A little over three years ago, I was cleaning the dorms of my university, listening to the first episode of a Dungeons and Dragons podcast. Three weeks ago, I found myself unintendedly walking behind the hosts while I tried to find the entrance to their San Francisco live show.
How did I get there?
It was June of 2020, and the pandemic was in full force. I was staying at my university for the summer, cleaning the dorms at my college. The work was smelly, gross, and monotonous, and I needed something new to give my brain that dopamine rush. One day, during what felt like was my 100th dorm, I was bored out of my skull and my music wasn’t helping. I remembered the podcast my friends had shown me a week prior; I wasn’t much of a podcast person, but I was willing to give it a shot. So, I pressed play on the first episode…of Dungeons and Daddies, NOT a BDSM podcast.
The podcast follows four dads from Earth who are flung into the Forgotten Realms try and find their lost sons, and on the way learn about fatherhood. The five hosts of the podcast, Matt Arnold, Will Campos, Beth May, and Freddie Wong, and Anthony Burch, have been sharing Dungeons and Daddies episodes since 2019. I’ve listened to the first season of the podcast five times and look forward to every other Tuesday for the next episode of the second season. It’s gotten me through some rough times, like the pandemic, a covid diagnosis, long mornings at work, road trips, and countless hours folding laundry and doing the dishes.
Which brings me to the live show.
The day before, I made sure my travel plan was air-tight: drive to San Francisco, meet up with my friends in the city, park my car at the venue, walk to dinner, then go back to the venue in time for VIP check-in.
The day of the show, my plan was working perfectly. I managed to beat some of the traffic going to my friend’s apartment, and again going across the city to park at the venue, then walk to the restaurant I had picked the night before. While we were eating, I kept an anxious eye on the time.
Once it was getting dangerously close to VIP check-in time, I gave my friends some cash for the check, then bolted to the venue.
I reached the venue but couldn’t find the entrance. It was 5:40. VIP check-in was at 5:45. And I had never been to this venue before. I was completely out of my element. I was starting to panic. And if you know me well, you’ll know that I panic easily.
Just then, I heard some familiar voices. I think you know where this is going—the hosts were right there, walking with a cameraman in front of them!
I was so stoked, but also incredibly, incredibly anxious. I was accidentally walking behind the hosts of my favorite podcast, I didn’t know where the entrance was, I was afraid I was going to be late…my anxiety was through the roof.
I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t just walk in front of them, that would be SUPER rude. And the other idea my socially awkward brain thought of was walking around the building to try and get to the entrance. But, again, I didn’t know where said entrance was, and what if I missed check-in?
Being the super smart, incredibly self-aware, wise person I am, I did the one thing that made sense at the time, and only slightly made sense now—follow at an awkward distance. The only problem was, they still had the cameraman following them from the front. Therefore, when they looked back on the footage, they would see an awkward person trying not to make eye contact and hiding in and out of bushes. Plus, being a film major, I know how it feels when footage is ruined.
Not my super smart, incredibly self-aware, wise moment.
However, I did reach the VIP check-in line, and I breathed a sigh of relief—I wasn’t late at all.
Once in line, I did what I do best—make new friends! I decided to bring 20-sided dice, or D20s as they’re usually referred to, to trade with others! (I understand that a lot of people reading this will know what a d20 is, but I’m mainly providing this explanation to the few extended family members who happen to read my blog). I thought of the Taylor Swift fans who trade friendship bracelets at her shows, and I thought trading dice seemed like a great idea! Many people traded things in return! I received business cards (if you’ve listened to the podcast, you know), friendship bracelets, and a little mouse sticker! One person even made cookies and was giving those out too!
After a few minutes, they were ready for us for the VIP section, and we marched right in. We received our VIP goodies (a poster signed by the cast, a special fanny pack, and a VIP badge) and admired the merch table, looking to see what we could buy after the talk back with the cast. Some of my new friends that I had talked to in line offered me a seat next to them!
Also, everything after this is going to be details from the Q&A as well as the show itself, so spoiler warning for the San Fransisco live show if any DnDads fans are reading!
The Q&A with the hosts of the podcasts was one of the highlights of the night. From one person asking them to describe the show to his dad (who as dressed in one of the main villains), to someone asking what other mediums they were interested in telling the story, it was a joy to listen to. One statement that truly stuck to me was Will Campos describing how failure and success had changed him throughout his career. At one point, he said that, after a certain instance with failure, he realized that “[he] was still there.” Even though he had failed whatever he had set out to do, he could still get up and try again. Knowing that I can still get up and try again, that I’m still here after all, really put things in a new perspective for me.
After the Q&A, most of us got in line for MERCH! While in line, I received a rock (again, if you’ve listened to the podcast), a crystal necklace, and more friendship bracelets! The atmosphere of the crowd was so wonderful and welcoming. It felt like a place I could be a little weirder and no one would think otherwise.
That night, my anxious brain had shut up once I experienced how lovely and kind everyone was. At one point, I was getting rather anxious, and a few fellow DnDads fans asked if I was okay, and a few at the end of the night even made sure I knew where my car was parked and offered to walk me there. They were small gestures, but it still left a huge impact.
And now—the show!
They started the show with Freddie Wong as Glenn Close, throwing sick guitar riffs and DJ bangers while Will Campos, as Henry Oak, sang a live rendition of “Rocks Rock,” an in-character mixtape he did as part of a Patreon stretch goal.
The live show consisted of a story from the characters from season one competing for a mystical item in The Great Faerûn Bake-Off, including “Maul Hollywood” and a “Fairy Berry.” Essentially, the show was a live Dungeons and Dragons session, complete with dice rolls and everything. One of my favorite moments from the show was Freddie rolling a natural one (which, to the extended family reading this, is bad), and the entire auditorium chanting “IN-SPRI-A-TION” (which means, if someone gets inspiration, they can role the dice again), and he got ANOTHER natural one!
After the show, I said bye to my new friends and started walking back to my car. Now, you may remember that I had never been to this venue before, and the fact it was now dark meant that I was going to have an even harder time finding my car. As I walked the perimeter of the building, I came across some DnDads fans waiting near the backstage door. I asked, “Is this where they’re going to come out?”
Someone replied, “Yeah, but they might be a while, since they have to freshen up after the show.”
I looked at the time. I looked at the stage door. I looked at the other fans. Well, I’m going to kick myself if I don’t wait and miss my chance to meet the hosts, plus I don’t work tomorrow, so…might as well stay, I thought.
There I was, talking with the other fans and waiting for the hosts to come out so we can get photos and some things signed.
And just like that, there they were. Freddie Wong was the first one out the door, quickly telling us, “Okay, we have to be on the road for our next stop on the tour, so we gotta make this fast!”
I really didn’t know what to think—the only thing I had brought with me was Beth May’s poetry book. While she was signing that, I anxiously looked through my bag to see what else they could sign. Then I found it—my dice bag, one my mother lovingly made for me, where I carried the dice I traded and where the trinkets I received sat.
I took the dice bag out of my purse and handed it to the cast. “Would you sign my dice bag, please? My mom made it.”
While the bag was being passed around the hosts, I found myself face to face with Anthony Burch. I figured now was the best time to apologize for photobombing their behind the scenes shoot.
Before I could finish my apology, he said, “I guarantee you have nothing to apologize for.” It was sweet, but I still felt bad and really wanted to say something.
“I’m so sorry for walking awkwardly behind you guys earlier today, I hope I didn’t ruin your behind-the-scenes footage!” I blurted.
Anthony, however, assured me that it was okay, and was sure that it was all fine. As I was getting my bag back, I said, “You guys probably deal with a lot of anxious fans,” to which Anthony replied, “Well, we’re pretty anxious ourselves.”
There was only one thing left that I wanted to do. Get a picture.
Driving home, I reflected on the night. Even though I was trepidatious of going by myself and unsure of what to expect, I ended up having a fantastic time. It was one of the best shows I have ever seen, and because I have seen Bear and the Big Blue House Live when I was four, I feel I’m uniquely qualified to pass judgement. I made new friends, got lots of trinkets and merch, and got to even meet the hosts. I not only witnessed great kindness from them, who were very patient with an anxious Me, but also from fellow fans, who made sure I was welcomed into this silly community. Who let me in on all the inside jokes of the fandom, who, when they saw I was overwhelmed, made sure I was okay. Who were happy to share a conversation while we waited in lines.
I’m so glad I listened to my friends and played that podcast on that faithful day at work.
E. A. Young Writes 