Kareem Rahma

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim" featuring Kareem Rahma

Introduction In the December 2, 2024 episode of Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim hosted by Headgum, Ego Nwodim delves into her relationship with her late father by inviting Kareem Rahma to serve as her “Dad for the Day.” The episode explores Ego and Kareem’s personal experiences with their fathers, intertwining humor with heartfelt reflections. The conversation not only reminisces about paternal influences but also touches on practical advice for listeners.

Early Experiences with Father Figures Ego begins the episode by sharing her background, humorously lamenting the absence of her father due to his passing:

"I was raised by a single mom and didn't have... he has gone ahead and passed. Can you believe he went and did that?" (00:02)

Kareem relates by mentioning his own father's death, leading to a playful yet poignant discussion about the idiom "kicking the bucket," where they both explore its meaning and origin:

"He didn't submit suicide. He didn't submit it. He sent a letter." (02:18)

They navigate the complexities of understanding their fathers' lives, with Kareem sharing memories of his father's larger-than-life persona and entrepreneurial spirit:

"He really tried, and he really didn't succeed." (13:02)

Career and Business Ventures Kareem opens up about his various entrepreneurial attempts, detailing some of his failed business ideas with a blend of humor and honesty. He discusses ventures like "She Wears Yous Tea," "Inbox Cupid," and the "Museum of Pizza," highlighting the challenges and lessons learned from each failure:

"I’m 12 to play. I'm 12 to play. 18 and over." (03:40)

Ego engages with Kareem's stories, providing comedic commentary while extracting meaningful insights on perseverance and innovation despite setbacks:

"You are a dad now." (31:38)

Reflections on Fatherhood The conversation shifts to Kareem's journey into fatherhood, where he shares his initial detachment and gradual connection with his six-month-old daughter. He candidly admits to feeling disconnected at first but slowly develops a bond through everyday interactions:

"I want her to feel independent, but also really secure." (40:18)

Ego and Kareem discuss the emotional aspects of becoming a parent, emphasizing the importance of fostering independence and self-esteem in their children:

"I want her to know that she is, like, safe to say what she wants and try what she wants." (40:29)

Parenting Styles and Future Hopes Kareem outlines his parenting philosophy, balancing strictness with encouragement. He shares advice from his grandmother on structuring parenting into phases, fostering a growth mindset while allowing children to develop their own identities:

"For the first seven years, you just take care of her. For the second seven years, you discipline her. And for the third seven years, you be her friend." (51:06)

Ego reflects on her own experiences and aspirations as a parent, discussing the balance between guidance and allowing children to explore their interests independently:

"You don't want me to crush her dreams. That's beautiful." (35:19)

Closing Remarks As the episode wraps up, Kareem offers practical advice on everyday matters, such as managing finances and making responsible choices. The conversation maintains its light-hearted tone, with both hosts sharing laughs and playful banter:

"If you make it to college, I will agree to that." (22:34)

Ego concludes by thanking Kareem for his participation, highlighting the meaningful exchange of experiences and insights shared throughout the episode.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ego Nwodim (00:02): "I was raised by a single mom and didn't have... he has gone ahead and passed. Can you believe he went and did that?"
• Kareem Rahma (02:18): "Because if it is, in fact about suicide, now you can't."
• Kareem Rahma (13:02): "He really tried, and he really didn't succeed."
• Ego Nwodim (31:38): "You are a dad now."
• Kareem Rahma (40:18): "I want her to feel independent, but also really secure."
• Kareem Rahma (51:06): "For the first seven years, you just take care of her. For the second seven years, you discipline her. And for the third seven years, you be her friend."
• Ego Nwodim (35:19): "You don't want me to crush her dreams. That's beautiful."

Conclusion This episode of Thanks Dad successfully blends humor with deep personal reflections, offering listeners an engaging exploration of fatherhood through Ego Nwodim and Kareem Rahma's conversations. The interplay between their stories provides both entertainment and valuable insights into the complexities of paternal relationships and parenting philosophies.

Transcript

[Ego Odom]

This is a headgum podcast. Hi, I'm Ega Lodham, and welcome to. Thanks, Dad. I was raised by a single mom and didn't have. Gosh, Didn't. Don't. Still don't have a relationship with my dad. Guess what? Not gonna. Not because I'm stubborn, not because I'm prideful, but because he's dead. He has gone ahead and passed. Can you believe he went and did that?

[Kareem Rama]

It happens, man.

[Ego Odom]

I know. Can you believe his ass went and died?

[Kareem Rama]

Mine's also die.

[Ego Odom]

Yours also kick the bucket.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah.

[Ego Odom]

I don't even understand that expression. If you kick the bucket, you could always put the bucket back up. Right?

[Kareem Rama]

I think. Kicking the bucket.

[Ego Odom]

Or is it that your foot hurts so bad?

[Kareem Rama]

No, I'm getting something real bad that we shouldn't talk about.

[Ego Odom]

Is it racial?

[Kareem Rama]

No.

[Ego Odom]

Say it then.

[Kareem Rama]

No.

[Ego Odom]

Suicide is kicking the bucket suicide.

[Kareem Rama]

I feel like you stand on a bucket and hang yourself and then you kick the bucket.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, my gosh.

[Kareem Rama]

And I. It must have started that. I'm really making stuff out.

[Ego Odom]

I feel like you're making it, you know, your stuff, I think.

[Kareem Rama]

No, I just. I've never thought about.

[Ego Odom]

Do you play trivia? Because I feel like I'd want to play trivia with you and do trivia night. I don't play games because why did you know that? And I never heard you don't play.

[Kareem Rama]

Because I was using brain. I was like, okay, you were like, kick the bucket. And you said, where did that come from? And I imagined a guy standing on a bucket with a rope and then kicking the bucket. And then I was like, oh, people probably used to use that for suicide. And now it's just about death in general.

[Ego Odom]

Other things. Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

Now it's just like, everyone who dies kick the bucket.

[Ego Odom]

Because that's what happens with etymology. When you talk about the history of.

[Kareem Rama]

A word, call me trivia. You're using weird. You're using. I don't know what etymology is.

[Ego Odom]

That's a study of mushrooms. The study of words. I just.

[Kareem Rama]

The study of mushrooms.

[Ego Odom]

No, that's. That's. Gosh, that's probably something. Fungi. Mycology. Mycology. See, I was gonna say fungi. Ology. But things get bastardized over time. It's almost like telephone years pass. Like, my favorite bit of etymology knowledge is that the word nice was used to describe stupid people. So nice was synonymous with stupid.

[Kareem Rama]

Oh, yes.

[Ego Odom]

Or like, foolish, simple. A simpleton.

[Kareem Rama]

I love simpleton.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah. Then I think about it, though, and there's still, like, threads of that in present day. Where people will be like, I went on a date with a guy and he was. I don't know. He was nice.

[Kareem Rama]

He was nice. Yeah, you're right. And so it's lingering.

[Ego Odom]

Exactly.

[Kareem Rama]

It still lingers.

[Ego Odom]

It is standing the test of time.

[Kareem Rama]

But now nice also means like, oh, that's nice.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, nice.

[Kareem Rama]

She's nice. Because nice is a very nice compliment.

[Ego Odom]

Nice is a compliment. Except for if you're talking about how, like, amicable I am, I want to be called kind as opposed to nice, because I know the etymology of nice and I can't shake it. So I'm like, kind. Kind feels very intentional. Nice, I feel like, is simpleton. And it's like, yeah, you're nice because you kind of neither here nor there. You're just existing and I guess not bothering anyone. Kind feels like a choice.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, you. You are. You are engaging in kindness.

[Ego Odom]

Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

You can't engage in nice.

[Ego Odom]

No, you can't. You've never heard that.

[Kareem Rama]

You're just. You just are.

[Ego Odom]

Exactly. Any dad kicked the bucket. He didn't submit. Suicide. He didn't submit suicide. He didn't submit it. He sent a letter. Like, I would like to. By the way, I also want to address something. I said that kicking the bucket. I was like, the thing about that expression is you could always pick the bucket back up. But if it is, in fact about suicide, now you can't.

[Kareem Rama]

I think that's why.

[Ego Odom]

Because you're hanging.

[Kareem Rama]

I think my explanation stands in that it started with suicide, and then it became colloquially about death.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, I like that. And I'm going to go with it.

[Kareem Rama]

As the authority on dead fathers.

[Ego Odom]

But here's the thing. You're my dad for the day, so I like it. I'm going to honor my father in this moment and go, dad, dad knows best.

[Kareem Rama]

That's exactly how my daughter should behave.

[Ego Odom]

Exactly. You get it. And that's how you think all women should behave, too, right?

[Kareem Rama]

Only the ones that are too smart. Only the ones that are too smart.

[Ego Odom]

Only those ones. Okay, on this podcast, I'm sitting down with father figures who are old enough to be my dad. How old are you?

[Kareem Rama]

I'm literally not old enough to be your dad.

[Ego Odom]

I think you are.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm 38.

[Ego Odom]

If you started fucking.

[Kareem Rama]

I don't.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. All right. And I'm 12. I'm 12. I'm 12 to play. I'm 12 to play. 18 and over.

[Kareem Rama]

Okay.

[Ego Odom]

I have a tutor come on set and everything.

[Kareem Rama]

Okay.

[Ego Odom]

A tutor comes with me to set at sl.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm old enough to be your dad.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, you're old enough to be my dad. Or the other option is I'm sitting down with men who are just dads themselves. Okay, you're that. You're that one, correct. I think I brought you on. See, when I booked you is because I thought you were old enough to be my dad. I didn't even know you had a kid.

[Kareem Rama]

That is not a compliment.

[Ego Odom]

I'm kidding.

[Kareem Rama]

I mean, it is kind of a compliment.

[Ego Odom]

I'm 12 though, remember?

[Kareem Rama]

Are you actually.

[Ego Odom]

Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

You're so, like. I have.

[Ego Odom]

I look terrible for 12.

[Kareem Rama]

No, you look great for 12.

[Ego Odom]

Thank you so much.

[Kareem Rama]

But you're also so, like, specific with your word choices and stuff. You have a great vocabulary.

[Ego Odom]

Thank you.

[Kareem Rama]

Not a 12 year old.

[Ego Odom]

They're saying I can go to college next year.

[Kareem Rama]

Really? Where are you going to go?

[Ego Odom]

I don't know. I have dreams of going to Princeton or something.

[Kareem Rama]

Don't go to Princeton.

[Ego Odom]

No, dad, do we not have the money? You went to Princeton? Yeah, I randomly picked Princeton. And you went there.

[Kareem Rama]

Not actually.

[Ego Odom]

You just visited.

[Kareem Rama]

Only in this fantasy land that we're playing.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, okay, I guess I'll start getting. I guess I'll stop playing games and get back to being real. This has been the real world. Today's guest. Oh, I didn't write this, but I'm gonna go with it. Today's guest is the charming host of Subway Takes. Did you put charming?

[Kareem Rama]

I did not. Personally.

[Ego Odom]

Anita, did you put charming?

[Kareem Rama]

You definitely did. Thank you so much, Anita. You're amazing.

[Ego Odom]

Anita has never used an adjective to describe anyone in these guest intros. And what's going on?

[Kareem Rama]

Am I not quite literally charming?

[Ego Odom]

Sorry, I don't mean to be so.

[Kareem Rama]

Am I not quite literally charming?

[Ego Odom]

I don't mean to be so opposed to it. People stop in my tracks and go, charmin, you are charming. It's just. I've never seen.

[Kareem Rama]

That's a nice compliment.

[Ego Odom]

But I actually just have went on a rant three days ago about how I do not trust charming men. So you might actually enjoy that. I am kind of pausing and going charming because went on a 30 minute rant at dinner with a ton of people about how charming men not into.

[Kareem Rama]

It, something's wrong with them.

[Ego Odom]

Charismatic, charming, run away.

[Kareem Rama]

Those are good things.

[Ego Odom]

Those are good things. But when in the hands of a man, oh, they're bad.

[Kareem Rama]

Anyway, with great power comes great responsibility.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. And that was charming. And okay, today's guest is the charming host. Again, if you want to be called charming, that's your Choice. But you know how I feel about it. Host of Subway Takes, Keep the Meter Running and the Last Stop. Please welcome my dad for the day, Kareem Rama.

[Kareem Rama]

What's up?

[Ego Odom]

What's up? I like to say the guest intros. Imagining there's a stadium of people and you're going to come out and appear like a stadium.

[Kareem Rama]

Not even just a stadium.

[Ego Odom]

Not even a theater or a stadium. Like we're talking stadium. And you come running out with whatever intro music you choose. The intro music has been chosen already.

[Kareem Rama]

Freddie Merc.

[Ego Odom]

No, it's already been chosen. In this case, the podcast music is the podcast music.

[Kareem Rama]

It's not Queen.

[Ego Odom]

It's not Queen. It's not Queen, unfortunately. Did you want us to change it for your episode, Dad?

[Kareem Rama]

I think it's gonna be expensive.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. Okay. I think so.

[Kareem Rama]

You know what? Yes.

[Ego Odom]

Should I also be calling my guests my dad for the hour? Because you're not gonna go with me after this.

[Kareem Rama]

What are we doing after this? We're not gonna help you change a tire.

[Ego Odom]

I do need you to help me change a tire on someone else's car. Cause I don't have one.

[Kareem Rama]

I know how to do it.

[Ego Odom]

You do know how to change a tire?

[Kareem Rama]

Of course I know how.

[Ego Odom]

Do you know how to change your oil?

[Kareem Rama]

No. That's advanced fatherhood.

[Ego Odom]

That's advanced. There's some guys.

[Kareem Rama]

That's for guys that say stuff like, I gotta tinker in the garage. Which I'm not.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, you're not. You're not tinkering in the garage.

[Kareem Rama]

We're busy.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

We are busy. I am a working father. Working class father.

[Ego Odom]

I think modern dads are divas.

[Kareem Rama]

I think modern people are divas.

[Ego Odom]

But then dad. But then dads are included.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah.

[Ego Odom]

So you're saying you agree with me?

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. Most.

[Ego Odom]

Most modern dads are divas.

[Kareem Rama]

Most. Okay, we have to zoom out of New York City.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm from the Midwest.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Many a father. Are not divas there.

[Ego Odom]

I believe that. They're tinkering in the garage.

[Kareem Rama]

They're literally like, I gotta. I have friends that live in Minnesota still. And they're. I'm like. They're like, what'd you do this weekend? I'm like, I'm not even gonna talk about it. And they're like, cool. I fucking installed a patio in my backyard by hand.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, that's crazy.

[Kareem Rama]

And I'm like, oh, if that were me, I would pay someone $5,000.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

For sure. You know what a dad thing is? An American. An American dad.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

That A saying that they have is. See, I'm going to butcher it. It's.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, are you even a dad? Once, measure twice, cut once, measure twice. What does that even mean?

[Kareem Rama]

It means, like, that's such a good job.

[Ego Odom]

Cut once, measure twice. And where do we think that fucking came from?

[Kareem Rama]

From a fucking tinkering man.

[Ego Odom]

But I'm like, what's the etymology there? And what's on that colloquialism?

[Kareem Rama]

It's probably, like, about measuring something. And he's like, just measure it twice.

[Ego Odom]

Say it again.

[Kareem Rama]

Cut once, measure twice.

[Ego Odom]

I think I believe my mom says pennywise pound foolish. That immediately makes sense.

[Kareem Rama]

No, that literally makes What?

[Ego Odom]

No. Pennywise pound foolish. It's kind of like you get what you. No, no, no, no, no, no. Go with me. You know, she went to college in London. Okay. Pennywise pound foolish. And not, not, not Pennywise the scary clown. Penny space wise, pound foolish. Probably a comma in there somewhere.

[Kareem Rama]

To me, this means that pennies are smart and money and pounds are dumb.

[Ego Odom]

No. Okay. So. So literally. And you thought kicking the bucket meant literally kicking the bucket? I mean, I guess it anyway. All right. I'm stepping in shit. Pennywise pound foolish means basically, like, you get what you pay for. Like here you were trying to save a little money on a thing and get a discount or, like, do the cheap version of the thing, but then you end up losing pounds. You end up losing more. You lose more money because you're gonna have to pay to get it fixed. You're gonna have to pay for a second one down the road because you, like, just do it. Right.

[Kareem Rama]

She says, don't be pennywise pound foolish. Is that how it goes?

[Ego Odom]

Maybe I've never. Maybe I've never heard in a full sentence.

[Kareem Rama]

That's great advice. I think that's the same as the father advice, which is cut once. Yeah. Because twice with the mom, they're always buying.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

So she's like. But don't buy a bunch of shit. Okay, I'm being.

[Ego Odom]

You're being.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm being silly. I'm being sexist, but I'm being silly.

[Ego Odom]

Sexist. People say I'm being sexist.

[Kareem Rama]

Silly.

[Ego Odom]

A sexist guy. But it was a joke.

[Kareem Rama]

Get in the kitchen and cook for me.

[Ego Odom]

It was a joke.

[Kareem Rama]

That is not true.

[Ego Odom]

Get your ass in the kitchen with some heels. We can make things.

[Kareem Rama]

Okay. I buy shit all the time. I mean, I literally am.

[Ego Odom]

No, we can't make silly. I wasn't trying to trap you.

[Kareem Rama]

I would rather have a guy.

[Ego Odom]

Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

Which is this is also homoerotic. Okay, this just happened.

[Ego Odom]

You would rather have a guy build.

[Kareem Rama]

My IKEA wardrobe and you watch naked in the corner?

[Ego Odom]

I will not cut it out, Anita. Every episode, I spend maybe 10 minutes telling Anita to cut it out. And I know she has to discern whether I'm being earnest or not. And in general, people find it hard to discern when I'm joking or not.

[Kareem Rama]

What was Anita doing? She was doing weird stuff in the corner.

[Ego Odom]

She was watching a man build an IKEA cabinet. And she.

[Kareem Rama]

In the Corner, she's watching YouTube videos, jacking off. She's watching YouTube videos.

[Ego Odom]

Anita's over there jacking off.

[Kareem Rama]

I know. Anita, stop.

[Ego Odom]

Anita, enough. Yes. No, I don't like. Should you keep it in? We'll have to talk about it later. No flicking the bean. No flicking the bean. Okay. What was your dad like, Kareem?

[Kareem Rama]

My dad was like. He was. Have you ever seen the movie Big Fish?

[Ego Odom]

I haven't.

[Kareem Rama]

Okay, so the movie's about. Big Fish is about, like, this guy who's dying.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

That's what this podcast is all about now. It's about a dad who's dying, and his son is, like, listening to his dad tell his life story. And the life story is big fit. It's like Big fish. Like, it's like everything is exaggerated.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And the story is really magical when he tells it is like, oh, I went. Like, I left my home and I walked 400 miles and I ended up in this forest. And it's like. So my dad had this very larger than life Persona and storytelling energy where, like, he had told me that he invented a toothbrush with toothpaste in the handle.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, and the handle.

[Kareem Rama]

So you could just squeeze the handle.

[Ego Odom]

But then if you squeeze the handle, it's coming out the back end. You want it towards.

[Kareem Rama]

No, no, it goes into the.

[Ego Odom]

It goes into the. He invented it. Well, okay.

[Kareem Rama]

There's no proof.

[Ego Odom]

He doesn't even have a, like, prototype.

[Kareem Rama]

No prototypes. But he said he invented it.

[Ego Odom]

Maybe he meant he had the idea. So that's where the exaggeration comes into play.

[Kareem Rama]

I mean, but here's the thing, okay. Sometimes he would say things like that.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, I invented the color almond in appliances.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, this is a long time ago in, like, whatever, the 80s, maybe.

[Ego Odom]

Sure.

[Kareem Rama]

You know, everyone has a fridge in the garage that's like the old fridge.

[Ego Odom]

Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

And it's sometimes like this weird almond freezer. Yes, the deep freezer.

[Ego Odom]

The deep freezer in the garage. Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

He's like, I invented that. Color. And then I'm, like, doing some research, and it's like. He did work at Whirlpool Corporation. Yeah, as a chemist.

[Ego Odom]

Were you Googling your dad or did.

[Kareem Rama]

You go through his files? I was going through the files.

[Ego Odom]

Did he know?

[Kareem Rama]

Not digital files. These are, like, physical paper files.

[Ego Odom]

I know.

[Kareem Rama]

He died. I was untangling. I was like, I don't know.

[Ego Odom]

Are you an only child?

[Kareem Rama]

No. I have a brother and sister, but they're younger.

[Ego Odom]

They're younger, so I know the oldest, you know? And you saw the most as well? I saw the most, right, Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

I saw the. The lies and the exaggeration and the.

[Ego Odom]

Exaggeration and the possible truths. Okay. Because then you did some research and you're like, okay, that he didn't fully make this thing up. What did he do for work?

[Kareem Rama]

He was a guy who had a lot of different hustles going.

[Ego Odom]

He was a hustler, baby.

[Kareem Rama]

He was a hustler, baby.

[Ego Odom]

He could sell water to a whale.

[Kareem Rama]

He was.

[Ego Odom]

Well, not necessarily.

[Kareem Rama]

He wasn't necessarily the greatest success story.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

He was like. He really tried.

[Ego Odom]

Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

And he really didn't succeed.

[Ego Odom]

Do you admire his trying?

[Kareem Rama]

I think it's amazing, truly, because he just didn't want a job, which I completely understand, because I also don't want a job.

[Ego Odom]

I know you sit on the subway.

[Kareem Rama]

All day, literally, my job.

[Ego Odom]

Anyone else sits on the subway all day, it's, like, their problem, and they're degenerate. But, Kareem, you sit on the subway all day, people like.

[Kareem Rama]

Because I wear a suit.

[Ego Odom]

You wear a suit, and it's different.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah.

[Ego Odom]

So do you see your dad in you?

[Kareem Rama]

Oh, for sure. I mean, I've. The thing that people don't understand is that Subway Takes is successful, but it's cliche. But there are literally 1500 other failed ideas of yours. Yes.

[Ego Odom]

What are three?

[Kareem Rama]

She Wears yous Tea.

[Ego Odom]

What is that?

[Kareem Rama]

It's a website that I built where you could book a New York fashion model to wear your T shirt that had your brand on it.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And then she would, like, post about it on the Internet.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, my God.

[Kareem Rama]

Today I'm wearing fucking begu.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. It's okay. Okay, gotcha. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Okay, so that one failed.

[Ego Odom]

Two more flops, please.

[Kareem Rama]

Inbox, Cupid.

[Ego Odom]

Inbox, Cupid go off. What's that?

[Kareem Rama]

Coupon.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

For dating. So rather than getting a coupon in your inbox every day, you get a man.

[Ego Odom]

I'm not mad at. Why did that fail? Why did that fail? What?

[Kareem Rama]

I mean, it's really A not well thought out idea, because I got, like, 20,000 signups or something.

[Ego Odom]

And then they were all women.

[Kareem Rama]

No, it was both. But it was like, do you really want, like, as a. As. Like, if you signed up. Yeah, there was no. There was no, like, algorithm. It would just be like, okay, cool. You are straight and you want to be sent out. Too many.

[Ego Odom]

And it was like, any.

[Kareem Rama]

No, it was just like, you go in 10,000 men's inbox.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

There's no, like. There's no preferences. It's just like, that's it.

[Ego Odom]

Whoopi doesn't want a man in her house, and I don't want to be in a man's inbox. Like a random man's inbox. That's. Yeah, I feel that. I see why that failed. Respectfully, dad, of course. I admire you and your hustle. Another failed venture, by the way. I just need to acknowledge I said that I assumed it was all women who signed up, because every time there's a matchmaking service, the numbers for, like, CIS hetero women, the scales, they're very imbalanced. There's always, like, a ton of women who've signed up for the service, and there are 10 straight men to choose from. And that's it every time. Cause I bet you if we found out what matchmaking services numbers actually look like, we would discover a gigantic disparity.

[Kareem Rama]

But anyway, that's nice, but it's revenge for the club. What do you mean men can't get in the club?

[Ego Odom]

Oh, because the doorman is like, no, this is. But then we get in, and they say, like, because if it's too many men in the club, they call it in a sausage fest. But what do they say when it's a. It's a pussy fest. It's a pussy fest in the club.

[Kareem Rama]

They don't even say that because everyone thinks it's fine.

[Ego Odom]

That's how it's supposed to be. No, and.

[Kareem Rama]

But yeah, all the women are in there. What are they doing?

[Ego Odom]

Then we get in there, the straight women be like, I don't want to see all these bitches. I didn't come in.

[Kareem Rama]

I know the doorman. I don't understand that game. It's also very, very patriarchal. Patriarch. What is the word?

[Ego Odom]

What? The etymology of that word is Patriarchal. Patriarchal.

[Kareem Rama]

It's patriarchal. Patriarchal.

[Ego Odom]

Patriarch. Patriarch.

[Kareem Rama]

Esl, by the way, just want you to know.

[Ego Odom]

You're esl, huh? What's your first language?

[Kareem Rama]

Arabic.

[Ego Odom]

Really? Fluently. Still not anymore. You don't even Speak it fluently.

[Kareem Rama]

I do speak it brokenly.

[Ego Odom]

You don't think you could.

[Kareem Rama]

Now, I am asl. Arabic is a second language.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, okay. Wow.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah.

[Ego Odom]

Interesting.

[Kareem Rama]

Also has to do with my parents.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. I want to hear more. Okay, but tell me one more failed business idea.

[Kareem Rama]

Let's think about this one. Because I had a moderate success when I started something called the Museum of Pizza, okay. Which was a literal museum dedicated to pizza. This is in the physical world. It's a real place.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And I opened it and 60,000 people came.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

But it was a complete disaster behind the scenes.

[Ego Odom]

In what way?

[Kareem Rama]

I mean, well, a. I made zero. I actually lost a lot of money.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

So as a business.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

Not a good idea.

[Ego Odom]

Copy.

[Kareem Rama]

It was just. It was literally. It was like, bandaged together in this way that, like. So, like, I had promised every person that comes to the Museum of Pizza a slice of pizza.

[Ego Odom]

Okay?

[Kareem Rama]

Not thinking that. Like, that requires 60,000 slices of pizza.

[Ego Odom]

Pizza. Oh, gosh. Were you guys cutting pizzas into, like, little slithers of. What do you mean?

[Kareem Rama]

The problem was that, like, if you want to put a restaurant in a museum which only exists for six weeks, you have to get food license and all this stuff. So I came up with a plan. This is like, two days before the thing's gonna open. And I go, oh, shit, I forgot about the pizza. I hired some of pizza.

[Ego Odom]

You forgot about the pizza?

[Kareem Rama]

I hired some guys from Craigslist.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Six of them or eight.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And I said, like, help wanted. Need drivers. And then I rented some cars from Hertz.

[Ego Odom]

Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

And then I called Williamsburg Pizza.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And I said, I need you to close down one of your stores and make pizzas for me, and I'll pay for them. And I'm gonna have my drivers come pick them up and bring them to the museum, where I'm going to shuttle them through the back door and then where they will be served to the people that come to the museum. And I did that for six weeks, and no one knew.

[Ego Odom]

So it was going smoothly. To the consumer.

[Kareem Rama]

For the consumer, it was good.

[Ego Odom]

Wow.

[Kareem Rama]

I mean, to the consumer, it was fine.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

I think it was like a two and a half out of five stars on Yelp. Yeah.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, it wasn't, like, a smashing success.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

But I was. I was like. I did it.

[Ego Odom]

Were you thinking long term?

[Kareem Rama]

Of course not.

[Ego Odom]

Was your dad a person who thought long term?

[Kareem Rama]

Of course not.

[Ego Odom]

No. It was just like, I have this idea. What were your dad's parents like? Do you know?

[Kareem Rama]

No, I Never met my grandfather because he passed away.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Before I was born. And then my grandmother, she was, like, the nicest, quietest, most wonderful person in the world. We used to call her Hagga, which means that she had gone to Hajj. So she was very religious.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Just like an. She was like an angelic. She, like, looked like Mother Teresa.

[Ego Odom]

Wow.

[Kareem Rama]

And she was like this little old lady that was just like, you know, And. And she. She lived in Cairo, where I'm from and where I was born and where my dad's from. So, like, I didn't get to know her that well, but she was like. Like, she was normal.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

In a great way.

[Ego Odom]

And then. Do you think she thought her son was kooky, your dad?

[Kareem Rama]

I think she was very proud of him. But I think. Yeah. Because he's, like, moved to America.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

In 1969.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Pre the Internet.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, oh, this is a funny story. Like, he told his family he was moving to America, and they all go, ha, ha, sure you are. Yeah. And they didn't believe him. They thought he, like, went to Alexandria to, like, the ocean, to the Mediterranean seats for, like, vacation. To off for a couple months.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And it wasn't until he wrote a letter.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

From America, being like, I'm literally in America, guys, that they were like, holy. He actually did it.

[Ego Odom]

He did it.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah, he actually made it. He was also a stuntman.

[Ego Odom]

Whoa.

[Kareem Rama]

In these days in Egypt. He was, like, in a couple. Like, he was in a bunch of movies.

[Ego Odom]

That's verified. You know that.

[Kareem Rama]

That's verified. I've seen photos.

[Ego Odom]

Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

And I've seen one clip of a movie.

[Ego Odom]

Did you trust your dad, by the way? Because given that you're like. Some of these things were true, some were not. He exaggerated a lot. Did you trust him?

[Kareem Rama]

I trusted him, but I did not agree with him.

[Ego Odom]

Say more, please.

[Kareem Rama]

So I trusted that he was like, that he had our best interests in mind, but I did not agree with a lot of his methodology.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. Did you guys butt heads then a lot?

[Kareem Rama]

We did. We were not. Not necessarily friends.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

From a very. We were ops. He was. Yeah. He was the opposite.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. The opposite.

[Kareem Rama]

Wait, when did your father pass?

[Ego Odom]

My father passed away Summer. Actually don't know exactly when.

[Kareem Rama]

So you never met him?

[Ego Odom]

I had met him. I did visitation as a kid and everything, but I just didn't have a relationship with him. I think the last time I did visitation, I was four years old, and then I hadn't seen him since then. But I know his whole side of the family. My cousins and I have to do.

[Kareem Rama]

Something, dad, right now.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. Go, dad. He's about to do something, dad. Coaster. Coaster King. He's using a coaster. And he's like, I had to get the coaster. That's very. Dad, I'm sorry. Not on the fresh wood, which is probably just plastic. And now that I'm kicking the table, I'm like, I respect that, though. Okay. No, but I didn't have a relationship with him whatsoever. But you and your dad butt heads. You were not friends. More like. Opps. Did that upset you as a kid? Did you want it to be different with him?

[Kareem Rama]

It was this thing where he. Like, I think it's an Arab culture thing, and I think it's that time, like, the eldest son, like, I remember, he's like. Like, I would play video games. I was like, 10. And he'd be like, enough with the video games. Like, you're not a kid. And I'm like, I'm literally a kid.

[Ego Odom]

Dude.

[Kareem Rama]

Dude. I'm literally a kid.

[Ego Odom]

I'm literally a kid.

[Kareem Rama]

And he would be like, like, these games are for kids. And I'm like, man, like, do you not see who I. I'm literally 10.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And so that's, like, where it started, you know? And like, for so long before that, it would be like, like, we're going to Menards, which is like Home Depot. And I would just, like, be walking behind him. Like, I was like, his little, like, assistant.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

But not his friend.

[Ego Odom]

Not his friend.

[Kareem Rama]

And then as I grew older, I became his, like, his employee.

[Ego Odom]

Really?

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. How long ago did your dad pass in 2007. Yeah, I was in college.

[Ego Odom]

And so you became his employee. When did it shift from employee to what? It was at the end of his life.

[Kareem Rama]

It never shifted.

[Ego Odom]

When he died, you were still his employee.

[Kareem Rama]

We made a deal. So once I made it to college.

[Ego Odom]

Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

We had a literal hand. Like, we had a business agreement.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, that.

[Kareem Rama]

It was like, if I was written. This is like, it was a handshake. It wasn't written. But it was an oral.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. An oral partnership that stands in a court of law.

[Kareem Rama]

It does.

[Ego Odom]

It does.

[Kareem Rama]

And I had witnesses.

[Ego Odom]

You had witnesses?

[Kareem Rama]

I remember I had my family. I did a. I called a family meeting.

[Ego Odom]

You called the family meeting?

[Kareem Rama]

I called the family meeting.

[Ego Odom]

Wow.

[Kareem Rama]

Witnesses. Mother, maybe brother and sister. I don't remember. But I definitely called the family meeting.

[Ego Odom]

Because you're like, I want something.

[Kareem Rama]

I said, once I make it to college, this guy can't tell me what to do anymore.

[Ego Odom]

Wow.

[Kareem Rama]

And he said, you make it to college, I will agree with. Agree to that.

[Ego Odom]

How old were you when you called that family meeting?

[Kareem Rama]

It was probably 16. And I went to college at ASEAN.

[Ego Odom]

Yes. Did he go to college?

[Kareem Rama]

He went to college in Egypt.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. And education was obviously something that was.

[Kareem Rama]

There was no question.

[Ego Odom]

Of course.

[Kareem Rama]

It was like, you're going to college.

[Ego Odom]

Did he care what you studied?

[Kareem Rama]

No.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, really?

[Kareem Rama]

No. And neither did I.

[Ego Odom]

Really? What did you study?

[Kareem Rama]

I went to college. So I went to the University of Minnesota, which was about 20 minutes away from my house, and I chose it because I was too lazy to go tour colleges. I was not like that, motivated by education.

[Ego Odom]

Do you think he was worried that you were not going to make anything of yourself because you played video games at 10 and because you weren't motivated by education when you were a teenager?

[Kareem Rama]

I think he was just a worried guy. And he was also a control freak.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. Do you think he suffered from anxiety, like, clinical anxiety?

[Kareem Rama]

I think he suffered from other things, but I don't think it was anxiety.

[Ego Odom]

What other things?

[Kareem Rama]

I don't know. Maybe some sort of, like, delusional thing, but not like. Not in like a, like an evil way. But I think he, you know, was, like, weirdly delusional sometimes.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Maybe like a little ocd.

[Ego Odom]

Right. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

But, you know, it's like he was a good guy. Like, he didn't do anything bad.

[Ego Odom]

Right.

[Kareem Rama]

We just didn't agree. And I think he did. Like, nowadays, I'm like, I actually, like, kind of appreciate the kind of work ethic he instilled in me. You know, at the time, it was miserable. Like, I remember one summer I planted, like, he decided to put hedges in our lawn and build, like, a fence made out of trees around the whole fucking perimeter of our yard. It's really beautiful. And guess what? I went and I saw that's my childhood home. And the hedges are. They're 12ft, and it's stunning.

[Ego Odom]

And when the real estate agent is showing it to whoever in the year 2019, it's like this beautiful home with gorgeous hedges. And you're like, my dad planted those.

[Kareem Rama]

No, no, no, I planted them.

[Ego Odom]

Okay?

[Kareem Rama]

You planted them because that. That's what I mean.

[Ego Odom]

You were his assistant.

[Kareem Rama]

No, no. Yeah. He was like, this is your job.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, my gosh.

[Kareem Rama]

Dig these holes.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, my goodness.

[Kareem Rama]

Put these trees in.

[Ego Odom]

I'm sorry, I didn't realize.

[Kareem Rama]

And at the time, they were.

[Ego Odom]

I should have known better. You were literally his assistant.

[Kareem Rama]

I was his employee.

[Ego Odom]

Well, yes, an assistant is an employee.

[Kareem Rama]

No, but the hard work paid off because they were like 2 and 3ft tall. And I was like, this doesn't. This is not a fence, dude.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

I was like, there's gaps between every single tree, and they're short. Everyone can see. You put up a fucking fence.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

That's what I was like.

[Ego Odom]

And he was like, no.

[Kareem Rama]

He's like, no, I'm doing these trees. And I kid you not, there was probably 40 or 50 of them. They're still there and they're stun.

[Ego Odom]

It's stunning. Now. Yes.

[Kareem Rama]

I dug every hole and put a tree in every hole. It took so long. And he would manage, but, you know, he would just stand there and be like, dig it deeper.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah. That project manager who's just like, I am an engineer, but I'm not actually doing the work.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm watching Smoking Sigs.

[Ego Odom]

Wow. Did you ever have, like, an allowance or anything like that from him?

[Kareem Rama]

I had an allowance, but he. We didn't have a lot of money, so the allowance was. Was not enough for a. For a man of my taste.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

For a man of my taste and statue.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, you.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, here's the thing. We were going to Burlington Coat Factory, and the other kids, they were going to like, like, you know, like the Macy's.

[Ego Odom]

Right, right.

[Kareem Rama]

And there's a big difference.

[Ego Odom]

Was Hex around for you guys?

[Kareem Rama]

I don't know.

[Ego Odom]

Department store?

[Kareem Rama]

No.

[Ego Odom]

Woolworthy? No.

[Kareem Rama]

Where the hell did you grow up?

[Ego Odom]

Maryland.

[Kareem Rama]

Woolworths.

[Ego Odom]

I'm not kidding.

[Kareem Rama]

You're like, I grew up in London, mate. Like, Woolworths. That sounds like a villain from Willy Wonka. I think it's literally the guy's name in Willy Wonka.

[Ego Odom]

It might be, but Woolworths and Hex. These were department stores, okay? I swear they were real.

[Kareem Rama]

What does Dodie. What does Dodie own?

[Ego Odom]

Who's Dodie?

[Kareem Rama]

Princess Diana's husband or. No. Boyfriend? Lover.

[Ego Odom]

I was gonna say Dodie. I was like. I thought the princess. The prince's name was Charles or something.

[Kareem Rama]

No, the hot guy.

[Ego Odom]

The hot guy. That in the Egyptian. The hot Egyptian guy.

[Kareem Rama]

Charming. Hot. Charming. Egyp.

[Ego Odom]

Charming again. Dangerous.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah, very dangerous. Look how it ended up.

[Ego Odom]

But whatever store he owned, that's where the people. Everyone else was shopping.

[Kareem Rama]

No, that's in England.

[Ego Odom]

That's in England.

[Kareem Rama]

They were shopping at Macy's.

[Ego Odom]

They were shopping at Macy's.

[Kareem Rama]

I was shopping at Burlington Coat Factory.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, Anita, cut the part out where I'm confused.

[Kareem Rama]

The kids at school were shopping at Macy's.

[Ego Odom]

Every part where I'm confused. Cut it out.

[Kareem Rama]

Anita's too busy for me.

[Ego Odom]

Everything where I look bad and my listening comprehension is in question. Cut it out. Okay. Anyway, so keep going. Macy's. They're shopping at Macy's. You were broke. You wanted to shop at Macy's.

[Kareem Rama]

So I said, dad, I'm getting a job. I was 14.

[Ego Odom]

You would sit him down. It seems like you would.

[Kareem Rama]

We had to have business meetings.

[Ego Odom]

Did he call them business meetings or that what you would call them?

[Kareem Rama]

I would knock on his door in his fake office that he worked out of doing. Fake office.

[Ego Odom]

The office was fake, too. Oh, my God.

[Kareem Rama]

Well, one day. Yeah. The office was dead. I mean, one day there was just a room in our garage.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

With a computer in it and the fridge and. No, no, the fridge was moved into the garage. But the room, like, he put up a wall. Two walls.

[Ego Odom]

Oh.

[Kareem Rama]

And, like, made a room.

[Ego Odom]

They do that in New York City, though, too. And say it's that this is a three bedroom apartment, but it's really.

[Kareem Rama]

So it was one of those.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And there was a computer in it. And he's like, this is my office. And I go, I don't even. What do you do for a living?

[Ego Odom]

What.

[Kareem Rama]

What do you need a computer for?

[Ego Odom]

You would never say that.

[Kareem Rama]

No, but in my head I was thinking. I was like, this is sick.

[Ego Odom]

Were you ever scared of him?

[Kareem Rama]

Of course.

[Ego Odom]

Did you get spanked as a kid?

[Kareem Rama]

No. He wasn't. He wasn't physical. But he was so scary.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Because he was big.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah. And loud. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Stern. Yes, very stern.

[Ego Odom]

Was he super religious?

[Kareem Rama]

No.

[Ego Odom]

Did he drink? He smoked in front of you while you're planting trees.

[Kareem Rama]

A lot of cigs.

[Ego Odom]

Did he pass that on to you?

[Kareem Rama]

I smoked. And then he died from lung cancer.

[Ego Odom]

And do you still smoke?

[Kareem Rama]

We love, but I'm addicted to nicotine.

[Ego Odom]

And that's okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Sure.

[Ego Odom]

Your little zins.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. I just do them orally.

[Ego Odom]

Oral.

[Kareem Rama]

Nick, I think smoking is disgusting for everyone who's listening.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. That's a subway take, by the way. I think it's on Subway.

[Kareem Rama]

I think it makes you look.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Poor.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah, well, cut that out.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm just kidding.

[Ego Odom]

Keep it in, keep it in, keep it. We need to. We need to even the playing field here. Because I've been looking like.

[Kareem Rama]

They're like, this guy's a.

[Ego Odom]

No, it's okay. It's okay. That's why we love Subway takes. So what else did he instill in you that. That. That sticks with you? Work ethic. It seems like entre. His entrepreneurial Spirit is smoking. What else? What else?

[Kareem Rama]

I do think that I. I'm. If you know me well enough, and I'm. I'm holding court at a dinner table.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And you're my close friend.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

You're like, this story is 10% exaggerated.

[Ego Odom]

Ah, yes. Nigerians are exaggerators, too. If I'm allowed to say it's. Is it fire?

[Kareem Rama]

I'm like, it's a service.

[Ego Odom]

It's entertainment.

[Kareem Rama]

Yes.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

You want to go to dinner with a boring guy, or do you want to go to dinner with a guy who, like, did Molly with Elon Musk?

[Ego Odom]

And you're literally lying. You've never met Elon Musk. No, I swear to God.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm Elon Musk.

[Ego Odom]

Elon's over my right shoulder. I'm like, you have met him. You've met him, but would he remember you?

[Kareem Rama]

No.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. Did you do Molly with the girls?

[Kareem Rama]

Depends on what you consider.

[Ego Odom]

Molly.

[Kareem Rama]

Molly.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, okay. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

The way I tell the story is I do planet.

[Ego Odom]

You were doing Molly, and Elon Musk was on the planet.

[Kareem Rama]

Let's just say that. But at one point, we were at the same party, and at one point, I was offered Molly.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And at one point, I did Molly with Elon Musk.

[Ego Odom]

Meaning.

[Kareem Rama]

And he was there, too.

[Ego Odom]

He was at the party.

[Kareem Rama]

I don't know. It depends on who.

[Ego Odom]

It was a Friday.

[Kareem Rama]

Who's at dinner? Who's at dinner? Is it. You're at dinner.

[Ego Odom]

It's Grimes. Grimes is there. Can confirm deny that Elon was there.

[Kareem Rama]

She's at dinner.

[Ego Odom]

She's at the dinner with you?

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. Yeah, I did.

[Ego Odom]

And you're gonna stick to the story.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm stick to the story. And if she said she's too high enough.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, my gosh. Kareem. Dad. Okay, so someone is sitting at dinner with you. You're telling this exaggerated. So they're like, that's his dad there. He is being his dad.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. Don't you. Don't you want people to like you?

[Ego Odom]

I do. But you. So your dad was really likable.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah.

[Ego Odom]

He was really magnetic. Was he charming? Yeah. Dangerous?

[Kareem Rama]

I'm not actually kidding.

[Ego Odom]

He was handsome.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm not kidding.

[Ego Odom]

He was handsome. Did he work out?

[Kareem Rama]

He. I can show you some pictures where you will probably both be flicking the bean.

[Ego Odom]

In the studio, everyone's gonna be flicking the bean while someone builds the cabinet in the corner. Okay. Well, now you're a dad.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah.

[Ego Odom]

How old is your kid?

[Kareem Rama]

She's six months old.

[Ego Odom]

Six months old.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm a. I'M a girl dad. Hashtag girl dad.

[Ego Odom]

Hashtag girl dad. Do we like girl? Well, no, you have. You have a six month old and then you have me.

[Kareem Rama]

Oh, yes, I forgot about you.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, typical dad behavior.

[Kareem Rama]

We need to have a meeting about this.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, yes. You're gonna call a meeting with me. No, I'm calling a meeting with you. That's why I brought you. So now that you're a dad, what are some things you learned from your dad that you would like to instill in your daughter? Do you want her to exaggerate?

[Kareem Rama]

I wouldn't mind it when she starts talking. I mean, I already know she's gonna exaggerate. Kids talk and they say stupid shit all the time. And I'm like, yeah, totally. That definitely happened to you. She's gonna be like, I was walking home and I flew back home. How'd you get. I flew on a bird's wings. And I'll go, that's crazy.

[Ego Odom]

You're not gonna go. That didn.

[Kareem Rama]

Of course not. Why would I do that?

[Ego Odom]

Do you want your kid to believe in like the tooth fairy?

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. Until somebody. I'm not going to squash those dreams.

[Ego Odom]

You're not going to.

[Kareem Rama]

No. I think, I think, I think that like, one thing that I will say that, like, okay, so like, I am trying to take all of the great stuff that my father put in me and I'm trying to put a Kareem filter on it, which I would say is like healthy and self aware of my actions, which I don't know if he was so self aware of his actions. Like, I don't know if he knew that he was damaging or if he was. Just didn't give a shit. But he wasn't a bad. Like I said, he's not a bad guy. It was a different time. It's like. And I'm also not giving excuses. It's just like he grew up in Egypt. He moved to America in 1969 by himself. It was just a different upbringing.

[Ego Odom]

You speak about it with such grace now and empathy. You didn't always have that, right.

[Kareem Rama]

No, I was like, I didn't like him. Like, we didn't, like, we actually didn't like each other. I mean, he probably. He. My mom.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

God bless her. She's not dead. I'm just saying God bless her and she's still alive.

[Ego Odom]

You can still bless someone in there. Our mom? Well, no, my grandmother.

[Kareem Rama]

You're. Yes, My grandmother.

[Ego Odom]

You're not my brother and my dad.

[Kareem Rama]

Yes. I need you to know that sometimes forget Been watching too much pornhub.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, Lord. Cut that out, Anita.

[Kareem Rama]

No, keep that in. I want all the pornhub heads hit me up.

[Ego Odom]

I don't want them listening. No, they can listen. Whatever. We need the listeners. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

What? Yeah. My mom, she would tell me to this day that he was like that because he actually, like, loved me so much that he was. He was worried. He was really worried that something bad was going to happen.

[Ego Odom]

So that's why he was so hard on you.

[Kareem Rama]

That's why he was a control freak. That's why he's so hard. That's why he was trying to, like, for lack of better words, control me.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And at the time, I'm like, you can't control me.

[Ego Odom]

Look at his hair. You can't control him.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. You can't fucking. I'm unmanageable.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah, stop.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm like Kanye. I'm unmanageable.

[Ego Odom]

Bro, your curls are so beautiful. I can't take my eyes off my dad's curls.

[Kareem Rama]

Thank you so much.

[Ego Odom]

No, cut that out for real.

[Kareem Rama]

No, no, keep it in. Put it in.

[Ego Odom]

No, I do want to cut that out.

[Kareem Rama]

Put it in a few times. Cut it. Put it in every 10 minutes.

[Ego Odom]

You want to cut that out.

[Kareem Rama]

Holy shit. Have you ever told any of your previous guests that they're charming?

[Ego Odom]

No, I don't know why that was in there.

[Kareem Rama]

Have you ever complimented. Have you ever complimented any of your previous guests hair?

[Ego Odom]

No, I haven't. I just think you're a really good dad, but. No. A good dad. What if I'm like, my dad is fucking hot.

[Kareem Rama]

I just said my dad's hot.

[Ego Odom]

I literally just say that about that.

[Kareem Rama]

I just said that about my dad. But I'm not even getting gay.

[Ego Odom]

You don't have to be gay to think you're d. Look at me doing. Pausing to do the math. Okay, no. So you would be proud if your daughter exaggerated because you also think that it means she's likable. That's. That's. You're like, she's likable, and I don't want to crush her dreams. That's beautiful.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, do you want a boring person on your podcast, kid?

[Ego Odom]

Was it? But hold on.

[Kareem Rama]

Cosplay.

[Ego Odom]

No. Okay. Also, cut this out. Okay, I'm sorry. This is a terrible episode. Okay, it's not terrible because of you. This is terrible because of me. I'm shitting the bed. Okay?

[Kareem Rama]

So no one's gonna know what to cut out, by the way.

[Ego Odom]

I know, because I've said cut everything out. There's nothing. We call you and say we need to record this. No, I was going somewhere with this.

[Kareem Rama]

It's gonna be just the intro.

[Ego Odom]

I was heading somewhere. Was it comforting to hear from your mom that your dad was the way he was toward you because he loved you so much? One, Was it comforting? Two, did you buy it? And maybe I should reverse those questions.

[Kareem Rama]

Both. Yes.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah, I do believe it. At this point. I do believe it. Like, like. Because like I say, I'm like, he didn't have. He wasn't bad. You know what I mean? He was good. He was a good guy. He took. We always had food. We were always safe. He was a weird guy, though. Like, to prove to me how we lived in the suburbs, he would be like, let's go get White Castle at one in the morning, but in the ghetto.

[Ego Odom]

And be like, let me just show you.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. And he'd be like, see, the most important thing is, you guys, that we live in a nice neighborhood and in a nice house. Cause we could be living here.

[Ego Odom]

So, 1:00 in the morning. What are you thinking?

[Kareem Rama]

I'm literally 15 and I'm like, I'm tired. There's school tomorrow.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, not on a school night yet. Yeah, no.

[Kareem Rama]

He was reckless.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, wow.

[Kareem Rama]

But I think he was just weird. He just kind of did what he wanted. Like, I would come home, I think, you know, like, let's call it 17, 16, had a little bit to drink out with my friends.

[Ego Odom]

You almost said homies.

[Kareem Rama]

And I don't say homies, okay?

[Ego Odom]

And then, yeah, sometimes when you're on there's a mic, you're like, I'm not this person.

[Kareem Rama]

I like that. Cut that out. Yes, I need to cut it out. I almost said homies, okay? And you know what? When people. When I'm on, like a call or something and somebody's like, my homies, I'm like, you are not 17.

[Ego Odom]

Yes. Why are you talking like, maybe that's.

[Kareem Rama]

Why I'm talking like this, though. Because, like, I'm back in my 17 year old.

[Ego Odom]

No, but you're my dad right now. Stop.

[Kareem Rama]

But back then, I did have.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, you did have homies. I knew you're 17. Okay. So you'd be like, okay, go ahead.

[Kareem Rama]

A little, little drunk. And I come home and I'd be like, oh, okay, great. I'd walk in, my dad would just be sitting in the living room, like, doing nothing.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And he'd be a little drunk.

[Ego Odom]

Was he waiting for you to come home?

[Kareem Rama]

Tbd. But then he'd Be like, yeah, I think he was. Cause he was.

[Ego Odom]

Will we ever d. Cause he's dead.

[Kareem Rama]

Cause he'll never d. To be determined. We'll never d. TBA to be announced in the next episode. Okay, thanks, dad.

[Ego Odom]

We're gonna talk to the dad. My dad and yours.

[Kareem Rama]

That's actually a nice way to build.

[Ego Odom]

Should we try to talk to dead people?

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah, I should bring a medium on.

[Ego Odom]

I'm scared of them.

[Kareem Rama]

In the second episode of this. This pod is that we do a seance and we get.

[Ego Odom]

I am not into spirits.

[Kareem Rama]

I'll do it.

[Ego Odom]

No, but you can do it in your own space. No, you're not going to do it on the spot.

[Kareem Rama]

I want to do it just for myself. Everything is intellectual property.

[Ego Odom]

No, I don't want spirits coming near me and to my home. I don't want them to think.

[Kareem Rama]

Don't even get me started on spirits, okay? There is a lot of them.

[Ego Odom]

There are a lot of them. And I believe in the spirits, and I don't want them attached to you. I can sense as much you've been haunted. I want to ask more about that, but I want to know about your dad.

[Kareem Rama]

Okay? So I would comment on.

[Ego Odom]

We'll do the seance episode. We'll do a seance episode in Kareem's home in his own studio.

[Kareem Rama]

Can't do it in my home.

[Ego Odom]

Well, because you don't want the spirits.

[Kareem Rama]

In your house in a third party, neutral location.

[Ego Odom]

It can't be. I don't want to be there.

[Kareem Rama]

I've been haunted already.

[Ego Odom]

Do it at we work.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm not. Okay, I'm gonna do it at these studios.

[Ego Odom]

No, don't do it. Okay, so.

[Kareem Rama]

So. So I would come home a little tipsy and. And I'd be like, I'm gonna go. I can't wait to go into my bedroom, eat a huge bowl of cereal, and watch a movie. And he would be up and he'd be like, hey. And I'd be like, what's up? And he'd be like, let's go to Taco Bell. And I'm like, you should not be awake. And. Yeah, but I. He's like, he didn't know I drank.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

So then I would be like, fuck, I have to drive this guy. I'm hammered.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, no.

[Kareem Rama]

This guy's also hammered.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, no.

[Kareem Rama]

But he's not gonna know I'm hammered because he's hammered. I'm seeing that I'm drunk driver.

[Ego Odom]

Drunk driving.

[Kareem Rama]

Well, what am I gonna say?

[Ego Odom]

No, dad, drunk driving is bad. Dad, say it. You don't want me driving drunk driving.

[Kareem Rama]

No.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

My dad didn't know I was drunk because I couldn't tell him.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, that's spooky, that. No, talk about spirits. I'm spooked.

[Kareem Rama]

I was off the spirits. I was off the sauce.

[Ego Odom]

You were actually off the spirits.

[Kareem Rama]

We were both off the spirits.

[Ego Odom]

Spirits. Were you drinking?

[Kareem Rama]

Oh, like bad stuff. Like Everclean meals and, like, schnapps. I was gonna call it schloss.

[Ego Odom]

I didn't drink much in my early 20s, and the first time I saw schnapps on a menu, I was like, schnapps. And someone's like, girl, no. And I go, I don't know. I don't drink. I do drink now anyway.

[Kareem Rama]

Congratulations.

[Ego Odom]

Thank you so much.

[Kareem Rama]

Wait, you drink?

[Ego Odom]

I'm sorry.

[Kareem Rama]

You're 12.

[Ego Odom]

I know. I know, but I.

[Kareem Rama]

Look, you are 12.

[Ego Odom]

I'm aging poorly for 12. And some people give.

[Kareem Rama]

Great. If you want to continue to look great, you'll stop putting poison.

[Ego Odom]

That's true. Because it's literal poison. But we're not here to tell you what to do and how to live your life. But do not drive drunk.

[Kareem Rama]

I agree.

[Ego Odom]

Yes. Okay. You're a dad now.

[Kareem Rama]

Yes.

[Ego Odom]

What do you care about most as a parent in terms of how your daughter turns out?

[Kareem Rama]

I mean, I want her to feel independent, but also really secure.

[Ego Odom]

Independent, but also really secure. Secure, like in terms of self esteem or, like, financially?

[Kareem Rama]

No, like. Like self esteem. Like, I want her to know that she is, like, safe to say what she wants and try what she wants and sit, talk about what she wants and all of those. Like. Like to just not be afraid of. Of Papa.

[Ego Odom]

Do you not want her to be afraid of you because you were afraid of your dad and you're like, that sucked.

[Kareem Rama]

I haven't psychoanalyzed myself enough. Okay, but probably. Okay, but probably not. Maybe. I don't know. You don't know, But I haven't thought about it enough.

[Ego Odom]

Sure.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, I'm just. I'm just trying to figure out, are.

[Ego Odom]

You winging it as a dad?

[Kareem Rama]

Am I winging it? Yes.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah. Because when I met you and you told me you had a child, you were like. The first few months of having a kid, I was a little. Like, what? Because you didn't necessarily feel connected to her the first few months.

[Kareem Rama]

I think it's important to talk about.

[Ego Odom]

I do want to talk about that.

[Kareem Rama]

Because I felt as a. Like, I know a lot of other dads, and everyone's like, I love you know, I love my kids so much, like, blah, blah, blah. Like, you know what normal people say, right. And when my kid was born. Sorry, kid. I was like, all right, I have a kid. And I kind of was just like, okay. Like. And I was, like, looking at her, and I was kind of like, didn't feel a lot.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And I've since learned that that is. Is actually pretty common for men.

[Ego Odom]

No one. I've never heard anyone talk about it before you, but I don't think a.

[Kareem Rama]

Lot of people talk about it exactly.

[Ego Odom]

I'd never heard, but it is.

[Kareem Rama]

You have to seek out the information. But I do think it's common for men to not have established this, like, emotional and physical relationship with a baby because it's being carried by the mother, which the mother is literally has a human being inside of her and is talking to her. You know, my wife Karina was talking to the kid and, like, reading at books, and it's just like a different thing. Like, they've already known each other for nine months. And then she comes out, and literally my first thought was, what's wrong with her head?

[Ego Odom]

Really?

[Kareem Rama]

It was like, she's really pointing.

[Ego Odom]

She's beautiful. Or, I'm a dad now.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, her head's so pointy.

[Ego Odom]

Did you tap the doctor on the shoulder and said, her head. That thing's head is so pointing.

[Kareem Rama]

Second thought, you'll find this interesting. Second thought is, she looks like my dad. That freaked me out. I almost got dizzy.

[Ego Odom]

Not emotional, but dizzy. I mean, I guess dizzy.

[Kareem Rama]

I was like, why is my dad here?

[Ego Odom]

Really?

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. She looked just like my dad. It was really.

[Ego Odom]

Did your dad have a pointy head? No, I'm sorry. I just.

[Kareem Rama]

The face looked like.

[Ego Odom]

Cause you said he. Oh, his face. Cause you said he was so handsome. I was like, but a pointy head. Pointy head. You lose me there.

[Kareem Rama]

No, no, the pointy head goes away.

[Ego Odom]

Of course. Of course.

[Kareem Rama]

I thought it was an emergency.

[Ego Odom]

You did.

[Kareem Rama]

I was like, we are going to need to put, like, a rounding device on this thing.

[Ego Odom]

How did you prepare for fatherhood?

[Kareem Rama]

I mean, I was really a present partner for my wife. And I just, like. I was just like, this is the person that I need to just, like, attach myself to. And anything that she needs or wants or. Or expresses, I'm gonna receive it and put it into me. You know what I mean? Cause I think that a lot of what I want to do and a lot of what I am doing is going with my gut. And I actually have been told that I'm doing a good job.

[Ego Odom]

Who tells you that?

[Kareem Rama]

My wife.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And even her mom, who has stayed with us for two months. And my mom. And they're like, I wouldn't say they're surprised. They're like, you know, you're doing a great job. And none of them are like, where'd you learn it? But it is my gut, because I'm not on fucking Reddit being how to. Okay, whatever.

[Ego Odom]

Right?

[Kareem Rama]

So I'm going with my gut because I think. And the other thing is, I think, like, you know, some people, like, some people are like, oh, I've changed so much. Like, ever since I had a kid, I'm just, like, so respectful now. And, like, I see the world through a woman's eyes and blah, blah, blah. I'm like, you're just saying that you were a piece of for a long time. Like, you were literally a piece of.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Now you're not.

[Ego Odom]

All I'm hearing is, you want me to compliment you? And I'm like, no, I hear you're a piece of.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm literally like, you're just a piece of shit. And so, like, this. This transformation never happened to me. Like, I feel like I was. Already had a dad vibe. I. I feel like a lot of my, like, what are the words? Like, values are already like, I feel like a good guy.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And so I didn't feel like a transformation. It was just like, okay, cool. I woke. I wake up, and now I'm a father and I have a big responsibility. But it doesn't feel like. Like I'm so transformed.

[Ego Odom]

Right.

[Kareem Rama]

But I will say, from the time that we talked, which was maybe three months ago, I don't even know if.

[Ego Odom]

It was up to three months, Kareem. I feel like it was me going, it wasn't three, it was two. I'm sorry. Here you are exaggerating again.

[Kareem Rama]

Okay, so she started, like, this is what I'll say. The first three months, she's a potato.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Just like, I have a potato in my house.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. Right.

[Kareem Rama]

She still doesn't give a shit about me. I'm still useless.

[Ego Odom]

And do you give a shit about her? Besides being like, I want to protect the potatoes. Potato.

[Kareem Rama]

Protect the potatoes.

[Ego Odom]

But you're like, that's it. I'm not, like, connected to the potatoes.

[Kareem Rama]

And protect the potato's mother and.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, great.

[Kareem Rama]

And like.

[Ego Odom]

And Mrs.

[Kareem Rama]

Potato there for Mrs. Potato.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Do any. Anything. It almost felt like, like, caveman days where I'm like, what can I do? I'm literally. Because I can't do anything.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Baby's breastfeeding.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And like, that. All it needs is, like, food.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah. Would you wake up when your wife would breastfeed in the middle of the night?

[Kareem Rama]

No. Because she's a very nice person.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. And you'd be like, I'm gonna just run.

[Kareem Rama]

No, she wouldn't even try. She would just be like, what's the point?

[Ego Odom]

She would slink out of bed and.

[Kareem Rama]

She'D just be like, what's the point? Yeah, you can't do anything. Anything.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And I would offer, and she's like, just why?

[Ego Odom]

Yeah. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, I don't need that.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, Gotcha.

[Kareem Rama]

But she would be like, I need blueberries. And I'd be like, cool. Boom. Go get blueberry. Like, I was eager to do whatever.

[Ego Odom]

Whatever you could.

[Kareem Rama]

She wanted. And it felt like I was like, hunter gatherer. Because there's all this stuff. Like, I remember being like, really? I was sleep deprived, like, you know, regardless. And, like, being at Target for the first time in the diaper aisle and being like, this is so weird.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, I'm the diaper.

[Ego Odom]

Right.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm, like, looking at clothes. I remember buying the clothes because she needed more onesies. And I'm like, this is so. Like, that was a moment that felt really weird.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, I was like, I'm a dad. Like, because you see dads doing that.

[Ego Odom]

Right.

[Kareem Rama]

But then I'm.

[Ego Odom]

I'm him now.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah.

[Ego Odom]

I'm doing that. My life has changed.

[Kareem Rama]

Exactly.

[Ego Odom]

What. Where am I?

[Kareem Rama]

Like, you know, it was so weird. But I was going to say, I will say that, like, once she started smiling, which is at three months, game over.

[Ego Odom]

Melted your heart.

[Kareem Rama]

Won me over.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

So obsessed. You know what I mean? So, like, because she recognized me.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

And then I'm like, oh. They're like, dad is. So the feeling came.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

It just took a little bit of time.

[Ego Odom]

And you're saying it's normal.

[Kareem Rama]

I think it's normal. I mean, I think people talk about it like. Like, I think people don't talk about it a lot because everybody wants to be like, everybody wants to be nice.

[Ego Odom]

Nice.

[Kareem Rama]

Which is boring.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah. And we want kindness. That's the thing. Nice is.

[Kareem Rama]

It's a more interesting story at the dental if you're like, how is it with your kid? I mean, I'm sure when you were like, how is it? And I was like, honestly, I'm not sure. This kid's weird. Like, it's kind of weird.

[Ego Odom]

I appreciate transparency and honesty and authenticity. So my response, I actually was like, oh, that's interesting. I have a podcast and I want you to come on because I haven't heard that. But it makes sense, though. When you said it, I was like, oh, that would make sense because I had this bit I wanted to work on a while ago, but I was like, I can't tell if it's too dark. Where I was like, it's in my phone. Where I'm like, people want to introduce you to their babies and I'm supposed to immediately love the baby, but I'm like, I don't know you. Is that terrible? I'm like, I don't know this baby. I don't know you.

[Kareem Rama]

No, no, it's true.

[Ego Odom]

Like, yeah. And then I was like, is it fun? Is it funny? Because then I talk to people. And I was like, I really want my niece to feel connected to me. So I have a 3 year old niece and a. A 11 month old niece.

[Kareem Rama]

You have that?

[Ego Odom]

I do. I have that. And I'm 12.

[Kareem Rama]

That's crazy.

[Ego Odom]

But I have my brother. My brother's so big. I know dad. How come I didn't know about dad, dad, Other family. Other family. Dads know about other families. Am I right? Okay. And I really. I was like, I want them to feel connected to me. And someone who's like, oh, they're not gonna even register anything truly meaningful until she's like 18 months or something like that in terms of being like, that's on Tiego. But I'm like, yeah, yeah. I hold the baby. I get so excited that my brother has a baby. They're so precious. I take a million pictures of them. I feel connected because they're my blood, but like a stranger introduced to me, I'm like, I don't know this baby.

[Kareem Rama]

No, totally.

[Ego Odom]

I don't know this baby. And when the baby can talk, when your stranger baby and I can talk, I bet you will have a blast. Or even if they're saying half sentences.

[Kareem Rama]

Just develop some sort of relationship.

[Ego Odom]

Just anything, you know? But we're supposed to love a baby off the bat. I want to protect him. I want him to be safe, but I don't care.

[Kareem Rama]

How do you feel about dogs?

[Ego Odom]

I have a dog. Which is not answering your question.

[Kareem Rama]

I don't give a shit about your dog.

[Ego Odom]

No, but I go, fine, because I'm not a crazy dog person. To be fair, I, like, have a dog. I love him. He's a sweetie. I look into his eyes and I go, what a sweet, innocent little baby I want to protect. But I'm not an insane dog person. My dog and I, we not kissing on the mouth. Okay? I'm not kissing my dog. My dog's paws are getting wiped. These New York City streets are disgusting. Anytime I wipe his paws, when he come in black, just black dirt. I'm like, we went on the quickest walk. Why do you. You have to to anyway, Your baby, you change her diapers. Was there anything you felt you weren't gonna do with the baby? Because you're like, I'm eager, I'm ready.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm here, I'm ready to go.

[Ego Odom]

Do you want your daughter to feel like, when she can talk, when she is going through our stuff, like she can confide in you? Like, yes, she has mom. But like, you can also tell me everything. Is that something you want?

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. And everyone seems to think that she's gonna be obsessed with me.

[Ego Odom]

Probably. Yeah. Probably. Does she smile every time you come around?

[Kareem Rama]

She's is so excited.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

I mean, I'm fun.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm not. I'm not a milk factory, but I'm fun.

[Ego Odom]

I'm.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm Mr. Take you on a walk.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah. Do you think you're going to be a disciplinarian?

[Kareem Rama]

Ah, there's. I think, like in a. In a very. Yeah, I think so. I'm also. I am strict. I operate a strict household.

[Ego Odom]

Yes. Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

You know, but it's for myself too.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

You know, I like, like clutter free. I like to put things away. I think these are good things, though.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm not like, so I'm not like militant.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

You know, I'm not like, like, like gonna freak out. But like, I do the dishes because I like a clean sink.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And I, you know, no shoes in the house. Like, and I make the bed every morning. And like, it's just stuff like that I feel like is like in, you know, cleanliness is next to godliness. I think some cliches are good.

[Ego Odom]

Some of them are good. I'm not anti cliche.

[Kareem Rama]

They're like, they're. No, I'm saying, like, they're true.

[Ego Odom]

They're rooted in truth.

[Kareem Rama]

Yes. And I think that's good. So I'm like, some of these things are like universal truths. So. So I think I'll. I'll do that. But I'm not gonna like, ride her for any. I don't think I'm gonna ride her. You know, I'm gonna let her have fun. My mom actually gave me a really good piece of advice.

[Ego Odom]

Which was what?

[Kareem Rama]

Which was our mom giving no no, my grandmother forgot. We're not brothers.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, you want to be my brother so bad. But you're my dad for the day.

[Kareem Rama]

No, but we're playing a game. Oh, Daddy's your brother now.

[Ego Odom]

Playful dad. You did say you're playful dad.

[Kareem Rama]

That.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

She's like, for the first seven years, you just take care of her. For the seven. For the second seven years, you discipline her. And for the third seven years, you be her friend.

[Ego Odom]

That's lovely.

[Kareem Rama]

That's a really good. You know, the first seven years, like, just let her do what she wants. You just take care of her. She does anything.

[Ego Odom]

That's beautiful.

[Kareem Rama]

Second seven years, you teach, like, discipline and manners and things that kids need to learn. And then this. And then from, like, 14 to 21 is like, that's my friend.

[Ego Odom]

And when you think about 14 to 21 and being a friend to your daughter, do you mean, like, true friend? I want her to treat me like a friend. Like, tell me stuff.

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah.

[Ego Odom]

Could she call you by first name?

[Kareem Rama]

No.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. And you're like. And that's where we're gonna go. I just wanted to see where the boundary line. What? I know. From one African to another. I know. And now he's flipping.

[Kareem Rama]

That sounds.

[Ego Odom]

He's about to flip the table in the seat.

[Kareem Rama]

That is a white American thing.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

Hey, Kenny.

[Ego Odom]

Subway Ken. I'm. I will tell you, Billy, I dated someone who's not white, who was black, in fact, and called his parents by their first name. And my jaw would always. I'd be like, this is different.

[Kareem Rama]

That is not. No, this is unacceptable.

[Ego Odom]

Different. Okay, but you want your daughter to be. Be independent and secure. Is there anything you worry about with her?

[Kareem Rama]

Yeah. That she's going to grow up and be a lawyer.

[Ego Odom]

Really?

[Kareem Rama]

No one likes lawyers or a doctor or something.

[Ego Odom]

You don't want her to be a doctor. No, that's different.

[Kareem Rama]

I know.

[Ego Odom]

Okay. That's very not African of you. Okay, I'm white. Why? Okay, now you're white. Now you're calling your mom by her first name. No. What. Why do you not want her to be a lawyer? A doctor? Doctor.

[Kareem Rama]

I just think that, like, I mean, here's what I'll say. If she wants to be a lawyer. Doctor. Cool.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

I think I would connect with her more if she wasn't.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

So, I mean. And my wife is also so, like, creative, and, you know, I think we're gonna have a good time. So it's like, if she. I feel like if she rebels.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

She's gonna be like, I'm gonna be a lawyer, you pricks. You know what I mean? Like. But otherwise, like, I'm like, dude, if my kids like Zoe Kravitz. Yeah, that's what I want. I want a knuckle baby. Zoe Kravitz. Ass.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, daughter. I hope your daughter listens to this one day and understand. She's six months now, but she can let her be. She could be going through your files one day and hear this everywhere. Oh, yeah, I get it, I get it. I see. You want a little. You want a little artist, creative gal to, like, complete the trio.

[Kareem Rama]

Like, hey, what do you think of my. My movie dad?

[Ego Odom]

Yeah, cool.

[Kareem Rama]

Let's watch it.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Not like, hey, I'm going to school. School for 15 years. But if she boring, do you want.

[Ego Odom]

Her to know you think it's boring? Say, she says she wants to do that. You're not. You're gonna pretend it's the best.

[Kareem Rama]

When she's little and says, I want to be a doctor, I'm gonna say, what about a comedian?

[Ego Odom]

Oh, my God, the only dad on the planet.

[Kareem Rama]

And then she'll probably be super not funny. I'm like, yeah, you know that doctor thing? Like, we should do that. Doctors are exciting.

[Ego Odom]

Doctors are good. They ask for them on the plane all the time.

[Kareem Rama]

But hopefully she does a cool doctor where she, like, installs AI chips and people.

[Ego Odom]

I don't know if that's a cool doctor. Kareem. I don't know if that's a cool doctor.

[Kareem Rama]

It's interesting.

[Ego Odom]

It's certainly interesting. So you're going for interesting. You really wanted to be interesting.

[Kareem Rama]

I think. I think a three dimensional, cool, interesting person.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Hopefully she's not a fucking loser.

[Ego Odom]

Do you want. Shut up.

[Kareem Rama]

Imagine she's a loser.

[Ego Odom]

Well, if she's a loser. If she's getting. Oh, my gosh. I actually. I hope she's not a loser, because what is Kareem?

[Kareem Rama]

Exactly.

[Ego Odom]

I hope she's not a loser.

[Kareem Rama]

We both hope.

[Ego Odom]

What does a loser even look like? You know?

[Kareem Rama]

Well, we know Billy no mates.

[Ego Odom]

Billy no. No mates. You're British now. No mates. You've got no mates.

[Kareem Rama]

I Googled that. There's something called Billy nomates.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, what's the etymology on that? I mean, etymology is important. Okay, yeah, of course. No mates. Yeah, but I'm like, why is it British? I want to know why. It's English. Excuse me. Why is it English? They're gonna skew my ass.

[Kareem Rama]

What's an English saying?

[Ego Odom]

Billy, no mates. Billy no mates.

[Kareem Rama]

Yes. You have Such a good radio voice.

[Ego Odom]

Thanks. You know, I appreciate you.

[Kareem Rama]

You finally have a podcast. Been waiting our whole lives for this lady to start a radio show.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, my God. Dad, dad. Thank you.

[Kareem Rama]

Proud of you.

[Ego Odom]

Thank you, dad.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm really proud of you.

[Ego Odom]

Thank you, dad.

[Kareem Rama]

You know, you pursued your passions to be in a hot, sweaty ass room with microphones in your face.

[Ego Odom]

A microphone right in my face. I'm asking Anita. An engineer, Anita. Cutting things out. Exactly. I'm drinking water. Well, I guess I have a question and a half. One of them is, is there anything that you're super worried you're going to fuck up?

[Kareem Rama]

I mean, I'm worried that I'll spoil her. I'm worried that I'm gonna have a spoiled kid.

[Ego Odom]

And is there anything you're doing to counter that possibility?

[Kareem Rama]

I say often, I'm like, I think we're spoiling her. And then I have heard many times that you can't spoil a baby.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

Which might be true.

[Ego Odom]

Okay, Might be true.

[Kareem Rama]

And I think it is true.

[Ego Odom]

I bet. Well, I feel like Freud would be like, no, you can spoil a baby. And here's how I feel like Freud, he's dead. So tbd, I guess Freud is. Freud is Daddy. I have Freud on the next episode, by the way, coming as my dad for the day again. You're gonna do the seance. Bring him to the studio. Because again, I don't want to be there for the seance. Okay. I end every episode. Let's get him together with my dad and then mine. No, where he's at, mine's out. Mine didn't show up. I don't really want to.

[Kareem Rama]

He can. He can psychoanalyze.

[Ego Odom]

He doesn't have to be included. Can we pick someone like C.S. lewis? I love C.S. lewis. That would have been a cool dad, that Clive Staples Lewis. He's an author and, like, theologian of sorts.

[Kareem Rama]

Hope my kid doesn't read.

[Ego Odom]

You don't seem. You don't. You sit on the train all day. Of course you don't read, dad. And I mean that.

[Kareem Rama]

I read my phone. I read articles.

[Ego Odom]

I read my phone. I'm reading my phone, Mom. Okay? Literally, I end every episode asking my dad for the day for a piece of advice. So, Kareem. I mean, excuse me. I would never call my dad by his first name. Dad. I get a matcha every day. It's a sort of ritual. And. And I'm not a coffee drinker. Matcha has become a new thing here in the Western world. In the last, like, I don't know. I want to say like five, six years where, like, we discovered matcha over here. So now I get a matcha.

[Kareem Rama]

I know what matcha is.

[Ego Odom]

No, no, no. I know that you. I just don't want to seem ignorant. Be like, you know, matcha just came on the scene last. No matcha existed before.

[Kareem Rama]

I'm acting.

[Ego Odom]

I know. Okay. Oh, wait, stop acting.

[Kareem Rama]

You're breaking the third wall.

[Ego Odom]

No, dad. Dad.

[Kareem Rama]

Fourth wall.

[Ego Odom]

Dad.

[Kareem Rama]

Okay, so, Dad, I was reacting like a dad.

[Ego Odom]

Dad, you and I just can't.

[Kareem Rama]

I know what matcha is.

[Ego Odom]

Dad, you and I just can't. Dad. Let me finish my explanation. So I didn't drink coffee before. So when you'd hear people be like, careful of that coffee you're getting every day because one, you don't want to become addicted, and two, you're dishing out six, seven dollars for a coffee every day. Now, as of the last, like, year, I'm a matcha everyday person. I go get my matcha. There's several coffee shops in my neighborhood that I'm like, I'm going to get a matcha from here today. Might get too much as a day. Dad, do you think I should stop getting matches? And do you think it's kind of wasteful?

[Kareem Rama]

I think that you should get. Get. If they make you happy, you should get the matchas.

[Ego Odom]

Okay.

[Kareem Rama]

And if there's another reason that you're getting the matchas, like, they're convenient and they allow you an extra half hour to do something else that you would rather be doing instead of making the matcha at home, I think you should buy the matcha and spend the five or six or $7 on it. And if you're concerned about money, I think you should find another way to save the money. So maybe instead of taking an Uber home every time, which I saw the Uber bill last month.

[Ego Odom]

I'm sorry, but thank you for letting me put your credit card on my account.

[Kareem Rama]

I know. And look, I'm not gonna cut you off, but I do think that you should try to like, walking is very nice. And you don't have a job right now.

[Ego Odom]

I don't.

[Kareem Rama]

So you can see the city, take a long walk home.

[Ego Odom]

Right.

[Kareem Rama]

You know you can walk home from anywhere.

[Ego Odom]

Yeah.

[Kareem Rama]

If you got the time. And you certainly do have the time, because I know you're working on your website, on my website, so I understand.

[Ego Odom]

That you have to buy my website. My website is a website where. Where men wear your little T shirts like women's T shirts. And it's like a crop top on them, and then they have, like, underwear on and they say like, I'm Hank and I'm wearing brand, you know? Anyway, you get it. I'll explain it to you.

[Kareem Rama]

Well, daughter, let me tell you a little story about.

[Ego Odom]

Yes, you started. Okay. Thank you so much, dad. We gotta go. Thank you so much, Kareem.

[Kareem Rama]

Thank you.

[Ego Odom]

Is there anything that you wanna plug beyond what we said in the intro?

[Kareem Rama]

No. I guess, yeah, maybe a little bit. Listen to my new album, no Worries. If not on Spotify, Apple Music, wherever you listen to albums and subscribe to Subway Takes, Keep the Meter Running and Kareem on Instagram. And I love you all.

[Ego Odom]

Oh, he loves everybody. My dad loves everybody. Thank you so much, Kareem. It's so fun.

[Kareem Rama]

Thank you.

[Ego Odom]

Thanks, dad Is a Headgum podcast created and hosted by me, Ego Odom. This show is engineered by Rachelle Chen and Anya Kanovskaya and edited by Rachelle Chen with executive producer Emma Foley. Katie Mooney Moose is our VP of content at Headgum. Thanks to Jason Matheny for our show Art and Ferris Manshi for our theme song. For more podcasts by headgum, visit headgum.com or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and maybe, just maybe, we'll read it on a future episode. That was a Headgum podcast.

[C]

Hi, I'm Caleb Herron, host of the so True podcast now on Headgum. Every week, me and my guests get into it and we get down to what's really going on. I ask them what's so true to them, how they got to where they are in life, a bunch of other questions. And we also may or may not test their general trivia knowledge. Whether it's one of my sworn enemies like Brittany Broski or Jewel Foullow, or my actual biological mother, Kelly, my guests and I are just after the truth, and if we find it, great. And if not, no worries. So subscribe to so True on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or. Or wherever you get your podcasts, and watch video episodes on the so True with Caleb Heron YouTube channel. New episodes drop every Thursday.

[Kareem Rama]

Love ya.