Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim Episode: Taran Killam
Release Date: February 24, 2026
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts / Big Money Players

Episode Overview

This heartfelt and hilarious episode of "Thanks Dad" features Ego Nwodim in conversation with actor/comedian and former SNL star Taran Killam. The pair dive into fatherhood, football fandom, marriage, parenting in LA, and the complex emotions of relationships and career in the entertainment industry. Taran shares stories about his family, upbringing, balancing work and family as an SNL cast member, and his approach to raising daughters while keeping them grounded amidst Hollywood. The episode is full of personal anecdotes, honesty about relationship struggles, and practical advice, all wrapped in the show's characteristic warmth and wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Warm Up: Mutual Admiration & Comedy Talk

• Light banter about introductions and mutual comedic respect. (02:25–03:20)
  • Taran lauds Ego’s work on “Comedy Bang Bang,” specifically her “Master Pasta” character.
  • Taran: "Master Pasta is so deliciously dumb." (03:42)
• Both talk about letting loose comedically on podcasts in ways they can't elsewhere.

2. Thanks To… and the Power of Grandparents

• Opening question: "Who or what do you want to say thanks to?" (04:44)
  • Taran thanks his 96-year-old grandmother ("nanny"), his father’s mother, for her immense and sustained presence in his life.
  • Taran shares how his nanny enabled him to attend the LA County High School for the Arts by driving him daily for a year.
  • Quote: "She’s just like the grandparent who's definitely there the most for our extended family… and did that for a full year." (05:03–06:11)
  • Taran jokes that his grandma is his podcast agent: "She brokered the deal." (05:19)

3. On Being a ‘Girl Dad’ and Sports Fandom

• Sports talk, parenting, and passing on interests to kids. (06:21–13:23)
  • Taran, a proud "girl dad" with two daughters, buys himself a "#1 Dad" Rams shirt as his girls aren’t interested in gifting or sharing his fandom ("The lazy, ungrateful bums." 06:37).
  • Taran patiently corrects Ego’s LA football confusion, giving a brief, passionate history of the Rams and the Chargers.
    • Quote: "Chargers have always been San Diego… Now they're the LA Chargers. But they came a year after the Rams returned." (09:18–09:38)
  • Taran and Ego bond over different levels of sports literacy:
    • Ego: "I'm Baby Sports Girl." / Taran: "You're a little more… We're in toddler phase now." (10:46–10:54)
  • Discussing the communal joy of sports more than the technical aspects.
    • Taran: "Where my love comes from is the gather… People bring snacks… and it's a cultural conversation." (12:07–12:39)

4. Making Football Fans (or Not) at Home

• Passing on interests without pressure. (13:23–14:39)
  • Taran admits his kids absorb some football knowledge by osmosis ("just through wearing them down"), but makes clear there’s no obligation for them to share his passion.
    • "…they'll throw out, like, 'which down is it?' and... [I] play cool… But no obligation." (13:32–13:59)
  • He sees utility in his daughters knowing football for future social or work situations.

5. Parenting Styles & Supporting Daughters’ Paths

• Discusses daughters’ personalities, ambitions, and nurturing independence. (16:55–18:24)
  • His older daughter moved from a “vibes mastery” school to a more academic one and is considering business/marketing.
    • "I don't know what my passion is yet… but when the time comes, I want my education to support it." (17:52–18:08)
  • Youngest is saving her own money for a guitar/amp; Killam explains their family’s allowance system (25:11–25:32) and credits his wife, Cobie, for this approach.

6. Marriage & Long-Distance Family Life (SNL Years)

• The challenge of East Coast/West Coast marriage with kids. (26:21–36:01)
  • Taran recounts flying home to LA every SNL hiatus and stresses of balancing work/family: "For four years, every hiatus, I'd fly back."
  • Recognizes the emotional strain of wanting to be celebrated after SNL while his wife managed home life:
    • "Wanting to be celebrated a little bit. I was like, I just accomplished a thing." (33:14)
    • Credits couples counseling for giving them tools: "No solution… but here's some language skills to talk about it with each other." (34:35)

7. Meeting and Dating His Wife, Cobie Smulders

• Sweet, detailed story of how they met, first dates, and a temporary breakup. (43:05–53:45)
  • They met through friends in showbiz, bonded over comedy (watching Ali G/Borat), and had wholesome first dates (brownie baking, mini golf).
  • Taran describes a 48-hour breakup at 24, led by panic about 'the rest of his life':
    • "The real real was like, I don't want to be done having sex with other people, I think was the base truth." (50:26)
    • He apologizes, commits to openness/honesty, and they reunite.
    • Reflects on emotional growth, attributing vulnerability skills to his parents:
      • "A real man can say I love you to another man. And a real man can cry and show their feeling, talk about their feelings." (52:50)

8. Parenting Philosophy & Navigating Fatherhood with Daughters

• Transforming expectations of fatherhood, gender, and embracing change. (57:44–60:05)
  • Taran and Ego discuss challenging and changing expectations—Taran confesses his initial "ego/narcissism" about wanting a son but has since found joy and identity in being a girl dad.
    • "This is the first vagina I am seeing in my life that is not an object of sexual pursuit…You, I have to clean and care for this now." (59:17)
    • Now sees his kids’ unique personalities as the best thing he’ll ever do.

9. Keeping Kids Grounded in Los Angeles

• On values, status, and Hollywood insulation. (62:36–65:54)
  • Taran and Cobie’s joint approach is about prioritizing kindness, discouraging status-seeking, emphasizing gratitude, and exposing their kids to the world beyond LA.
    • "Getting them into nature. Nature is so important… They have to work for things, earn chore money…" (64:00–65:09)
  • Strict with devices: Older daughter didn’t get her first phone until 14.

10. Listener Advice Segment — “That’s Nice, But What About Me?”

• Taran and Ego share self-care practices in response to a listener question. (67:42–70:12)
  • Taran: "Sleep and water."
  • Ego: "Truly reading… I love a good meal."
  • Taran extols the restorative joys of water and floating: "I love to like float in an ocean under the surface… very peaceful to me." (69:41)
  • They have fun riffing philosophically on signs, self-care, and being open to whatever brings you joy.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On familial support:

  • Taran: "My 96-year-old nanny… for indirectly causing my existence… she drove me almost every morning [so I could attend arts high school]." (04:44–06:12)

• On marriage and SNL:

  • "To come back and suddenly want to make up for lost time and be present was certainly a challenge for me." (33:13)
  • "There was no solution...but here's some language skills to talk about it with each other." (34:35)

• On millennial dating and apps:

  • Ego: "Dating is so gamified now… It's like Temple Run on your phone. It's Candy Crush." (39:27–39:52)

• On relationships and fear of commitment:

  • Taran: "As an immature man, I've been in this relationship trying to protect myself...and even in these two days [apart], the idea of not being with you makes me so much more unhappy than the risk…" (50:48–51:12)

• On fatherhood and expectations:

  • "This is the first vagina I am seeing that is not an object of sexual pursuit… It was a thing. I have to clean and care for this now." (59:17)
  • "It's the best thing I will ever do." (60:05)

• On keeping kids grounded in LA:

  • "We love performing… doing it at every level brings us joy. Doing it for recognition really is not of interest to us." (62:45)
  • "We want you to be kind… not self-centered all the time." (65:21)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Thanking grandma & family story: 04:44–06:12
• Parenting, gender, and first reactions to having daughters: 57:44–60:05
• Marriage and navigating SNL years: 26:21–36:01
• How Taran met his wife: 43:05–48:24
• The breakup and emotional honesty: 48:28–53:45
• Grounding kids in LA: 62:36–65:54
• Listener self-care advice segment: 67:42–70:12

Overall Tone & Style

The conversation is funny, authentic, and deeply human—balancing playful banter (musicals, candy walls, dumb sport stats) with meaningful introspection (relationships, parenting, vulnerability). Both Ego and Taran share personal stories with candor and affection, offering useful perspective and hearty laughs for listeners who relate—or aspire to.

Memorable Closing
"Thank you so much, Taran Killam—you're the best… Josh’s and Zach’s could be the same name. I believe it. Find a Josh and ask how they self-care." (71:02–71:12)

For more episodes or to ask a question, call the show or tune in next week for more funny, real conversations about dads, family, and life.