Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight?

Confessions of a Gay Dad

By: Dan Bucatinsky

Narrated by: Dan Bucatinsky

Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

In 2005, Dan Bucatinsky and his partner, Don Roos, found themselves in an L.A. delivery room, decked out in disposable scrubs from shower cap to booties, to welcome their adopted baby girl - launching their frantic yet memorable adventures into fatherhood. Two and a half years later, the same birth mother - a heroically generous, pack-a-day teen with a passion for Bridezilla marathons and Mountain Dew - delivered a son into the couple’s arms. In Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight?, Bucatinsky moves deftly from sidesplitting stories about where kids put their fingers to the realization that his athletic son might just grow up to be straight and finally to a reflection on losing his own father just as he’s becoming one. Bucatinsky’s soul-baring and honest stories tap into that all-encompassing, and very human, hunger to be a parent - and the life-changing and often ridiculous road to getting there.

©2012 Myrio, Inc. (P)2013 Audible Inc.

Critic reviews

"I was laughing out loud as I read Dan's book of parental (mis)adventures. He's a gifted writer with a hilarious voice and rapier wit." (Neil Patrick Harris)

"I read Dan's compelling and 'modern' book in almost one sitting and when my face wasn't in my hands laughing myself silly, I was touched and moved by Dan's ability to stay in his heart." (Jane Lynch)

"[T]he author's entertaining narration of this fast-moving memoir makes it sound like a one-man theater performance. Bucatinsky is a natural performer who knows how to milk a line for all the pathos or humor it contains." (AudioFile)

Too Funny!!

What an entertaining listen--and a pleasant surprise!

I did not know what to expect when I purchased this memoir--just jumped in blindly, and had a ball!! The stories Dan related were laugh-out-loud funny, and he was the perfect narrator. Good Luck to him and his family--they have a lot of fun years ahead. And hopefully he'll share more stories with us again soon!

Anyone with kids can relate

Would you listen to Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight? again? Why?

I would listen to this again, there were parts that I laughed out loud.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight??

The most memorable part of this book is the beginning when daddy and daughter are in the bathroom and she tells him to "smell her fingers"

Which character – as performed by Dan Bucatinsky – was your favorite?

Just him being him.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The part that moved me the most is when they got to adopt the kids.

Life is hard but worth it

I think Dan Bucatinski's book has done more to let me understand what it feels like to be gay than anything else I've experienced. Of course, life is hard and complicated for all of us, but, now I appreciate, more than before, particularly so for gay men, especially those who choose to raise children together. In addition to the insights and humor, Dan is a damn good writer (and narrator).

Loved it!

This was a very funny, entertaining book. I listened straight through, forfeiting a good night's sleep. I hope he writes a sequel!

Funny and loving

Would you listen to Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight? again? Why?

honest and loving story .

What did you like best about this story?

EVERYTHING !!

Which scene was your favorite?

all the stories about kids, mess and the truth about long term relationships

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laughed and Laughted

Humorous

Where does Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight? rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I love that Dan is not afraid to make himself look shallow with self-deprecating humor. He was often witty and infrequently crass. I can see this book appealing to fans of Dan Savage all the way to suburban soccer moms.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was looking for a light humorous book and chuckled out loud several times.

Laugh out loud funny

I loved how he pulls you into the daily dramas of parenthood. I laughed while I listened. Definitely would recommend.

A Parenting Book with Humor and Heart

Dan Bucatinsky is a producer and writer for Grey’s Anatomy, and won an Emmy for his portrayal of James Novak on Scandal. In this book he talks about his and his husband Don Roos’ experience with adopting their two children Eliza and Jonah.

Bucatinsky talks about the waiting game during the adoption and surrogacy process, and the happiness of repeating the process with the same birth mother. Bucatinsky also shares his parenting adventures and his heartwarming and humorous experiences of raising a boy and a girl. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a small child in the house, and I wish I had this book when my baby was born! Bucatinsky tells you the things they don’t tell you in What to Expect the First Year.

I like humorous memoirs and there are a lot of funny moments in this book. This book will be insightful for parents to be and a source of comfort to new parents. Bucatinsky doesn’t sugar coat the issues and brings up topics like religion, parenting styles, role models, gender roles, body image, travel, and being a sports parent. There’s also lots of bathroom humor, as you’d expect in a book about raising young ones.

Bucatinsky also talks about his relationship with his husband Don, and how that evolves when you are parents. He also gets personal in discussing his father’s death and how his kids helped him heal.

Dan Bucatinsky performs the audiobook and makes you feel like you’re listening to a friend share funny family anecdotes. I’m familiar with Bucatinsky as an actor from Scandal, but didn’t really know anything about him before listening to this audiobook. Bucatinsky is a great storyteller and the perfect person to narrate his story. His performance is lively and energetic and he makes the humorous scenes even funnier, and the sad scenes even more meaningful. Hope he writes a follow-up book when his kids are older!

This book would make a great gift for any new parent, or for someone going through the adoption process. The short essays will easily fit into a busy parent’s schedule, and are very relatable.

Gay Parenting

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this book, it's funny, it's witty and honest
Though I have to say that some of the points that he is making are harder to relate to if you are straight and not a parent

Can’t finish without some laughs and tears

A great autobiography regarding a gay couple’s journey of adopting and raising two boys. Even though I don’t have any kids of my own, Dan narrates his own book with such humor and conviction, and you can very much hear what this book means to him. Funny at times, touching at times — this is definitely a great listen!