OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today “OWN Spotlight: They Call Me Dad,” a one-hour special that celebrates Black fatherhood, is set to premiere on Tuesday, September 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT (immediately after OWN’s hit drama series “Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots”).
“OWN Spotlight: They Call Me Dad” is an inspirational one-hour special that celebrates Black Fatherhood and the special bond dads have with their children, giving viewers exclusive access to a group of famous black fathers away from the spotlight and doing the most admirable thing imaginable – being a loving dad. Through a series of deeply personal profiles, the special follows five celebrity Black fathers from diverse backgrounds, in their homes and unguarded, as they showcase the joys, fears, and fulfillment that being a dad brings while also shifting the narratives for a more accurate representation of Black fatherhood. From braiding hair to coaching sports teams to difficult conversations about how to deal with law enforcement, viewers will get to see parenthood from a father’s perspective. The special will feature the renowned spiritual leader and author Bishop T.D. Jakes; two-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Jenkins, DJ and social media phenom, D-Nice, Grammy Award-winning recording artist Anthony Hamilton and Grammy Award-winning gospel recording artist Kirk Franklin, as they each showcase their unique parenting styles and explore the different roles that a father plays in his childrens’ lives as they grow up from hero and mentor to provider and protector. Additional guests include Meagan Good, Laila Ali and Sarah Jakes Roberts.
The special is executive produced by Oji Singletary and Critical Content.
About OWN Spotlight
“OWN Spotlight” presentations tackle issues and concerns facing Black lives. The programs feature candid and in-depth conversations that create real dialogue to inspire systematic change. Previous programs include the two-night special “Where Do We Go From Here?” that simulcast across the Discovery family of networks featuring Oprah and Black thought leaders discussing the current state of racism America; “Oprah and 100 Black Fathers” sharing the urgency of having “the talk” with their children and the dreams they have for the future of their families; “COVID-19: The Deadly Impact on Black America” that investigated the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Black communities; “Oprah At Home with Lupita Nyong’o and Cynthia Erivo,” which examined colorism in Hollywood; “Oprah and Alicia Keys – The Interview” discussing Alicia Keys’ new memoir “More Myself;” “When They See Us Now” featuring Oprah in conversation with award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay and the cast from the acclaimed series “When They See Us” along with real men formerly known as the Central Park Five; and the follow-up documentary from D. Channsin Berry “Dark Girls 2” exploring the prejudices darker-skinned women face around the world.