“Dad Stop Embarrassing Me” is Netflix’s newest comedy addition, starring Jaime Foxx as Brian Dixon. The sitcom, released on April 14, focuses on a single dad navigating parenting after his stubborn teenage daughter, Sasha Dixon (Kyla-Drew), moves in with him following the death of her mother. Not only does he have to juggle his daughter, but also maintain his cosmetic company that was handed down to him by his mother.
Sasha always has felt that she wasn’t her father’s first priority, and the audience sees this within the first few minutes of the first episode. Sasha and Brian attempt therapy due to their continuous miscommunication. Brian promised that he would pick up Sasha from the airport, but failed to answer his phone after 37 missed calls. He promised he would take her to sushi, but then got caught up in work requirements. Throughout her life, Sasha always felt that she came after his work and living in Atlanta made that even more clear to her.
“Dad Stop Embarrassing Me” is currently #3 on Netflix’s USA charts, and for good reason. I didn’t know Jaime Foxx to be a comedian, but he sure is good at it. There’s moments where he quickly pans to the camera and looks the audience straight in the eye, as if he’s breaking his character role and speaking directly to you. They also play off stereotypes, like Black people don’t go to therapy, even naming the first episode #BlackPeopleDontGoToTherapy.
The banter between Brian and his Pops (David Alan Grier) adds to the humor. It’s evident that Pops isn’t much older than Brian, but he embodies the grandparent character through “dad” jokes, like smoking weed and thinking that an uber pool ride means you have to get in with a bathing suit. Their dynamic makes the plot more interesting because it’s one more person that Brian has to juggle, on top of his already stubborn daughter.
Corinne Foxx is an executive producer for the show and describes it as what her upbringing was actually like. Just like everyone, Jaime constantly embarrassed his daughter, but the difference for her was that her dad was already very famous. Now, she’s able to show the world what it’s really like, alongside her father.
Overall, I would recommend the sitcom to anyone who wants a lighthearted piece of media that will make you giggle. It’s nothing too serious and the perfect solution if some background noise is needed or just something to quickly tune in to before falling asleep. Each episode is only roughly 25 minutes long, so it’s perfect for people who have a short attention span like me.
Rating: 4/5 stars