Raising Dads

Episode 20! Today on the show we have Jacquie Brown! Jacquie was the 3rd runner up in Miss.America, wrote for the Comedy Central roast of Bruce Willis, and is a stand-up comedian. She had a very difficult childhood including homelessness and emancipation. We have a good chat about her life, and hope on the other side. Follow her on instagram @itsjacquiebrown

Our guest this week is Chris Franjola! Chris Franjola is originally from Long Island, but now resides in Los Angeles where he works as a comedian, writer, and actor. You may know him from Chelsea Lately, After Lately, Cover to Cover, Juicy Scoop, and more. Chris is a new Dad, and we discuss what it is like raising a toddler in Los Angeles. This episode is lots of laughs, and we hope you enjoy!

Jared Freid joins the Dads this week to discuss wanting kids but not having found a Mom for them yet, his parents, and carving your own path as a stand-up comedian. Catch Jared on tour performing in comedy clubs everywhere. Tour dates at www.jaredfreid.com

Episode 17! We had a great time talking to Ryan Niemiller, the self-proclaimed “Cripple Threat of Comedy” and he shares his views of the world from the perspective of someone who is handicapped but doesn't want that to define him. Ryan is a comedian based out of Los Angeles who first broke out on the show, America's Got Talent. We talked to Ryan about how life is different with a disability, what kids should be taught for dealing with disabled people, and how he sees his future. Find more out about Ryan Niemiller by going to Cripplethreat.com and find him on social media.

Dr. Howard E. Wasdin, D.C. is a former member of the United States Navy who served as a sailor in the Atlantic Fleet as well as a Navy SEAL and served with the most elite in the world on Team 6 or DEVGRU. Following his honorable discharge, he co-wrote the autobiographical memoir SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper that went on to be a NYT best seller. Howard had a difficult life growing up and he talks to us about his childhood, how people didn't ask questions when kids were punished in the south and about his greatest memories in life. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Dr. Howard Wasdin, if you'd like to learn more about him or any speaking engagements contact him at howardwasdin.com

Welcome to episode 15. Today's episode is with Ben Vernon. Ben is a San Diego City Firefighter who was attacked while on a routine medical call in downtown San Diego and almost died as a result. Ben worked on one of the busiest fire engines in the nation and was typically running 25+ calls every 24hr shift. One day changed his life and, after recovering, he found his calling speaking to fellow first responders around the nation about his struggles with PTSD. If there's one thing that Ben wants, it's for anyone who is suffering from something similar to seek help. We hope you enjoy this episode and if you'd like to see and hear more of our friend Ben Vernon, please seek him out at Benvernon.com.

Episode 14 of Raising Dads brings us back to a one on one discussion on how we handle our work life and our family life. We discuss what it is like to try and figure out the perfect balance between supporting our families physically and financially, and the struggles that it sometimes brings.

Episode 13 is here! Today we have Kristin Key. Kristin is a comedian who been performing since the age of 19 and has appeared on NBC's “Bring the Funny” and Last Comic Standing. She's a preacher's daughter who got her start in a small town comedy club in West Texas. We love Kristin because of her feel good energy and her upbeat approach to life. We talk to Kristin about her coming out to her parents and how she reconnected with her dad. Please go and listen to Kristin's podcast “Kristin Knows Blank” and follow her on Instagram @thekristinkey.

Episode 12! Today on the podcast we have Mitch Aguiar. Mitch is a 10 year Navy SEAL Veteran, entrepreneur, speaker, painter and Professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter who's nickname is the “Smashin' Frog.” Mitch learned from an early age that a lot of things in life are hard, so he decided to set hard goals for himself to instill his confidence. Mitch graduated from BUDs Class 273 in 2008 and deployed with SEAL Team 10 to Afghanistan in 2011, and also worked as a multi purpose Dog Handler for year. Mitch talks to us about what he learned from his childhood, what his life experience has taught him, and most importantly how not to be a pu$$y. Follow Mitch on Instagram @mitch_aguiar and check out his supplement company MASF at https://masfsupplements.com/

Episode Two of Dads Discuss! If you enjoyed our episode on discipline than you will definitely enjoy this one. If you hated it then go eat 100 donuts and come back next Wednesday. We dive deep into our personal childhoods, and discuss if experiences or material items are more important for children. Check it out!

Episode 10! We made it! Take that Vegas odds! We are joined today by the very funny Andy Woodhull who you may know from the Tonight Show, Conan, Comedy Central, and more! We talk about his roots growing up in Elkhart, Indiana, what it's like to be a Step-Dad, and we get a juicy story about Chris Carrabba from Dashboard Confessional! Enjoy!

In this episode we try something new, we pick a topic related to self-growth or improving as a parent and discuss it. Today we discuss the topic of DISCIPLINE. What discipline means to us, what ways we try to implement it in our everyday lives and how we can improve it. We want our listeners to ponder the same ideas and see if what we talk about in this episode applies to their lives as well. Enjoy!

Meet Royce Young, he's a family man who also covers the NBA for ESPN. Royce is one of the most respected writers for the NBA and maintains a dialogue with his loyal Oklahoma City Thunder fans on Twitter. We talk to him about how he started his sports writing career and how he balances work and family life. Follow Royce Young on Twitter and Instagram @royceyoung. Enjoy!

Meet Kelsey Cook! Kelsey is the daughter of an International Yo-Yo Champion and a Professional Foosball player who likes to hustle fellow comedians who don't know her Foosball skills! We talk to Kelsey about her start in comedy, her relationship with her parents and much more. You can find Kelsey as a co-host on the Self-Helpless podcast and on her web series “Wrists of Fury.” Find her on Instagram @Kelseycookcomedy and Twitter @Kelseycook. Enjoy!

Welcome! This week we have a man who can do it all, stand-up comedy, celebrity impressions and parody your favorite politicians. He has been featured on MTV, BroBible and Funny or Die where is videos have garnered millions of views. We talk about his start in comedy, where he gets his ideas and most importantly why he loves his mom. Follow Brent Pella everywhere on social media @brentpella and make sure to search Brent Pella on YouTube e and subscribe to his channel.

Episode Five! We have the super funny Sarah Colonna with us today! Sarah is a stand-up comedian and actress who you've seen on Chelsea Lately, Shameless, Insatiable, and more! Enjoy!

It's Episode Four! In this corner.......is Chauncy Welliver! Chauncy is an American-New Zealand heavyweight boxer from Spokane, Washington. He has a career record of 57–13–5 and was once ranked the WBC 5th best heavyweight in the world! These days he focuses on training the youth, being a dad and dropping heavyweight-style stories about his life on us!

Episode 03 is a banger! You know this guest from Malibu's Most Wanted, Scream, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, and more. We get into his childhood, and his takes on life today. Enjoy Jamie Kennedy!

Episode Two! Our guest today is a certified bad a**! Kara Smith was an intelligence analyst with the Air Force tracking terrorists using state of the art military technology, she worked at the NSA and then at the FBI in the Terrorist Screening Operations Unit, and now works for Deliver Fund tracking child traffickers. If you can, please consider donating at www.deliverfund.org! Enjoy!

It's Episode One! Our guest today is the very funny Dave Landau from Louder with Crowder, Comedy Central, and more. This episode is dark and hilarious. See Dave's stand-up dates at www.davelandau.com.

When it comes to Worlds Best Dad, most of us receive participation trophies. Raising Dads is a weekly podcast with hosts Ryan Lopez and Adam Norwest where they explore all things growing up, and hear stories from weekly guests.