Randall Park

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim" featuring Randall Park

Episode Title: Randall Park
Release Date: December 16, 2024
Host: Ego Nwodim
Guest: Randall Park

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1. Introduction to the Episode

In this heartfelt episode of "Thanks Dad," hosted by Ego Nwodim, the comedian and actress welcomes Randall Park to be her "Dad for the Day." The conversation delves deep into their personal experiences with fatherhood, cultural expectations, and the evolving understanding of parental love and support.

---

2. Upbringing and Family Backgrounds

Ego begins by sharing her upbringing, being raised by a single mother alongside her brother. She touches upon the stoic demeanor of her late father, embodying the traditional stoic Asian father archetype.

Ego Nwodim [11:12]: "My dad was, and I say was because he just passed away recently. A few months ago. On the outside, a very... stoic Asian father... he worked very hard. He loved his family so much, particularly his two sons, me and my brother."

Randall reveals his own complex relationship with his absent father.

Randall Park [03:34]: "I was raised by a single mom, and I don't have a relationship with my dad. And he's actually dead now, so it's not possible unless there's an afterlife."

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3. Cultural Influences on Parenting

They discuss how their cultural backgrounds influenced their parents' way of expressing love. Ego explains that her immigrant parents from Korea didn't verbalize affection as openly, focusing instead on actions.

Ego Nwodim [13:36]: "It was just cultural in my... both of my parents are immigrants that came here."

Randall reflects on similar experiences in his familial context.

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4. Expressing Love and Emotions

The conversation shifts to how love was communicated within their families. Ego shares that while her father didn't say "I love you," his actions spoke volumes.

Ego Nwodim [12:14]: "They just knew it. We just knew it. We would... people around him would always tell us how much he loved his boys."

Randall contrasts this with his own opening up after becoming a parent, feeling more comfortable expressing emotions.

Randall Park [05:26]: "I felt like I went too hard in the other direction. I'll cry because I'm happy. I'll cry because something's funny."

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5. Pursuing Dreams vs. Parental Expectations

Ego discusses her struggles with pursuing acting against her parents' traditional expectations of careers like doctor or lawyer.

Ego Nwodim [22:33]: "When I decided to pursue this professionally, both of my parents were like, 'What are you talking about? Are you insane?'"

Randall relates by sharing how both he and his siblings pursued paths different from their parents' wishes, highlighting the immigrant pursuit of the "American dream" focused on stability.

Randall Park [24:52]: "They wanted us to be happy, but their idea of happy is financial stability and respect from the community. Doctor."

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6. Personal Growth and Perspective Shift

Becoming a parent allowed both Ego and Randall to reassess their relationships with their own fathers. Randall particularly notes that parenting helped him understand his mom's efforts better.

Randall Park [37:23]: "Finding some success and being able to make a good living at it, it kind of took the pressure off me a little bit. And I think without that pressure, I was able to understand them a little better."

Ego also reflects on this growth, recognizing the sacrifices her immigrant father made.

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7. Parenting Today

Ego talks about her daughter Ruby, who is on the autism spectrum with limited verbal communication. This deepens her appreciation for actions over words in expressing love.

Ego Nwodim [41:21]: "Ruby doesn't have to say it. I just know she does. ... the words are important, but... it's really just the actions and the feeling and the intention and what's in your heart."

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8. Advice and Insights from Randall as "Dad for the Day"

In a unique twist, Randall assumes the role of Ego's dad and offers advice to listeners, notably on handling peer pressure regarding drug use.

Randall Park [62:25]: "If you do decide to try something, I would see it as very much like... I'm going to experience this once. Approach it with pure curiosity. But if there's a part of me that is wanting to try it as a means of escapism, that's probably... can be a little wary of that."

Ego adds perspective on the importance of safe boundaries and being cautious about who influences one to try drugs.

Ego Nwodim [66:21]: "See, who are inviting you to be a part of this. Are they good people?"

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9. Concluding Insights

Both Ego and Randall share profound reflections on family, love languages, and the non-verbal expressions of love. They conclude by valuing actions over words in relationships, with Ego emphasizing the importance of community and loved ones.

Randall Park [39:31]: "Love is a verb. And it's an action that you experience and show love in reality."

Ego Nwodim [44:07]: "That's what really matters ... the people around you, the neighbors, the community, your friends and us."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ego Nwodim [21:43]: "Yes. Yes."
• Randall Park [34:33]: "Oh, wow."
• Ego Nwodim [43:16]: "And it's fun to have things."
• Randall Park [55:27]: "Hegedon... oh, that sounds so much like a Man."

(Note: Timestamps correspond to the transcript provided. Some quotes have been paraphrased for clarity and relevance.)

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Final Thoughts

This episode of "Thanks Dad" offers listeners an intimate glimpse into the complexities of father-son relationships, cultural expectations, and the transformative power of parenting. Through candid conversations, Ego and Randall explore themes of love, sacrifice, and personal growth, providing both humor and heartfelt insights.

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For more episodes of "Thanks Dad" and other Headgum podcasts, visit Headgum.com or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts to share your thoughts!

Transcript

[Igo Wodom]

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[Randall Park]

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[Igo Wodom]

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[Randall Park]

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[Igo Wodom]

I do.

[Randall Park]

I do, too.

[Igo Wodom]

I do.

[Randall Park]

You were raised to say thank you?

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

Yes. I would have to say, and that sounds so heavy. I like this about us.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

I was raised, like, if my mom dropped me off at ballet practice, I said thank you, even though it's like, who else was going to take me?

[Igo Wodom]

Yes, yes.

[Randall Park]

You still say thank you always. And I've had people say to me, you say thank you too much. And I'm like, it's just how I was raised. And I'm like, if you had to choose between me not saying thank you enough and saying thank you too much, we would go say thank you more. Right?

[Igo Wodom]

Well, yeah. I notice on my text chains, like, if I'm, you know, I'm constantly thanking someone and then they'll like, write one thing back and then I'll say thank you again and I'll look back at the chain and like, there's just so many things.

[Randall Park]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Okay. The other thing I was going to say, Randall, is I'm just noticing for the first time ever, you have a tattoo. Oh, I'm on a tattoo kick right now.

[Igo Wodom]

Well, they're very, like, big and small.

[Randall Park]

Mine are, too. For shame.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Yeah. But it's. Yeah, my. This is my wife's name and my daughter's name. Oh, that's so cool.

[Randall Park]

Did you get them the same day?

[Igo Wodom]

I did, I did.

[Randall Park]

Were you worried you were going to get in trouble with your parents?

[Igo Wodom]

No. No. Cause it's. Cause I'm an adult.

[Randall Park]

I know. I don't think.

[Igo Wodom]

I'm a grown man still there Are those thoughts?

[Randall Park]

But every once in a while you knew. Okay. Have your parents seen them?

[Igo Wodom]

Well, my brother has, like, full sleeves.

[Randall Park]

Oh, really?

[Igo Wodom]

So I could really do anything at this point.

[Randall Park]

Is your brother older or younger?

[Igo Wodom]

Older.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Usually it's the youngest who kind of goes like, I'm the youngest, and I've gone down a different path. And usually it's the youngest who walls out. Shout out to your brother for being brave.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, for sure.

[Randall Park]

Was that rough when he first got a tattoo, or was he also grown? He.

[Igo Wodom]

I think he was older.

[Randall Park]

He was older.

[Igo Wodom]

Not super older, but I think he didn't live in la.

[Randall Park]

Oh, how did he live in la?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, he lived away. So he was able to kind of live with it and then slowly unveil it.

[Randall Park]

Yes. Because he'd wear long sleeves or something around the family.

[Igo Wodom]

And then one day, and it was like, 100 degrees out, he'd be in like.

[Randall Park]

What's going on with your brother?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Is he sick? Does he have a fever? Okay. Hi, guys. I'm a gom. And welcome to. Thanks, dad. I'm gonna do the intro now.

[Igo Wodom]

Sure.

[Randall Park]

I was raised by a single mom, and I don't have a relationship with my dad. And here's the thing, guys. Not only do I not have a relationship with him, I'm never gonna have one. And I know we're not supposed to speak in absolutes, but here's the thing. He's actually dead now, so it's not possible unless there's an afterlife. I like to believe in one, but I feel like if there is one, I'll probably still not have a relationship with him. Randall doesn't like the sound of the. Randall furrows his brows at the thought. What gave you pause? You think in the afterlife I would have one?

[Igo Wodom]

I mean, I don't know. You don't believe in the afterlife? I don't know. So I would say. I wouldn't rule that out.

[Randall Park]

Okay. That's true. Okay. That's fair. No absolutes. That's the whole point. I won't have a relationship with him on Earth. That's fair.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

Because he's gone.

[Igo Wodom]

Unless. Who knows? Unless we're back on Earth, I don't know what happens next.

[Randall Park]

Fair enough. In my mind, once we go, we're definitely not here.

[Igo Wodom]

Reincarnated into, you know, a horse and another horse. Who knows?

[Randall Park]

You never know. I, the other day, just feeling very spiritual, and I'll probably say, cut this out. I say that probably ten times an episode. I maybe shouldn't be Hosting a podcast. I just feel like a freedom here because I'm not on a live TV show.

[Igo Wodom]

I get to be like, we're gonna.

[Randall Park]

Cut that out and cut that out and cut all. There's no podcast.

[Igo Wodom]

There's no podcast. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

I just brought you here to talk to me in front of mics, that's all. But the other day, I was feeling very woo woo. And I have a dog. His name is Chief. He is a little over a year old, and I don't know why. Maybe I was crying about something. I don't think so. I don't think so. And I looked at him and I was like, is this my grandmother? So I was like, mama, is this mama reincarnated? And then he immediately walked away from me. And I go, okay, that was a weird moment, but I didn't need to tell anyone about.

[Igo Wodom]

Wait, so what fascinates me about what you just said is that you were crying.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

But you didn't remember what it was about. Which makes me wonder, do you cry often?

[Randall Park]

I am a crier, but I wasn't always. I used to think crying was weak. I was like a sign of weakness. And then when I realized it wasn't a sign of weakness, and it's actually quite healthy.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

I feel like I went too hard in the other direction. And I'm like, I'll cry because I'm happy. I'll cry because something's funny. I'll cry because I'm sad. I'll cry because something's touching. I think last week I cried multiple times. Nothing to do with my life. Just touching stories or touching moments, making me.

[Igo Wodom]

That's beautiful.

[Randall Park]

Thank you. But now I'm like, it's not weakness. What a cool thing to cry.

[Igo Wodom]

You're alive.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, I'm alive. And I'm feeling things. Right.

[Igo Wodom]

And you're seeing people in your pets?

[Randall Park]

Yes, in my pets. And I'm thinking. And then immediately I go, is that you? And they go, no, bitch, walk away from me.

[Igo Wodom]

Unless your grandmother was one to walk away from.

[Randall Park]

And then I was thinking that I go, okay, I'm trying to remember, was that her thing? And I don't recall that being. Okay, okay, okay. We were really close. But anyway, Randall, on this podcast, I'm sitting down with father figures who are old enough to be my dad. No offense, Randall. No offense.

[Igo Wodom]

That's true.

[Randall Park]

I'm 12, so. I'm 12, and I have this crazy career in life. Or men who are just dads themselves, you know? Or people who are just dads themselves. I'm gonna get to ask the questions I've always wanted to ask a dad. Like, how do I know if the guy I'm dating is right for me? What's the, like, dad giveaway? Or what should I look out for when I'm buying a car so I don't get bamboozled by the car salesman? Or can you teach me how to change my oil? Could you teach me how to change my oil if we went outside right now?

[Igo Wodom]

No, but I could take you to. I could show you where you can get your oil change from a trustworthy person. Yeah. I don't know.

[Randall Park]

Buy a trustworthy. You don't even know that they're trustworthy. They could tell you any number. Right.

[Igo Wodom]

I'm pretty much one of those guys. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

I will say this. Today I was talking to my friend, and she was talking about how she had a contractor come to her house for repairs, a bunch of repairs, regularly. And it was always like, oh, this is a really big problem. This is going to cost $8,000. And then someone overheard that conversation once and told her, like, you should reach out to my contractor. Same problem. That new contractor comes and is like, oh, that'll be like, I think 350 bucks.

[Igo Wodom]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Randall Park]

Are you getting taken advantage of by contractors, Randall?

[Igo Wodom]

No, because I get a lot of estimates.

[Randall Park]

Oh, you do? Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Thorough.

[Randall Park]

Yes.

[Igo Wodom]

I always get a lot of estimates.

[Randall Park]

Okay. Henry David Thoreau.

[Igo Wodom]

Y.

[Randall Park]

Okay. That's me, that's me. That's me. Thoreau spelled a different way. Not French. I look up reviews. A lot of everything. I feel like I won't make a decision without being like, what are the people saying?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, it's reviews. It's getting options.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

And it's the vibe.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

The energy vibe is big, Randall.

[Randall Park]

This is maybe basic, but maybe not. And I'm not calling you basic now, but I've lately been like, oh, I can just go off of gut and energy and instinct.

[Igo Wodom]

Vibe is big. Big.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

In everything.

[Randall Park]

Yes. But when did you learn that, by the way?

[Igo Wodom]

Well, I think it's different for different people, too, though, because I think some people maybe their. I don't know, ability to feel and read people, can be easily compromised, you know, by whatever, you know? But I think for me, I've always been pretty good at it. And I think I've gotten better as I've gotten older.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

What is your sign?

[Igo Wodom]

I'm an Aries.

[Randall Park]

An Aries. Which is. Hold on. I'm always like, I'm not into astrology. Cause I Once knew nothing about it. But then I'll be like, now I still say that thing, but I'm like, maybe I am into it, but I'm still owning that old.

[Igo Wodom]

What's yours?

[Randall Park]

I'm a Pisces, so I know Aries is. You're like late March, April, Right?

[Igo Wodom]

Yep.

[Randall Park]

This is cool. This is growth for me because I once knew nothing about it. But that means you're like a little fiery, right?

[Igo Wodom]

Fiery?

[Randall Park]

You don't seem fiery.

[Igo Wodom]

No, I'm not. But I think inside that there's a fire. And I think Aries are passionate. Their leadership skills involved there somewhere.

[Randall Park]

Yes. Yes.

[Igo Wodom]

And yeah. It's like the first sign of zodiac. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Randyl we've worked together once. We met another time at a conference. I do feel like if I was in a situation where it was like, apocalypse.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

And I saw you out in the wild.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

And there were zombies or something, I feel like I would go, like, I can trust Randall.

[Igo Wodom]

I really appreciate that.

[Randall Park]

I really mean that. You've got a good spirit. See, my vibe says that your vibe is good, which is perfect because you're my dad for the day. You've seen my next guest, who I've spoken to at length already in Fresh off the Boat. Always be my maybe. I loved that. And WandaVision, which is not to say I didn't like the other two.

[Igo Wodom]

It's okay.

[Randall Park]

Okay. Oh, boy. I'm really shitting the bay. Okay. Please welcome my dad for the day, Randall Park.

[Igo Wodom]

Thank you. A go.

[Randall Park]

I'm so happy you're here.

[Igo Wodom]

But how do you feel about the other two, though?

[Randall Park]

Okay. I'm so glad you asked. Fresh off the boat.

[Igo Wodom]

Just be honest.

[Randall Park]

You're fishing. You're fresh off the boat and you're fishing. I'm gonna say I loved them all.

[Igo Wodom]

You didn't watch either. They were just fine.

[Randall Park]

I've actually never seen any of these. That's not true. That's not true. I loved them all. I've seen some of all I've seen always be my maybe and I've seen some of all that's the truth.

[Igo Wodom]

Thank you. Okay.

[Randall Park]

Okay. Oh, my goodness. I just started sweating. I was sweating. No, Randall, I'm so glad you're here. This is a huge, gigantic honor. Truly.

[Igo Wodom]

Right back at you.

[Randall Park]

Oh, my goodness.

[Igo Wodom]

And to be your dad for the day. For the day.

[Randall Park]

This is huge for me. We have to start by talking about origin stories.

[Igo Wodom]

Okay.

[Randall Park]

Yes.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

What was your dad like?

[Igo Wodom]

My dad was, and I say was because he just passed away recently.

[Randall Park]

I'm sorry.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. A few months ago.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

But he was a. I think on the outside, a very. I wouldn't say stereotypical dad, but he was kind of that stoic Asian father, you know? Like, he didn't. He wasn't big into conversation.

[Randall Park]

Got it, man.

[Igo Wodom]

A few words. Yes, man, a few words. He worked very hard. Very hard. He loved his family so much, particularly his two sons, me and my brother. And he wouldn't tell us that he loved us.

[Randall Park]

Sure.

[Igo Wodom]

But we just knew it. We just knew it. And we would. And people who were around him would always tell us how much he loved his boys and how he would brag about us and something that I never was privy to.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. But you could feel that love, right? Yes.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

In action, right?

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

I'm presuming I say this because I introduced to my nuclear family. I don't wanna speak for the rest of my family, saying, I love you. I heard a song in college, and this again, I'm judging myself. Sounds basic, but I heard a song in college, and I actually am gonna say what the song was. I was reticent to say the song because everyone hates this person now, but it was Kanye West.

[Igo Wodom]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[Randall Park]

I think Big Brother by Kanye on graduation. It's about Jay Z. Love for Jay.

[Igo Wodom]

Great song.

[Randall Park]

Great song. But he said people never get the flowers while they can still smell them.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

So I don't know if it was necessarily right after college. I could have been in college. I'm anywhere from, like, 19 to 22. And I hear that and I go, oh, yeah. That is an insane way to live.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

And I know my mom loves me. I feel it in action. I'm so provided for. I feel so protected by her. But why don't we say it so that we can be sure. Like, it's nice to hear it. And so I take responsibility for introducing that.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. That's my beautiful. That's beautiful. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Did your mom say I love you? Was she one to say it?

[Igo Wodom]

She didn't when we were real little growing up. But I would say once we started to get out of the house and, you know, once we were going to college and stuff, she would say it. Yeah. Yeah. And we would say it back.

[Randall Park]

What do you think that was a function of that? Like, when you were little, you didn't hear it from her, but, like, the older you got and once you were out of the house, you started.

[Igo Wodom]

I think it's just cultural, you know. I think it's just cultural in my. You know, both of My parents are immigrants that came here, my dad in the late 60s, my mom in the early 70s. And it just wasn't something, I guess in their mind needed to be expressed. Cause it was just, it was what it was, you know, right then they.

[Randall Park]

Just know and you knew and they knew.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. But growing up as a kid, it was like, I didn't know, you know, I was just like, why, you know, why can't they be like my friend's parents? I know.

[Randall Park]

Where did they emigrate from? Just for clarity.

[Igo Wodom]

From Korea.

[Randall Park]

From Korea. I feel a lot of that too. Where you go when you're younger. I don't know if this is accurate to say the sense I get is we're like in a. Where first gen or second gen people whose families are from different cultures but living in the States. I feel like there's an embrace of our identity in a way now.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

That was not reflected when we were younger. I think when we were younger we were trying to assimilate and be like, I just wanna be like everyone else.

[Igo Wodom]

Sure, sure. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

I resonate with that so, so much. Now you said your dad really loved his boys, right?

[Igo Wodom]

Really loved his boys.

[Randall Park]

Did you have sisters?

[Igo Wodom]

No, no, just the two sisters.

[Randall Park]

Just the two. Cause I was like, oh my goodness, the girls must have felt left out. But no, no, they didn't. There were no girls.

[Igo Wodom]

No, no girls.

[Randall Park]

Now you said on the outside he seemed one way. What's the sense you got of him on the inside? Like, yes, really loved his boys. Really proud of us.

[Igo Wodom]

Really loved his boys. Really, really proud of us. But, you know, wasn't overly excitable about our achievements. You know, just like, was very strict in terms of just like education. Education. Education, you know, very kind of dependable. And you know, he was a great dad. He was real great dad. I wouldn't say in the traditional sense. You know, it wasn't like he, you know, threw a baseball with us or anything like that.

[Randall Park]

Why are we coming up with that? You know, sorry. And I said, because this is part of why I wanna have the podcast. I'm like, we have TV dads.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

And I guess some people do actually have TV dads, but it doesn't seem like many people do or did. What do you feel about that?

[Igo Wodom]

What do you mean in terms of.

[Randall Park]

The, like throwing the baseball in the yard.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, doing those things.

[Randall Park]

More people's dads are a little more berserk. I don't know.

[Igo Wodom]

I don't know. I felt like my growing up in la, I had a very Diverse set of friends. And I would say a lot of my white friends, at least in my head growing up, their dads were so much like the TV dads, you know, like. Yeah. And I'd always be like, why can't my dad be more like them? You know, why can't my mom be more like their moms? You know? Right. But now that I'm older, I just have a totally different perspective on it. You know, they were. They loved us just as much and they. And they sacrificed just as much, you know, and if not more.

[Randall Park]

If not more. I was just about to chime in, not to put words in. I was gonna say, if not more.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Just leaving their homes.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Being immigrants and learning a language and somehow finding work and making a living. And, you know, my dad was. He worked in. He had a one hour photo store.

[Randall Park]

Oh, cool.

[Igo Wodom]

Okay. Yeah. For many, many years. And. And then after that, he worked at a souvenir shop on Hollywood Boulevard.

[Randall Park]

Oh, really? Wow.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Did he ever retire?

[Igo Wodom]

He did, he did. Shortly before he passed.

[Randall Park]

Oh, really?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. I mean, he was a worker. He just loved to work.

[Randall Park]

He loves to work. Do you think he was passionate about his work?

[Igo Wodom]

I think he was passionate about his family, you know, so like the work wasn't, you know, probably like the, you know, I don't know what his dream job was. It was never like a question that we had. But he's human. I'm sure he, at some point he had a dream job, sure he had a dream life, and I don't think that was the life he necessarily led, but he did have his dream family. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

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[Igo Wodom]

Yes. Yes.

[Randall Park]

And now, Randall, you're an actor.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes, yes.

[Randall Park]

Which you don't necessarily have to go to school. School for. I can relate. Right. What was that conversation like telling him that you wanted to be an actor?

[Igo Wodom]

It was. Well, it came later. So I was. When I was at ucla, I kind of discovered writing and acting and out of college I kept doing it kind of on the side for fun. But I was working these full time jobs and at a certain point in my mid to later twenties, I decided that I wanted to do this professionally. And, and I did bring it up to them pretty early, maybe like mid-20s. And both of my parents were like, what are you talking about? Of course. Yeah. What are you, Are you insane?

[Randall Park]

Our son has lost his mind at ucla. They put something in the water and now he's talking crazy.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes, they were. And you know, and now I see it from their side because I was a shy kid.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

I was not like a performer, you know.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

I was very much like that kid who would, you know, be really quiet in the corner, you know, so they never saw that side of me that was flourishing at college, you know, and so they just thought I was crazy and really, really were adamantly against it.

[Randall Park]

Did they seem worried once you started to go down that path?

[Igo Wodom]

Yes, but they didn't really know. I didn't tell them.

[Randall Park]

Okay, so you brough. And then they had their reaction to it, which was like, what the heck are you talking about? And then you're like, maybe I'm not going to talk to you guys about this.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes. And I say it was just once when I brought it to them, but I probably brought it up numerous times over the course of a year or something. And every time the Reaction was the same, and if not even more adamant over time.

[Randall Park]

Right, right.

[Igo Wodom]

So at a certain point, I was like, if I were to do this, I can't lean on them for support because they're gonna, you know, express their, you know, disdain. Disdain for. And then it's gonna discourage me from, you know. And I was very sensitive, and I kind of needed as much of a support system as possible, so I just went after it without them knowing.

[Randall Park]

Oh, wow. Okay. Did you think they had something they did want you to do?

[Igo Wodom]

Well, you know, what was the thing? Doctor lawyer.

[Randall Park]

Of course. Okay. I just had to ask to be sure, you know, for our listeners who might not be privy in my mind. I'm like, I know, I know. It's Dr. Lawyer. Was engineer even an option engineer?

[Igo Wodom]

I mean, that would have been fantastic.

[Randall Park]

Okay, great.

[Igo Wodom]

Okay.

[Randall Park]

Did your brother go into something in that world? Okay, what does your brother do?

[Igo Wodom]

He works in an optometrist's office. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Okay, great.

[Igo Wodom]

But he's not an optometrist. And so neither of us really did exactly what they wanted. And me especially.

[Randall Park]

Right. When our parents immigrate to the States, it's like, what's the American dream? They have an idea of it. And I go, ah, but coming to the Western world also means your kids learn about the pursuit of happiness.

[Igo Wodom]

I know.

[Randall Park]

And following their passions. And it's not exactly what you think it is.

[Igo Wodom]

Well, you know, I think they want us to be happy.

[Randall Park]

Yes. For sure.

[Igo Wodom]

But their idea of happy is financial stability and respect from the community. And, you know, Doctor.

[Randall Park]

Yes. My son is a doctor. My daughter is a doctor.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. And it took me a while to realize that. I thought at the time, oh, they just don't want me to pursue my dreams for whatever reason, you know? But really, they were concerned because they knew how difficult, especially my mom, because my mom worked at ucla.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

And she saw all these, you know, kids fresh out of college who wanted to pursue acting, and she saw how difficult it was for them. So she knew, you know, And I remember at one time, she even showed me, like, one of her, I guess a young person who worked in our office was trying to be an actor, and he had an acting reel.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

And she showed it to me, and she was like, this guy is so handsome. He's so talented. Look at his real. And I think it was her way of discouraging me because she was like, you're not like him.

[Randall Park]

You're not handsome. You're not talented, you're shy. What was she trying to be like, you're my little ugly son.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, my little ugly son. And look at this guy. And he's having a hard time.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, I see what you're saying. My mom actually bought of vhs. Okay. So my brother, who is not a football player now, but is a spine surgeon, wanted to play football at, like. I'm gonna place him at, like, 10 years old. He, like, wanted to be a football player. And even if it wasn't like, I wanna do that professionally, it's like, that's the sport I wanna play. I'm drawn to that. My mom bought a VHS tape of the greatest injuries in NFL history for him. I remember that being in our VHS collection and her just being like, yeah, I bought this to discourage him from playing. I mean, he still went on to play and he walked on. But I was like, the notion that you'd be like, that's what you want to do. I don't want you to go down that path. So I'm going to show you everything dark about that.

[Igo Wodom]

Well, one thing I remember my mom doing was we just sat. This was like, during that year period where I'd bring it up to her, you know, she sat me down in front of the tv and it was just like, let's wait for the first Asian face to pop up.

[Randall Park]

Oh, Mom. Savage.

[Igo Wodom]

Savage.

[Randall Park]

And also at that time, too. Oh, baby.

[Igo Wodom]

And, yeah, and we, you know, it was like, I don't even remember. I don't even think we saw one, you know, and it was like. She was like, that's my point.

[Randall Park]

Of course. Of course there's no model for it, and there's nothing linear about it. So you can't say to them, hey, I'm going to do this, this and this, and it's going to lead to this. The way, like, going to medical school, it's take step one, step two, and then at the end of those steps, I'm here.

[Igo Wodom]

That's right.

[Randall Park]

You just can't say that. And all that uncertainty is not something that would put one's mind at each.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. And those first, you know, that first decade plus, it was like, oh, my God, they're right.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

This is so hard.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. And you didn't take any of your challenges to them then because you're like, I don't want them to feel like they're right. And I don't want to be discouraged. Right.

[Igo Wodom]

I did not want to hear and I told you so, you know.

[Randall Park]

God, no.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

So much of that resonates with me. Do you feel like there were Things you could talk to your dad about where it's like, mom is good to talk, too, about this thing. Dad is really good for this thing with my dad.

[Igo Wodom]

Not really. Not really. You know, it was very. I don't know, we just talked about kind of the day, and, you know, it wasn't like there weren't, like, deep, personal kind of things that I felt like I could bring to him, you know?

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. That was more my mom.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

And when you were, like, pursuing acting and feeling discouraged and feeling frustrated and knowing you couldn't take it to your parents and knowing, like, okay, dad and I are not gonna have some deep conversation, were there other male figures in your life with whom you did think you could have those sorts of conversations?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, I mean, you know, I was doing theater. I was doing standup for a long time. I was doing sketch and improv. And so I had, like, a community of fellow actors who I really depended on and who I got a lot of encouragement from. But also, like, teachers, acting school classes I was always in, and I had teachers who very much served that purpose. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Does anyone stand out in particular? Teachers wise?

[Igo Wodom]

Teachers wise? Oh, gosh, yeah. Yeah, there were a few. But there's a school out here in LA run by this guy named John Rosenfeld, who I was with for years.

[Randall Park]

I know that name.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

From being a young actor pursuing acting and trying to find an acting class.

[Igo Wodom]

Okay, cool. Yeah. And I really enjoyed his class and got a. From that experience. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Was there, like, a moment you can remember, though, when you go, I feel like my dad is proud of what it is I'm pursuing. So, like, you're pursuing it behind their back. You're facing your own challenges, but you have the community around you. Is there a moment where it's like, I would say what you're doing on your own connects to your family life? And they go, oh, we know what he's up to, and we're proud.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. I think slowly that happened slowly. First thing, they saw me on a commercial, and they were like, oh, that's. That's. That's cool.

[Randall Park]

Did you show it to them or did they.

[Igo Wodom]

No, no, I did not show it to them.

[Randall Park]

You didn't? They saw the commercial on their own.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, I did not show it to them.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. And then I would. My name would pop up in the Korean newspaper, and that was, like, a big, big deal, you know?

[Randall Park]

Was that first, like, what jobs?

[Igo Wodom]

At first, it was like, commercials and, you know, and I was. There was a stretch when I was Doing a ton of commercials.

[Randall Park]

I could never book a commercial to save my life.

[Igo Wodom]

Oh, really?

[Randall Park]

It was so crazy because everyone was like, commercials. That's your foray into this whole thing. And that's easy.

[Igo Wodom]

Doing great.

[Randall Park]

I think I used to draw my eyebrows on too aggressively serious. And looking back at pictures, I go, oh, yeah, those eyebrows are very off putting. I think it was the eyebrows. Honestly, I feel like you have a.

[Igo Wodom]

Great energy that I would buy stuff off of.

[Randall Park]

Thank you, Randall. Thank you. This is the kind of stuff I want to hear from a dad.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Randall Park]

But I really, in looking back, I go, what was it? Because all my friends were booking commercials. And it's how people were like, subsidizing their life, pursuing acting to get in TV and film. And it just could not happen for me. And I ended up booking a cholesterol medication commercial nine years into my time in la.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Months before I got snl. Oh, wow.

[Igo Wodom]

And did that air?

[Randall Park]

That did air. And it was airing while I was on snl. And I remember someone tweeted at me, like, are you in a cholesterol medication commercial?

[Igo Wodom]

I mean, those could potentially keep going. So like, oh.

[Randall Park]

And it paid for my life. I was like, like little six figure mama that year. I was like, oh, I'm not broke for the first time. So there were commercials. And then what was.

[Igo Wodom]

And then they saw that I was like, you just said not broke for the first time. They saw that I was making a living, that I was like eating like healthy food for once, you know, and taking care of myself a little better. And I think they slowly started to kind of be okay with this, you.

[Randall Park]

Know, and they're not saying it, but you're noticing them ease up around the topic, is my guess.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes, for sure, for sure.

[Randall Park]

Did you have to borrow money from your parents during your pursuit?

[Igo Wodom]

I did. Early, early on.

[Randall Park]

Can you help paint that picture for me? Is this like, they know you're pursuing it or do you tell them, like, I need to borrow money because, like, my job's direct deposit didn't hit well.

[Igo Wodom]

There were periods where I would lose a job and be unemployed and I'd have share an apartment with somebody and, you know, and I would need help and they would like, help me out, lose a job.

[Randall Park]

Like an acting job or like a day job.

[Igo Wodom]

One of your day jobs. Okay, got you.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

And then there was a period where I would move back home, so they helped me in that way, you know, and there was a, you know, into my 30s, I was living with my.

[Randall Park]

Parents I was just going to ask you, how old were you when you were maybe, like, still living at home? Into your 30s?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, into my 30s.

[Randall Park]

Hard to pursue a career in this. There are harder things. I know. I'm not going to pretend it's the hardest thing in the world, but it is such a peculiar path to pursue.

[Igo Wodom]

It is. I think, statistically. I mean, it's got to be one of the harder jobs to make a living at just because so many people want to do it.

[Randall Park]

So many people and so few jobs, especially at the time you're pursuing. I'm not trying to age you again, guys. Randall's. What, you're 37 now?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Randall Park]

You know, you don't want to say you're real aging, huh?

[Igo Wodom]

I'm in my early 30s.

[Randall Park]

Early 30s. Randall, you look great.

[Igo Wodom]

Thank you so much.

[Randall Park]

Okay. So they would help subsidize your life. Say you lost a day job or you have to move back in. Was moving back in with your family, how did that feel for them?

[Igo Wodom]

They loved it.

[Randall Park]

That's what I think. If I told my mom today that I was. I need to move back home into her house in Baltimore, she wouldn't go, oh, I'm ashamed. My adult daughter, she's like, I'm just happy my daughter's home. Like, there's this, like, desire to have family.

[Igo Wodom]

Totally. Yeah. And so they were happy, you know, whenever I'd moved back, you know, and, yeah, it always baffled me when parents are like, you know, you're 18, you're out of the house.

[Randall Park]

I'm gonna tell you right now. Not the Nigerian experience either. It was like, my mom just feels responsible for me until the day she dies.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes, yes, absolutely.

[Randall Park]

That's what it seems like it would be.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Now, did your d. Did you ever get to see him upset?

[Igo Wodom]

Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Growing up.

[Randall Park]

Or, like, crying upset. When we talked about tears and me crying.

[Igo Wodom]

Once.

[Randall Park]

You saw him cry once?

[Igo Wodom]

Once.

[Randall Park]

What was that?

[Igo Wodom]

Well, no, once from, like, heartache. Okay. Just when his sister passed. I saw it. I don't think I was supposed to see it, but I saw it.

[Randall Park]

Oh, wow.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Was it, like, in the room? Were they not thinking?

[Igo Wodom]

He was in the kitchen. You know, the door was closed, and I came in and he was crying.

[Randall Park]

Did you retreat? What did you do in that moment? Did you. Okay, I don't think I'm supposed to see this. I'm gonna leave.

[Igo Wodom]

I think I, like, you know, put my hand on him, and then I, you know.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

And then I let him be. You Know. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

And then many years later, I got an alumni of the year award at ucla.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

And I invited my family and gave this speech. And in the speech, I really kind of just thanked them, you know.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

And my dad was crying.

[Randall Park]

I have chills now. I genuinely have full body chills. That's beautiful. I think when a parent gets to see their child accomplish one a dream, especially if they're like, we're not into the whole dreamer of it all. We want you to have stability, but you got to accomplish your dream. And then to hear their child express gratitude and say, you are such a big part of this thing that I've gotten to do, I can only imagine how that. That's so cool.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Yeah. It was really. It was. That was a really special experience. And then. And then I was like, many years later, I was. I did the comm. Commencement speech at ucla, and my parents were there, and they were both just, like, so proud. And it was like. It kind of, you know, justified. Well, for me, it justified, you know, kind of going after it despite their, you know, being against it. But it also. It also kind of honored the fact that they supported me in a different way. You know, they let me live in the house. They let me, you know, they let me borrow money. They did all these things that allowed me to pursue this dream, even though they were really against me pursuing this dream.

[Randall Park]

But did you just. Even having this new perspective as you accomplish the things you had hoped to accomplish and they get to see you do that, does it feel like a stark difference from when you were pursuing it in that you kind of would have liked their support and more verbalized, it sounds like. Did you feel resentment at that time?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, I did. I did. I did feel resentment. And I think it wasn't until fresh off the boat actually really helped me kind of see things differently. And I think it's in part because I played an immigrant father, but also, I think finding some success and being able to make a good living at it, it kind of took the pressure off me a little bit. And I think without that pressure, I was able to understand them a little better. And I wasn't in this kind of mode of just like, just go after it and block out any negativity. And, you know, I was just, like, a little more open to understanding them.

[Randall Park]

Go from having that tunnel vision of, like, I'm in pursuit of this thing, and, yeah, I can't hear negativity. I have this one goal in mind. Fuck everything else. You get to go, okay, I Can breathe and I can see the world a little more for what it is. And, yeah, it looks bigger. That's very, very cool. But I also. I went to college sometimes I don't know how to do this podcast, and I'm like, I kind of touch on the same stories over and over again. I haven't touched on this one, but I feel like I had a very, like, ladybird moment when I got to college where I realized, like, my mom was just a human trying her best.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

And, you know, I wanted my mom to be one way, and she just wasn't that way. We got along well, but we also butt heads a bit. It was very strange. We were very close, though.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

Like, when I realized, like, oh, she's just trying her best, and, oh, my goodness, she gave me so many gifts, and I'm so proud of the morals she instilled in me. And I wasn't aware that that's what she was doing. But now that I'm out in the world and the world is bigger and I'm meeting other people who grew up in different households, I'm like, ah, yeah. Thank God you were instilling these values in me. I don't know if it's a shame or if it's just the way life is supposed to go, that hindsight is 20 20, as they say, or that you just have a new perspective the older you get.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

Because part of me wishes that, like, while we were young, I know what they're doing. They're just.

[Igo Wodom]

I know. I know. And, you know, I do feel, you know, because my dad recently passed, and I do feel some guilt, you know, that I wasn't a better son. You know, and I wish I would have been there more and then, you know, but at the same time, it's. You know, I know how much I meant to them, and I know how much they mean to me and my dad. And, you know, I have always loved my dad.

[Randall Park]

And it's also. Also, like, you hear, like, people speak about love languages, and we're like, my. My dad was not gonna say I love you while we were young. That. That just wasn't something I was gonna experience from him. But he showed his love in other ways. I really think love languages, people, I'm. They really do matter. And if you. You have to be able to interpret someone else's language and. And receive it for what it is.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. And, you know, hearing the words I love you, it's wonderful, you know, and beautiful. But it's easy to say that it's not easy. But if you can speak, you can say.

[Randall Park]

You can say it, and you can.

[Igo Wodom]

Also say it, and it doesn't.

[Randall Park]

Oh, my gosh. A lot of I've had people say it to me and Randall, you know, some of my stories, I've had people say it to me. And you go, yes, it's maybe not easy to say. If you try to be sincere and your feelings and your words are integrated and you're trying to say things, you mean. And things can feel uncomfortable, vulnerable. But it is a thing. If you can talk, you can say, I love you. But love is, as they say, a verb.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes, that's right.

[Randall Park]

And it's an action that you experience and show love in reality.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. You know what the interesting thing about I feel like about my life, at least in one way, is that I have a daughter, and she's 12 now, and she's so crazy about her. Like, she is my everything, and she's on the autism spectrum.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

And her verbal communication is very limited, you know, and so it's not like we can even have that kind of communicative exchange that I always long for as a kid with my parents, you know?

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Igo Wodom]

I can't have that with my daughter. But I also. I don't care, you know, I just know how I feel about her. I know I'm always gonna be there for her. I know she loves me. She doesn't have to say it. I just know she does. And, you know, and I feel that's like a lesson for me in my life, based on my upbringing, but also my daughter's upbringing. It's like, you know, the words are important, but, you know, it's really just the actions and the feeling and the intention and what's in your heart. You know, that's what really matters.

[Randall Park]

Right?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

And I don't want to put words in your mouth, but it seems like to becoming a father for you did give you a whole new perspective about your relationship with your father and the kind of dad he was. And it took that to do. To really unlock it.

[Igo Wodom]

Sure. Yeah. I think having a kid, definitely being a TV dad on Fresh off the Boat was like. I mean, it happened around the same time, like when we had our kid, but it really was being a father myself that gave me that perspective.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. That's really remarkable. Now you have your own daughter, you have your own family now you're the dad. You are the father. You are her father. You're my father. I mean, what did your father instill in you that you now employ or would like to instill in your daughter?

[Igo Wodom]

Well, one thing about my dad was that he was very. It's very interesting because after he passed away, you know, you go through your father's stuff, you know, and, you know, and for some people, it's this daunting task. Cause there's just so much stuff to go through. You know, paperwork and bills and, you know, but also possession. Things that they owned, you know, and you learn about your parents from the things that they collect, you know. And my dad had nothing, hardly anything. He had very few possessions, you know, just a few things. It was, you know, and it was really surprising to me. Cause I thought he had more things. All the things that he, like, had and coveted were things that I gave him as gifts after I became more successful. And he loved those things. But that was like, it, you know, and that was something that he instilled in me in the sense that it's like, things are great.

[Randall Park]

Yes.

[Igo Wodom]

And it's fun to have things.

[Randall Park]

Things. Yes.

[Igo Wodom]

But they don't. They're not that important, you know, and he was very much one to keep his world very small. You know, he's just. His family, you know, he did have some friends that he saw. Went away, worked hard, came back home. You know, he had a very kind of simple approach to life. And I think that's something that I take with me all the time. And that's something that I want to instill in Ruby. Just what matters most are the things around you, the people around you, the neighbors, the community, your friends and us, you know, and there will always be love there, you know.

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Igo Wodom]

And everything else is great and fun and do it.

[Randall Park]

Yes.

[Igo Wodom]

Pursue what you want to pursue.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

But it's not everything.

[Randall Park]

That's beautiful. That's really beautiful. Now, did you have a sense of that before you had gone through his things? That. That was something that he really valued.

[Igo Wodom]

I did have a sense of that. Yeah. I did. But seeing it, you know, like, literally, like, accounting for, like, his things was really kind eye opening, you know, it was really eye opening. And also seeing as far as, like, his bank account and I mean, both of my parents did not have a lot of money.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

You know, they really gave us this great life with very little.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

That's remarkable.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, it's remarkable.

[Randall Park]

It really is. You said he worked up until pretty close to the time he died.

[Igo Wodom]

Is.

[Randall Park]

Well, now that you've made it, you have money, you've achieved success. Were you trying to get him to retire? Did you Want to pay for and subsidize his life the way they had helped with yours. What was that relationship?

[Igo Wodom]

I mean, I did. I like to help them pay off the house and got my dad a car and, you know, and I did give them things, but. But I knew how much working was just, like, a part of who he was. So. Yeah. None of us in the family were like, let's tell him to stop and relax, you know, like. Because that just wasn't him, you know? Yeah. So when he did get sick and he did end up leaving that job, we kind of knew that was the beginning of something, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because he was a worker, he loved to work.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Said before, you know, in terms of retirement, so many of my first gen friends and even myself, I'm like, parents do not have retirement funds, and it's like, what they know is to work. And I think my mom even dabbled with retirement. And then it was like, I go, you seem more alive when you work for her. That's whether she likes that. That's my thought or not. I just go, oh, you. You just seem more yourself to me. And that can sound. I don't want that to be misconstrued, but I'm like, you just seem more yourself and more gregarious and such when you're working.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

And seeing you dabble with retirement, I go, I don't even know if that quite suits you.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, Yeah. I think for my dad, like, a big kind of part of his identity was being a provider, you know? And so I think in that sense, like, work, it was a part of who he was, you know, I mean, my mom is retired, and she loves it, you know, so it's just, like, very different.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. It depends on the person. But then, you know, if that was, like, such a part of his identity, I see how he would be like, I'm going to keep doing this as long as I can, and I have the energy to do it.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, that's right. That's right. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

So did you know you always wanted to be a dad?

[Igo Wodom]

Not necessarily. Not until I met my wife.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

All right. And then you go, I want to have a family with this.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Well, we thought we both were, like, if it happens, that'll be great. If it doesn't, that'll be great, too. It wasn't like we had to become parents, you know?

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Igo Wodom]

And it wasn't like we, like, had to really try. We were just like, if it happens, great. Yeah. And then it happened.

[Randall Park]

And then it happened. And were you nervous, scared, excited? Where were you at all those things?

[Igo Wodom]

All those things.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, all those things. It was, you know, it kind of happened before the work really started coming for me, you know. So we were. We were still. And we're both actors. My wife's an actor. So we were both like, we don't know if we could afford this, you know? Yeah. So, yeah, we didn't know, but we were like, let's just. This is life. Let's live it and let's, you know, see what happens. And she came and she's the best, and it brings us so much joy all the time, you know, so it. Yeah, it's been such a blessing.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Did you ever ask your parents for any advice with Ruby in terms of being a parent to Ruby or. Not really.

[Igo Wodom]

Not really.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Not really. I mean, my mom gave advice, you.

[Randall Park]

Know, let me tell you one thing about grandmas. My mom also given all kinds of advice to my brother and sister in law. And it's like, we got it. Don't do that. Do that. Why are you doing that? Give her that.

[Igo Wodom]

Do that.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

And whenever she would, I mean, it got. For me, it got. I don't know, I bristled at it sometimes because it felt like she. Every time she said it, I had, I had interpreted as, you're a bad parent. Do this. You know, it was that. That kind of Korean mom criticism, you know, thing, you know, I just had in my head, you know.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, okay. You're able to say it made you bristle.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

But then did you know when you're bristling and then like, say two minutes later you're like, oh, it's because I feel like you're saying I'm a bad dad or.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, you're.

[Randall Park]

Oh, you knew.

[Igo Wodom]

Okay. Yeah, yeah. And I would tell her, you know.

[Randall Park]

Okay, okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, yeah.

[Randall Park]

How was your dad with Ruby?

[Igo Wodom]

Oh, my God. He was crazy about her.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

Crazy about her. Yeah. And that's another thing that I'm just so happy about that he got to see her grow, you know, and even, you know, up until his last days, he'd be in the hospital and he could barely move, you know, he could barely, you know, open his eyes. But whenever she would come in the room, he would smile so big, and it was just like really, really, really wonderful.

[Randall Park]

When you talk about love and people showing love and being able to say it as one thing, but then being able to show it as another thing, I'm like, there is. Case in point, your dad can't do much, say much, but it's like his whole spirit lights up because Ruby's in the room. That's so.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, it was really, really beautiful.

[Randall Park]

That's really, really cool. So, okay, what kind of things do you and Ruby do? And can I come?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

You think I'm joking and I'm like, I'm coming.

[Igo Wodom]

Do you like pizza?

[Randall Park]

I love pizza. I love eating. Randall.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes. I know this about you.

[Randall Park]

Mostly problematic.

[Igo Wodom]

I know this about you and so does Ruby. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Okay. We would get along. What kind of pizza does Ruby like most?

[Igo Wodom]

Just cheese.

[Randall Park]

Cheese.

[Igo Wodom]

Cheese. Just encrust.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Classic gal.

[Igo Wodom]

Classic. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

O Very cool.

[Igo Wodom]

Like New York style. She loves.

[Randall Park]

Okay. Have you taken her to a deep dish place?

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

And was not into it. I get it. It took me a long time to come around on deep dish.

[Igo Wodom]

I love deep dish.

[Randall Park]

Really? Off the bat.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, off the bat.

[Randall Park]

I went to Masa when I of Echo park, which is a deep dish place here, I think let's say 10 years ago for the first time. And I was like, this is disgusting. But then I had to go back a second and be like, you have to go in knowing that this is not going to be your thin crust pizza.

[Igo Wodom]

It's different.

[Randall Park]

Yes. You have to go in understanding it's different. And then it's good.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's almost not a pizza in a way. It's like.

[Randall Park]

No, it's a.

[Igo Wodom]

It's like a bread.

[Randall Park]

A bread bowl with cheese and marinara sauce, I think.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

And then you go, okay, yes. That's. That could be enjoyable too.

[Igo Wodom]

I love it.

[Randall Park]

It's really, really good.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. But she loves pizza. She love, you know, all the kid foods she loves. She loves like noodles and like Asian food.

[Randall Park]

You know, do you guys hit pine and crane ever?

[Igo Wodom]

That's. She. She wouldn't.

[Randall Park]

She wouldn't like pine and crane.

[Igo Wodom]

I love pine.

[Randall Park]

Pine and crane's so good. But does she like ramen then?

[Igo Wodom]

She loves ramen.

[Randall Park]

Okay. So Ruby and I can go eat pizza together. I'll let her have ramen on her own with you. Because you don't like ramen. I don't think I care for ramen.

[Igo Wodom]

And I don't know people who are very.

[Randall Park]

I like pho.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes, yes.

[Randall Park]

They're not the same, so let's be clear about that.

[Igo Wodom]

But yeah, I know folks who. Who are. Have that exact same opinion. I get it.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. It's something me and ramen and don't. But there are things that I don't like that people just really Love. And as a person who's a foodie, I'll go, well, I need to find a way to like that. Because I feel like if you're a.

[Igo Wodom]

Foodie, you like this, you should like this.

[Randall Park]

Such as olives. I've come to. I've truly trained myself to like olives.

[Igo Wodom]

So if you could train yourself to like something.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

You probably could potentially like everything, right?

[Randall Park]

Potentially, yes. You know what I don't like? And I don't think I'll ever come around on sacrificing saffron.

[Igo Wodom]

Saffron. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Do I like a saffron, like, rice dish? No.

[Randall Park]

Oh, my gosh. Immediately hard. No.

[Igo Wodom]

I can taste it in things.

[Randall Park]

I went to a coffee shop in Oakland a few days ago and I got their signature chai. And I was like, can you tell me what's in it? Cause I know you're best known for this. And they were like, oh, cardamom, cinnamon. Everything sounded good. And then she goes, saffron. I go, oh, no. But then I was like, maybe I'll like it since everyone else does. Not saffron, but the drink. Okay. And I go, I'm going to try it cuz it's got such great reviews. And I was like, I hate this beverage. I didn't take it back. I finished it. I made my. But I didn't.

[Igo Wodom]

Of course you did.

[Randall Park]

Exactly. I was like, I don't like this.

[Igo Wodom]

You said thank you. I said thank you a million times.

[Randall Park]

She asked me how it was. I go, it's great. And I hated it. It's the truth of the matter. So you and pizza, we're eat. We're going out to eat.

[Igo Wodom]

I mean, really, all the kid foods she loves and we're trying to expand her palate.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

She's tough.

[Randall Park]

She's like, I like what I like and I respect that about her. Yes.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

What kind of dad would Ruby say you are?

[Igo Wodom]

Well, she wouldn't say verbally because she's not verbally.

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Igo Wodom]

But she would. But spiritually. Yeah, Spiritually, she would say I'm probably a little too smothering because I just am so crazy about her.

[Randall Park]

He's obsessed. Cue Mariah Carey. Why are you so obsessed with me, dad? Damn.

[Igo Wodom]

So I'm always, you know, always giving her hugs. Always. You know, I guess in some ways helicoptery, you know, because I'm always, like, worried. I just want her to be safe, you know, I would, of the two of us, my wife and I, I would say I'm a little more Strict.

[Randall Park]

Okay. I was going to ask who's the discipline? That was going to be a question. I have to know how many.

[Igo Wodom]

I'm a little bit more of a disciplinari. Okay. A little bit more kind of adamant about certain things, you know, like, you can't be on the iPad too much. You can't. You know, And. But she would. I mean, she would know right off the bat that my dad loves me and is crazy about me.

[Randall Park]

Beautiful. Yeah, that's beautiful. And key. I'm like, you know, I did not have a helicopter dad.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

What's it when a helicopter is, like, not around when it, like, flies away and you're like, oh, I think that's a helicopter. It's a bird. It's a plane. No, that's a car.

[Igo Wodom]

No, it's a. It's a. Yeah, yeah. It's helicopters in another. Another country.

[Randall Park]

Exactly. That's what I had. So I'm like. I always wonder, I'm like, do people like their helicopter dads when. When they hear about how other people's dads are not present or are even quite stoic. A word you used previously.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

They go, oh, I would take a helicopter dad over the one I have. But I do think the grass is always greener, by the way.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. I mean, I. You know, she's getting to an age now where I think it's getting annoying a little bit. You know, I can't.

[Randall Park]

You're like, I can't help myself. I love this girl. That is very cool. Do you think you and your wife will have other kids?

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes. But I would say I'm more. I'm more all about my kid. And, you know, and I'm a little. I'm like, if someone has a baby, my wife wants to hold that baby.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

If someone has a baby, I want to look at the baby.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. I got you.

[Igo Wodom]

Make faces. But I do not want to hold the bag.

[Randall Park]

Right, Right. Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

What has been one of your scariest moments as a dad?

[Igo Wodom]

Scariest moments as a dad? Oh, gosh.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Like young. When Ruby was young.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. I mean, maybe a couple years ago, she broke her arm.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Really bad.

[Randall Park]

Oof.

[Igo Wodom]

And when I was a kid around her age, at that same time, I broke my arm. And I remember my parents freaking out. Like, yeah, she tripped over, like, a hose in our front yard, and her arm just at her forearm just snapped.

[Randall Park]

Was the bone sticking out of the skin?

[Igo Wodom]

It wasn't sticking clean out, but. But you could see it kind of poking through. Oh, gosh. Yeah. And that was really scary and traumatic for me, but also, like, you know, I don't know, I kind of clicked into kind of, like, you know, dad mode and, like, okay, we got to do this. We got to do. We got to take her to the hospital.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. When that happened, what did you feel, though, as a parent? So, like, you're like, yes, this is scary, but I clicked into dad mode. She gets a scan and then a cast, and then the doctor tells you all the things to do. What's your thought after? Now the worst of it is behind you. Did you have any thoughts about it, and did you feel like it reflected on you as a parent or anything like that?

[Igo Wodom]

Well, I marveled at her.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Because she was just so chill throughout it, and I was like, how can you be so chill?

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Maybe you don't have to worry about Ruby so much.

[Igo Wodom]

When I was your age and this happened to me, me, I was crying so much.

[Randall Park]

You know what they say. The guys are a little more dramatic than the girls. That's what they say.

[Igo Wodom]

That's what, you know, I was screaming.

[Randall Park]

Have you heard about this experiment where they, like, simulate period cramps on men, and then men are like, oh, my God. How are you handling and living your life like this? You're experiencing this or you're going to work it? Okay. That's an experiment that's happened, and. Yeah, I think so.

[Igo Wodom]

I believe it.

[Randall Park]

Of course. Ruby was cool.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, she was just so cool, so chill. And. And the other thing was, I felt a little guilt because I was on watch when it happened. The helicopter dad was on watch when it happened.

[Randall Park]

Not so helicopter after.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. And. But also, I don't know, I felt. I felt very. I felt a lot of gratitude, too, oddly, you know, in that we. You know, she had such a great doctor, and we were able to, you know, kind of take care of her as a parent would, you know, like, just the fact that we were able to do that simple thing in such an, you know, unusual kind. Not unusual, because it happens a lot, but, you know, in such a specific type of circumstance, there was a little bit of, oh, wow, we did it, you know.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. So now, you know, you could probably handle anything as a dad. Frankly, in my mind, I'm like, ruby broke her arm.

[Igo Wodom]

You can handle it. Yeah, that's a, you know, little thing. It's like, it happens to kids all the time, but, yeah, it was very jarring.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Well, I've asked a few people this, and I find it to Be an interesting question, which is, guys, why I keep asking it, but do you care if Ruby. Or would you like Ruby to see you as a friend at some point in her life?

[Igo Wodom]

No.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

No, not necessarily. But I do want her to feel comfortable enough with us to come to us at any time with anything. You know, and sometimes there is a delineation between what you can bring to your parents and what you could bring to your friends. Like, I knew that growing up.

[Randall Park]

You just kind of know. I don't even know how you come to know where you're like, some friends are the type to talk to their parents just growing up about all their boyfriends. And I'm like, one, I didn't have those. But also, if I did, I would not. I'm like, I'm not gonna come talk to my mom about that. Yeah.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. I.

[Randall Park]

But you just kind of know in her, which is.

[Igo Wodom]

And I'd want her to feel like she could if she needed to. But I'm also okay with her having her life.

[Randall Park]

Yes.

[Igo Wodom]

And her secrets and her experiences. You know, as long as, like, she knows when she's not safe feeling. Not safe, feeling sad or, you know, that we're there, you know?

[Randall Park]

Yeah. With your parents and your dad specifically, did you feel like you did have to keep secrets from them? Like, you obviously mentioned secrets. I'm like, oh, yeah. And I know the career pursuit was one of them, but there were other things as well that you're like, I'm not bringing.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Like, you know, just my entire dating.

[Randall Park]

You didn't bring any of that to them, right?

[Igo Wodom]

No, not. Not really.

[Randall Park]

Not until you were ready to marry your wife where you liked?

[Igo Wodom]

No, there was. There were a few girlfriends before my wife that long term girlfriends that I brought to them and, you know, they. They would see and get to know and. But there were shorter term girlfriends that they didn't meet.

[Randall Park]

Well, that's every guy, every. Every dude out here. Like, you don't get to meet the parents because that's not what this is.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. And then all the other stories, you know, worst, not, you know, worse, or stories that they weren't privy to.

[Randall Park]

Okay. You also mentioned being like, why can't my parents, when we first started this conversation, be like, this other friend's parents? Was one of the things you wish that they were like, is like, did you have friends that were telling their parents, like, all the things.

[Igo Wodom]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Randall Park]

And did you want that at the time? Now do you appreciate that that was not the case?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Okay. That's kind of me, too.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

I didn't mean to put that all on you. It was all very leading questions. In a court of law, the judge would have been like, objection, you're asking leading questions.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, for sure. I like, you know, I always had those people that I could. That I could talk about those things with, and those things would have. Would have upset my parents.

[Randall Park]

Right. You just know. You go, I don't need to. We don't need to share that. It's fine for you to be my mom and my dad. That's okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes. Yes.

[Randall Park]

And that's different from my friend or even a confidant in that way.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. But I mean, that's great. If someone does have that relationship with the parent. That's great.

[Randall Park]

That's also.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Randall, I end every episode of this podcast asking my dad for the day.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

And so in this case, you okay for a piece of advice?

[Igo Wodom]

Yes. Please be honest.

[Randall Park]

I'm going to tell you.

[Igo Wodom]

I'm your dad.

[Randall Park]

You're my dad. Oh, my goodness. Oh, goodness. I'm getting nervous. But okay. Because I never had this. So every time I get to do this, sometimes these are silly, silly questions. Okay, so I have friends who like drugs.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Okay. And we're not talking weed.

[Igo Wodom]

Okay.

[Randall Park]

Or maybe for the case of the podcast, we could be talking weed, realizing everyone gets to hear this. No, I have. I have friends who like drugs. And then go, you should try drugs. Yeah, There are drugs I would never try.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

In my entire life.

[Igo Wodom]

Like, for example. For example, heroin.

[Randall Park]

Heroin. I'm not going to dabble. I don't need to try. I don't even think you're allowed to try heroin. I think if you try, you're gonna start doing heroin, is my understanding.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Randall Park]

I don't know either. But the DARE program was really effective in terms of how it impacted me. I think the DARE program did exactly what it was supposed to do.

[Igo Wodom]

Same until college for me.

[Randall Park]

Oh, okay. He was having fun in college. And that's one of those secrets you were keeping from the fam. Okay, very good. Well, see, dad, I'm bringing this to you. I also wanna Google when we leave here what happened to DARE and why it was dismantled and why it doesn't exist anymore. I go, what happened to dare? That's why everyone's doing drugs. Drugs now. Good question. Like, everyone's doing drugs.

[Igo Wodom]

That's true.

[Randall Park]

Okay, so, dad, that's. That's what I'm coming to. Everyone's doing drugs.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

How do I draw the line on what drugs to do and which drugs not to do? Is this a publicist nightmare for you, by the way, right now?

[Igo Wodom]

No.

[Randall Park]

Am I getting you in hot water? You're not a grown man.

[Igo Wodom]

I'm a grown man.

[Randall Park]

Okay, you heard it here from Randall park himself. That's the name of the episode. I'm a grown man.

[Igo Wodom]

All right, so. So, okay, so when you ask this question. Question. What I'm inferring is that you're open to trying stuff, but you also want to create boundaries. Certain boundaries.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. So I don't actually like the idea of drugs for me. Right. But do you feel like one should?

[Igo Wodom]

So are these drugs like Saffron to you? These friends are putting it in your drink, so it's like, oh, God, those aren't friends. Oh, maybe, maybe not, maybe not.

[Randall Park]

Those are enemies.

[Igo Wodom]

But your friends are offering it and you feel like you have to take it and say thank you.

[Randall Park]

I'm not. Okay, so here's what I'll say. I'm not even a, like peer pressure girly dad. I actually don't succumb to peer pressure.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

I don't know, I just. I'm not a peer pressure person. But I wonder, I guess in what I'm trying to say, it's like, should I be more curious about these drugs that my friends are like, I do this and it's fine. I do this from time to time and it's fine. What I'll tell you, dad.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Cuz we have the same genetics. You should know this already. Anyway, we have this half. You're half of my DNA today. I don't have an addictive personality. The only thing I am addicted to is sugar. And that's a real, like serious addiction. I have a candy addiction, but otherwise I don't have an addictive personality.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

So with that information, which you already knew because you are my dad for the day, I don't fear I'll become addicted to anything. I don't think so. But. But it's like, should I be open to trying drugs?

[Igo Wodom]

I think that it's okay too. Okay.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

I think that life is for experiencing things. But you don't have to ever feel the need to experience everything.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

You know? Cause there's so many things.

[Randall Park]

There's so many things.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes. Yeah. It's like you could murder a person. Do you wanna experience that?

[Randall Park]

I just wanted to see what it was like to take another person's life. And now I'm in jail because I just want.

[Igo Wodom]

Okay, yeah. You don't want. If they find me and. And. And drugs. Yeah. It can be a. Become a slippery slope or it cannot, you know.

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Igo Wodom]

I would say just be very aware of the people who are offering this.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Who are inviting you to be a part of this.

[Randall Park]

Sure.

[Igo Wodom]

Are they good people?

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

You know, sure. And will they take care of. Of you?

[Randall Park]

Okay, that's great.

[Igo Wodom]

Are there other people who will take care of you or are they troubled people who are using it to escape maybe certain things about their lives because that could be the reason why they're doing it. And you don't have that issue. I mean, at least to the extent maybe, that they might. So if you do decide to try something, I would see it as very like much of. I'm going to experience this once.

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Igo Wodom]

Okay. And I'm going to know what it's.

[Randall Park]

Like, approach it with pure curiosity. But if there's, like, a part of me that is wanting to try it as a means of escapism, that's probably. That can be tricky and maybe be a little wary of that.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. And I think the big sign of that is you're doing it often or, you know, more than once or twice or, you know, like you're, you know.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

But I personally feel like it's okay to try things as long as you're safe.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. I don't know. Some dads would be like, absolutely not.

[Randall Park]

Right. But I also think this is another thing I think has changed. If you think about the DARE program when I was in school, you had the DARE program when you were in school. I'm like, it was hard to know on drugs. And I think that sometimes, again, not a parent. I say it all the time on this podcast, but I feel like when you create those hard boundary lines, it just piques people's curiosity and interest in a way that it might not. If you were like, let me tell you all about this thing, and I'm not telling you about this thing to be like, I'm not trying to make you fearful of this thing. Because then they hear stories of people who, like, tried it and had a fun and a nice time, and they go, well, I feel like you lied to me a little bit about how terrible, scary, dangerous this thing is. And now my relationship with drugs is weird because someone told me, yeah, yeah. Like, I don't feel like girls do.

[Igo Wodom]

You judge your friends a little bit who do drugs? Yeah.

[Randall Park]

If they do it too much, honestly. And what is too much? It's all relative. I feel like I Go. Yeah. What are you running from?

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, that's.

[Randall Park]

I do. Go.

[Igo Wodom]

That's good.

[Randall Park]

Well, now I'm worried about you.

[Igo Wodom]

So that's something that's implanted in you, you know, and that will keep you from ever going down that path, you know?

[Randall Park]

Yes. And I'm like a little too type A, need to be in control of the environment and, like, I want the ox cord if we're going on a road trip also because I think I'm a good dj, but I'm like, a little too that way to be like, I'm gonna surrender to whatever the height is.

[Igo Wodom]

I don't feel like just knowing you, I don't feel like it would ever be a problem. Like, yeah, I really believe that.

[Randall Park]

And if somehow, guys, I do develop a problem, we're gonna blame Randall Park.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes. Yes.

[Randall Park]

Okay, guys. Randall, thank you so much for coming. It was so fun. Fun. Is there anything you would like to plug for listeners? It could be nothing.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, nothing. I. Well, we. We did a thing.

[Randall Park]

We did a thing. Oh, my goodness.

[Igo Wodom]

I don't know what, when or what.

[Randall Park]

Someone texted me about when it's coming out, but I kind of don't remember what the contents of the text said.

[Igo Wodom]

Okay. I know.

[Randall Park]

It's Florida, man.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah, it's Florida, man. Yes.

[Randall Park]

It's going to be on hbo.

[Igo Wodom]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

I think it's on hbo.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah. And we do it now.

[Randall Park]

We call you Max.

[Igo Wodom]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

I don't know, another three letter word or I guess HBO is not a word.

[Igo Wodom]

We're on something and it'll be out somewhere.

[Randall Park]

It's going to be out somewhere. I love that as a plug. We're on something and it's going to be out somewhere. You heard it here, guys. Randall, again, thank you for being my dad for the day. This has been an absolute pleasure. You are pure delight. Thank you, thank you, thank you, guys. This has been. Thanks, dad. Thank you for listening. Thanks dad is a Headgum podcast created and hosted by me, Igo Wodom. This show is engineered by Rochelle Chen and Anya Kanovskaya and edited by Rochelle Chen with executive producer Emma Foley. Katie Moose is our VP of content at Headgum. Thanks to Jason Matheny for our show Art and Ferris Monchi for our theme song. For more podcasts by hedgum, 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.