Wow, You Look Terrible! Parenting, Humor, and Embracing the Chaos with Danny Ricker

May 9, 2025

Danny Ricker, an Emmy-nominated comedy writer and author, dives deep into the chaotic world of parenting. He hilariously likens parenting to a full-time assistant for little humans while highlighting the absurdities of modern parenting pressures. Ricker introduces the genius of the '17-Minute Birthday Party' and shares insights on creating ‘ruin rooms’ for guilt-free mess. With humorous anecdotes from writing for ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ he emphasizes cherishing small moments over big events and finding joy in the everyday chaos of family life.

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ADVICE

17-Minute Birthday Party Trick

Keep birthday parties short and simple with the "17-Minute Birthday Party" concept.
Combine fun elements like bounce houses, cake, and a clown for a quick, joyful celebration.

ADVICE

Declutter with a Purgatory Cabinet

Throw away your children's random "stuff" to save time and reduce clutter.
Use a "purgatory cabinet": keep items for seven days, then discard if not requested by the child.

ANECDOTE

Parenting is Unexpected Exercise

Joe carried his young daughter uphill in snow, feeling like wearing a constantly moving weighted vest.
Carrying kids can provide an unexpected daily full-body workout for parents.

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In this Mother's Day episode, Joe sits down with Danny Ricker, Emmy-nominated comedy writer, producer, and author of Wow, You Look Terrible!: How to Parent Less and Live More, for a laugh-out-loud conversation on the highs and lows of parenting young kids. Drawing from both personal experience and sharp comedic insight, Danny unpacks the pressure modern parents face to do it all—and why doing less might actually be the key to doing it better.

Together, they explore:

Why parenting today often feels like a full-time personal assistant gig for unpredictable tiny humans
The trap of performative parenting and how social media fuels unrealistic expectations
The genius of the “17-Minute Birthday Party” and why kids don’t need extravagance to have fun
How the “Purgatory Cabinet” can save your sanity (and your child’s lucky nickel)
Parenting as exercise: from claw-machine wakeups to carrying kids like a living weighted vest
The power of “garbage time” and why the little moments matter more than the big events
Lessons Danny learned writing for Jimmy Kimmel Live! and how to deal with rejection, failure, and ego in high-pressure creative environments (Read the blog post!!)

Whether you’re a parent knee-deep in toys and tantrums or just trying to hold on to a sense of humor amidst the chaos, this conversation offers a much-needed reminder that the most meaningful moments are often the messiest ones.

Danny Ricker is a TV writer, producer, author, and nine-time Emmy nominee who currently serves as a Head Writer and Co-Executive Producer at “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

His other notable writing credits include The Oscars (2017, 2018, 2023, & 2024), The Primetime Emmys (2012, 2016, & 2020), the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and his debut book Wow, You Look Terrible!

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