Josh Gad Jokes: I ‘Became a Deadbeat Father’ After Ava’s Birth

Mike Coppola/Wireimage

Josh Gad is a new dad — and he’s not afraid to admit he hasn’t exactly been completely present since the birth of now 7-month-old Ava Tanya.

“It’s very interesting. A month before … I had to move to New York [from Los Angeles], we had the baby,” the star of Broadway smash The Book of Mormon, 30, revealed Tuesday on The Gayle King Show.

“It was really nice because I became a deadbeat father and left my family behind to go get laughs.”

Despite the distance, the Love and Other Drugs actor has already won over his baby girl — whom he calls “mooshki” because “it’s kind of like munchkin, but she’s even cuter” — with his musical talent.

“She responds to this song more than she responds to anything,” he shares of his lullaby before belting out,

“I know/that you’re the cutest baby in the whole wide world/I love what you do to me.”

Gayle’s response to Gad’s impromptu performance? “It’s so soothing,” she joked.

– Anya Leon

Comments

thats cause he is a loser, who shouldnt even have a post here about being such a negative person, he should of just stayed away, kid most likely better off without a dad.

- lily on August 4th, 2011

Whoa lily! Really harsh words for someone you don’t even know. I don’t think that he was being serious about the whole ‘dead beat dad’ issue. He is a comedian and I think that he was being somewhat sarcastic about it. You sound like you have your own un resolved issues that you should take care of.

- Megan on August 4th, 2011

I think it’s quite funny that you are speaking those kind of words about someone that you have never met, and probably never heard of until reading this article. Please keep your incorrect, rude comments to yourself. Thanks.

- lucy on August 4th, 2011

It’s not uncommon for work to separate families at least temporarily. Sounds like he’s doing what he can to bond with his daughter while living away from her.

- Olivia on August 4th, 2011