Yinz guys know Chris Preksta? If you're a fan of Pittsburgh Dad, you know him better than you might think. Preksta, 34, of Baldwin is the co-creator of the widely popular Web series whose good-natured sense of humor shines through in each episode. Preksta is the man behind the camera (or in this case, iPhone) who films friend Curt Wootton as he portrays the spot-on character Pittsburgh natives have embraced for years.
“Pittsburgh Dad” was born on the set of another show, “The Mercury Men,” a series Preksta directed starring Wootton that aired on Syfy. Between takes, Wootton would entertain the crew by slipping into perfect Pittsburghese to gripe about some of the things that drive 'Burgh dads bananas — the kids leaving on every light in the house, drinking all the “basement pop,” driving him nuts during summer break and pretty much anything else they do.
Today, the series debuts a new episode every Tuesday and has millions of YouTube views, 145,000 Facebook likes and 69,500 Twitter followers. Preksta and Wootton have done live shows, scads of public appearances, even served as marshals for the First Night parade.
Also since starting the series, Preksta has become a real-life Pittsburgh dad. He has a 1-year-old daughter and another on the way with wife Ashley.
So, it's safe to say this writer won't be running out of inspiration any time soon — which is good, as he's writing a Pittsburgh Dad book and developing the series into a feature film.
The star who would play me in the movie version of my life:
Jimmy Stewart or 1980s Tom Hanks
Childhood hero:
Superman. I still have my old action figure sitting on my desk this very moment.
Pick one:
A. Go-Go's
B. Goo Goo Dolls
C. Lady Gaga
D. Yo Gabba Gabba
I'm a child of the '80s, so it would have to be Go-Go's.
The piece of memorabilia from my childhood I wish I still had:
My Big Wheel! I won a Crest Toothpaste Big Wheel from Giant Eagle when I was 5 years old. It was a giant tube of toothpaste with a handlebar and wheels.
The superpower I wish I had in real life:
Flight — so that I would have a reason to wear a Superman costume
I can't live without my iPod, cellphone DVR or laptop:
I film Pittsburgh Dad on my iPhone, so I'd probably have to say cellphone since it's how I make my living.
My favorite reality show:
“This Old House” or “American Chopper.” I could watch people build things for hours.
App I wish I could invent:
An app that blocks every single game request on Facebook
Favorite brunch food:
Croissants and orange juice. And I have to speak with a French accent while I eat.
Favorite guilty pleasure:
Looking for stuff from Hills Department Store on eBay.
Best mistake I've ever made:
Wasting an afternoon filming Curt Wootton pretend to be his dad
Something I would do over if I could:
Every movie I've ever made. As soon as it's finished, I find 100 ways to make it better.
Pick one
A. Pirates
B. Penguins
C. Steelers
D. Other
E. I hate sports
Steelers. No better spectator sport. Although there's a few games that have probably shaved years off my life.
My favorite Pittsburgh athlete:
Pirate Parrot
Favorite lunchtime spot:
Primanti Bros.
Top thing on my bucket list:
Release a movie in theaters across the country
In five years, I'd like to:
Make a brand-new children's television show here in Pittsburgh
My favorite thing about Pittsburgh:
The stories. We're a city of great stories and storytellers, be it Rick Sebak and his wonderful documentaries or the guy at the end of the bar reminiscing about how things used to be.
Star I'd like to dance with on “Dancing With the Stars”:
Conan O'Brien. We're both extremely tall, so it would be hysterical to watch the tangled mess of lanky limbs.
My most memorable fashion mistake:
In middle school, wearing sports jerseys from teams I knew nothing about. I chose them based on colors alone.
Three people I'd love to have dinner with:
Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford and Kathleen Kennedy. I actually ran into Spielberg on the DreamWorks lot, and I was dumbstruck silent. All I could muster was a head nod.
When I was 10, I wanted to be:
A movie director
I'm deathly afraid of:
Raccoons. As a teenager, nearly 100 raccoons surrounded our car in a park, climbing up the doors and hood. I've had nightmares ever since.
If I was auditioning for “American Idol,” my song would be:
The theme song from “Moonlighting”
People would be surprised to know that I:
At 16, I snuck away from a church mission trip to Homestead, Fla., to find my biological father. Found him.
The best concert I've ever seen:
John Williams with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. They accompanied the final scene of “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” live. Unforgettable moment.
TV marathon I could watch all day:
“The Wonder Years.” I've watched the entire series four or five times now.
Favorite Pittsburgh-area landmark:
Kennywood. There are very few places I love as much as the front seat of the Thunderbolt.
Saturday mornings, you'll find me:
Watching “Sesame Street” with my daughter. I keep showing her episodes from the '70s hoping I can foster a love of Grover and Big Bird before she becomes obsessed with Elmo like every other child.
Best new gadget I've tried recently:
A clip-on lens for my iPhone
The person I'm most often mistaken for:
An employee of whatever department store I'm in. Being tall means getting things off of high shelves for people.
In high school, I was:
Either drawing or onstage
The most famous person I ever became friends with:
Felicia Day of “The Guild.” Watching her Web series inspired me, in part, to create stories online. It was an honor to later direct a season of her show.
My most treasured fashion accessory:
My Chuck Taylors
My most embarrassing junk food:
Rice Krispies Treats cereal
The last book I read:
“The Art of Pixar's ‘Up' ”
My favorite Pittsburgh pizza:
Pizza Shack on Route 51. It's one of those mom-and-pop shops that's open for about two hours a week. You have a better chance of finding Narnia.
Movie I could watch every time it appears on cable:
“A League of Their Own”
If I could live my life as someone else, it would be:
Harrison Ford. Getting to play Indiana Jones and Han Solo?! C'mon!
My favorite “bad” movie:
“Speed Racer.” I saw it twice in theaters, which means I account for roughly 50 percent of the movie's box office.
My first job:
Making pizza at Sandcastle
My worst job:
Making pizza at Sandcastle
The song that always gets me out on the dance floor:
Any Michael Jackson song
The movie that always makes me cry:
“E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” — when Gertie sees the doctors use the chest paddles on E.T.
Life would be better without:
Celebrity gossip
My childhood nickname:
Waldo, because of my big round glasses. At middle school dances, kids would tell me to walk into the crowd to see if they could find me.
If I could tour with any two bands, they would be:
The Muppets or Huey Lewis and the News. Huey Lewis always struck me as a “working man's” singer. Like he's performing at night and then pressure washing the deck the next morning.
I never travel without my:
Photo ID. They don't let you.
