Who do you call Big Daddy?

A couple of weeks ago I put up a new sign in my Etsy shop called "Big Daddy", It's sold several times now that Father's day is at hand and it's the one item in my shop that customers lovingly volunteer the reason they are purchasing the sign and many of them are quite charming. Here are a few...

- "I call my step dad big daddy so this is soo perfect! Thanks so much!"

- "Thanks so much ~ this will be perfect...my hubby has been Big Daddy since our first kiddo was born".

- "I love this! We've called my father Big Daddy ever since I can remember. I had to get this for Father's Day.

In case you didn't know, Big Daddy is a character from the 1958 film Cat on a Hot Tin Roof that was adapted from the Tennesee Williams play by the same name. It was directed by Richard Brooks and starred Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, and Burl Ives. It's a story about Brick, an alcoholic ex-football player who drinks his days away and resists the affections of his wife, Maggie. His reunion with his father, Big Daddy, who is dying of cancer, jogs a host of memories and revelations for both father and son.

Another more recent Hollywood film (1999) staring Adam Sandler was titled Big Daddy where he plays a lazy law school grad who adopts a kid to impress his girlfriend, but everything doesn't go as planned and he becomes the unlikely foster father.

My personal brush with the name Big Daddy has happened two times in my life.  Back in college at School of the Art Institute of Chicago I was the head resident at the Herman Crown Center Dormatory. That was in 1983, I was called Big Daddy by many of the residents on my floor. Actually they called me Big Daddy Bunny because my girlfriend at the time who is my wife and creative partner today had drawn a picture and pasted it to my door of a large Easter-ish bunny wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. At the top she wrote "Happy Birthday Big Daddy Bunny". Everyone on the floor saw it, got a big kick out of it and it kinda stuck for the rest of the year.

The second time was at a job I had in Washington D.C. at a publishing company. I was a creative director and my boss often called me Big Daddy since I was in charge of a staff of 10 people. It was kind of charming and an endering name.

Being called big daddy is a powerful title. When folks call you that, it is a sign of affection, respect and power. So who ever you call Big Daddy, give 'em a big hug when you do it and let them know you love them. Happy Fathers day to all of you Dad's and Big Daddys out there!