We all know Father’s Day is the most important holiday of the year. Father’s Day is in the big leagues, right next to Christmas. Sure, there are other holidays like Thanksgiving and Mother’s Day, but those are career minor leaguers that barely hit above the Mendoza Line. (Don’t tell my wife I said that. Actually, go ahead. She doesn’t know what the Mendoza Line is.)

Unfortunately, there’s a chance that your family will let you down. For some reason, the kids and your wife may not consider Father’s Day to be the greatest of all holidays like they should. If this is your first Father’s Day, sorry, you’ll be learning the hard way– so new and naive (and excited). Yeah, we all remember that, too.

Sure, the family may start you off with breakfast in bed. After that, though? They’ll barely remember the special day. It’s probably back to being like any other Sunday with a honey-do DIY list, kids whining about anything and everything, and you being asked to pick up whatever the cat vomited today because you’re the only one who can do it apparently.

You at least deserve a kick-ass gift out of the deal. But chances are your wife has no idea what to get you (or she’ll be looking for payback after your sh*tty Mother’s Day gift that was totally the fault of the kids).

And the kids are worthless with gifts. They’ll ask for $50 and give you a homemade card and a $10 Starbucks gift card. Where the hell did the rest of it go? (And why are the kids so wired on caffeine?) Sigh. It almost makes you wish kids still gave their dads ties for Father’s Day.

You don’t have to take it anymore. Instead, we’ve put together a list of the best father’s day gifts for dads, depending on your areas of interest. So take our list, forward it to your wife and the kids (we promise to clean up the f***ing swears the rest of the way), and say, “This is what I want for Father’s Day.”

We’re not taking bets on whether you’ll actually receive it, but you at least gave it the old college try.

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Dad Who Needs a Cover-Up Scent

Dad’s Bathroom Candle

It doesn’t get more dad-essential than the morning constitutional. Unfortunately, your family almost certainly doesn’t agree, especially when they have to use the same bathroom a few minutes later to prepare for the day.

If your wife and kids have threatened to banish you from the house, suggesting you start taking your reading material to the gas station on the corner every morning, we have a better solution.

Burn one of our The Dad candles during and after you take care of your business, and the family will be able to enjoy the odor of classic dad scents rather than the other kind of dad scent that no one wants to smell.

These candles feature scents like cut grass, pancakes, and a cookout. It’s way better than the lavender-mango-strawberry-spruce-vanilla-rose candle combination your wife always wants to light. Blech.

Buy for $35 on The Dad Shop

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Dad Who’s Ready to Start Working Out (Again)

New Balance Men’s 680 V6 Running Shoe

We all have periods in our life where we look at ourselves in the mirror and we decide we’re ready to start working out. I personally have done this far too many times to count.

What I’ve found is that when I’m a little too heavy, a little too out of shape, and a little older than the last time I tried this, having the right pair of shoes is the key to working out successfully.

I’ve tried almost every brand (as I said, I’ve done this far too many times), and New Balance provides the most cushion and support, which is important when people start telling you, you’re way too heavy … even the ones who normally are too nice to say anything.

The 680 model is available in multiple colors and styles, and it’ll help with whatever kind of new workout you have planned. (The rest of your body will be in agony, but your feet won’t hurt at least.)

Buy for $60 on Amazon

Best Father’s Day Gift for the First Time Dad

The Dad Law Book

I have them, my dad had them, his dad had them … hell, cavemen dads had them: The Unwritten Rules of Being a Dad. These are things that all dads naturally must do, carrying over from generation to generation.

These laws govern things dads must say, how they must act, and which dad jokes must be told at which times.

It’s a lot to remember, especially if you’re a new dad. So if you’re ever a little unsure about what a certain situation calls for, our The Dad Law Book has you covered. Who are we to argue with thousands of years of dad evolution? (Now go see if someone has increased the setting on the thermostat.)

Buy for $22 on The Dad Shop

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Dad Who’s a Self-Proclaimed Geek

Superhero Vintage Tin Sign Bundle

There was a time where being a geek/nerd was frowned upon. The Alpha Betas were sure to torture all geeks, tricking them into humiliating themselves in front of the Pi Delta Pis. It was tough to be a geek.

These days, though, dads and kids can wear their geekdom as a badge of honor. Hell, Hollywood literally depends on geeks to fill their movie theaters now with Superhero movie after Superhero movie. (Take that, cool kids who made fun of our Superman jammies at the sleepover in 3rd grade.)

If your geeky side includes a love of comic books and superheroes, this set of six vintage tin 8-by-12-inch signs is the perfect Father’s Day gift. You’ll probably have to hang them on the wall of your man cave or the garage, rather than anywhere your wife’s friends can see them … unless your wife is a self-proclaimed geek, too. Then they may become your family’s preferred wall art.

Buy for $40 on Amazon

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Dad Who Needs a Daily Pick-Me-Up

Dad-ISMS 2020-2021 Father’s Day to Father’s Day Calendar

Sure, it’d be great if we could start each day with a pick-me-up like a Bloody Mary or two to get us going. But the boss frowns on having cocktails on our desk … not to mention the wife frowning on having cocktails on the breakfast table next to the Fruit Loops.

So we’ll have to settle for a mental pick-me-up. Fortunately, this hilarious day-by-day calendar has something on each page that’ll make the start of each day a little more fun. As fun as a Bloody Mary? Maybe not. But our calendar is guaranteed hangover-free.

Buy for $20 on The Dad Shop

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Outdoors-y Dad

Grundéns 30 Liter Rum Runner Backpack

One great way for dads to spend quality time with the family is out in nature. Whether that involves hiking, a trip to the lake, or a day at the park, it’s a smart way to have fun and spend time in the great outdoors.

For most of us, these trips involve dad carrying the majority of the kids’ gear in a backpack. (Which is probably only fair, since your wife’s purse fulfills that task the majority of the rest of the time.)

What ends up happening is dad hurriedly grabs whichever of the kids’ backpacks happens to not be lost at the time the family is rushing out the door to leave for the park. If so, it’s time to give dad his own backpack. (That means we no longer have to carry a Hello Kitty backpack on the hiking trail. There is a god after all.)

This Grundéns backpack is waterproof with RF welded seams, so it can stand up to the roughest conditions while keeping your gear safe and dry. It’s suitable for almost any outdoor activity with a great camouflage pattern. (Let’s see Hello Kitty pull that look off.)

Buy for $105 on Amazon

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Dad Who Forgets Anniversaries, Birthdays, and the Rest

The Perfect Pack Greeting Cards

Raise your hand if you have forgotten an important date for a family member or friend, like birthday, anniversary, etc? Now how many of you have done this in the past three days? (Putting my hands down now, as it’s impossible to type with two hands in the air.)

Our pack of 12 greeting cards has you covered. Each one has multiple options on it, so you can match it to the proper occasion. Just check the appropriate box for birthday, anniversary, etc, and you’re covered.

For those who know you and your forgetfulness, the checked boxes on the cards will be hilarious. And you can pretend you did it on purpose as a joke, rather than forgetting again and using our cards as a last-minute solution. Win-win.

Buy for $24 on The Dad Shop

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Adventurous Foodie Dad (or One Who Thinks He Is)

Kumana Avocado Hot Sauce

Some dads say they love trying new foods, and the crazier, the better. (Sure, he eats the exact same thing for breakfast and lunch everyday, and he orders the same thing every time he goes to a restaurant, but it’s fun to let him think he’s a foodie.)

One way to spice up those regular meals is with this three-pack of Kumana hot sauces. These plant-based hot sauces primarily consist of avacado, which, when paired with jalapenos, give them a kick well beyond the regular salsa.

Ultimately, you can put this on almost anything, and it’ll taste great. And since it’s green and spicy, we’re guessing the kids will be too scared to try it. Dad will feel pretty special when he has his own personal hot sauce/salsa. All dads should have at least one thing they don’t have to share with the kids.

Buy for $28 on Amazon

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Dad Who Loves His Old Music

Audio Technica Stereo Turntable System

Some dads have fully embraced the digital music scene, complete with subscriptions to Amazon Music, Spotify, and Apple Music. (Does he need all of them? Probably not. But you try explaining that to him.)

Other dads scoff at binary music. The digital versions of their favorite songs simply can’t compare to original vinyl, they’ll say. (Music snobs, all the way.)

If your dad has a collection of vinyl records that have been gathering dust for a while, give him a place to play them with this Audio Technica starter turntable. It has a lightweight tonearm that will prevent damage to the vinyl.

Now, this isn’t made for the dad who has a vintage stereo system already set up and in use, but it’s made for those looking to get started (or re-started) listening to vinyl at a reasonable price.

Who knows? Dad may start hitting up every garage sale in town this summer, seeking out vintage copies of his favorite vinyl records from years ago. Fair warning: You may unleash a monster with this gift.

Either way, it’ll give dad the opportunity to say, “Music was better in my day,” and then allow him to play a record to show you what he’s talking about. (Yay. No one can get enough of dad’s dinosaur music.)

Buy for $99 on Amazon

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Techie Dad

Wyze WiFi Smart Plug Outlet

If your dad has embraced the world of the smart home, you may already have a smart personal assistant that you can ask crazy questions where you don’t expect an honest answer. (Hey, Alexa, are you planning to take over the world and enslave humanity by secretly listening to all of our conversations?)

You may even have a few other smart appliances, like a video doorbell to capture videos of idiots doing something stupid. (Unless they’re related to you; then they’re doing hilarious things.)

If dad doesn’t yet have any smart plugs, though, he’s missing one of the most useful smart appliances. Attach the smart plug to any standard outlet, and whatever you plug into it will then become controllable through your WiFi network.

Dad can turn on a lamp from anywhere with a smart plug. Or he can piss off the dog by turning the TV on and off repeatedly with the app. The sky’s the limit for practicality and practical jokes with a smart plug.

Buy for $38 on Amazon

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Sports Car Lover (Who Will Never Be Able to Afford One)

LEGO Technic Porsche 911 Building Set

Whether it’s for a mid-life crisis or not, some dads have a goal of owning an ungodly expensive sports car. Not a bad goal. Sports cars are fast. They look amazing. They’re fast. You get the idea.

Chances are dad is not actively saving for this sports car, though. It’s one of those pipe dream goals that keeps getting pushed to the back burner after spending money on the college fund for the kids, a pure bred dog for the kids, braces for the kids’ teeth, and braces for the dog’s teeth. (Veterinarians and orthodontists have quite the racket.)

So unless dad is going to hit the lottery — and we feel pretty confident in saying he won’t — the closest he’s ever going to get to that sports car is this highly complex LEGO set. This set is incredible, containing almost 1,600 pieces, including a realistically detailed engine. It’s not the same as actually owning and driving a Porsche, but it’ll probably be as close as he’ll get. (You don’t have to tell him that and crush his dreams … until the next time he really pisses you off.)

Buy for $160 on Amazon

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Dad Who Likes to Laugh at Himself

The Dad Book: Truths, Hacks, And Dad-ISMS

Don’t let non-dads know, but sometimes we dads take ourselves a little too seriously. I know, hard to believe. (My wife actually made fun of me with my tape measure in the yard the other day, ensuring the mower deck was precisely cutting the grass at 2-1/2 inches. True story.)

As I later was making micro-adjustments to the mower deck, though, I thought she may have had a point. (I didn’t tell her of course; she doesn’t need the encouragement.)

So for me, and all dads who occasionally take themselves a little too seriously, our The Dad Book is a good reminder to poke fun at ourselves with jokes, dad-isms, and some parenting hacks.

Buy for $15 on The Dad Shop

Best Father’s Day Gift for the Dad Who Loves/Hates Dad Jokes

Dad Joke and Pun T-Shirts

Dad jokes can be a source of incredible confusion.

Some dads say they love dad jokes, yet they primarily use them when they have a chance to embarrass their kids. Some dads say they hate dad jokes, yet they’ll tell one when they’re especially looking to torture their kids. And some dads say they’re indifferent to dad jokes, yet they’re always willing to toss one out to embarrass and torture their kids.

You can see why this creates such a conundrum.

If your dad has any interest in dad jokes, these t-shirts are sure to be right up his alley. And if he wears it any time he’s out with the kids, it’s sure to generate multiple eye rolls, facepalms, and heavy sighs from them. #missionaccomplished

Buy for $24 on The Dad Shop

Although we only recommend picks we really love, we may earn a commission on purchases made through links from our site.

Ose Akhile has been a trainer for over ten years, and when he became a dad, he set out to include his kids in his biggest passion. Akhile treasured the time he got to spend being active with his kids, bonding with them, and introducing them to a world that was central to his life. After having kids of his own, Akhile began to realize that most activities within the community were geared towards moms and their kids as opposed to dads – and that was a gap he intended to fill.

“My mission is to not only redefine the dad bod from a physical level but to truly create a brand that is recognized for creating a community of fathers committed to being their best in every aspect of their life so that their kids can follow the same example,” Akhile told The Dad. “As I like to say, ‘ it’s better to show them how to live than it is to tell them.’”

 

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Akhile’s love of fitness and fatherhood led him to start Daddy Fitness, a program geared towards supporting dads on their fitness journeys. Though Akhile trains some clients in person, his program is available online so he can reach as many dads as possible. Akhile models both an active lifestyle and an active role in his kids’ lives – he’s a proud “girl dad” of three and stresses the importance of appreciating every moment.

 

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When discussing the feedback Daddy Fitness has received Akhile explained, “My favorite are first time dads because they truly appreciate being able to have a resource to not only help them get in shape (mainly for the sake of their kids) but also about fatherhood and the challenges it comes with.”

Through Daddy Fitness, Akhile has created a supportive community of dads who recognize just how difficult it can be. He invites dads to engage in self-care, spend quality time with their kids, and do so with the support of other dads going through the same thing.

Akhile’s home is filled with love and energy, something that he takes great pride in. “My wife is amazing. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her,” Akhile said. “No day is short of entertainment or laughter. And even the hard days, we wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”

 

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Sharing his successes, his struggles, and his support for other dads has turned Daddy Fitness into far more than your typical fitness group. “My goal and dream is to turn it into a startup company centered around helping dads be the best men they can be for themselves and their families,” Akhile explained. “This goes beyond fitness, but also nutrition, mental health, and guidance.”

“We also want dads to be active with their kids. Don’t just sit and oversee them play. Get in there with them!”

Graduating is an accomplishment that deserves to be celebrated. Whether you’re graduating from elementary school or medical school, your hard work and dedication should be recognized. When 23-year-old Taleigh Loven graduated from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix with her bachelor’s degree in psychology last October, her dad decided to celebrate with her. This was no ordinary celebration, though – it was a surprise celebration that was several years in the making.

During Taleigh’s celebration, her dad Mike Loven walked in wearing a GCU alumni shirt. Understandably, his family was baffled. Mike had never been one for keeping secrets – in fact, when his diploma showed up in the mail, Mike’s wife was convinced there had been some sort of mistake.

“The confusion was a lot of fun. I don’t keep secrets,” Loven told “Good Morning America.” “[My wife], she thought GCU had sent my daughter’s diploma and accidentally put my name on it.”

Though Mike is successful in his career as the owner of a staffing company, in 2016, he realized something was missing. He started school in secret while both of his kids worked towards their own degrees. You know the trick where kids stick a comic book inside the book they’re supposed to be reading for school? This impressively sneaky dad basically did the opposite.

“They thought I was working on a spreadsheet for work when in reality I was working on a spreadsheet in an accounting class,” he explained.

Mike studied, completed assignments, and took exams over four and a half years without his family catching on. While working full-time and going to school, Mike maintained a 3.99 GPA and finally graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics.

“During the time that he was working on his degree, he carried the load for us as he has for my entire life,” Taleigh said. “His selfless act shows a glimpse to his character. Words truly cannot express how proud I am of him.”

Dwayne Johnson has always been vocal about how influential and inspirational his dad was to him, both career-wise and in his personal life. When Johnson’s dad, legendary wrestler Rocky Johnson passed away unexpectedly last year, the world mourned with him. The Rock regularly mentions just how much his dad meant to him, sharing memories and life milestones he wishes they could celebrate together.

On Monday, The Rock shared a touching tribute to his late dad on Instagram, marking the one year anniversary of his death. “When we’re breathin’ that breath…it means we still have a shot,” he wrote. “We all know loss.. we’ve all been there.. then it’s our job to rise and live as greatly as we can. My old man was a trailblazing bad dude in the game for our cultures.”

“He passed away suddenly, exactly one year ago. The show must go on.”

The video Johnson shared on Instagram was a moving compilation of memories. We see clips of Rocky completely in his element, dominating in the ring and smiling proudly as if there’s no place he’d rather be. Throughout the video, The Rock discusses the pain of losing a loved one and the beauty of life as a whole.

 

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“The cycle of life,” Dwayne Johnson explains, “It’s painful, it’s amazing, it’s beautiful, it’s heartbreaking, it’s powerful, it’s a kick in the gut.”

He continues, “It can knock you down, it can knock your ass out – but you know, you rise. You get back up … you live as greatly as you possibly can.”

Johnson goes on to discuss how the death of a loved one is a jarring reminder of what life is all about. When you lose someone you love, you’re reminded of how fleeting life is. It forces you to look at your priorities, to continue living stronger and better simply because you still have time.

The Rock smiles sadly, remembering something his dad used to tell him. “For those of you who know my dad, you know he’d say, ‘you tell them I taught you everything you know – but I didn’t teach you everything I know.’”

We see Dwayne saying a somber final goodbye to his dad at his funeral, a scene immediately juxtaposed with an old clip of the pair embracing in an enormous hug.

Johnson concludes with a toast to his own dad, and to everyone who’s ever lost someone.

“Hope we’re making them proud – the show must go on.”

A hot tub sounds great in theory but it’s pretty easy to talk yourself out of one. You’re a dad, you’re practical. For starters, hot tubs are expensive and all dads know money doesn’t grow on trees. Plus, they’ll require maintenance that you’ll be responsible for, and you already have a backlog of home projects. Plus, hot tubs take up a ton of real estate.

But what if I told you there’s a low maintenance one you can get for a steal – that you can just deflate when not in use? Your wallet and your dad bod will both approve.

At 77” x 77” x 28” this Coleman SaluSpa inflatable hot tub is large enough for up to 6 people. It’s equipped with jets (this is not a freakin’ kiddie pool!), massage and heating systems, and water filtration. The water can even reach 104 degrees. It features solid construction and extremely durable material that ensures there are no safety issues. It even comes with a pre-tested pump and a ground fault circuit interrupter that trips at 6mA.

Oh, and the set-up is a snap and it’s easy to drain.

Just look at how much these people are enjoying it.

Buy here for $530

“Love this tub. I’ve had it two months now. Electric bill barely budged $10 a month even the first month when I filled it with 39 degree water and it heated for 4 days straight !! I set it up pretty quick, maybe an hour but I was in no rush. Filled up within 20-25 min tops,” one reviewer wrote.

“Honestly, I have never been in a hot tub or spa in my life but I was looking for something to cool off in on hot summer nights instead of a pool. We had an in-ground pool for many years and all I ever did was sit on the stairs in the evening and have a few drinks. I figured this might be the “equivalent”, and it was! I absolutely love it. It’s not a big “Hot Tub” with all the bells and whistles but that’s not what I wanted. This is perfect for relaxing soak and the bubbles are much better and more powerful than I expected. LOVE IT!,” one reviewer wrote.

BTW, you can use this hot tub in the winter. It just takes longer to heat up. 

“For the price, nothing comes close! After playing in the mountains, a hot soak in minerals is amazing. The bubbles are relaxing, not a therapy jet. Have been using it in Denver in winter (with a thick cover to retain heat). 2f/hr heating times, drops about ~10f overnight (is 20f at night here). Super, super happy with this tub. Easy setup and maintenance. Cleaning filters has been easy, and we’re using bromine tablets and soaking salts. I -may- have overclocked it too, a searing 110f soak is possible ;)” another wrote.

Buy here for $530

Your kids probably love outer space, right? Even kids who aren’t science-oriented seem to have a fascination with the universe. Hey, we don’t blame ’em — you don’t have to be an astronaut (or a wannabe astronaut) to appreciate the vast and mysterious expanse above us. There’s just so much out there. Even with just your own set of eyes, you can see some pretty cool stuff. You didn’t need a fancy telescope to find 2020’s “Christmas Star” or marvel over the “Great American Eclipse” of 2017.

Whether you’re sitting through another cartoon space adventure, working on a science project, or just simply want to earn points as the coolest dad on the block, some weird info about outer space can be a great contribution. Does your kid know what an astronomical unit is? Or have they wondered what it’s like on the moon? We’ve rounded up some of the most interesting and quirky space facts for kids we could find. Share ‘em as you see fit.

Fun Space Facts For Kids

1 Mercury’s craters are named after famous artists, musicians, and authors (there aren’t any named after Disney characters yet, but there is one named Disney!).

2. Mercury is shrinking due to its fault scarps, which we discovered in 2016 thanks to a purposely crashed spacecraft.

3. Neither Mercury nor Venus have moons.

4. While most planets are similar to Earth and rotate around a north-south axis, Uranus rotates on its side.

5. Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system. Betcha thought that record belonged to Mercury, eh?

6. Litter is everywhere, including space. Thanks to our constant quest to know more about our solar system, there are now-defunct satellites and out-of-service spacecraft scattered throughout our galaxy.

7. If you combined the mass of all other planets and doubled it, that object would still be smaller than Jupiter.

8. Mount Everest is only the tallest mountain on Earth. Mars’ Olympus Mons is more than 10 miles taller, making its peak nearly three times as high.

9. Jupiter is also the “owner” of the galaxy’s most active moon. Its moon, Io, has hundreds of volcanoes. They are in an almost constant state of eruption due to Jupiter’s gravitational pull.

10. On Neptune, one year is equal to 164.8 Earth years. In other words, you won’t live long enough for Neptune to complete even one rotation around the sun.

11. Neptune’s moon, Triton, orbits the planet “backward.”

12. Uranus’ blue glow is thanks to its atmospheric gases.

13. The Hubble Space Telescope has helped astronomers write more than 15,000 research papers.

14. While it seems like we’re on a never-ending space quest to find water on Mars, we do know that ice exists throughout our solar system — including on our own moon and even in shadowed Mercurian craters.

15. The first food ever eaten in space was applesauce.

16. The sun is 4.6 billion years old.

17. Did you know that technically the color white isn’t a lack of colors, but all colors mixed together? This phenomenon accounts for why the sun appears white to us.

18. You could fit more than one million Earths inside the sun.

19. The sun is made of roughly ¼ helium.

20. The distance between Earth and the sun is called an astronomical unit.

21. Did you know the sun makes its own orbit? It takes roughly 225-250 million years to complete one orbit around the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way.

22. When the sun runs out of hydrogen, it will begin expanding and devour Mercury, Venus, and Earth. Don’t worry, though! Scientists believe we have another 5 billion years before that happens. Even your grandchildren’s grandchildren’s great-great-grandchildren won’t see this happen.

23. There are more stars in space than grains of sand on Earth. (If you want to fact check that, you better start counting.)

24. The first woman in space was Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova.

25. There’s no wind on our moon.

26. Because of the lack of wind, our astronauts’ footprints will never disappear.

27. Combined with the sun’s, the moon’s gravitational pull creates our tides.

28. No matter where you are on Earth, you’re always seeing the same side of the moon.

29. We know more about our moon than our oceans. It’s true! We’ve mapped 100 percent of our moon’s surface. However, we’ve only explored about 5 percent of the ocean floor.

30. Sure, you know about black holes, but what do you know about white holes? Despite having never discovered one, scientists know it’s mathematically possible they exist.

31. The center of the galaxy reportedly smells like rum and tastes like raspberries. Um, yum! Wondering why? Well, that would be thanks to the chemical ethyl formate, which gives both their distinct smell and taste. It was recently discovered in a gas cloud near the center of the Milky Way.

32. “Outer space” is only 62 miles away. That means you’re closer to outer space than Disney World is to Miami or Los Angeles is to San Diego.

33. Space is completely silent.

Name one TV commercial you remember, and I’ll bet you had an emotional reaction the first time you viewed it — whether it made you laugh, smile, cry, or all three.

It’s no secret that some of the most memorable advertising somehow pulls at your heartstrings. Case in point: the Budweiser Clydesdales, the Apple iPad widower, or the Mac Daddy of them all, the Sarah McLachlan SPCA ads (you’re welcome for that earworm btw).

However, there’s a new player on the list of corporate emotional manipulators, and it’s one you may not expect: Doritos.

Over the holidays, Doritos Mexico launched a commercial that’s since made waves for all the right reasons, especially in the LGBTQ+ community.

This Doritos ad from Mexico about a single dad trying to express his support for his gay son has me tearing up.
🖤🤎❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🏳️‍🌈https://t.co/AXrPBpbOym

— Q. Allan Brocka (@allanbrocka) January 8, 2021

It features a divorced father with a college-age son who brought a friend home for the holidays. However, he soon suspects his son and the male companion “are a couple and they do not dare tell me,” so he goes to Reddit for advice on how to break the news gently that he knows… and, more importantly, that his love is unconditional.

The ad — which is based on a true story — ends with a simple, subtly sweet exchange between father & son… followed by the viewer’s own visceral ugly-crying (or maybe that’s just me?).

With everything going on in the world today, it’s the virtual, inclusive embrace we all need right now, albeit from an unexpected source. (Then again, as the saying goes, “If you can’t get a warm, bosomy grandma hug, fill the spiritual abyss with a chips commercial!”)

Here’s hoping it makes its way to U.S. airwaves soon.

Watch the full Doritos Mexico ad (in Spanish with English subtitles) below.

Say what you want about DC’s handling of Superman, the Justice League, and their movies in general, they’ve never once wavered from their commitment to Batman. Barely a year goes by without Batman making news one way or another, and this year is no different.

There’s a new movie in the works with a new take on the character, a new cut of Justice League fans are hoping fixes the last version, the return of several former actors reprising their roles in the eventual Flash flick, a new comic series featuring a black Batman, a new HBO Max show set in his universe and now a new cartoon as well, picking up where the beloved Batman: The Animated Series left off.

On their Fatman Beyond podcast, legendary geek/director and the man behind the He-Man revival recently set the batcorners of the internet aflame when he discussed a rumor the HBO Max is developing a follow-up to the legendary Batman animated show from the 90s.

“The rumor is that HBO Max is looking at making a Batman: The Animated Series sequel, that they want to continue that forward,” Bernardin said before his co-host began gushing.

“I’m not involved, but I too have heard this and I’ve heard this from very reliable people,” Smith said. “When I heard it I freaked out, and I heard this…I would say a month before you just said it. I think that’s real, I don’t think that’s a rumor, I wouldn’t say ‘Set your watch to it,’ but it’s an idea whose time is not only coming, I think it came, and it’s smoking a cigarette. I think that’s gonna happen. How fucking amazing would that be because you can just literally pick up and keep going. It’s not like, oh we gotta explain why everyone’s older, it’s fucking animation man so you can go right back to those amazing fucking stories.”

Batman: The Animated Series originally ran from 1992-1995 and features what some fans consider to be the definitive versions of both Batman (as voiced by Kevin Conroy) and The Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill). The cartoon also introduced Harley Quinn, who has since skyrocketed to become one of DC’s most popular characters (and who has her own show on HBO Max).

The rumor that a new version of Batman: TAS might be coming has fans rejoicing for yet another take on the Dark Knight. Check out Smith and Bernadin’s glee at discussing the rumors:

 

With all the remakes and reboots of classics that continue to be in development, there is one genre that never really seems to get recycled, and that’s comedies.

There have been a few attempts, like the Ed Helms version of Vacation, and a reboot of Fletch, coincidentally another Chevy Chase series, is currently in the works, with Jon Hamm (but it will adhere more closely to the series of novels than the movies). And now another classic comedy that, coincidentally, also once had Ed Helms attached may be coming soon: The Naked Gun.

The Ed Helms casting never made sense to me, because one of the things that made Naked Gun work was the fact that Leslie Nielsen wasn’t known as a comic actor, aside from his hilarious performance in Airplane!, which was also a Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker joint.

Thankfully, there’s a new name being bandied about, and he’s far from a comedian, despite how hilarious The Phantom Menace is: Liam Neeson.

Yes, I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley.

Neeson revealed that Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, with whom the Taken star has collaborated on A Million Ways to Die in the West, Ted 2, and several of his TV shows, has approached him to headline the Naked Gun reboot.

“I’ve been approached by Seth MacFarlane and Paramount Studios to maybe resurrect the Naked Gun films,” Neeson said while talking to People about his latest action movie, The Marksmen.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this idea. McFarlane himself floated Neeson as a comedy star once before.

“Generally with dramatic actors they do kinda like the idea of coming in and doing a comedy to show they can do comedy,” McFarlane said back in 2015. “Liam is great with comedy. I don’t know whether you’ve ever seen his Ricky Gervais sketch? Liam is awesome.”

He even expressed his desire to relaunch the Naked Gun with the tall Irishman.

“My dream at some point would be to do an entire movie with Liam where he does a Leslie Nielson Naked Gun kinda thing. Because he’s so good at playing against the comedy and therefore he’s hilarious. He just really knows what he’s doing.”

This is all just chatter for now, but if they do end up remaking the Naked Gun, Neeson strikes me as a great choice for Lt. Frank Drebin.

“My husband is the best dad in the world, but even great dads get tired!”

– Sidney Gregory

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