Dhruv Trivedi
‘Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!’ is a family sitcom on Netflix that sees Jamie Foxx join forces with his daughter Corinne Foxx as executive producers to take a fun look at the woes of being a single dad. Foxx, who also steps into the shoes of the show’s enthusiastic yet clueless paternal protagonist Brian, is joined by a host of talented actors known for their rib-tickling chops, including Jonathan Kite and David Alan Grier.
Foxx started his career as a stand-up comedian. With this show, he is seen returning to his comedy roots, especially as we see him reunited with the sketch comedy show ‘In Living Color’ costar Grier. The show also calls back to Foxx’s popular sitcom ‘The Jamie Foxx Show,’ which ran for five seasons. Corinne’s involvement in the show likely uses her own experiences with her father as inspiration. Which makes us wonder, how much of the show is actually based on the Foxx family and how much of it is scripted? Let’s find out!
Is Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! Based on a True Story?
‘Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!’ is based on a script that is heavily inspired by the relationship between the multitalented star, Jamie Foxx, and his eldest daughter, Corinne. According to the latter, the real-life inspiration for the show makes it relatable to audiences and helps Corinne and her father fondly reminisce about her teenage years. She also explained how despite being tough at times, those memories are now cherished and have helped create the show.
The Atlanta-based family sitcom credits multiple writers and has fictional characters, with Jamie Foxx and other cast members playing various roles. The show’s main arc revolves around the father-daughter relationship between Brian (Foxx) and Sasha (Kyla-Drew). Having said that, it occasionally mirrors Jamie Foxx’s life, usually through the lens of his daughter’s perspective.
In multiple interviews, Corinne has complimented her dad’s comedic nature but also admitted how it was embarrassing from time to time. She recalled how Foxx would scare away her boyfriends, something that Foxx’s character Brian is seen doing regularly on the show. According to his daughter, the star also has a habit of wearing clothes too young for him, something we see portrayed on the show when Brian attempts to rock some skinny jeans on the advice of his young colleague.
It’s interesting to note how Corinne’s own life can be subtly glimpsed on the show as well. In the final episode of season 1, after being racially profiled by policemen, Brian’s daughter Sasha decides to become a civil rights attorney instead of following her father’s footsteps and running the family business. In reality, Corinne Foxx initially decided to not get into acting, partly due to the pressure of having a superstar for a father, and moved to New York, where she took on an advertising job. After about a year, she moved back to LA to pursue her acting career.
The similarities between Jamie Foxx’s family life and his Netflix show continue! David Alan Grier, Foxx’s costar from their famous sketch comedy show ‘In Living Color,’ plays his father, “Pops Dixon” on the show. Pops Dixon is a laid-back, pot-smoking grandpa who likes to casually flirt with younger women, goes on blind dates, and has served time in prison for possessing a small quantity of drugs. In reality, Foxx’s step-father, George Dixon, spent time in prison for a similarly minor crime, and since his release, he lives with Foxx and has been known to still be active in the dating sphere.
Moreover, Brian’s family name “Dixon” on the show is also most likely inspired by Foxx’s birth mother’s last name – Louise Annette Talley Dixon, which she adopted after tying the knot with George Dixon. The Dixon family on the show are also portrayed as devout churchgoers, with an entire episode focussed on them trying to convince Brian’s daughter Sasha to come along as well. The church they attend is a comical and highly musical one and most likely takes inspiration from Foxx’s teenage years when he honed his music skills by playing the piano and leading the choir at his local church.
A simple family sitcom on the surface, ‘Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!’ is an interesting glimpse into the relatively opaque personal life of Jamie Foxx and his relationship with his eldest daughter, Corinne. It portrays, comedically, a single father’s quest to understand his teenage daughter, and the extreme lengths he goes to achieve that, which is a dynamic Jamie Foxx and his daughter Corinne Foxx most likely shared during the latter’s teen years.
Read More: Where Is Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! Filmed?
