For Matt Lofy, being a dad was always the dream. In October 2019, that dream became a reality when Lofy and wife Heather welcomed their newborn son, Tuckerman, into the world.
“All the men I’ve ever admired seem to have one thing in common – they’re all dads,” Lofy says. “Now that I’m one, it’s the title I love most and want to be defined by (and husband).”
As Lofy entered his new role as dad, he began to think of ways he could help navigate this new experience and connect with those in similar situations. Thus came the idea for a podcast.
“I just didn’t want it to be two more dudes in a basement talking about nothing,” Lofy says. “At the time, I had just become a new dad and wanted to learn from other dads. I want to be the dad that my father was.”
Originally, Lofy planned for the podcast to have guest appearances from dads of all ages, experiences and backgrounds.
That idea slowly morphed into the Dadass podcast when Lofy’s friend, Shaun Ditty, entered the picture.
Ditty has a counseling background and was one of the first guests on the early iterations of Dadass. The two discovered they had great chemistry and rapport and decided to grow the podcast together.
“What started as this sort of dad-centric thing has shifted to families and partners and spousal relationships,” Ditty says. “It has also become a place for people to be exposed to listening to us talk about other things that you wouldn’t necessarily think of on a family podcast.”
At the same time, the duo hope to provide a platform for men to engage in conversations that they typically avoid.
“A lot of times men don’t express their feelings in a healthy way and may not have a place to ask questions,” Ditty says. “It’s our hope to engage different men into these conversations.”
Podcast Partners
Lofy and Ditty met when Ditty’s wife took a spin class Lofy taught at LA Fitness. At the time, Ditty and his wife were trying to get in shape for their wedding.
“She came back and said that we have a lot in common, for instance that he likes to hike,” Ditty says. “My first thoughts were, … ‘Oh no, he’s probably really good looking, do I need to be worried?’” Ditty says, laughing.
Although the two drifted apart after that due to busy schedules, they eventually reconnected as the podcast took form.
“Knowing Shaun’s background, he was one of the first people I reached out to when this started,” Lofy says. “I was newly married in a new home, with a new baby and rekindling this friendship helped get me through some things this year, COVID-19 aside.”
“We were in each other’s little pod during this COVID-19 stuff,” Ditty adds. “He was the only other person outside of my immediate family I saw.”
More Than a Name
The chemistry between Lofy and Ditty is undeniable. The two are constantly cracking jokes and making the other laugh and there is a true and loving friend - ship that extends far beyond recording weekly podcasts.
As far as the origin and inspiration behind the name Dadass, both are adamant that it is more than just a catchy name. Although the core of the show centers on dads, the message is inclusive of all parents.
“We didn’t want it to be something that was just for men, because there are plenty of Dadass women who are raising kids, and our hope is that there are women listening and it could be something potentially that couples listen to together,” Ditty says. “We want to go beyond the ‘Disney dad.’”
Breaking the Ice
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of this podcast, content aside, is where it is recorded.
“As a child, I always wanted a secret room,” Ditty says, “As an adult I realized, oh wait, I own my own home … and I can build things.”
The space is a simple, quiet space to enjoy each other’s company over a cocktail mixed by Ditty himself. Whiskey is the spirit of choice, as the space holds more than 130 bottles, along with homemade syrups and mixers. If you’re lucky enough to be a guest, you can bring your own cocktail or Ditty will make one.
Most importantly, you must provide one dad joke before the show starts.
“It’s a nice icebreaker for people to feel a rapport with us before we get into asking questions,” Lofy says. “Even when we have moms on, they have some mom jokes. It’s a fun exercise to break the ice.”
The Future
Since the podcast’s first episode with both Lofy and Ditty as hosts, the two have grown a newfound appreciation for their guests from the Columbus area.
“There are a ton of really inspiring people in Columbus doing some amazing things,” Ditty says. “We’ve made some really great connections and friendships.”
From local parents to city counselors working with the LGBTQ+ community to a sleep consultant, Dadass covers a lot of ground, and is only just getting started. As it continues, the goals are simple: continue to grow the community and serve as a resource to listeners.
“One of the long-term vision things for me is that this becomes a larger com - munity for people to interact with each other through an online platform, or if we ever get to be around each other again in real life,” Ditty says. “Building a sense of community around this idea of we might not have all the answers, but somebody in here might know this or that.”
And as for Lofy, he hopes to grow into fatherhood as much as the Dadass com - munity grows in numbers.
“Now that I’m a dad, it’s my mission to be an authentic witness of fatherhood/ masculinity for him, just as my dad has been for me,” he says. “And, of course, grow our lawn a little thicker and my jokes just a bit funnier.”
Rocco Falleti is an associate editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com
