Ego Nwodim is reuniting with her close friend and former Saturday Night Live castmate Heidi Gardner in the Season 2 premiere of her podcast Thanks Dad. The two SNL alums—and best friends at the show—both departed the long-running sketch series ahead of the current season.
Gardner has yet to directly address her exit from the show, which was reported to not be her choice. Nwodim announced her own departure two weeks later. Their absence leaves SNL with just two female reperatory players and three featured players, from a total of seventeen.
The new season of Nwodim’s podcast sees it move to a new corporate home. Variety reports that Big Money Players, the podcast network owned by Will Ferrell and operated under the iHeartMedia umbrella, will produce and distribute Thanks Dad moving forward.
Big Money Players is already in business with several SNL talents. Las Culturistas, the hit podcast Bowen Yang hosts with Matt Rogers, has called the network home since 2020. Robert Smigel also has a podcast for the company in the works, Humor Me with Robert Smigel. Ferrell himself previously hosted The Ron Burgundy Podcast for the network.
Thanks Dad originated at the podcast network Headgum. Just yesterday, Variety revealed that Headgum had laid off 30% of its staff earlier this month, telling some employees that the company would only be able to survive for a matter of months if not for the cuts.
Nwodim launched Thanks Dad last year, welcoming guests like Kenan Thompson, Tim Meadows, and Mikey Day. While the show was initially conceived as a vehicle for her to interview real-life dads who could serve as her “dad for the day,” Nwodim is expanding the format for the new season.
“I’m not just talking to dads,” Nwodim reveals in a just-released teaser for the new season. “I’m talking to anyone who has a dad—which means I’m talking to everyone. I’m talking to actors, athletes, comedians, musicians.”
In addition to Gardner, Thanks Dad’s upcoming guest lineup includes musician Miguel and journalist/talk show host Tamron Hall.
The podcast isn’t the only project on Nwodim’s post-SNL dance card. As we recently reported, she’s set make her off-Broadway debut in a new solo comedy show next month.
The new season of Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim will kick off Tuesday, October 28th, on all podcast platforms.
