Big Daddy’s Rules

What happens when a world-famous tough guy takes on the toughest job of all – becoming a father?

Welcome to the world of the Big Daddy.

Steve Schirripa’s known for his star turns on The Sopranos and The Secret Life of the American Teenager; but in his own secret life he’s the father of two daughters of his own — and a self-confessed human volcano. In Big Daddy’s Rules, Schirripa tells all – and brings a welcome dose of old-school advice and (and new-school humor) to the parenting wars. “You’re not there to be a friend,” Steve says bluntly. “You’re there to be a dad.”

Steve serves up the sometimes-heartwarming, sometimes-hilarious stories of how he and his wife navigated the wild waters of parenthood: from the moment a tough guy’s heart meltswhen he holds his first-born in his arms – to what a tough guy does the first time he sees someone looking at his teenage daughter’s butt.

Steve lays out the rules for being a Big Daddy — someone who is strong, devoted, and always looking out for his kids’ best interest (even when that means not being the coolest dad on the block). Overprotective? Maybe. Willing to tone it down? Absolutely not.

With a mixture of street-smart bravado and self-effacing humor, Schirripa pulls no punches as he delivers his no-bull stance on what it takes to raise kids today. BIG DADDY’S RULES is filled with tales of his over-the-top yet heartfelt parenting style — confronting bad teachers, staring down boyfriends, and explaining just how crazy you’re allowed to get if you catch your kid drinking (hint: Really, really crazy).

He’s uproariously funny, but Schirripa isn’t just cracking jokes here—this is also call to action for dads to return to common-sense parenting and reclaim their role as protector and holder of values to be passed down.

Steven R. Schirripa, in addition to his breakout roles on The Sopranos and Secret Life of the American Teenager, also hosts Investigation Discovery’s Karma’s a Bitch! – a show about revenge – and is starring in the Nickelodeon movie Nicky Deuce, based on his own young-adult book and premiering this spring. Schirripa is the New York Times bestselling author of A Goomba’s Guide to Life. He lives in New York with his wife and two daughters.

Philip Lerman is the author of Dadditude: How a Real Man Became a Real Dad and the co-author of several books, including No Mercy with John Walsh. Lerman is the former co-executive producer of America’s Most Wanted and former national editor of USA TODAY.