The Eds: Fatherhood Confessions

Summary

Two Ts In A Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge Episode: The Eds: Fatherhood Confessions
Release Date: June 16, 2025

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Introduction

In this heartfelt episode of Two Ts In A Pod, hosts Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge delve into the intricate and rewarding journey of fatherhood. Joined by special guests Eddie Judge and his son Paulie, the discussion navigates through personal experiences, cherished memories, and the challenges that come with being a dad. Filmed live at the vibrant Bottle Rock Festival, the episode offers listeners an authentic glimpse into the dynamics of modern fatherhood.

Impact of Fathers on Personal Development

The conversation kicks off with Polly Connell posing a thoughtful question to Paulie about his father figure and the lasting impact his dad had on his life.

Paulie (04:08): "My dad was a very strong demeanor man. Moral code was always on point. Taught me right from wrong and taught me how to be nice to people."

Paulie reflects on his upbringing in Ireland, emphasizing the values instilled in him by his late father. He shares how these lessons have shaped his approach to parenting, aiming to pass down the same principles to his own children.

Favorite Memories and Life Lessons

Polly encourages Paulie to reminisce about a favorite memory with his father, leading to a poignant moment of vulnerability.

Paulie (05:46): "He would tell me it was going to be okay after I made mistakes. He always gave me an out and made me realize that mistakes are okay, but they're not good to keep on making."

This memory underscores the balance his father struck between discipline and support, fostering resilience and self-improvement. Paulie highlights how these early lessons continue to influence his interactions with his children today.

Eddie Judge's Relationship with His Father

Shifting the focus to Eddie, Polly asks about his relationship with his father, revealing a different dynamic.

Eddie Judge (08:24): "We didn't really connect when we got older, but in my early 30s, I started to listen to him and realized he's got some pretty good advice."

Eddie shares how, despite a distant relationship during his youth, his connection with his father deepened later in life. A memorable piece of advice from his father about not chasing materialistic desires has profoundly impacted Eddie's outlook on life and parenting.

Eddie Judge (10:21): "He said, 'The grass is green on the other side until you get there, and then it's no longer,' which taught me to appreciate what I have and not always chase the next thing."

Blending Families and Step-Parenting

The discussion transitions to the complexities of blending families. Paulie recounts his positive experience merging his family with Dolores Catania's.

Paulie (24:36): "The transition was easy because Dolores makes everyone feel welcome. My kids love her, and she goes above and beyond to make everyone at home."

Eddie shares his journey of blending families, highlighting the supportive role his wife, Emily, plays in integrating their children. Emily's approach to parenting and her willingness to offer advice have been instrumental in creating a harmonious family environment.

Funniest and Hardest Dad Moments

Injecting humor into the conversation, the hosts and guests share their most memorable dad moments. Paulie reminisces about playfully telling his kids he's a "semi-celebrity," leading to amusing misunderstandings when he appears on reality TV.

Paulie (28:14): "I used to tell my kids I was a semi celebrity. When they saw me on TV, they were like, 'Dad, you're a semi celebrity!'"

Eddie shares a funny anecdote about a wrestling misadventure with his children that ended with his son pushing a tooth into his mouth, resulting in a memorable bedtime story about "monsters."

Eddie Judge (31:37): "My daughter pulled a tooth out, and she was like, 'No more monsters.' But eventually, the monster came back!"

On the more challenging side, Paulie discusses the emotional difficulty of seeing his children struggle, whether it's illness or dealing with tough friendships.

Paulie (28:59): "When my kid got sick, I thought about how uncertain his birth was. It was one of the toughest times."

Eddie reflects on the hardest moment of letting go as his oldest child got married, grappling with the emotional transition and trust in his daughter's new life partner.

Eddie Judge (30:16): "Letting go and trusting him was difficult. I was nervous for about six months trying to figure out how to transition."

The Roast Segment: ChatGPT Takes a Turn

Adding a playful twist, Teddi and Tamra introduce a segment where they use ChatGPT to roast each other and their guests, showcasing their camaraderie and humor.

Polly Connell (36:44): "Roast Eddie Judge. Roast Polly."

The roasts are lighthearted and affectionate, poking fun at each other's personalities and roles within their families.

Sample Roast: "Eddie Judge is known for his two things, abs and absolute silence during Real House of Orange County drama."

This segment highlights the strong bonds and friendly teasing that underpin their relationships, adding levity to the deep and meaningful conversations about fatherhood.

Closing Thoughts: Celebrating Fatherhood

As the episode wraps up, the hosts and guests share their reflections on the joys and responsibilities of being a father. Paulie emphasizes the importance of creating lasting memories with his children through spontaneous adventures like road trips.

Paulie (15:53): "I like doing road trips. We drove to Vegas without much planning, and it was about experiencing togetherness and making the best of wherever we ended up."

Eddie adds that the best part of being a dad is reliving moments through his children's eyes and cherishing holidays and everyday interactions alike.

Eddie Judge (40:43): "You get to live through their eyes again. Holidays are more special because you live through them and see it through them."

The episode concludes with a heartfelt toast to all fathers, celebrating their contributions and encouraging them to continue being exceptional role models.

Polly Connell (41:02): "Here is to dads who taught us everything we know and half the stuff we probably shouldn't. Thank you guys so much for being on the podcast."

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Notable Quotes

• Paulie (04:08): "My dad was a very strong demeanor man. Moral code was always on point."
• Eddie Judge (10:21): "The grass is green on the other side until you get there, and then it's no longer."
• Paulie (28:14): "I used to tell my kids I was a semi celebrity."
• Eddie Judge (31:37): "My daughter pulled a tooth out, and she was like, 'No more monsters.'"

Conclusion

The Eds: Fatherhood Confessions episode of Two Ts In A Pod offers a profound and entertaining exploration of what it means to be a father. Through personal stories, laughter, and shared wisdom, Teddi Mellencamp, Tamra Judge, Eddie Judge, and Paulie provide listeners with valuable insights into the joys and challenges of fatherhood. Whether it's the lessons inherited from their own fathers or the new traditions they're creating with their children, this episode is a testament to the enduring bond between father and child.

Transcript

[Eddie Judge]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Shane Simpson]

We finally switched to T Mobile because with them we can be connected here and there.

[Polly Connell]

Dad, the cousins in Mexico have a surprise for you.

[Shane Simpson]

And enjoy the gift of staying connected. Switch and start saving today. Get four Samsung Galaxy S25 phones with Galaxy AI on us and four lines for just 25 bucks per line plus non stop talk, text and data between us and Mexico. Visit a store t mobile.com or call 1-800-T-Mobile-1-800-T-Mobile see details@t mobile.com Cuando las Causas.

[Chiquis]

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[Eddie Judge]

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[Justin Richmond]

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[Eddie Judge]

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[Marla Negra]

This is the EDS with Eddie Judge.

[Polly Connell]

And Edwin Aroyavi, welcome back to the Ed's podcast. We are on location at Bottle Rock Festival and today's special guest. Oh, I can't wait to share with this our very first podcast guest, Shane.

[Eddie Judge]

Hello.

[Polly Connell]

Sim soon. Welcome back. Thank you. And of course, you know, we got Polly Connell.

[Paulie]

Yes.

[Polly Connell]

Sorry about that. Here with us. And we are going to talk about Father's Day. You guys have any experience with that?

[Paulie]

A little bit.

[Polly Connell]

A little bit. Okay. Now, Father's Day is a special day for us. You know, it's the one day a year that, you know, the. The kids get to opportunity to learn to celebrate us as fathers. Like everything we've done for them, equally important as Mother's Day, they get there one day. I'm not a big holiday guy. I think Father's Day, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, and especially Valentine's Day, it should be every day. You should celebrate each other every day. It just makes a better relationship and better life to leave it to one day a year. I don't think that important. So let's just say Father's Day coming up, being celebrated. We are going to talk about your experience growing up. Paulie, who was your father figure growing up and what kind of impact did he have on you?

[Paulie]

Yeah, that's, you know. Well, my dad's passed, so it's always a tough conversation, to be honest. But I. My dad was the guy that I never thought would be gone.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

I always would expect him to be there till the end, no matter what.

[Eddie Judge]

Can I ask how old you were when he passed?

[Paulie]

Yeah, I was 42.

[Eddie Judge]

Okay.

[Paulie]

Yes. He just passed eight years ago. And you know, he was. He was a very strong demeanor man. Moral code was always on point.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

Taught me right from wrong and taught me how to be nice to people. And we can't. We only can. We grew up in a. In a place in Ireland, not. Not a lot. Not a lot of money, not a lot of things going on. But he always made it feel right.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

And I guess, you know, he always taught me how to be above, even when you felt below.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

And that's something that I always took away. Like, no matter what you have. Yeah, you can, you can, you can make yourself and everybody around you feel like this. And that's what he. He kind of gave to me. And it's not about, you know, what you bring to the table, it's what you have at that moment. So I guess for me as being a dad now, I reflect that. And I can see that with my kids yeah. So, as you know, I'm trying to teach what I learned from my father to them, but obviously my kids are, you know, younger compared to. Things have changed. But he was a very big. Yeah. Very big statement in my life. He made. Made a lot of. Made a lot of impressions that last till today.

[Polly Connell]

What's a favorite memory that you remember from your dad? Like that one, maybe that talk or that moment where he just made a huge impact in your life?

[Paulie]

When I up.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

And he would tell me it was going to be okay after. He would absolutely make sure I would understand everything that I did was so wrong.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

But he always gave me an out.

[Polly Connell]

Okay.

[Paulie]

And made me realize that mistakes are okay.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

But they're not good to keep on making and, you know, matured me in somewhat. Somewhat of a way. And, you know, back in the day, the Fist was the ruler when you were growing up in Ireland, that's. You were always afraid of it. And it was kind of like, you know, learning to, like, watch my dad because I was the youngest child in the house, so he's already dealt with two of my brothers, and he had to change as a dad because times have changed. So I was watched. I didn't even know in front of my dad. I was watching him change as a dad as I was growing up, from what I seen how he reacted with my brother. So that was an impressionable thing, and I guess that maybe matured me as a dad.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah, yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

Well, yeah, it sounds like he had a pretty big impact on the way you are today.

[Paulie]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Respectful. He told me to respect my elders.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah. Yeah. I think that's a generation thing because that's how I grew up. Respect your elders. Doesn't matter what kind of ups they are. You just respect. You got to respect them because. Just because they're older.

[Paulie]

Right. Like you said Tonight, your dad's 80 years old.

[Polly Connell]

Right.

[Paulie]

Like, it's. It's great. Like, at this age, he's like, that's.

[Eddie Judge]

Well, he certainly got a lot more experience than I did, so, I mean, being twice my age.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

I mean, you got. You got to account for that for something.

[Paulie]

Of course.

[Eddie Judge]

You know, and the same with my kids. My kids, you know, I have as young as 10 or 12. I have 10 and 12. And when she's always ask, looking at me like I'm dumb for telling her, and it's like, it's because I have experience. I've made those. I was 12, too. I made mistakes, I'm telling you, so you can Have a better experience than I did a minute. They don't always get that. But if they respected your elders. Right. I think that term comes with respect, their experience, that they're looking out for you, that they have something that, you know, they can pass down to you, whether it be a neighbor or a relative.

[Paulie]

Yeah.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

But I think it kind of gets. I don't know, it feels like it gets lost.

[Paulie]

Sometimes it does get lost, but you have to keep on it.

[Eddie Judge]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

And you have to transition it in. I think as our generation, we have to apply that.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

That's what's important. I think maybe that's what our parents, our fathers have taught us that over the years is not to give up on that.

[Polly Connell]

Right.

[Paulie]

You know, because there is going to come a generation that gets skipped.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah. So tell me about your father figure.

[Eddie Judge]

Oh, well, it would be my father. I was fortunate enough to have him in the house. Him and my mother are still married and he's 82 now.

[Chiquis]

He was.

[Eddie Judge]

He worked a lot, though. He wasn't. I wouldn't say he was a workaholic, but he did work. And he'd come home and he was very. He'd come home, he'd make a screwdriver and he would grab the newspaper and he would read and that was the evening.

[Polly Connell]

Okay.

[Eddie Judge]

So I didn't really. We didn't play sports together. We didn't really do things together. But he wasn't negative in any way or like, you know, it wasn't like he was some father from some, you know, 50s sitcom where kind of like they don't have time for the kids or they're doing. But we just didn't really connect when we got older. When I was in my 20s, I started to get more connected with him. And then I would say in my early 30s is when I started to listen to him.

[Polly Connell]

Okay.

[Eddie Judge]

And he would always give me. My dad doesn't attend a religion or anything, but he does read a lot, read a lot of spirituality things, and he would always try to share things with me. And I always thought, eh, didn't really care for it. Didn't care for it. Then when I hit early 30s, I started to listen to him. Someone gave me advice about basically listening to my father. And so I started listening to my father and realized he's got some pretty good advice. So a lot of times, I know I share a lot of stories with you about my father, and it's always later in life, like in my 30s and 40s, that I heard those things from him or Got those lessons from him. It's never from when I was a kid. One, because we didn't connect very well.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

But two, because I started listening to him when I was older, late 20s and early 30s.

[Paulie]

Because you matured.

[Eddie Judge]

Yeah. Yeah. And then I had kids and I also had circumstances that caused me to have more of an open mind. So I was more willing to listen and hear what he had to say. Anyway, I get a. I get lots of little tidbits from my father that I still carry with me today. And one is that comes to mind right now is I remember one time I was saying, oh, yeah, you know, because grass is green on the other side. And he goes. And I said, but it's not. And he goes, no, no, no, it is until you get there and then it's no longer. So that made me.

[Polly Connell]

That's interesting.

[Eddie Judge]

That day forward, really. It made me step back and not be so quick to chase the next thing. Usually something materialistic. Chase and chase and chase. Because I know when I get it, I mean it. It's not so much trying to teach myself that it's not going to make me happy, but realizing, yeah, I will probably have some fun and some joy or whatever it is or some satisfaction, but that's. But it's gonna go away pretty soon.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

You know, once you get it.

[Polly Connell]

So that's a true statement for almost anything in life. Right. There's. There's nothing materialistic that will last any longer than your memories, so.

[Eddie Judge]

That's right.

[Polly Connell]

I rather make a memory of something than like, let's say a trip or with some friends. Like what we're doing today. This is gonna be an awesome experience at Bottlerock together and enjoying this awesome event that we can talk about for the rest of our lives versus let's go buy a couple Ferraris and you know, six months from now we're going to be bored with it.

[Eddie Judge]

Yeah, no, you're right because you, you asked the question of what, you know, a memory you have from your. Your father figure and, and neither of us, and I assume most people wouldn't say, oh, it's when he bought me this or he gave me this. But it would rather be experiences what you got from your father and so on.

[Paulie]

So, yeah.

[Shane Simpson]

We finally switched to T Mobile because with them we can be connected here and there.

[Polly Connell]

Dad, the cousins in Mexico have a surprise for you.

[Shane Simpson]

And enjoy the gift of staying connected. Switch and start saving today. Get four Samsung Galaxy S25 phones with Galaxy AI on us and four lines for just 25 bucks per line plus non stop talk, text and data between us and Mexico. Visit a store at t mobile.com or call 1-800-T-Mobile-1-800-T MOBILE.

[Justin Richmond]

See details@t mobile.com if you own a home, here's an interesting fact for you Today. American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity. That's the part of your home you own outright, the value you can tap to fund other life goals. In fact, the average Rocket Mortgage homeowner has about $170,000 in untapped equity available now. Rocket Mortgage can help you understand what home equity is and how to use it wisely for what matters to you. They've made it easier than ever to turn your home equity into cash with Rocket Mortgage. So now the home you work so hard for can work hard for you in plenty of different ways. Home equity can help you fund a home renovation, pay for your kids college tuition, or pay off and consolidate high interest debt from credit cards. To learn more, just call 800 for Rocket or visit Rocket.com today. Rocket Mortgage LLC licensed in 50 states nmlsconsumeraxis.org Number 3030 $178,000 Average equity is based on internal Rocket Mortgage servicing date.

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[Chiquis]

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[Polly Connell]

What kind of experiences have you done, Polly, with your kids that, you know, this is a memory that's going to last with them, us, forever?

[Paulie]

I mean, I like doing road trips.

[Polly Connell]

I love road.

[Paulie]

I love road trips. I. A couple of years ago, we flew out to Vegas. Flew to California. Sorry. Spent some time in California. We drove her to Vegas, went to a UFC fight. We just drove and we just hung out, booked to hotels. We didn't. Didn't do any planning, and it was just like, whatever happened, happened.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

And I wanted them to understand that we're here together, so it doesn't matter where we are. We're just gonna go. We're just gonna keep on happening. And I want them to experience that, like, one on one, that, like, it's okay to, like, not know where you're going sometimes.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

And when you get there, you make the best. You make the best of what it is. And it was really. They still talk about the trip saying, like, it was so cool. And it really was like, the driver, your two kids in the car across the country and, like, doing all this cool stuff. That, to me, is probably, like, was a real big turning point, especially at their age where I was like, you know, they're enjoying this as much as I am, and I was learning from it as much as they were.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

Well, it sounds like it was a trip with dad as opposed to, like, where did you go? Or what did you do? It won't be. We went to a UFC fight. It's. We. We went on a road trip with my dad.

[Paulie]

Exactly.

[Eddie Judge]

We were with my dad.

[Paulie]

Like the stuff that we did even on the road trip, like, you know what I mean? Like, like stopping off to eat on like the side of the road and like went to these crazy places. Like it's not normally what you would do, but we just did it. Cuz we were like, we. We didn't have any schedule, so we just. Whatever happened, happened.

[Polly Connell]

Did you stop at Eddie's World on the way to Vegas? There's a really legit place on the side of the.

[Shane Simpson]

It's just.

[Eddie Judge]

Oh yeah. And it's got all your stuff. Ice cream, candy. It's like. It's like 10,000 square feet of candy. That's all it is.

[Polly Connell]

It's bizarre. Bizarre. That's funny. You know, on. On the road trip thing, I got a book from my dad written by Jack Kerouac titled On the Road. And it was that book that gave me the guts and, and desire to just hit the road one day and just go. And no matter where I ended up, I ended up. And to this day, I still want to do that. It's in my like jeans. Like I just want to jump on my Harley and just go. Not plan. And just when I get there, I get there and I'll figure it out. You know, there's. There's so much freedom to.

[Paulie]

That there is.

[Polly Connell]

And it's not necessarily leaving behind your problems or your challenges or your responsibilities, but that freedom to be able to do that is. Is inexplicable.

[Paulie]

Yeah, right. No, it is. You're right.

[Polly Connell]

I love road trips. Those are my favorite things to do. In fact, I've been trying to talk my wife into going on a road trip for. To Moab. I just took a trip.

[Eddie Judge]

Well, if it's joy in the journey, then the road trip would be it, right? Yeah. Not Moab so much. It's the trip as well. The road trip part.

[Polly Connell]

And, and where there's no WI fi or Internet connection so that she can be off her phone for at least you.

[Paulie]

You know, that's funny. That's a funny thing. On this trip I did with my kids, which were normally like stuck to their phone.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

There was just conversations going on.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

Which was the other thing that was. I never tried to like create the conversation. The conversation just naturally happened and it was like. It seemed like the perfect time to eat was when everybody wanted to eat.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

Perfect time to stop was when everybody wanted to stop. It was just natural. So it was. It was. Yeah, definitely. Conversation was cool.

[Polly Connell]

So let me go back a little bit to when you first Became a dad. And how did that change or shift your world? Like, I, I don't have kids of my own that I've ever experienced, you know, the birth of a child. And every really good friend of mine that's shared that experience, that it's the most magical experience because you made this kid. Right. Tell me about the first time you became a dad.

[Paulie]

Yeah, so the first time I became a dad, my son Cameron, who is 24, he was born in St. John's in Queens and he was a high risk baby. So I was living here by myself in this country with my ex wife at the time. And we were expecting our first child. Very new, very like, very common. Like just, we just didn't know what to do. And he would, we were told that there was a chance that he would not make it. And we were like, you know, this, this is like, you know, not news that you want to hear when you have a child. He was born with a thing called gastroschisis. It's, it's like an intestine developing on the outside rather than the inside. So it was a very big, heavy thing. First one.

[Eddie Judge]

That means you knew when he was born that he was going to need certain medical care.

[Paulie]

Correct.

[Eddie Judge]

Regardless.

[Paulie]

Regardless.

[Eddie Judge]

Even if he survived, he was going to have to have severe.

[Paulie]

And I always remember we, we knew that we knew what was coming up was, was something that we had no clue about. But we're in the best place in the world, America. Right. At the same time we were like so scared because we're in a country that we don't have anybody. Number one, I'm gonna become a dad. She's gonna become, you know, a mother too. And I always remember we sat down with this person, they said, you, you can, you can make a decision right now and not go through with this and we can make things change. And I'm like, I'm a dad.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

I can't do that.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

Even though the baby was still, you.

[Eddie Judge]

Know, in the womb.

[Paulie]

In the womb. I was like, no, no, no, no. I'm a dad.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

And they were like, you understand that there's a possibility that, you know, there is. I said, it doesn't matter. That was my first moment I became a dad.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

And I remember I stood on Queens Boulevard and I was in like New York and I'm, I'm looking at my ex wife going, this is it. We're in for the run. You don't get an option in this situation now. And you have to go with that. And that was my first experience becoming a dad.

[Polly Connell]

Wow. Instant overprotection.

[Paulie]

Instant. And that's when I knew that, you know, you. You just can't. You don't. You just never change from that moment. I can't explain it. I wish I could, but I can't explain it.

[Polly Connell]

What about you, Shane?

[Eddie Judge]

Oh, gosh. Well, Paul is a very good storyteller. You articulate very well.

[Polly Connell]

Not a competition.

[Eddie Judge]

I can't follow that. Okay. The first time I became a father, I was. I don't even remember how that was 24, so I was pretty young. I was still in school. And I think I. If I were to look back, it would be. I wasn't worried. And I remember not worrying and just being excited because I thought it would be easy. And I thought, oh, I have my parents. I've seen my sister do it. Like, you just have a kid and everyone. All the family members come in and everyone's so happy. So I was kind of oblivious that way. And, but. And I. And I've said this to Emily, too, all the way to. I have five kids, all the way to the fifth kid. She knows this, that I don't really get attached. Here Paulie is, before the child is born, proclaiming he's a father right out in public. Me, I always say, I don't really get attached to about a year.

[Polly Connell]

Okay.

[Eddie Judge]

And I don't know why. I'll take care of him. I'll change the diapers, I'll do everything. But I just. I don't connect yet.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

And it's not a. It's not something I'm proud of. But then when they hit about one and they start to see their personalities, it just. That's the end of it. And all the way to this day, I'm going to tell you, I love being with kids. I'm always with kids. It just takes a while for me to really get connected. It might have to do something with my childhood. I don't know.

[Polly Connell]

Do you have that in general with relationships with people? It takes you a while to get to know people or.

[Eddie Judge]

No, I don't say. I just. I just. I've never grew up with little babies. I was the youngest. I didn't have any cousins. I didn't have any. Anything like that. So I think that might be why I just don't connect.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

I mean, it's not saying I'm proud of. But yes, the question, that's the honest answer. And Emily will tell you the same thing, too. But then. Then after that, it's Over. I mean, yeah.

[Polly Connell]

I mean, today Emily can't say enough about what an amazing.

[Eddie Judge]

But I do. Let me clarify. Thank you. In the beginning, I do feel an obligation. I make sure I do everything I can and it really does matter. I just. I'm not lovey dovey and I'm not hugging and kissing yet.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

And it's. And I know that. And it just takes a while for me to get there.

[Polly Connell]

That's okay. So we're hugging now, right?

[Eddie Judge]

That's. That's my story. Yes.

[Polly Connell]

Polly, speaking of kids, was it. I think I asked you this before. Was it blending families with Dolores smooth A learning curve? Was it easy? Tell us a little bit more about that.

[Paulie]

Yeah, as I said earlier, it was a. It was easy because her kids are so. I mean, Frankie and Gabby are like the best.

[Polly Connell]

Right.

[Paulie]

They're just there, like they're just. I mean, if I. If I wanted to have a girl in the by and I. That's what I would paint them as. Right.

[Polly Connell]

Are they older?

[Paulie]

Yes.

[Polly Connell]

Okay.

[Paulie]

Yeah, yeah. Just by a tab. Just by tab.

[Polly Connell]

Okay.

[Paulie]

But they blend and they all talk and they all text, the group text and they all chat and they all ever hang out together. The transition was easy because number one, my ex wife, their ma' am was all for it.

[Polly Connell]

Okay.

[Paulie]

So the transition was easy from this perspective of that it's Dolores Catania. She makes a spider feel welcome in her house. Right. She's just. She's just. That's what she is. So that was also very helpful. And my kids love Dolores and they. She goes above and beyond just to make everybody feel at home.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

It just. The love was there. And like I said, even, like, even with Frank Atania, when he met my ex wife, he was like, you're part of the family now. This is what happens.

[Eddie Judge]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

This is it. What goes on in the tv, in the world doesn't matter. This is what really matters. We're a family. We're together.

[Polly Connell]

I love that.

[Paulie]

And this is where we plan. So the transition was. Was very. Was very simple.

[Polly Connell]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Eddie Judge]

Well, that's rare, you know, that's rare. That's great that you.

[Paulie]

I was against it.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

I'm gonna be honest. I was not a big fan of it because all the support they have.

[Eddie Judge]

From the family, it sounds like from your ex wife, like everything.

[Paulie]

Yeah, Yeah. I was disturber moment going this weird, you know, this is so weird. It's so weird. But when I let it just be organic, I'm like, well, it's meant to be. Because it's good.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah. Yeah. It's weird because it's not normal. Normally, people are fighting, uncomfortable.

[Paulie]

We're doing something different.

[Polly Connell]

What about you blending your kids together?

[Eddie Judge]

Well, when Emily and I married, my daughters were seven and two, so she came into the picture, and without children, obviously. So it wasn't the same kind of blending as. As some families, but it was. It was a little bit of a transition. You know, they. They grew to love Emily, I think, pretty quickly. I think little kids tend to. I mean, unless they have some issues, they can really. You know, they have more love than adults do. Right?

[Polly Connell]

They do.

[Eddie Judge]

And Emily. So I had a house. I just had, like, a couch, a tv, and a bunch of toys. Right. She comes in, she cleans it up. She makes their bathroom feel like their bathroom. She says we need to decorate the rooms, not just have basic furniture. And then it was. Yes, and then it was. You know, she wanted to do. She took us to do things that we didn't normally do on the weekends, which was simple things like going to the park and doing cartwheels and things like that or something. Let's go to a movie or let's do this or that. Something more structured, that cost a few bucks. Bucks. But she would make it more like a family experience. And so. And then she's given me lots of advice, raising them, because she was always like, I'm not going to be that stepmother. Just comes in and starts dictating, and they're going to hate me, even though I think there can be some balance of that. So she always instills this date, gives me advice. I can bounce things off of her. She. She repackages it and gives it back to me and says, this is how you handle it.

[Polly Connell]

Okay.

[Eddie Judge]

And so very, very helpful. I don't have time for it, but I know there's very specific lessons that she's taught me that I still use today with my kids.

[Polly Connell]

That's awesome. Sounds like the perfect partner.

[Eddie Judge]

Sometimes.

[Polly Connell]

Sometimes. All right, let's talk about the funniest dad moment. You as a father versus the hardest dad moment. Paulie, you go first.

[Paulie]

The funniest.

[Polly Connell]

Funniest dad moment. Like, fun. Let's. Like, what's the.

[Paulie]

Like me and my dad or me and my kids?

[Polly Connell]

You and your kids.

[Paulie]

I mean, I used to tell my kids I was a semi celebrity. I used to break their chops all the time. They'd be like, I'll be like, yo, I'm a samurai celebrity. They were like, yo, dad, what are you talking about? I'm like, just trust me. Go with this. This is for years. So I said, when they were small, I used to shave little lines in their hair and do Ronaldo haircuts and tell them they were famous. Right. We used to do all this. So I remember when I was on the first time I was on the Housewives, my kids see me on tv, they're like, dan, you're a semi celebrity. That was the kind of. Yeah.

[Polly Connell]

You manifested.

[Paulie]

Yeah, I did kind of manifest it. Yeah.

[Polly Connell]

Hardest time as a. As a dad moment.

[Paulie]

Hardest time. I mean, when my kids get sick.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

Honestly. Yeah. My. One of my. My camera got sick one time. He was, like, 15. He had some stomach issues, and I could just think about what happened when he was born. That was a. That was a tough time.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

And. Or even seeing them getting defeated in, like, in something that happens on his. On a sport or a school or a friend. Friends. That's like. Because I want to tell them this guy's no good.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

You know?

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

Dad knows better, but they're so invested as friends.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Paulie]

They feel bad because they're not getting asked to go somewhere. That kind of. That kind of cuts me up a little bit.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah. But, yeah, you kind of got to let him learn.

[Paulie]

Yeah. It's like, you gotta let them get boring. Then, like, you see the pain, but you just can't do anything about it. Yeah.

[Polly Connell]

Shane. Funniest dad moment.

[Eddie Judge]

Oh, funniest.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

Oh, gosh.

[Polly Connell]

You have a funny daughter. She's. She's a lot like your wife.

[Eddie Judge]

Yeah. Annabelle. Annabelle is. Yeah, she's a mini Emily.

[Polly Connell]

Funniest dad moment.

[Eddie Judge]

That puts me on the spot. What was the other part?

[Polly Connell]

Hardest. Hardest dad moment.

[Eddie Judge]

Hardest would be. Well, you know, one. I don't know if hardest, but one of the hard things was when my oldest got married, it wasn't the. It was partially the letting go, but it. And. And trusting this man that's. Now, you know, she's gonna go to him.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

Right. And she should go to him, you know, for. For certain things.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

But it was like, how do I transition to that? And then do I just cut off the funds immediately or car insurance? Like, and then I. I didn't know how to transition that. So I was very, very nervous for probably about six months in trying to figure that out.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

And that. That was difficult.

[Polly Connell]

Okay. Fun moment.

[Eddie Judge]

Well, you know, when they were younger toddlers, we just wrestle all the time. Like, literally. It sounds silly, but we. All the time. And then when, you know, I had three of them at that age. And we would wrestle and just. It'd be. It'd be. It feel like hours, but it was probably just an hour all over the place and, you know, chasing each other, being monster and stuff like that. And then it got to a point where it was getting. It was getting kind of out of control. And Luke ran into a chair, busted his tooth, pushed it in, pushed his tooth in. And then now I'm getting off topic. But then I was telling Emily, I'm like, we got to pull it out. We got to pull it out.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

And I cannot stand the dentist. I can't stand anything to do with teeth. So I'm closing my eyes going, just do it. It's no big deal. It's no big deal. It's no big deal. Anyway, she pulls the tooth out, and Emily's like, no more monsters. No more monsters. Because we were getting injured all the time and stuff. So then like a week or two went by, and they begged and begged and begged, and I thought, nope, nope, nope. And then finally, Cabe did it. Keller lost a tooth.

[Paulie]

So the monster came back.

[Polly Connell]

I don't know. Ye.

[Eddie Judge]

So that's just something that was a little bit more recent, but that's funny. So we always have that memory. They always.

[Chiquis]

Yeah, yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

So they always reference that, you know, that's kind of an ongoing memory of theirs. That's kind of fun to tell.

[Shane Simpson]

We finally switched to T Mobile because with them, we can be connected here and there.

[Polly Connell]

Dad, the cousins in Mexico have a surprise for you.

[Shane Simpson]

And enjoy the gift of staying connected. Switch and start saving today. Get four Samsung Galaxy S25 phones with Galaxy AI on us and four lines for just 25 bucks per line, plus non stop talk, text and data between us and Mexico. Visit a store, t mobile.com or call 1-800-T-Mobile, 1-800-T-Mobile.

[Justin Richmond]

See details@t mobile.com if you own a home, here's an interesting fact for you. Today. American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity. That's the part of your home you own outright, the value you can tap to fund other life goals. In fact, the average Rocket Mortgage homeowner has about $170,000 in untapped equity available now. Rocket Mortgage can help you understand what home equity is and how to use it wisely for what matters to you. They've made it easier than ever to turn your home equity into cash with Rocket Mortgage. So now the home you work so hard for can work hard for you in plenty of different ways. Home equity can help you fund a home renovation, pay for your kids college tuition or pay off and consolidate high interest debt from credit cards. To learn more just call 800 for Rocket or visit Rocket.com today. Rocket Mortgage LLC. Licensed in 50 states. Nmlsconsumeraccess.org Number 3030 $178,000. Average equity is based on internal Rocket mortgage servicing date.

[Dolores Catania]

Did you know Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in Latinos? But here's the thing. It doesn't have to be Hola Catal. This is chiquis. And I know talking about colon cancer, not fun. Taking time off for screening, not easy. But taking care of yourself, now that's powerful. With the Cologuard test you can use the kit at home and send it back to the lab for testing. No time off, no prep. Hasi de facil. If you are 45 or older and at average risk, ask your doctor if Cologuard is right for you. See cologuard.com preba for more information or 1-844-870-8870. The Cologuard test is intended to screen adults 45 and older at average risk for colorectal cancer. Do not use a Cologuard test if you have had adenomas, have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes, or a personal or family history of colorectal cancer. The Cologuard test is not a replacement for colonoscopy in high risk patients. Cologuard test performance in adults averaged 45 to 49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older. False positives and false negatives can occur prescription only. Let's take care of ourselves. Cologuard is a proud supporter of the My Cultura podcast network.

[Chiquis]

Los espres antitranspirantes. Dove men plus care. Ayudan a combatir el estres el sudor y las bacterias que casa mientras agragan a combat anti transpirantes Dove men plus care. This ponybles in Walmart, Target e Amazon.

[Polly Connell]

I have a question for you guys. Is it okay? I did a chat to roast us dads. Are you familiar with chat?

[Paulie]

I did one on you tonight.

[Polly Connell]

You did?

[Paulie]

On the airplane on the way here.

[Polly Connell]

I. I did one on all three of us.

[Eddie Judge]

I want to hear.

[Polly Connell]

Are you okay?

[Shane Simpson]

Yeah.

[Polly Connell]

I'm gonna start with mine. I think it's hilarious.

[Eddie Judge]

Wait, what's the question you ask? Can you roast Eddie Judge?

[Polly Connell]

Yeah. Roast Eddie Judge. Roast Polly.

[Paulie]

It's.

[Polly Connell]

It's funny. It's amazing. Chat GBT is hilarious. So Eddie Judge, the only man who went on a reality show and somehow still managed to have less screen time than Tamara's implants.

[Eddie Judge]

That's a pretty good right there.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah, he left law to open a gym. Cut Fitness. Bold choice for business name, considering the only thing that got cut was the check when Bravo canceled Cameras.

[Eddie Judge]

Wow, that's a pretty sophisticated right?

[Polly Connell]

Eddie is known for his for two things, abs and absolute silence during Real House of Orange county drama. Blink twice if you've ever finished a sentence on your own. Eddie, I don't know if I want.

[Eddie Judge]

You to read mine now. I thought it was gonna be like a one liner.

[Polly Connell]

Oh, it's hilarious. He married Tamara and that he could avoid drama. That's like jumping into a volcano and being shocked that you got burned. Gosh, let's be honest. If Cuff Fitness had half the stamina. Stamina Of Tamra's Instagram story, it might still be open. Oh, my God, man. That's still credit where credit is due. Eddie just might be the least douchiest husband to ever grace a housewife franchise. He minds his business, loves his wife, and somehow manages to survive reality TV without launching a tequila brand or some midlife crisis. Impressive, right?

[Paulie]

Wow, that's pretty cool.

[Eddie Judge]

That was crazy. That was pretty entertaining, though. And knowing it came from Chat GB makes it kind of cool to hear.

[Paulie]

Well, that's real.

[Polly Connell]

It's so. All right, chain, you're next.

[Eddie Judge]

Oh, no.

[Paulie]

Nervous?

[Eddie Judge]

Okay, go ahead.

[Polly Connell]

Shane Simpson. The man, the myth, the human eye roll. He's basically a walking shrug with a law degree that took a few tries to get, but, hey, third time's a charm, right? He's not the loudest guy in the room. Mostly because Emily's already doing all the talking for both of them. Honestly, the marriage works because she loves a challenge and Shane is one. While most house husbands are chasing clout, Shane's out there chasing peace and quiet. And probably wondering how he ended up married to someone who lives in full glam and full chaos. At the end of the day, Shane's dry humor might not be for everyone, but clearly it's Emily's love language. And if she's happy, we are all just politely pretending to understand why.

[Paulie]

That's pretty good.

[Polly Connell]

All right, Paulie. Paulie should be thanking his lucky stars he joined the Real Housewives of New Jersey the same time as Louis, because Louis hoarded all the red flags like it was a clearance sale shout out to Louis. Compared to him, Paulie's 15 year separation and procrastination proposal seems quaint.

[Paulie]

Guilty.

[Polly Connell]

Let's be. Let's be real. The man met Dolores at an Apple store which is fitting because he's been buffering ever since. He's got electrician energy, but he can't seem to generate a spark when it comes to locking down things. Man busting your chops here. And can we talk about how he looks like Buzz Lightyear if Buzz Lightyear traded in space mission for protein shakes and vague business ventures. To infinity and eventually commitment.

[Paulie]

Oh yes.

[Polly Connell]

Wow.

[Paulie]

I like that. That's pretty good.

[Polly Connell]

All joking aside, what do you think the best part of being dad is?

[Paulie]

Just being a dad?

[Polly Connell]

Shane.

[Eddie Judge]

Oh, I. I think it's. You get to live through their eyes again.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

You know, holidays are more special because you live through them.

[Polly Connell]

Yeah.

[Eddie Judge]

And see it through them.

[Polly Connell]

I see that. Here is to dads who taught us everything we know and half the stuff we probably shouldn't. Thank you guys so much for being on the podcast.

[Paulie]

Thank you.

[Polly Connell]

Awesome Father's Day. And to all the fathers out there, keep being great dads. Teach your kids respect. Expect.

[Marla Negra]

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[Justin Richmond]

If you own a home, here's an interesting fact for you today. American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity. That's the part of your home you own outright. And Rocket Mortgage can help you turn that home equity into cash. And that can help you fund a home renovation, pay for your kids college tuition, or pay off consolidated high interest debt. To learn more, just call 800 for Rocket or visit Rocket.com today. Rocket Mortgage LLC. Licensed in 50 states. Nmlsconsumeraccess.org number 3030.

[Tamra Judge]

Tucson is a city that stays with you. The food here isn't just a meal, it's a legacy. And whether it's the kick of a chiltepin, which is a very hot pepper for those of you who don't know or enjoying a Sonoran hot dog after a night out on the town. Every dish has a story to tell, and beyond the culinary journey, each neighborhood offers a glimpse into a rich tapestry of cultures blending into the Sonoran desert. Tucson isn't just a getaway, it's a journey into heritage and a community that feels like home. Learn [e-mail] Viva this is Justin Richmond from Broken Record.

[Emily]

Are you the kind of person who sets standards for themselves? Like, personally, I told myself if the Lakers lose their do or Die Game five, I wouldn't let it impact my mood at home with family. The standard Lexus has set for themselves is to experience amazing. Lexus measures success by the feelings and emotions evoked in a driver, like exhilaration and joy. Amazing can only be achieved by knowing people on a deeper level. The standard of amazing results in machines that make you feel more human, because a car that doesn't make you feel something is a car that stops short of amazing. Experience Amazing at your Lexus dealer.

[Eddie Judge]

This is an iHeart podcast.