World's Greatest Dad with Ali & Neil

Ali and Neil sit down with Augustine Sedgewick, historian, dad, and author of Fatherhood: A History of Love and Power , to talk about the myths, stories, and struggles that shape what it means to be a dad. From ancient patriarchs to gentle parenting, Taylor Swift to the Founding Fathers, the dads cover it all this week and learn why the best fatherly advice might be: just listen.

Ali wears a red hat WITHOUT ANY WORDS ON IT. Neil gets roasted online by displeased TikTokkers. And together they unpack what it’s like to parent in the era of virality, cancellation, and preteens who correct your vocabulary. Plus: Gen X parenting guilt, and how to lose at chess without losing your kid’s respect. Don't miss our listener mailbag with questions on: grilling, DIY fails, kid anxiety,...

The World's Greatest Dads unpack the subjects other dad podcasts refuse to tackle: from composting blood clots to dying our gray hair to why carnitas may be the answer to everything. And the guys try to figure out if they’ve done anything right as dads. Spoiler: probably? PLUS: is it wrong to leave a toddler strapped to a bike outside a coffee shop? Neil and Ali consult the “Dad Ethicist” (aka the...

In this episode, Neil and Ali navigate the big stuff: kids, boredom, creativity, and letting go of perfection. Hear why bad singing isn’t the worst thing, how vintage sneakers might teach finance, and what How to Train Your Dragon says about fatherhood. We also cover: screen time battles, sarcastic six-year-olds, and what Pixar’s Elio taught us about shedding emotional armor. Plus, Neil does an El...

Ali returns from Asia with stories of travel and family bonding. From Korean barbecue tours and craft beer in Kyoto to yogurt shaming and leftover strategy, Ali and Neil cover it all. This week: the weird intimacy of long-haul family travel, the honest truth about eating etiquette in a marriage, and a high schooler flipping Pokemon cards like Wall Street futures. Plus the dads explore what your ar...

Accomplished podcast producer and dad of two, AJ Feliciano, joins Ali and Neil to talk about trading L.A. hustle for Texas balance, juggling cross-country business trips, and savoring every parenting moment no matter how fleeting. AJ opens up about screen-time limits, bonding with his boys what it means to raise kind, humble kids in a world of privilege and abundance. The guys chat about their own...

Nick Holmquist is a dad on a mission to make parenting more fun, meaningful, and emotionally connected. In this episode of World’s Greatest Dad, we dive into Nick’s gamified approach to fatherhood combining elements of storytelling, role-playing games, and behavioral science to raise resilient, thoughtful kids. You’ll hear how he tackles real-life parenting challenges through fantasy characters Ha...

Ali is packing his bags for an epic family trip to Asia, but first, he and Neil tackle whether Neil is secretly an AI co-host sent from the future, and Neil clears up once and for all that he is, in fact, not a robot. The dads dive into the etiquette of destination weddings with no-kid policies, debate graphic novels versus traditional chapter books, and wonder if strip clubs really are the best p...

Neil and Ali dig deep into what it means to be a dad in the modern age touching on everything from 90s music and trying to get on the Jumbotron at a Mets game moments to AI storytelling teddy bears and what is the absolute best and worst fast food joint. The guys debate whether Patrick Mahomes’ dad bod even matters, discover that children are having birthday parties at steakhouses. Plus, we discus...

Comedian and radio host Matt Bearden joins Ali & Neil to talk about the moment he walked away from road gigs to raise his kids and how a health scare years later made him double down on time over money. Matt delivers advice on the upside of strokes, parenting through burnout, and why he treats his kids like summer interns. Expect laughs, honesty, and insight from one of Austin’s most comfortin...

What do Abraham, Confucius, and Mr. Rogers have in common? They were all dads and they’re all on trial for the title of World’s Greatest Dad. In this special Father’s Day episode, Neil and Ali reflect on their own dad moments, revisit the surprisingly complicated history of Father’s Day (spoiler: it started with a woman), and take a ride through dadhood across the ages. Hammocks, tater tots, and h...

Neil Padover celebrates the big 4-0 with matching family outfits (this year with custom shirts featuring his face), a fancy dinner, and a trip to the Whitney, only to cap the week by getting kicked out of the Brooklyn Museum during a chaotic field trip. Ali Khan (Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship) shares his own parenting pain: a babysitter who charged him $400 for an overnight stay while she...

Ali Khan ( Cheap Eats ) and Neil Padover welcome international speaker, author, and dad James Robilotta for a deep, hilarious, and refreshingly honest convo about parenting in the thick of it. James gets real about juggling two little kids with two busy speaker-parent schedules. The guys talk about dad guilt, grandparent dynamics, and the emotional whiplash of loving your kid but not feeling it ri...

Ali Khan ( Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship ) and Neil Padover kick things off with a tale of toothpaste tragedy and leftover sushi heartbreak. The guys dig into division of labor in their households, how kids perceive fairness, and why dads always seem to be the ones doing dishes. Later, they talk about composting etiquette, the lost magic of CDs and liner notes, and how Chris Farley almost...

Ali and Neil compare chaotic mornings, from bike rides and alternate-side parking to mysterious Easter Mondays. Together they unpack the weirdness of religious holidays, 90s Easter brunch lines. Also: Ron Howard’s acting comeback, how to handle peanut allergies like a pro, ninja turtle mugs, and the truth about Smart Grills vs. analog.

In Episode 10 of World’s Greatest Dad, hosts Ali Khan and Neil Padover welcome Bobby Maximus (former UFC fighter, world champion in Jiu Jitsu, and one of Men’s Health’s 100 Fittest Men of All Time) for a conversation about fitness, fatherhood, and nerd culture. Bobby opens up about his unique parenting philosophy, rejecting the idea of a “perfect dad” in favor of being present, vulnerable, and pla...

Ali and Neil get honest about their fitness journeys, late-night snacking, compulsive habits, and what it’s like trying to eat healthy while loving food. Ali opens up about being borderline pre-diabetic, why bison steak and Brussels sprouts are underrated, and how frying your own French fries will change your life. Plus, they get a surprise call from fitness guru Bobby Maximus before he joins the...

Ali Khan (Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship) and Neil Padover kick off the episode with a brutally honest convo about colonoscopy prep because midlife comes at you fast. Then it’s a new round of Parent Haters Club, featuring viral clips from Chappell Roan and Seth Rogen, who both openly question why anyone would want to be a parent. Ali discusses his gastroenterologist's line of sausages and...

Ali Khan ( Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship ) and Neil Padover tackle the chaos, comedy, and curveballs of modern fatherhood. From terrifying school nurse calls to surviving hyper-competitive youth sports culture. Ali opens up about gout, broken bones, and why some dads should never coach. Plus: a deep dive into China’s “Drop the Dad, Keep the Baby” trend and what to do when grandma won't st...

Ali Khan (Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship) and Neil Padover explore the anxities truths of fatherhood as the guys swap delivery room war stories. Neil reads a surprisingly moving piece about being a hockey dad that makes him emotional despite hating sports. Later, Ali reflects on bonding with his 13-year-old over Austin Powers. Plus: a rapid fire round of “Dad Joke vs. Bad Joke.”

Ali Khan (Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship) and Neil Padover kick things off with some spring training chat and talk about the low, LOW minor league baseball salaries. Neil wonders whether it’s okay for his 4-year-old to watch Captain America, and reminisces about his own childhood movie viewing history and why he retired his Ace Ventura impressions. Later, the guys weigh in on Chinese mice...

Ali Khan (Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship) and Neil Padover revisit the classic BBC Dad interrupted on live TV by his kids, Ali discusses almost getting cast in a Roman Coppola commercial, and the guys debate whether its okay to lie to your kids about going to Disneyworld without them. Plus, what's the proper etiquette in a Dad's poker night when the other players are just not good? And lat...

Ali Khan (Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship) and Neil Padover wax nostalgic about their SAT scores, pirating songs on Limewire with the desktop computer, and Ali's long term bond with best friend and Emmy Award Winning actor Sterling K. Brown. Plus Ali takes listener questions about everything from how to handle tantrums without losing your cool, whether it's even possible to totally unplug f...

Ali Khan (Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship) and Neil Padover are back to talk fatherhood, nostalgia, and all the weird stuff that comes with being a grown-up. This week, the guys discuss Elon Musk’s 13th kid, why The Game of Life teaches all the wrong lessons, and whether or not board games are secretly profiling people. Ali tackles listener questions on how to handle parental small talk at...

Host Ali Khan (Cheap Eats, Spring Baking Championship) and Producer Neil Padover return to dive into the absurd, heartwarming, and sometimes chaotic world of fatherhood. In this episode, they tackle everything from surviving a zombie apocalypse to the unexpected perils of Valentine’s Day crafts. Ali takes listener questions about teens who suddenly goes silent, navigating the impossible world of p...