Strollerderby : father's day

Sonogram Cufflinks for Father's Day ... or a Pro-Life March

Madeline Holler — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:14:00 GMT

If your man his hard to shop for, Father's Day gifts present the ultimate challenge. But remember, there's no shame in gift certificates. Or socks. Or even sentimental things like pictures, poems, and playlists.

I am having a hard time getting behind these cufflinks, though. They're not just any decorative sleeve closure, they're personalized.

With your baby's first picture -- the sonogram one.

Not only do sonograms not scale well for the face of a cufflink, but they look like something a snazzy dresser might wear to an anti-abortion rally. If your man's into picketing Planned Parenthood, they're probably perfect. (Just $65 a pair and turnaround time is fast -- order by June 15.)

Me? I might stick to gift certificates.

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India Baby Boom: Surrogate Birth Every 48 Hours

Michael Pollan Doesn't Know if He was Breastfed!

Top 10 Pregnancy and Birth World Records

Photo: CuffLinks.com

Father's Day Book Pick: Buy Grandpa Time

JeanneSager — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:33:00 GMT

I've always been a fan of kids books for adults on holidays - especially grandparents who can very well buy themselves everything they've ever wanted . . . except time with the grandkids.

Just in time for Father's Day, Kristy Dempsey's Me With You offers grandpas plenty of time to cuddle on the couch with their favorite little munchkin.

A grandcub finds she's comfy just being herself with grandpa bear leading the way, in a story that's filled with gorgeous illustrations and the types of things grandfathers and grandkids do best (picking flowers, playing baseball, you name it . . .). Celebrating the special relationship between grandpas and grandkids, Me With You solves the bigger question - is there anything I can get him for Father's Day that he'll actually use?

How about time with his grandkids?

It's time they'll be looking back on when they paw through his shelves in twenty years so you can read it to their kids.

Though it's technically the tale of a girl cub, the story doesn't have a clear gender and some of the pictures are gender-neutral, which allows the book to find a wider audience. The simple rhymes put this at the earlier end of the four-to-eight age group recommended by publisher Penguin, but kids who enjoy snuggling up to grandpa will overlook the story and just enjoy the ride.

Check out the "video trailer" for the book and get it from Amazon!

Image: Amazon

Chris Rock could be Barack Obama's running mate

Brett Singer — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Barack Obama and Chris Rock think alike.

Last week, Barack Obama made a speech on Father's Day in which he discussed the rising rate of absent fathers, specifically in the African-American community. "Too many fathers…are…missing from too many lives and too many homes. They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men."

When I heard this I said – hang on. That sounds familiar. Who said that before?

Oh! Chris Rock. In 1996.

According to Trey Ellis, Obama mentioned Rock's routine, "albeit cleaned up a lot." (I hope so!)

Video of Rock's bit and Obama's speech are below. But basically, here's the crux of it:

Barack Obama: Black men need to take more responsibility for their children.
Chris Rock: "I take care of my kids!" What do you want, a cookie?

Ellis also makes an interesting point: "The other side to this story, however, the one that is rarely reported, is the demonization of far too many dads after a family splits. I've heard from men who wanted to be involved dads but have been barred from seeing their kids by an unfeeling and decidely anti-male family court system." I'm sure that's true. But I don't think that diminishes Obama's (or Rock's) message.

Chris Rock (Not safe for work)

Barack Obama (probably safe for work but a little long)

image: huffpost

Political Nanny: How Obama's Daughter Handles the Arena

Hillary Clinton vs. Reese Witherspoon

Political Nanny: Cindy McCain Fakin' Bakin'

They Grow Up So Fast ... When You Put Their Heads on Other Bodies

Jen Chaney — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:02:00 GMT

If you've ever accused the father of your child of being infantile, now you can actually make it so.

The Web site ManBabies.com lets readers switch the heads on babies and the older males who love them. The result? Some very freaky (and funny) photos. (Tip of the hat to Charlene Prince-Birkeland over at Yahoo! Shine for the link.) People can either submit their pre-prepared fake photography, or submit photos and have the Web site create the artistry.

Really, what better way to celebrate Father's Day than by reminding Dads they're only one Photoshopped step away from wearing diapers again?

The Best of FameCrawler: Week of June 13th

Whit Honea — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Jude Law Gets It

Jessica Alba Gives Birth!!

A Sad Time in the Marson Family

George Clooney and Sarah Larson: Boobs, Not Babies Blamed For Breakup

READER POLL: Strangest Celebrity Baby Names

Heather Locklear: Drunk, Sloppy and Busting Out The Inner Gangsta

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Are Freakin' Insane

Lionel Richie: I Survived Nicole

Psstt - Angelina Jolie Has A Secret!

Michelle Duggar Should Write a Book on Pregnancy

Book of the Week: Daddy Hug

editors — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:05:00 GMT

The world is made up of all kinds of dads -- busy, strong, slimy, wobbly -- and the new book Daddy Hug celebrates all of them. With charming, vivid illustrations of animal dads and their children, Daddy Hug goes through a litany of daddies that makes for a fantastic read-aloud. To wit, here's the text of a double-page spread with an otter dad on one side and a moose dad on the other:

Daddy squeak, Daddy chirp
Daddy hiccup, Daddy burp!

Yeah, it's not Proust, but it's much more fun at bedtime. The final illustration of all the animal dads hugging their progeny -- from raccoons to walruses -- is a Father's Day card unto itself. -- Gwynne Watkins

Daddy Hug (HarperCollins, 2008) by Tim Warnes and Jane Chapman is available for $11.55 on Amazon. You can also preview it at the HarperCollins website.

Book of the Week appears every other week on Babble.

Father's Day Cards That Don't Suck

Amy Kuras — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:25:00 GMT

As Father's Day looms, the annual search for a card begins. One would think this would not be such a challenge, given that there are rows upon rows of them.

However, this makes me nuts every year. Every card refers to 1) dad's fixing things 2) dad's love for tools, golf, fishing and sports 3) his bonding with his recliner and remote 4) general ineptitude 5) strong, silent nature.

Now, both men I buy Father's Day cards for (my father and my husband) are handyperson-challenged, golf and fish infrequently, are competent human beings and quite articulate. They are also excellent fathers who give (or gave) real, geniune care to their kids, and I'd like to find a card that reflects that instead of putting them down or poking fun at their foibles ('cause the remote thing, for both of them? Totally accurate).

Some retailers are rising to the challenge, offering cards that show some degree of appreciation or sentimentality. Even funny ones are trending more positive, like this one featuring Chris Rock:

"Nobody ever says, 'Hey, Daddy, thanks for knocking out the rent. I sure love this hot water. It's easy to read with all this light.' " The inside of the card says "Once a year, maybe. Happy Father's Day."

So it doesn’t work for all the stay-at-home dads out there, but it's better than the "Happy Father's Day, you incompetent boob – now have a beer" type cards.

10 Awesomely Bad Celebrity Dads

Cole Gamble — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:04:00 GMT

Just in time for Father’s day, I am giving you dads out there the greatest present of all: I’m showing you how good a father you are by showcasing these famous dads who are totally worse.

Pete Doherty

If you are not familiar with this British rocker/cocaine enthusiast, meet Pete Doherty. Pete is known for two things: dating the elder statesman of super models, Kate Moss, and spending more time doing drugs than breathing. I could go on all day about what a stellar father Doherty makes, but why should I when, 1) this photo speaks volumes;

and 2) this quote from Pete himself speaking of the young son he has never seen does the job: “I’ve got two (children). Poor little fu%*er. My sister sees him all the time, so there’s affection as a family for him.” Somebody put that in a greeting card.

Alec Baldwin

I love Alec Baldwin. Actually for a long time I didn’t enjoy Alec Baldwin’s acting because it seemed to me stiff and pompous. Nothing has changed about his acting style, but now that Alec has determined he is a comedic actor, his stiff and pompous act totally works. A far as fatherhood, though, well, let us give a listen to a certain phone call Alec placed to his daughter.

Although I myself do not yet have a teenage daughter, I'll bet many father's get this pissed at their adolsecent kids. Which goes to prove the old adage, the only differnce between a good father and a bad ftaher is a tape recorder.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson has been laying low for a while. Reeeeeeeal low. That’s good, because this is what he does when he addresses the public.

Michael Lohan

ME: Hey Michael Lohan, father of Lindsey Lohan, I’d like to include you in my article about terrible celebrity dads.”
Michael Lohan: “Alright.”
ME: “Listen, could you submit me a photo?”
ML: “Sure, here’s this.”

ME: “Um, you got anything that doesn’t have you in a wifebeater? Maybe something that doesn’t instantly peg you as a sleaze bag?”
ML: “But Cole, when I'm not in prison for securities fraud, I'm driving drunk. I did a lot of that while Lindsey was growing up and now that I have screwed her up and sent her into a downward spiral, I’m angling to see how much of what’s left of her diminishing fortune I can get my hands on. I am a sleaze bag.”
ME: “Point taken.”

David Hasselhoff

You don’t Hassle the Hoff. Like when he’s lying shirtless on the floor trying to negotiate a particularly wily hamburger. And you don’t tell him he’s got a drinking problem, even if you’re his kid. And you especially don't videotape the whole affair.

Darth Vader

Almost didn’t make this list. Darth did display a lot of bad dad behavior (chopping off your son’s hand usually piques the interest of CPS. Also not knowing you have a daughter is a red flag.) But in the end, you have to give Darth credit, he and Luke did bond in a nice father-son activity (killing the Emporer) and then spent some quality time in the hanger bay before old Darth turned into a ghost. If that’s not as good as playing a little catch with the kid, I don’t know what is.

Rick Hilton

Rick, I don’t know how to say this…do you exist? I have seen plenty of your daughter. Oh lordy, I have seen way too much of your daughter, but not so much of you. What magic spell will it take the cardboard cutout this picture reveals you to be and transform you into a living breathing person who, you know, parents his daughter?

George Foreman

How is George Foreman as a parent? I’m not sure but if you take a look at his kids’ names, you might get an idea of what his sole motivation for becoming a parent in the first place: George Jr., George III, George IV, George V and George VI George Travis Walls.
Why build statues of tribute to yourself when you can just have kids to live in your perpetual, egomanical shadow?

AND NUMBER 1:

Joe Simpson

Oh Joe Simpson, you silly, funny, incredibly creepy man. One might say that as a dad you are “too involved.” But I don’t think so. Is it strange to take semi-erotic publicity photos of your own child, like this one I can't show you because I would have to pay...you guessed it, Joe Simpson?

Is it beyond the pale to make regular references to your daughter’s ample assets? Like this:

“Jessica never tries to be sexy. … She just is sexy. If you put her in a T-shirt or you put her in a bustier, she’s sexy in both. She’s got double D’s! You can’t cover those suckers up!"

Oh Joe, you had me at, “You can’t cover those suckers up.” And if you prudes out there think there is something wrong with this manager father and the vested interest he has in the chest of his internationally renowned sexpot daughter, we’ll let said daughter put you at ease. From the mouth of Jessica:

No, I’ve had double D’s for a long time. Are you kidding? No. My family is extremely close. I talk to my mom about my sex life. That’s not something that creeps me out. We’re Podunk Southern. And my dad is very open about his ideas and…it’s disgusting that people would actually think…people are making a judgment on something that is false.

See? It’s not incestuous. It’s “Podunk southern.” Totally different.

To be fair, Joe's interest in his daughter's body is purely business. As her manager, Joe knows a great deal of Jessica's success is due to her body and that her body is, in fact, a product to be packaged and sold. Just like a pimp does.

Runners Up:
Tom Cruise – Sorry you didn’t make the main list. Hard to tell how bad a dad you are when no one sees your kid.
Woody Allen: Married his adopted daughter. ‘Nuff said.

And for some better celb dads, check out the 50 Coolest Celebrity Dads.

Last minute Father's Day gift idea

Brett Singer — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:00:00 GMT

CityMama has a Father's Day Gift Guide. It's only one item, but it's a goooood item.

That's right: it's a lightsaber. Specifically the Luke Skywalker Force FX Lightsaber. You can also buy the Darth Vader model. In fact, buy both and then you can have a battle!

What? What's that, you say? This is a... a child's toy? Well, first of all, how many toys cost $89.75? (The Vader version is $98.98. So evil does costs more.) And besides, the age range says "8 and up." That's right. And up. Which means older than 8. So there. ("Older" in years, if not in maturity.)

Plus, it's not just a gift for dad. As one Amazon commenter says, "I even let my children play with it." It's fun for the whole family!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go purchase my tickets for the new Hulk movie.

image: Amazon.com

What a WAHD: Work at Home Dad's Day is Friday

The Latest on Barbie v. Bratz

They Say: Limit Kids Screen Time

Five Most Loving Celebrity Dads

New York Comic Con Photos - Part 2

Let's Play Guess The Photo

5 Things Not to Get Him for Father's Day

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:16:00 GMT

Men often have the reputation of being easier to please than women, especially when it comes to Father's Day. But I think it's all a lot more complicated than that.

Here's a good place to start. 5 things NOT to buy him for Father's Day:

1. Manties - Why should women have all the fun? Though honestly, if you've seen a leopard print man-thong European bathing suit it's clear that the boys have tons to celebrate.

2. Old Spice Hair and Body Wash or any three-fer products - If it washes hair, cleans tubs, and spritzes his balls, it's probably going to cause burns and resentment.

3. MANicure - Men may enjoy facials or pedicures or even the occasional beauty treatment but they often don't want you to acknowledge it. Then again, some men pretty much beg for a certificate, so who knows?

4. Navy Seals Pull-Up Bar - I have it on good authority (thanks little brother) that men, like women, do not enjoy gifts with a strong subtext. If you give him workout gear and he's a little fluffy, the message will be received and Daddy won't be happy.

5. Ties, Socks, Handkerchiefs - These gifts pretty much yell out "Who the hell are you?!!" They might be ok for granddad, but today's younger smarter daddy probably won't appreciate them.

Any to add?

Read These: Books That Soothe Parental Anxiety

Adrienne Martini — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:30:00 GMT

Despite its Mother's Day peg, Ann Hulbert's book recommendations in this Slate.com column are exactly what most parents need in this age of hyper-anxiety and helicopter hovering.

Some of the titles speak for themselves, like David Anderegg's Worried All the Time and Grolnick and Seal's Pressured Parents and Stressed Out Kids. But Hulbert takes a lateral look as well, praising Benjamin Nugent's American Nerd: A Story of My People, which should be on your reading list just for the subtitle alone.

Frankly, it's a great list for Father's Day as well. Rather than view this round-up as past its expiration date, let's think about which as these titles you'll be getting the dad in your life (or for yourself, if you're a dad). Unless you really want to buy Pops yet another tie...

A Very Special Father's Day Song ... From Jem

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:57:00 GMT

That's right, Jem. Jem and the Holograms. Now that we're finally done with that wholly contrived "holiday" brougt to you by the makers of greeting cards and chocolate roses, it's time to move our attention to something truly important: dads.

And really, nothing says "I love you, dad" like a very special Father's Day tribute from the very favorite cartoon band of some completely anonymous father out there. Frankly, I'm not sure weekday afternoon TV gets any better than the montage of Jem and her sister growing up with dad only to one day find themselves without him. I think it's clear. He's always there in their hearts. Touching. Simply touching.

Enjoy. And remember, no ties. Anything but ties.

Daddy Daughter Video Game Love

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:52:00 GMT

Poor daddies and daughters. Kept from the potential bonding and happiness of shared spa days and talk of boyfriends what are they to do? Never fear, folks, now the gender-generational divide is easily crossed. Video games, people!!

The Nintendo Wii is becoming a tool of family togetherness and daddy-daughter bonding. Will Nickelson and his daughter enjoy playing "Wii Sports" or "Mario Party 8."

I have to admit this sounds more effective than the methods used in the latter 70s around my parts -- Helping Dad Change the Brake Pads.

Kitchenista: Father's Day Breakfast--Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls!

Karen Murphy — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 13:30:00 GMT

If you know anything about The Pioneer Woman's cooking, then you know it's simple homestyle fare, with no skimping on the ~~sugar~~ ~~butter~~ flavor. Plus she cooks for a crowd, I mean, all those cowboys gotta eat somewhere, right? Which makes her cinnamon rolls perfect for a luscious Father's Day breakfast, or better yet brunch because these suckers are time-consuming but look oh-so-worth-it. And you'll have enough left over to give away to six other daddies in your neighborhood. Or make one dad very, very happy (especially if you combine the cinnamon rolls with this).

I urge you, go have a look at the recipe right now! You may need ingredients! And you can start these tonight! Plus there's pictures and all; how can you resist?

Great Kites For Kids, Er, I Mean You

Karen Murphy — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:33:00 GMT

"Dad, Dad, can I hold my kite now?"

"Not now son, it's too fragile. Wait till it's in the air."

"It's flying! It's flying! Okay, can I hold it now?"

"Not now son, wait till it's a little higher."

"It's so high now! Can I hold it now? Can I?"

[faintly, off in another world] "Not now...higher."

[disgusted] "I'm gonna go play now. Can I hold it when I get back?"

"...What? Oh. Yeah. Sure son. A little higher. Watch what it does! Look! Look! Look!"

[...]

"I'm back! You said I could hold it, can I? Can I?"

"Maybe next year."

Anybody who buys one of these kites reviewed here at Wired for a kid is clearly kidding themselves: these carbon-fiber beauties are pricey and not for beginners, but for the dad who likes to play (and what dad* doesn't secretly love a kite?), why not? And on who else could you spend over $300 on a "toy" and feel totally justified?

So go fly a kite, wouldja?

*moms too, but two days before Father's Day it's all about the men, you know?

Babble Talk: Happy Father's Day!

Gwynne Watkins — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:43:00 GMT

Sure, Father's Day isn't until Sunday -- but with so worthy a holiday, why wait to celebrate? Start by reading Babble's interview with Jim Lindberg, lead singer of the punk band Pennywise and author of the new book Punk Rock Dad. How does a man known for playing songs like “F*** Authority" handle the pressures of parenthood? (By watching American Idol, apparently.)

Next, watch as two recent dad memoirs square off in Babble Reviews Books. Which will emerge victorious: Robert Wilder's Daddy Needs a Drink or Philip Lerman's Dadditude? The first is written by a Santa Fe essayist; the second, by a former America's Most Wanted producer. Think you know how this one will turn out? See if you guessed right.

Happy Father's Day to all you Babble-reading dads!

The Daddy-Daughter Dance: One, Two, Three, Awww!

Karen Murphy — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 19:07:00 GMT

Maybe it's a Southern thing, I don't know, but in Leesburg, Virginia they're still cranking out the Daddy-Daughter dances. Yep, 50 tiaraed and bejeweled little princesses recently bunny-hopped and hokey-pokeyed with their suited-up daddies. I could totally make fun of this but at the same time it's kind of sweet, you know? Okay, saccharine-sweet maybe. But daddies should definitely dance with their daughters. Shouldn't every little girl get to have a memory of getting all dressed up and standing on her daddy's feet while twirling around to music?

And at least it's not a Purity Ball. Ew.

But please, next time you have one of these dances, Leesburg Virginia? Please leave out "Butterfly Kisses." I'm begging you.

Real Dads and Reel Dads Duke It Out

Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 21:02:00 GMT

It's that time again! Time for that dreaded trip to the greeting card aisle to pick out a masculine card for the dad you still haven't forgiven for shaming you out of trying out for the pom squad or to find a card that perfectly combines the humor and heart-felt sentiments for the father who you mimic everyday while singing Wheels on the Bus with your own wee ones. As if that's not enough pressure, Blockbuster, struggling movie rentees and icons of scientific family relationship research, has just released the results of a longitudinal, worldwide survey (not really but they also say they don't charge late fees anymore -- ha!) on the best dads on- and off-screen.

Predictably, the top pic for "Movie Dads You'd Most Like As Your Own" is Chris Gardner, profiled in Pursuit of Happyness and played by Will Smith. In second place is Father of the Bride's George Banks, played lovable and bumbly by Steve Martin. In third place is Gregory Peck's portrayal of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, which makes me think that some ambitious junior-year high school English teacher offered up a boatload of extra credit points to students who chose him in the survey.

Topping the "Movie Dads Most Like Your Own" category are (again) George Banks, Robert DeNiro's Jack Byrnes' lie detecting dad character in Meet the Parents, and Chevy Chase's timelessly hilarious and embarrassing Clark Griswold, Eugene Levy's portrayal of "Jim's Dad" in American Pie. I have to admit that, as much as I've laughed at these funny fathers and as much as one or more of them may (I said may) slightly resemble my own dad, I sure wouldn't admit it. Especially to the assholes who constantly charged me for movies I totally returned on time.

The final category, "Celebrity Dads You'd Like As Your Own," confused me the most. I get the oh[so obvious pics of Papas Pitt and Smith but the others -- Daddies Cruise, Crowe and Affleck -- have me puzzled. What? No Ozzy? No Jude Law? No K-Fed?

Dad Sick of Ties? Buy him a Beer for Father's Day.

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 22:59:00 GMT

Although I haven't actually purchased any gifts for my father or my husband yet for Father's Day, I feel pretty sure that I won't be getting either one of them a tie this year. Anheuser-Busch has an idea. They want me to buy the special dads in my life a beer.

This is all part of Anheuser-Busch's "Here's to Beer" campaign.

I have to say it's not a bad idea. My only reservations are 1) One beer? For Father's Day. I think my Dad/husband/Father-in-Law deserve more than a single beer for a whole year of fathering, and 2) The men in my life have selective tastes I can't see me buying them a Bud Light for a special occasion. I want to go at least to the Bass/Guinness/Harp level, maybe even a microbrew so that they know they are special to me.

If anyone out there is taking notes, I also accept beer for Mother's Day. I like pale ales.

More Stuff for Father's Day ... Just Not for You

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:31:00 GMT

I mocked a dad for not wanting things for Father's Day. How could he not want a coffee mug? Or a tie? Or even crappy, home-made crayon art work? But now I'm guessing there's quite a few dads out there -- somewhere -- who value family, happiness and social awareness over more important things.

And that's where Changing the Present comes in. It's web site that lets you donate to important causes, instead of simply shelling out dough for bric-a-brac and lingerie this Father's Day.

For instance, for $50 you can de-mine a sports field. For $20, you can buy 8,000 pounds of carbon to offset something to do with the ice caps. For $75, you can provide healthcare to a needy person for a month.

The list of ultra-cool greeny gifts goes on and on -- and I'm beginning to think I might finally have found something better than stuff. (Note that I haven't vetted this site -- so do your homework before donating. But the idea was too good to pass up.)

You Tube Goodness: Father's Day Tribute

Karen Murphy — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:51:00 GMT

Nope, it's not too soon to be thinking about Father's Day, at least not if you're Seattle-area Internet company Efinancial.com, which has put together a video tribute of dads and daughters from across America (some, apparently, from the 1970's!). WARNING: SACCHARINE ALERT!! If you have an allergic reaction to sweeteners, you may find this a little sappy for your taste, and you may wish to replace the soundtrack of "Daddy's Little Girl" sung by R&B recording artist E. Walter Smith and American Idol contestant Tatiana McConnico with something more to your liking, but all in all there are some moving images here of dads and their little girls.

Photos of Ashton and Flea for Your Father's Day Pleasure

Kelly Mills — Thu, 31 May 2007 18:27:00 GMT

Father's Day is just around the corner, and it is such a special holiday, I wish it came two or three times a year. You know why, right? Because it is an opportunity for every magazine to feature hot, drool-worthy dads being all shirtless and fatherly and... Okay, I'm kidding. All these dads are wearing shirts, except Flea, and now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever even seen him in a shirt. I bet he just has one giant dresser drawer of sweat socks with a couple pairs of skater shorts thrown in for formal occasions. But hey, I'm not judging, and neither should Lionel Richie, who only ever wears blouses. Those two will each get a nice t-shirt from me for Father's Day this year.

Anyhow, these dads are all featured in In Style, and the photos are from Joyce Ostin's upcoming book on celeb daddies. Sadly, no hot photos of Daddy Depp for me and Melissa and a bajillion other women and men to smooch all over, but there's still some nice shots here. I do hope next time someone will stop John Belushi from comparing fatherhood to beekeeping. Mr. Rod Stewart wins the prize for cutest baby, and he looks pretty darn good himself, though really, who doesn't look superb in black-and-white. Especially that non-traditional Willis-Kutcher-Moore family. And I know this is a bad thing to think, but wow, wouldn't it be freaky if you were a teenage girl and Ashton Kutcher was your stepfather? I mean, I don't love him for his brain or anything, but boy, is he pretty. If I had to share a bathroom with him during my teen years I'd be all kinds of conflicted.

Kevin Costner Dishes on the Daddy Stuff

Karen Murphy — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:46:00 GMT

Other than the fact that his son won't make a sandwich for him, Kevin Costner describes his life as a dad as being pretty idyllic. He waxes rhapsodic about having watched school plays and showering his kids with love while they were growing up. He also talks about the difference in being a new daddy again at age 52 versus raising his two daughters Annie and Lily, 23 and 21, and sons Joe and Liam, 19 and 10. His verdict? He sees his own mortality and realizes that he won't be around to see as much of baby Cayden Wyatt's (that name again!) life as he will be for his older kids. Ooh, kinda heavy. I'm sorta depressed now. Anyone for a replay of the limo scene in "No Way Out?"

Yeah, okay, I'll admit I used to have sort of a thing for Kevin Costner (can't exactly call him "Kevin", and "Mr. Costner" sounds oddly formal. Maybe I should do what I did with all my friend's mom's and call him "Cayden's Dad?") but got disillusioned when his movies started to suck. Fickle, yeah, that's me. But, spin or not, I'm oddly touched by his earnestness about being a dad.

Daddy Author Offers Father's Day Book Contest -- Drinking Required

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Tue, 22 May 2007 20:56:00 GMT

One of my all-time favorite daddy writers -- Robert Wilder -- is ~~shamelessly promoting his book~~ holding a great contest about Father's Day stories. The winner receives a signed copy of "Daddy Needs a Drink" -- one of the most touching and hilarious paeans to parenthood I've read in a long, long time. I've already read it, and yet I'm thinking about joining this contest anyway.

All you have to do is submit a 500-word essay about your "favorite Father's Day story" by June 1, and you could find a copy of the book in the mail just in time for the Big Day.

As Wilder says, Estimated value of prize: $12.00. Estimated emotional value: priceless.

And it's true. I read the book last summer and found myself laughing out loud and tearing up. His tales of raising young Poppy and London, combined with recollections of his own childhood, offer some of the freshest, finest fatherhood writing out there.

(Full disclosure: We share an agent, but if anything that only makes me more unbiased, because I know Wilder is a shameless glory hog who takes up all the agent's time. What? You can't leave him time in the day to return one phone call? Selfish.) (Fuller disclosure: Yes, I'm kidding. This is a contest you must enter. Your favorite dad will not be disappointed with this gift.)

[UPDATE: Ooh, I just found out that Wilder will be a host on Kristen Chase's fabulous Blog Radio program on May 30. Check it out!]

Father's Day Gift Guide: For The Dad Who Cooks

Patti — Wed, 16 May 2007 17:39:00 GMT

The carnage of Mother's Day is barely cleaned up, and it's already time to think about Father's Day. Cooking.com's got a selection of gift ideas for dads, complete with free shipping code.

It's kind of an unsurprising list, heavy on grilling accessories and barware. Add a nice omelet pan to the list and it's pretty much tailor-made for the kind of kitchen activities my husband gets up to, so I guess there's a reason for the stereotype. There are also several knives on the list, for which I assume we can thank Alton Brown and his magical way of making men, at least my man, think it might be fun to chop some shit up.

What would I add to this list? Well, one of the best cooking-related gifts anyone ever gave my husband was a set of leather gloves for grilling, which he uses several times a week and which have also come in handy for stoking the logs in our little outdoor fireplace thing. But I'd hate to give my husband the impression that I just want him to cook for me more often. I'm thinking about getting him a nice grill pan or finally giving him the gift of a Kitchenaid mixer, two things that would ensure him a long life of having things grilled for him for a change, and having tasty things baked on his behalf. I'm thoughtful like that.