Bob Odenkirk on the One Thing He Misses Most About Fatherhood
Comedian and actor Bob Odenkirk was a guest on Mike Birbiglia’s Working It Out podcast, when Birbiglia asked him a deceptively simple question:
“Who are you jealous of?”
Odenkirk didn’t even pause.
“Anyone who still has little kids at home.”
He went on to explain that, during those years, he never had to question what his purpose was; it was his kids.
That answer hit hard. Every dad knows that tug. The mix of exhaustion and magic that comes with small kids running around the house. You dream of peace and quiet… until you get it.
Odenkirk’s not mourning time lost, he’s reminding us what it meant. When your kids are little, purpose isn’t something you chase. It’s something that chases you down the hall yelling, “Dad! Watch this!”
One day, the noise fades. The house gets clean. The coffee stays hot. And you realize… that chaos was the good stuff.
🎧 Full clip via Mike Birbiglia’s Working It Out Podcast — listen to it here.
Credit: Mike Birbiglia / Working It Out Podcast. Shared for commentary and reflection.
