DadTrends » Cast of Dads

A Not So Brady Bunch of Dads…

Jeff Sass — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:31:19 +0000

The Cast of Dads (minus Max, who was at sea) whipped together a short video about our Mother’s Day experience with the Motorola Droid Razr. All the footage was shot with the Razr, and thanks to Danny Cameron and the DadLabs team for the great job editing. Enjoy!

Disclosure: The Video above was sponsored by Motorola and the Droid Razr.

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 23, Ethan, 21 and Olivia, 20). He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast. You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads and Wunderkind! podcasts.

Mother’s Day, Razr’s, And A Dad At Sea

Jeff Sass — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:00:42 +0000

The Sass Kids

(This episode of Cast of Dads is sponsored by the new Motorola Droid RAZR. Want to win one? Listen to the show and find out how!)

Everyone at the Cast of Dads and Dadomatic hopes you and your families enjoyed a great Mother’s Day this past weekend! Four of the five Cast of Dads got together to recap our own family adventures. Speaking of adventures, Max was not able to join us for the show as he and his dad and his son were at sea, on a sailing trip from Ft. Lauderdale to New York! We look forward to hearing about his trip on the next episode of the show.

You can CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS EPISODE 51.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

Max is at sea
Boat side BBQ with Jeff & Max
Enter to win a new Motorola DROID RAZR
Rotary dialing apps – Android & iPhone versions
Retro phone handsets
How we celebrated Mother’s Day
Watching home movies
C.C. goes to National Train Day (photos)
Chapman kids first time in NYC
Jeff’s son graduates from Berklee School of Music
Off the grid ti me

Captain Max & Son
Yearly activity traditions with our kids
Disney or Club Med sure would make great sponsors
Virgin Galactic
Deliverance
Scuba Diving
By land, sea, train, plane or spaceship

If you have been enjoying The Cast of Dads please tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes. Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Cast of Dads is a group of podcasting and blogging dads who gather to gab about fatherhood. The cast of dads includes C.C. Chapman, Jeffrey Sass, Max Kalehoff, Michael Sheehan, and Brad Powell, who collectively represent 13 kids from the youngest of babies to full grown adults. Each of them brings a unique perspective to being a father.

5 Dads, 50 Conversations, Tons of Fun

Jeff Sass — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:09:01 +0000

Woohoo! This is EPISODE 50 of the Cast of Dads podcast! As we hit this milestone, I thought I would share the tale of how the Cast of Dads came together…

Back when Sony came a callin’ and invited myself and four other dads to become “DigiDads” and get the chance to play with some of their products, of the five participating dads I only knew C.C. Chapman. Since then I have had the pleasure of spending time in person with all of the former DigiDads (C.C., Brad Powell, Max Kalehoff and Michael Sheehan) but actually, the five of us have yet to meet as a group in person (brands, are you listening?) During the DigiDad program we had regular conference calls together, and it was clear that, despite geographic, age, and kid-stage differences, we all got along great, and had a collective kindred spirit about life, parenting, and blogging.

When the DigiDad program ended we really didn’t want to stop our regular calls and our budding friendships, so we decided to keep the dream alive and start a podcast together. The result is the Cast of Dads. If you’ve been a regular listener you know that we don’t have much of an agenda. Really, we’re just being ourselves and having a conversation, and inviting you to listen along. Between us five dads we have thirteen kids, from toddlers to college grads, so we have lots to talk about and perspectives and opinions on just about every phase of parenting and fatherhood. I hope you’ve enjoyed these 50 episodes as much as we have.

Today, I consider Brad, Michael, Max and C.C. among my best of friends, and I truly look forward to every time we get together to record a show. Of course, the Cast of Dads wouldn’t be half as much fun without you too! We greatly appreciate your taking the time to listen, and always love hearing your comments and feedback. THANK YOU! We hope you’ll continue to tag along for the next fifty shows!

You can CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS EPISODE 50.

Topics discussed in episode 50 include:

Happy 50th Episode
Boston Marathon
Running in costumes
Ringing the dinner bell
Exposing kids to new foods
Sarachi Sauce
The Oatmeal
LG Makeover Contest – VOTE FOR MICHAEL!!
Michael’s Makeover
Weekend with LG in New Orleans
Convert your old TV to an aquarium
Old electronics
Listening to the radio?
Hacking Tivos
Max going sailing
C.C. headed to Ghana with ONE
Grasscutters
National Train Day is May 12th
Taking the train and seeing the country
Jeff’s neighbor rebuilds steam engines
Playing with model trains
Max’s awesome engine
The magic of dirt
Power washing
Draining the snowblower

If you have been enjoying the Cast of Dads podcast, please tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes. Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Enter to Win a 55″ LG LED HDTV from DadLabs

Daddy Clay — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:56:02 +0000

This is huge.

Huge, and coming at you in 3D.

Not only did LG host Brad at the Final Four in New Orleans, but they’re also giving us a TV to pass along to you, DadLabs viewers.

And not just any TV, either. State of the Art. 55”. 3D. LED HDTV with Magic Remote.

As Brad can attest from first hand experience, these things are visually stunning.

Not only that, the upgraded 2D to 3D conversion lets you watch almost any video content in three dimensions. How cool is that?

So our entry requirements are going to celebrate that feature. To be entered to win the LG TV, all you have to do is drop a comment on this blog post describing the 2D video — movie, TV show, web or home video — that you think your kid would have the most fun watching in 3D.

Tell us all about what your kid would most like to convert to 3D and you’re in.

But that’s not the only way to get entered. Increase your chances and get a second entry by watching the live announcement of our winner on “Good News, Dad News” on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 3pm ET. In addition to giving away the TV, we will be featuring top dad blogs and bloggers, reviewing the week’s best posts, and taking a look at fatherhood in the news.

Joining us on the show will be C.C. Chapman, fresh from his trip to Ghana with the OneMoms campaign. He’ll fill us in on his adventure and give us a first hand account of the amazing work that One is doing there.

We look forward to seeing you on the show, and good luck!

For you hard-core geeks, here are the specs on the TV…

LG LM6700 CINEMA 3D SMART LED HDTV WITH MAGIC REMOTE

Cinema Screen – LG’s Cinema Screen technology limits the bezel to roughly 5mm, giving it an even more streamlined, modern look, while also providing a more immersive viewing experience.

CINEMA 3D – With LG CINEMA 3D technology you can experience movie theater-style 3D at home. Enjoy amazing 3D effects, comfortable, lightweight glasses, 2D to 3D content conversion, 3D depth control and a clear picture from virtually any angle.*

FPR CINEMA 3D technology provides a great 3D effect without the distracting flicker of active-shutter glasses and virtually no cross-talk.

Upgraded 2D to 3D Conversion with improved depth effect enables any 2D content to be seen in immersive 3D.

3D Depth Control lets you optimize 3D content to your personal preference by adjusting the amount of 3D effect applied to the content.

3D Sound Zooming offers users a maximized 3D experience with sound effect changing in accordance with the movement of on-screen objects.

Smart TV – A revolutionary, easy way to access limitless content, thousands of movies, customizable apps, videos and browse the web all set up in a simple to use interface. That’s what you get with an LG Smart TV experience, the next generation in entertainment organized within a simple to navigate platform.**
You can get premium content from providers like Netflix, Hulu Plus, VUDU and many others as well as access a one-stop-shop for 3D content called the LG 3D Zone and hundreds of applications in the LG App store.
Incorporating HTML 5 and Flash allows the Web browser to function as a full internet browser with video support.
The enhanced Smart TV dashboard is customizable so you can navigate and personalize the interface by putting your favorite content options right on the main page.

Magic Remote – Works like magic. Selecting features on your TV is as easy as the wave of your hand or using the wheel option to scroll up and down through menu selections. TV remote clicking is soon to be a thing of the past.

Additional Information
Model Number: LM6700
Screen size: 55”
MSRP: $2,299.99

Specifications, pricing and availability subject to change without notice

*For a small percentage of the population, the viewing of stereoscopic 3D video technology may cause discomfort such as headaches, dizziness or nausea. If you experience any symptoms, discontinue using the 3D functionality and contact your health care provider. 6 pairs of 3D glasses included. Additional 3D glasses sold separately.

**Wireless Internet connection & certain subscriptions required and sold separately. Content and services vary by product and are subject to change without notice.

UPDATED: WINNER! MCZWICK! Enjoy your LG 55″ Cinema 3D Television!

Three Dads At The Final Four

Jeff Sass — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:00:09 +0000

I’m back from New Orleans and a whirlwind few days with fellow Cast of Dads hosts C.C. Chapman and Brad Powell (we sorely missed our other two hosts Michael Sheehan and Max Kalehoff.) We had a great time with the LG team, who were gracious hosts and made sure we had a fantastic experience both with the games, and by giving us a better understanding of LG products (I already miss the slick LG Nitro HD Android phone I was using for the weekend…) I will share more content from the trip in a future post, but wanted to first share this quick “3/5th of the Cast of Dads” video episode we shot across the street from Bracket Town. Enjoy!

Thanks again to everyone at LG and LG-One for arranging this trip and for giving us the opportunity to attend the NCAA Finals. It was a weekend we won’t soon forget.

Disclosure: http://cmp.ly/3/k1OU88

Help Me Get My March Madness On!

Jeff Sass — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 03:03:03 +0000

I love basketball. To be more specific, I love playing basketball. I’m not tall, not light, and I’ve never actually been that good at it, but that never stopped me from loving the game. That probably comes from growing up in a part of Queens N.Y. where asphalt was everywhere and thus so were rims. Grass and fields were not part of the equation in my childhood. I lived in an apartment. My elementary and Junior High Schools had only paved yards, so it was only natural that they offered an abundance of hoops and that basketball became the game of choice, and for most of my formative years, the game I played just about every day.

My Day On Court

Half court, full-court, one on one, three on three, horse, whatever. If it involved bouncing that ball and tossing it toward (and hopefully through) that hoop we played it. We lived it. I played in leagues. I played at summer camp. I even had my moment at age 11 or 12 when I miraculously scored a winning basket, a clumsy, unexpected bank-shot, in the famed (famed for camps in the Berkshires) Pittsfield Tournament. Back then I was big for my age (I grew early and stopped growing early) so I was valuable on the court to get in the way and grab rebounds, but I rarely had the opportunity to take a shot, let alone score a basket. I remember the article about the game in the camp newsletter referring to me as “defense specialist” when reporting on that remarkable winning moment.

Kids, Knicks and Dads!

When I became a dad, I was still an avid fan of playing, and couldn’t wait to put up a hoop in my own driveway and play with my sons. When they got older we played together at the gym. Yet with all my love for the game, I haven’t kept up as a spectator. I haven’t really followed a team where I knew all the players since Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley and Earl Monroe ruled the Knicks, and Phil Jackson was a player, not a coach… Yeah, I’m that old. So if I haven’t kept up with the NBA, you can imagine my lack of team knowledge when it comes to college basketball… yet I couldn’t be more excited to say I’ll be heading off to New Orleans this weekend for the NCAA final four! I am excited because I love the game of basketball, and I am pretty confident I will bear witness to some great games. And, I’ll be doing it with some great dads!

Life’s Good!

LG – the consumer electronics company whose motto is aptly “Life’s Good” is making sure this weekend life will surely be good for a number of dads including my fellow Cast of Dads co-hosts C.C. Chapman of Digital Dads and Brad Powell of DadLabs. Courtesy of LG we’ll be spending a few days in the big easy watching some great b-ball and getting the inside track on a wide range of LG products. The geek in me is as pumped up as the old basketball player as I saw a sampling of some of LG’s 3D TV’s and other products at both the Consumer Electronics Show in January and the Dad2Summit earlier this month. Lots of impressive technology all around. As an official NCAA Corporate Partner, LG has a number of events going on for the NCAA finals, including an LG Home Court Challenge Experience for fans in Bracket Town on Sunday April 1st. You can get more info about LG and their NCAA promotions here.

Who Should I Root For?

So, do me a favor. Since I don’t have a team to root for yet, please help me out with my last minute bracket. Please help give me a crash course in this year’s NCAA finals. Leave a comment and let me know who I should be rooting for to win the championship. If you tell me to pick the right team (the team that actually does win) you’ll have a chance to win a prize: If you help me be a better rooter, I’ll give you a chance to win a router! (That’s right, I have a brand new Linksys E4200 Dual Band N Router I’ll give, randomly, to someone who picks the winning team in the comments to this post. Comments must be received by 12 noon EST on Monday, April 2, 2012). Thanks for your help!

Go ______________!!!

Disclosure: http://cmp.ly/3/k1OU88

Getting Back On The Bike: Cast of Dads #49

Jeff Sass — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:19:08 +0000

Spring is here and the Cast of Dads have sprung back into action with a new fun filled episode. Next show will be EPISODE 50, a nice milestone for any podcast. Thank YOU for listening to us rambling dads for all this time. We greatly appreciate you putting up with us – er, listening to us, and hope you continue to enjoy the Podcast, and tell others to tune in as well.

As always we cover a lot of topics, from Max’s son’s first ride without training wheels, to the fantastic Dad2Summit that C.C., Brad and I had the pleasure of attending and participating in (big kudos to Doug French and his team for putting on a great event.)

You can CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS EPISODE 49.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

March Madness
Max’s son learns to ride a bike
Gyro wheel instead of training wheels?
Dean Kamen at SXSW
FIRST Robotics
Science Fairs
How best to get rid of wine stains?
Bike memories
CycoCycles
Big Wheels vs. Green Machines
Dad 2.0 Summit was awesome!
SXSW
Social Object Factory
LG bringing some of us to New Orleans for the NCAA Final Four
C.C. heads to Vegas
Don Johnson (not that one) takes down Atlantic City
Professional gamblers
Danny becomes a Daddy!
Firefly

If you have been enjoying the Cast of Dads podcast, please tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes. Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Meatloaf Again??? Cast of Dads Episode 48

Jeff Sass — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 15:56:43 +0000

@HighTechDad and daughters backstage at America's Got Talent

2012 is already fast underway, and while it may seem like the Cast of Dads have been absent this year, we actually recorded a great show in January that was lost to the digital demons. It was probably our best show ever – funny, poignant parenting tips… heartfelt fables of fatherhood… and so much more. Alas, you will never hear it, and I will only be able to cherish it as a fading memory…

But… we did get together again and record a new show, complete with tales of Meatloaf, Movies and Howard Stern. Enjoy!

You can CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS EPISODE 48.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

Meatloaf
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Fight Club
Meatloaf Babies

Definitely NOT vegan!
Review of Act of Valor
C.C.’s post about taking his son to Act of Valor
Hugo
Michael takes apart his iPhone
What was your first R rated movie?
8mm Stag Films
Tromeo & Juliet
Will kids want to go to the movies in the future?
Wunderkind! podcast
The Artist
The Help = Good family movie
Thoughts on Billy Crystal as the Oscar host
Max says Ironclad is a solid guy movie
How about them Giants?
Jeremy Lin
Brad has football withdrawal
March Madness
Cast of Dads bracket forthcoming
Michael beats Sass to the Punn?
Angelina Jolie’s Leg Meme
Kate Upton’s sexy new burger commercial
PETA’s new Boyfriend Went Vegan ad
Michael goes to America’s Got Talent
Howard Stern is a nice guy
So many photos

If you have been enjoying the Cast of Dads podcast, please tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes. Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Meet The Parents (Cast of Dads & Sass Edition)

Jeff Sass — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:31:43 +0000

From the lost film archives… Meet The Parents (my parents…):

Once we become parents ourselves, our perspective on our own parents changes. Suddenly many of the things that annoyed us about our folks when we were young begin to make perfect sense. We see ourselves interacting with our kids in ways similar to how our parents interacted with us. We see ourselves in our parents in bigger, deeper ways than perhaps we ever have, when we look at the world through the eyes of a parent ourselves. Talking with our parents about parenthood can be both frightful and insightful as we realize how everything has come full circle in our roles as both a child and a parent. A few years ago I introduced my parents here on Dadomatic as part of a Sony Digidad project. Here’s another chance to “Meet The (Sass) Parents…”

Back in April I had the pleasure of going on a Cast of Dads road trip courtesy of Ford and Sony. Fellow Cast of Dads hosts C.C. Chapman, Brad Powell and I drove from Boston to New York in a shiny new gadget-laden Ford Explorer. We brought along talented DadLabs cameraman, director and filmmaker Danny Cameron to help document the Journey. While I have already shared some of the videos of the trip as well as pictures from the NY International Auto Show and an awesome performance by Train, we recently uncovered the lost video of the Cast of Dads taking my parents for a ride (with the clear intent of leveraging them to embarrass me…) We hijacked them from their apartment for a “taxicab confessions” style ride around Manhattan. While I silently drove the Explorer, Brad and C.C. grilled my parents for a true touch of Sass…

Have you recently captured video of your parents? I highly recommend grabbing your smartphone or camera and interviewing your parents on video. I know my kids and I will cherish these videos for a long time, and I’m thankful to Sony, Ford, Cast of Dads and Dadomatic for pushing me to record my parents. What do you think?

Cast of Dads 47 – Deuce in the Dryer

C.C. — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:13:26 +0000

In case you are not already a faithful subscriber, I also do a parenting podcast with a great group of friends who are all dads.

The show is called Cast of Dads and we try to get together every couple of weeks to talk about any topics that are on our minds. Since our kids range in age from just walking all the way up to out of college, we’ve got a variety of opinions about everything.

This is the first show since Thanksgiving and of course we talked about what we ate, football and how our kids are doing.

Episode 47: Deuce in the Dryer

As with every episode, we provide show notes with links to all the topics we discuss on each episode. Enjoy!

Tofurky OR Real Turkey
Mac N’ Cheese stuffed turkey breast
Hangover burgers and Krispy Kreme burgers
The garbage plate
Wonder if The Egg Council will sponsor us
Jeff’s dog eats a neighbor’s chicken
Rules in Texas?
Movember raises a LOT of money
Stache-tacular
Michael Shaves Off His Mo
Norelco Christmas Ad
Where is Gillette?
BCS Bowl Season
NFL coming down to the wire
Babble’s Top Dad Group Blogs
Brad’s son goes mad
Kids turning 13
The fun of embarrassing our kids
“Music is a lot like your under wear drawer.”
Getting ready for the holidays
A deuce in the dryer?

Don’t forget to tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes. Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!