "Modern Dadhood explores what it really means to be a 'dad' in 2024 through candid, authentic, and often hilarious conversations with diverse dads of all walks of life… including famous dads, NOT famous dads, dads-to-be, step dads, grand dads, trans dads, and more."

The co-hosts forewarn us that their show "features relatable anecdotes from the hosts' own lives, recurring segments like Instant Regrets, Kisses & Disses, and Confessions, and plenty of thoughts on the good, the bad, and the ridiculous."

For an independent podcast, Modern Dads has welcomed some high-profile guests, including actor Terry O'Quinn (Lost, The Stepfather), SNL alum Bobby Moynihan, MSNBC anchor Craig Melvin, Sesame Street's Emilio Delgado, and comedians Chris Gethard, Rory Scovel, Michael Ian Black, and just recently, comedian Pete Holmes.

Adam Flaherty is a dad of two daughters, a husband of one wife, a director, an editor of video content, and a lover of the ocean, adventure, watermelon, and a hazy craft IPA. Marc Checket is a dad of twin boys, an art director at a marketing agency, loves 80s horror movies and has an insatiable lust for coffee. His favorite classification of typeface is grotesque slab.

These two men are not celebrities. Their lives approximate the lives of millions of fathers. Adam is a girl dad. Marc is a boy dad. Any parent knows that there is a massive difference between the two. 

 For average dads, Flaherty and Checket handle the mic and co-host duties with a flawless dexterity. As co-hosts, they've made several key stylistic choices. First, they do check-ins on their lives but do not allow their personal stories to overwhelm the thematic premise of the show. Second, the co-hosts have a strong chemistry with an ease of banter that sounds very natural.

Third, they don't force their humor and wit. It pops up organically. Fourth, they are solid interviewers. They don't fawn over big-name guests and work hard to draw the most out of their guests. Fifth, the show's runtime averages about 30 minutes, which recognizes that parents have busy schedules. No two-hour snooze fests for these two.

They monetize their independent show well with a Patreon membership and attractive merchandise.

Flaherty and Checket have an expansive view of a father's role and tackle a wide range of parental issues. One of my favorite shows is episode # 9 -- "Are you a dad who loves pulling pranks?" We all know these dads. They're unable to stop goofing around with their kids, even when it's past their bedtime. They like being the "fun dad." Adam and Marc talk with radio personality Greg Kretschmar about how to maintain authority as the dad, when you also seek the mischief and companionship of a friend. 

It's a strong indicator that the show does not content itself with scratching the surface of "dadhood." Their episodes deal with issues such as trans fatherhood, combating the "Dad Bod," single parenthood, the unattainable myth of work / life balance, and raising empathetic kids.

 

Some of my recommended recent shows include the episode with Shannon Carpenter: a stay-at-home dad of three who traded investigating elder abuse for state agencies for full-time parenting almost 20 years ago, and has never looked back. There is still backlash against men who decide to take that role. Carpenter handles the interview with humor and insight.

Modern Dadhood doesn't shy away from thorny issues, and when the show tackles those issues, the co-hosts handle these cultural hotspots with thoughtfulness and care.

If you are a father, I highly recommend this show. I also recommend it for mothers, grandparents, men wanting to be fathers one day, and anyone wishing to engage in discussions on the most difficult role we face as humans -- Parenting.

The "Dad" quote we used for the original review still applies: It goes like this: "Fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man."