We have a lot of awesome (and totally modest) people working at Refinery29. It kind of comes with the territory, working in an innovative and creative digital space. But where did we get our love for all things smart, trendy, and cutting-edge? Personally, I know that my innate sense of awesomeness came from a man very near and dear to my heart.
He's the one who introduced me to my first favorite song, "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba. The one who made me turn off Keeping Up With the Kardashians during dinner, but was secretly as into it as I was. The one who is as passionate about deep electronic house music as he is about cars.
My father.
So, I decided to investigate. Are all dads as hip as mine? Are Refinery29 staffers' dads binge-watching the same TV shows? Do they know who Blac Chyna is?! I sent out a survey to our staff, asking them to gather some crucial information from their pops about entertainment, along with a photo from their dads' youthful heydays.
The responses are pretty enlightening, and a great reminder to always remember your roots. The final verdict proved my theory that from dope dads come some very cool kids.
So, Happy Father's Day to all the modern men in our lives. We definitely wouldn't be the same without you.
Warning: dad bods ahead.
Bill(third from right)
Cool dad of Christina Dun, video production assistant
What is your favorite song from the past year? "'See You Again' by Wiz Khalifa. I like it because it's about friendship and how losing a close friend affects those left behind."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "My all-time favorite artist is Bruce Springsteen because I saw him in concert in the early 1980s during his Born in the USA Tour, and he played four hours with great songs, hit after hit. He has so much energy and presence and he really knew how to work the audience. Still the best concert I ever attended."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch”? " Game of Thrones. I do binge-watch."
What’s the best television show of all time? " The Sopranos "
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " The Godfather and Al Pacino."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "Not sure what pop culture is."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "Blac Chyna is the Kardashian's brother's girlfriend."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Paul
Cool dad of Amanda Murray, production coordinator, experiential
What is your favorite song from the past year? "'Birthday Card' by Marcus Marr and Chet Faker, because of its clean, synthetic bass loop and smooth, relatable lyrics."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "Got to admit it, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. Great catalogue of 30-plus years of punk-edged pop."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " South Park — Cartman never disappoints. I don't normally binge-watch, but I have been pulled into the wife's swirl with Downton Abbey and Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce. "
What’s the best television show of all time? " Saturday Night Live. Period."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " Legends of the Fall and Jack Nicholson for Easy Rider, The Shining, A Few Good Men, As Good as It Gets. The list goes on."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? Impress us! "Bernie Sanders recorded a folk album titled We Shall Overcome in 1987. And that Beyoncé has something against Beckys?"
Last but not least, do you know who Blac Chyna is? "Yes, she's dating Rob Kardashian — I know this due to collateral damage suffered on my way to the bathroom courtesy of E! Entertainment Television."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Andre
Cool dad of Ryen Williams, a ssociate PM/producer
What is your favorite song from the past year? "'Hello' by Adele."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "Marvin Gaye, because he put his soul into every song he ever sang from the national anthem to 'Let's Get It On' to 'Sexual Healing' — you name it!"
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " Blackish — it's funny, great cast, cute way to deliver real issues like race relations, corporate politics, and family drama. And yes, I binge on CNN."
What’s the best television show of all time? " Sanford and Son. Redd Fox was hilarious. Every show needs a 'big dummy,' a Rolo, and an Aunt Ester."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " The Sting — greatest con ever! And Paul Newman."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "The late Muhammad Ali was the greatest rapper of all time!!!"
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "Angela Renée White from DC."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Frank(far left)
Cool dad of Erin Cunningham, senior fashion editor
What's your favorite song from the past year? "'Thinking Out Loud' by Ed Sheeran. It's an amazing, heartfelt song from a young artist with real talent, and it has a lot of feeling and meaning to it. No techno crap or voice reverberations."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "Elton John. I had always wanted to play the piano, but never really had the time or dedication to do so when I was younger. I first heard the masterful piano music from a new artist, named Elton John, when I was on a class trip to Washington, DC when I was 12. Some day, it would be my dream to meet him in person."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " Two and a Half Men, it's extremely well written and the characters interact wonderfully."
What’s the best television show of all time? " M*A*S*H. I especially related to it, as my uncle was a medic in just such a unit in Korea."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " Animal House, because it reminds me of my freshman year of college, and John Malkovich — he plays incredibly intense and somewhat 'whacky' characters in his movies."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "As embarrassing as it is to admit, I follow Bella Hadid, the new face of Dior Beauty, on Instagram. (I am not known as #creepyoldman.) I have been doing so since my daughter interviewed her. I wish I had her life. It must be hard to wake up and figure out where the hell you are at any given moment. Every time I check, it seems like it's an episode of Where in the World is Bella Hadid? In all seriousness, she's a very pretty girl and could come have a beer with me and my family (just tell her to bring her fake ID)."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "I think it is high-end, designer dinnerware, perhaps sold at Nordstroms."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
David
Cool dad of Molly Horan, a ssociate editor, digital innovation
What's your favorite song from the past year?
"'Uptown Funk' by Bruno Mars."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "Paul McCartney."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " Blue Bloods. "
What’s the best television show of all time? " The Ed Sullivan Show."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " It's a Wonderful Life and Robert De Niro."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "Black Chyna. I don't know."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Robert
Cool dad of Ellie Levy, casting coordinator
What is your favorite song from the past year? "'Stole the Show' by Kygo. Best amalgamation of beat, rhythm, tune, and performance. Can listen to it over and over again. Great song to whistle to."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "Recording artist: Cat Stevens. My first favorite artist as a child and have recently rediscovered his music. Fine artist: Milton Avery. His use of color as composition to define subject matter in a simplified form."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch” " Game of Thrones, Escobar, and Shameless. Yes, I 'binge-watch' — is there any other way to watch?"
What’s the best television show of all time? " Breaking Bad. Shameless."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? "Too many to choose just one. Contact, Field of Dreams, American Beauty, Citizen Kane, King of Hearts, Casablanca, Harold and Maude, and Shawshank Redemption. Male: Humphrey Bogart. Female: Kate Hudson."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "The speed and efficiency of communication has never been faster, making people very famous, very infamous, very wealthy, and very hurt instantly... There is an acceleration of social responsibility given the increased power that social media provides to not only the very famous pop culture icons, but now also the common, unknown person. We will continue to see increasingly way-out behavior and stunts, given that instantaneous accessibility to fame and the associated financial rewards are now within everyone’s reach. Just look at the Kardashians, why are they so newsworthy? What have they done for humanity?
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "I did not before the question was asked. Maybe I fall into the discerning group mentioned in question 6."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Crinu
Cool dad of Morgan Baila, trend entertainment writer
What is your favorite song from the past year? "'Can’t Feel My Face' by The Weeknd, because he reminds me of Michael Jackson."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "For music, Vivaldi. For art, Brâncusi, a Romanian sculptor who was exiled in Paris. I felt a spiritual connection as I left Romania without looking back as well. Another artist is the painter Miro because...I just ‘connected with him.’"
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " Game of Thrones and Banshee. Yes. I binge-watched lots of those episodes."
What’s the best television show of all time? " Forsyte Saga. It's a BBC drama series, and I watched it in Romania for many years."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " The French Connection and Gene Hackman."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "I actually met and conversed at lunch with Bob Geldof and Boomtown Rats in Bucharest, Romania."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "Rob Kardashian’s (the young Kardashian brother) fiancée."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Michael
Cool dad of Michaela Rollings, marketing coordinator
What your favorite song from the past year? "'Stressed Out' by Twenty One Pilots is a solid song. It's got a good beat, melody which doesn't seem so synthesized like most of today's music. I also like the lyrics, as they tell a story of growing up and not being 100% sure of oneself, which is something everyone can relate to. Everyone gets stressed out at times!"
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "Michelangelo. His artistic talents seem to me to be unparalleled. Whether it's doing the Sistine Chapel, the Pieta, or 'The Last Judgment,' the guy crushed it.
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” "Although it's not on currently, Ray Donovan is my most recent favorite series. I just binge-watched the three-season run, and it was very, very good. The actors, Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight, also have some solid skills."
What’s the best television show of all time? "This is going to make me sound like my dad, but I think All in the Family was the best show of all time. It was hilarious, but it also addressed a lot of social issues on gender, religion, and race that no one had ever dared to go near previously. Truly groundbreaking stuff that we take for granted today. I still smile when I think about some of Archie Bunker's lines."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " Ferris Bueller's Day Off. What's not to like — great actors, great humor, great story. Movie star — Bill Murray. His portrayal of Carl the groundskeeper in Caddyshack is 'all world.'"
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "I know who Kevin Federline is and who he used to be married to (Britney)."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "No. I've seen her pic on some supermarket tabloid I think, but I don't know anything else."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Peter
Cool dad of Julie Bogen, social strategy planner
What is your favorite song from the past year? "Don't even have a favorite song from the last decade..."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "Ray Charles."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " Blue Bloods — yes, I absolutely binge-watch!"
What’s the best television show of all time? " M*A*S*H. "
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " Hunt for Red October and Love Actually, and Sean Connery."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "Sam Smith sang the theme song to the James Bond movie!"
Last but not least, do you know who Blac Chyna is? "I just Googled her! Holy COW! The things we learn from our children who work for Refinery 29!!!!!!"
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Mitch
Cool dad of Johannah King-Slutzky, community director, Tumblr
What is your favorite song from the past year?
"'Taste the Ceiling' by Wilco off their 2015 album entitled Star Wars. There is a lot of great music, I am sure. But my favorites are performed by the jam bands from the past who are still on tour today."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? For art, Jackson Pollock is my all-time favorite painter. His abstract expressionism in the purest form remains unparalleled to this day. For music, Grateful Dead. I love their ability to innovate and improvise; they play the same familiar songs from their large body of works, but they never play them the same way twice. Truly inspiring and fresh to this very day."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " Silicon Valley. Yes, I binge-watch, but this show I catch as soon after it airs as I can."
What’s the best television show of all time? "I am still binge-watch-working my way through The Sopranos, and it is definitely my favorite show to date. I have to say that, in contrast to music, which I still think was best in my youth, television has become better than ever since around the turn of the millennium."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " 2001: A Space Odyssey and Marlon Brando."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "I know that Katy Perry's Twitter feed was hacked last month, and that she has the largest number of subscribers to that social media site. The most recent (well, relatively for me) major internet event that continues to amaze me is the phenomenon of the dress that can appear white-and-gold or blue-and-black depending on the way your brain interprets the image. As a psychologist with a background in neuropsychology, this still blows my mind, 18 months after the image first went viral."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "Who?"
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Mark
Cool dad of Caitie Thornton, motion graphics designer
What is your favorite song from the past year? "'Generate' by Eric Prydz, because I can sing to it."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? Why? "Genesis, because of their precise musicianship."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” "Stanley Cup playoffs. After my wife binge-watches The Bachelorette and Dancing with the Stars."
What’s the best television show of all time? " Star Trek. "
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " Titanic and Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "I don't know pop culture. I'm too busy siding the house, painting the trim at home, and then drinking beer as my wife and I watch the sunset over Lake Ontario."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "She's a girl, right?"
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Jeff
Cool dad of Nikki Mendell, PR manager
What is your favorite song from the past year? "'Can’t Feel My Face' by The Weeknd, because it has the sound and rhythm of a Michael Jackson song."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "The Beatles, because their rock 'n' roll changed the world."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " Billions and yes."
What’s the best television show of all time? " Seinfeld. "
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " Caddyshack and Tom Hanks."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "R29 is getting almost 30 million hits a month!"
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "No."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Peter
Cool dad of Carolyn Todd, trend entertainment writer
What is your favorite song from the past year? "I couldn’t name a single song from the past year. I’m living in the past."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "The Beatles. I was about 8 or 9 years old when they became big in the U.S., and from then on they have always been my favorite."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " Game of Thrones, and I would binge watch if I could, but not possible."
What’s the best television show of all time? " The Sopranos or Breaking Bad — can’t decide."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? "Too many good movies to name one — sorry."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "Nothing I can think of."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "Huh? That’s a no."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Ronald
Cool dad of Melissa Katz, a udience development editor
What is your favorite song from the past year? "'Happy' by Pharrell Williams."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "Bruce Springsteen. I really identify with his music and have always felt a connection to the words. His songs identify with working class backgrounds."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you "binge-watch?" " Game of Thrones and no."
What’s the best television show of all time? " Seinfeld. "
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " The Godfather and Al Pacino."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "That Kim Kardashian’s tush is NOT real."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "Absolutely not."
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Jim(far right)
Cool dad of Cate Jensen, account coordinator
What is your favorite song from the past year? "'Somewhere on a Beach' by Dierks Bentley."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "Eric Clapton and the Cream."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” " The Americans, and yes, I 'binge-watch.'"
What’s the best television show of all time? " Twilight Zone."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " The Godfather and Robert De Niro. Not the crap he makes now."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "I like it when Justin Timberlake collaborates with rappers like Jay Z."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "A kind of tea?"
Photo Courtesy of Subject.
Rob
Cool dad of Stasha Rosen, product analyst
What is your favorite song from the past year? "I really can't name any song from the past year."
Who is your all-time favorite artist? "For art, the painter Cézanne."
What’s your favorite television show on air now? Do you “binge-watch?” "In general, I don't go for the whole favorites thing. I don't have a favorite color or a favorite daughter, for that matter. Everything has a certain value in itself."
What’s the best television show of all time? " Elementary."
What’s your favorite movie and movie star? " Harry and the Hendersons or Big, and Eva Green."
What’s a surprising piece of pop culture information that you know? "I have no pop culture information, except that Samuel Beckett regularly drove André the Giant to school."
Do you know who Blac Chyna is? "No."
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