Parents' Guide to Big Daddy

Diverse Representations

Main characters are all White. Delivery guy Nazo mentions that he's not in the United States legally and is a stereotypically portrayed immigrant: He speaks broken English with a strong (unidentified) accent, watches the "Spice channel," and can't read—which a kid makes fun of. Another character says to "go ahead and get out" of the country if Nazo doesn't like spaghetti and meatballs. A character makes a reference to O.J. Simpson and points to a Black man, saying "this guy knows what I'm talking about." Constant jokes aimed at a woman who used to work at Hooters, belittling her in a sexist way and calling her "Big Boobs McGee." "Fights like a girl" is used as a putdown. Among the central friend group are a gay couple, who are seen to be in a loving relationship, though they also fall into stereotype as being obsessed with looks. A straight friend says he feels uncomfortable around the gay couple and moves a urinal over when peeing next to them. Central character Sonny, also straight, is more accepting and normalizes their relationship to him, saying they're the same people they were at high school. Jokes are made at the expense of a man's age: Characters call him "old man river," reference wrinkles and "old balls," and say "zip it or I'll break your hip." Fatphobic jokes: characters saying a larger man was with a different girl last time they saw him; maybe he ate her. A kid is encouraged to fake a stutter to garner sympathy from a woman. A person responds "gross" to a mention of eczema.