Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim:

Re-Release: Roy Wood Jr.

iHeartPodcasts • December 23, 2025

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and humorous episode, comedian Ego Nwodim welcomes Roy Wood Jr. as her “dad for the day” to discuss fatherhood, legacy, complicated families, and breaking generational cycles. Both reflect on their experiences with their own fathers—Ego as someone who grew up without a dad and Roy as the son of a legendary journalist. The conversation seamlessly weaves between laughter and candid vulnerability, tackling topics like co-parenting, the burden of legacy, the lessons and pains inherited from parents, and the ways fatherhood shapes personal growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The "Dad For a Day" Concept

[02:41]

Ego explains her podcast’s premise: interviewing father figures—dads, or those old enough to be, since she was raised by a single mom.
“I may have daddy issues, but I suspect you might too.” (Ego Nwodim)
Roy jokes about their ages and the reality of young parenthood in their communities.

2. Roy on Privacy and Parenting

[06:15]

Ego learns that Roy is a dad, but he keeps his child "secret-ish."
[06:34] Roy: “Because I live a life where I talk a lot of shit about a lot of weird people. And so he deserves a life that’s not in the crosshairs...”
Roy wants his son to have privacy—not press or “main” feed fame.

3. The Legacy of the Father

[07:29]

Roy’s father was a revered Black journalist and activist in Birmingham.
[08:45] Roy: “I try to minimize the price for [my son] by minimizing exposure.”
Navigating the expectations of being a “junior” and living up to his father’s public image.
[09:38] "You won’t be mad at me...but the boy is the boy, right? He got nothing to do with this.” (Roy)

4. Parenting Philosophy

[10:20]

Roy mirrors his mother's approach: “Whatever you show interest in today, I’ll give you the resources to explore. If tomorrow it’s different, we’ll explore that.”
He doesn’t push entertainment or comedy on his son.
Roy: “I don’t think he’ll be good at comedy because he has two parents that love him.” [11:39]

5. Good Dad, Bad Husband: Complex Family Roles

[11:49]

Ego: “So rarely do I hear a man say, ‘I want to be a good husband.’ ...Part of being a good dad is being a good husband.”
Roy: “We didn’t see good husbands. So why would I strive for that? I never saw it.” [12:37]
They dig into generational modeling—how not having examples shapes aspirations and relationships.

6. Living With Pressure, Rebellion, and Acceptance

[14:48]

The pressure of being expected to follow in his father’s footsteps, especially being a “junior.”
Roy admits to resenting his father as he got older, mostly over family issues.
Roy describes his father’s spectacular public persona contrasted with complicated private life: “I’m the ninth of 11 kids. I’m my mother's only child, so you do the math...” [16:11]
His drive to “erase” his father’s overshadowing—only to find himself naturally echoing him (“a funnier version attacking the same issues”). [19:00]

7. On Not Missing What You Never Had

[28:47]

Both discuss growing up in broken or unconventional households.
Roy: “How can you miss what you don’t know?” Ego, reflecting on her own situation, directly echoes this sentiment.

8. Lessons Learned and Passed On

[30:33]

Roy credits his dad for work ethic and oratory skills: “My dad worked until three weeks before he died with full blown prostate cancer...”
He strives to be present and create intentional memories with his son, especially through travel.

9. Honest Reflections on Parental Relationships

[36:18]

Ego asks if Roy is proud of his surname; he feels pride and acknowledges the Wood name’s contributions to culture and Black America.
“My father hired Don Cornelius.” (Roy, [36:31])

10. On Empathy, Critique, and Respect

[37:57]

Roy: “Empathy suggests forgiveness...I don’t know if I can just wave that off...But with the tools he had at the time, motherfucker was trying.”
Navigating giving a full, nuanced depiction of a complex parent.

11. Parenting Fears, Growth, and Co-Parenting

[40:43]

Roy admits to ongoing fears about raising kids “right.”
“You don’t know if you’re doing it right till the kid’s like 25.” ([40:54])
His approach to raising his own child is to analyze and avoid repeating his father’s “bad husband” mistakes.

12. On Divorce, Co-Parenting, and Happiness

[49:58]

Upon splitting with his son’s mother, Roy felt guilt but weighed his (and his ex’s) well-being as crucial for his son’s emotional environment.
They discuss whether staying together “for the kids” is always the best option.

13. Work-Life Balance and the Guilt of Absence

[53:39]

Roy discusses touring and work—adapting schedules to maximize presence, and the guilt around missing calls or being away.
“There’s still guilt. Nothing alleviates the guilt of sending your child to voicemail...” ([54:27])
He strategizes intentional, scheduled check-ins.

14. On the Power of Vulnerability

[60:03]

Ego: “Do you want your son to be able to talk to you about anything?”
Roy: “Yeah. So far we can. What I notice with him is, if I share my fears and concerns...he’s more inclined to share his.”

15. “Dadvice” – The Advice Segment

[61:19]

Ego’s asks for real-life shopping advice: should she go back to stores or keep buying online?
Roy reasons through the chaos of stores versus online ease, leaning towards online for efficiency—“You’re a New Yorker, so you value time.” ([63:49])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Privacy & Parenting:
“Those who know, know. And people who don’t know, don’t. They probably don’t need to know anyway, right?” – Roy Wood Jr. [06:21]
On Legacy & Burdens:
“I grew up in Birmingham in the shadow of my father...there’s certain behavioral expectations or assumptions...I try to minimize the price for [my son] by minimizing exposure.” – Roy Wood Jr. [07:29, 08:45]
On Good Dad, Bad Husband:
“You know, my mom. Okay, good dad, bad husband.” – Roy Wood Jr. [11:49]
On Parenting Aspirations:
“We didn’t see good husbands...So why would I strive for that?” – Roy Wood Jr. [12:37]
On Following in His Father’s Footsteps:
“I’m going to work so hard...that I’m going to make people forget your name. I’m going to erase you from the memories of the people who claim they love you...and then you look up, and I am a funnier version of my father attacking the same issues.” – Roy Wood Jr. [18:19–20:10]
On Not Missing What You Don’t Know:
“How can you miss what you don’t...?” – Roy Wood Jr. [28:47]
“That resonates with me so deeply...” – Ego Nwodim
On Self-Growth Through Fatherhood:
“Having a kid showed me how selfish I was...This isn’t your room at my place. We live together. You’re my roommate.” – Roy Wood Jr. [44:01]
On Feeling the Guilt of Absence:
“There’s still guilt. Nothing alleviates the guilt of sending your child to voicemail when he facetimes you 2 minutes before you’re about to go on air.” – Roy Wood Jr. [54:27]
On Vulnerability and Connection:
“If I share my fears and concerns...then he’s more inclined to share his on the backside.” – Roy Wood Jr. [60:03]

Timestamps for Major Segments

[02:41] - Ego introduces the show’s theme and goes straight into riffing with Roy on ages and “dad” dynamics.
[06:15] - Roy discusses keeping his child “secret-ish” and the burden of visibility.
[07:29] - The legacy of Roy’s father, community expectations, and “junior” status.
[10:20] - Roy shares his parenting philosophy on nurturing interest rather than steering.
[11:49] - The “good dad, bad husband” discussion.
[14:48] - Ego asks about living in his father’s shadow and feelings associated with it.
[19:00] - Roy’s drive to make his own name and inevitability of echoing his father’s impact.
[28:47] - Both discuss “not missing what you never had” in terms of father presence.
[30:33] - Work ethic and tenacity—what Roy did inherit from his father.
[36:18] - Roy on family pride and contributions to Black American culture.
[37:57] - Navigating empathy, forgiveness, and critique in assessing one’s parent.
[40:43] - Roy’s fears and learning as a parent; evolving approach to co-parenting.
[49:58] - Divorce, happiness, and the myth of “staying together for the kids.”
[53:39] - The challenge and logistics of being present as a working, touring parent.
[60:03] - Vulnerability and why sharing feelings opens lines of communication.
[61:19] - “Dadvice” segment: weighing online shopping vs. in-store.

Tone & Style

The episode is marked by candor, dry humor, and introspection. Roy divulges vulnerable thoughts with Ego’s encouragement, both employing wit to soften heavy insights. At the core is a genuine effort to understand, heal, and do better for the next generation—even if the answers aren’t clear-cut.

Final Thoughts

Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim delivers its trademark blend of laughter, wisdom, and emotional honesty. Roy Wood Jr.’s openness—from jokes about AAA membership to reckoning with his father’s humanity—offers listeners a nuanced, relatable exploration of modern fatherhood, legacy, and what it means to try to “get it right.”

For more conversations on parenthood, legacy, and life’s big questions, follow Thanks Dad on your favorite podcast platform.

Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim:

Re-Release: Roy Wood Jr.

iHeartPodcasts • December 23, 2025

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The "Dad For a Day" Concept

[02:41]

Ego explains her podcast’s premise: interviewing father figures—dads, or those old enough to be, since she was raised by a single mom.
“I may have daddy issues, but I suspect you might too.” (Ego Nwodim)
Roy jokes about their ages and the reality of young parenthood in their communities.

2. Roy on Privacy and Parenting

[06:15]

Ego learns that Roy is a dad, but he keeps his child "secret-ish."
[06:34] Roy: “Because I live a life where I talk a lot of shit about a lot of weird people. And so he deserves a life that’s not in the crosshairs...”
Roy wants his son to have privacy—not press or “main” feed fame.

3. The Legacy of the Father

[07:29]

Roy’s father was a revered Black journalist and activist in Birmingham.
[08:45] Roy: “I try to minimize the price for [my son] by minimizing exposure.”
Navigating the expectations of being a “junior” and living up to his father’s public image.
[09:38] "You won’t be mad at me...but the boy is the boy, right? He got nothing to do with this.” (Roy)

4. Parenting Philosophy

[10:20]

Roy mirrors his mother's approach: “Whatever you show interest in today, I’ll give you the resources to explore. If tomorrow it’s different, we’ll explore that.”
He doesn’t push entertainment or comedy on his son.
Roy: “I don’t think he’ll be good at comedy because he has two parents that love him.” [11:39]

5. Good Dad, Bad Husband: Complex Family Roles

[11:49]

Ego: “So rarely do I hear a man say, ‘I want to be a good husband.’ ...Part of being a good dad is being a good husband.”
Roy: “We didn’t see good husbands. So why would I strive for that? I never saw it.” [12:37]
They dig into generational modeling—how not having examples shapes aspirations and relationships.

6. Living With Pressure, Rebellion, and Acceptance

[14:48]

The pressure of being expected to follow in his father’s footsteps, especially being a “junior.”
Roy admits to resenting his father as he got older, mostly over family issues.
Roy describes his father’s spectacular public persona contrasted with complicated private life: “I’m the ninth of 11 kids. I’m my mother's only child, so you do the math...” [16:11]
His drive to “erase” his father’s overshadowing—only to find himself naturally echoing him (“a funnier version attacking the same issues”). [19:00]

7. On Not Missing What You Never Had

[28:47]

Both discuss growing up in broken or unconventional households.
Roy: “How can you miss what you don’t know?” Ego, reflecting on her own situation, directly echoes this sentiment.

8. Lessons Learned and Passed On

[30:33]

Roy credits his dad for work ethic and oratory skills: “My dad worked until three weeks before he died with full blown prostate cancer...”
He strives to be present and create intentional memories with his son, especially through travel.

9. Honest Reflections on Parental Relationships

[36:18]

Ego asks if Roy is proud of his surname; he feels pride and acknowledges the Wood name’s contributions to culture and Black America.
“My father hired Don Cornelius.” (Roy, [36:31])

10. On Empathy, Critique, and Respect

[37:57]

Roy: “Empathy suggests forgiveness...I don’t know if I can just wave that off...But with the tools he had at the time, motherfucker was trying.”
Navigating giving a full, nuanced depiction of a complex parent.

11. Parenting Fears, Growth, and Co-Parenting

[40:43]

Roy admits to ongoing fears about raising kids “right.”
“You don’t know if you’re doing it right till the kid’s like 25.” ([40:54])
His approach to raising his own child is to analyze and avoid repeating his father’s “bad husband” mistakes.

12. On Divorce, Co-Parenting, and Happiness

[49:58]

Upon splitting with his son’s mother, Roy felt guilt but weighed his (and his ex’s) well-being as crucial for his son’s emotional environment.
They discuss whether staying together “for the kids” is always the best option.

13. Work-Life Balance and the Guilt of Absence

[53:39]

Roy discusses touring and work—adapting schedules to maximize presence, and the guilt around missing calls or being away.
“There’s still guilt. Nothing alleviates the guilt of sending your child to voicemail...” ([54:27])
He strategizes intentional, scheduled check-ins.

14. On the Power of Vulnerability

[60:03]

Ego: “Do you want your son to be able to talk to you about anything?”
Roy: “Yeah. So far we can. What I notice with him is, if I share my fears and concerns...he’s more inclined to share his.”

15. “Dadvice” – The Advice Segment

[61:19]

Ego’s asks for real-life shopping advice: should she go back to stores or keep buying online?
Roy reasons through the chaos of stores versus online ease, leaning towards online for efficiency—“You’re a New Yorker, so you value time.” ([63:49])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Privacy & Parenting:
“Those who know, know. And people who don’t know, don’t. They probably don’t need to know anyway, right?” – Roy Wood Jr. [06:21]
On Legacy & Burdens:
“I grew up in Birmingham in the shadow of my father...there’s certain behavioral expectations or assumptions...I try to minimize the price for [my son] by minimizing exposure.” – Roy Wood Jr. [07:29, 08:45]
On Good Dad, Bad Husband:
“You know, my mom. Okay, good dad, bad husband.” – Roy Wood Jr. [11:49]
On Parenting Aspirations:
“We didn’t see good husbands...So why would I strive for that?” – Roy Wood Jr. [12:37]
On Following in His Father’s Footsteps:
“I’m going to work so hard...that I’m going to make people forget your name. I’m going to erase you from the memories of the people who claim they love you...and then you look up, and I am a funnier version of my father attacking the same issues.” – Roy Wood Jr. [18:19–20:10]
On Not Missing What You Don’t Know:
“How can you miss what you don’t...?” – Roy Wood Jr. [28:47]
“That resonates with me so deeply...” – Ego Nwodim
On Self-Growth Through Fatherhood:
“Having a kid showed me how selfish I was...This isn’t your room at my place. We live together. You’re my roommate.” – Roy Wood Jr. [44:01]
On Feeling the Guilt of Absence:
“There’s still guilt. Nothing alleviates the guilt of sending your child to voicemail when he facetimes you 2 minutes before you’re about to go on air.” – Roy Wood Jr. [54:27]
On Vulnerability and Connection:
“If I share my fears and concerns...then he’s more inclined to share his on the backside.” – Roy Wood Jr. [60:03]

Timestamps for Major Segments

[02:41] - Ego introduces the show’s theme and goes straight into riffing with Roy on ages and “dad” dynamics.
[06:15] - Roy discusses keeping his child “secret-ish” and the burden of visibility.
[07:29] - The legacy of Roy’s father, community expectations, and “junior” status.
[10:20] - Roy shares his parenting philosophy on nurturing interest rather than steering.
[11:49] - The “good dad, bad husband” discussion.
[14:48] - Ego asks about living in his father’s shadow and feelings associated with it.
[19:00] - Roy’s drive to make his own name and inevitability of echoing his father’s impact.
[28:47] - Both discuss “not missing what you never had” in terms of father presence.
[30:33] - Work ethic and tenacity—what Roy did inherit from his father.
[36:18] - Roy on family pride and contributions to Black American culture.
[37:57] - Navigating empathy, forgiveness, and critique in assessing one’s parent.
[40:43] - Roy’s fears and learning as a parent; evolving approach to co-parenting.
[49:58] - Divorce, happiness, and the myth of “staying together for the kids.”
[53:39] - The challenge and logistics of being present as a working, touring parent.
[60:03] - Vulnerability and why sharing feelings opens lines of communication.
[61:19] - “Dadvice” segment: weighing online shopping vs. in-store.

Tone & Style

Final Thoughts

For more conversations on parenthood, legacy, and life’s big questions, follow Thanks Dad on your favorite podcast platform.

Re-Release: Roy Wood Jr.

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Summary

Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim:

Re-Release: Roy Wood Jr.

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The "Dad For a Day" Concept

2. Roy on Privacy and Parenting

3. The Legacy of the Father

4. Parenting Philosophy

5. Good Dad, Bad Husband: Complex Family Roles

6. Living With Pressure, Rebellion, and Acceptance

7. On Not Missing What You Never Had

8. Lessons Learned and Passed On

9. Honest Reflections on Parental Relationships

10. On Empathy, Critique, and Respect

11. Parenting Fears, Growth, and Co-Parenting

12. On Divorce, Co-Parenting, and Happiness

13. Work-Life Balance and the Guilt of Absence

14. On the Power of Vulnerability

15. “Dadvice” – The Advice Segment

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Major Segments

Tone & Style

Final Thoughts

Summary

Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim:

Re-Release: Roy Wood Jr.

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The "Dad For a Day" Concept

2. Roy on Privacy and Parenting

3. The Legacy of the Father

4. Parenting Philosophy

5. Good Dad, Bad Husband: Complex Family Roles

6. Living With Pressure, Rebellion, and Acceptance

7. On Not Missing What You Never Had

8. Lessons Learned and Passed On

9. Honest Reflections on Parental Relationships

10. On Empathy, Critique, and Respect

11. Parenting Fears, Growth, and Co-Parenting

12. On Divorce, Co-Parenting, and Happiness

13. Work-Life Balance and the Guilt of Absence

14. On the Power of Vulnerability

15. “Dadvice” – The Advice Segment

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Major Segments

Tone & Style

Final Thoughts