Pittsburgh Dad, The Internet show was created by Chris Preksta and Curt Wootton. Preksta, a native of Munhall and a graduate of Point Park University and Pittsburgh Filmmakers, serves as director. Wootton, a native of Greensburg, Pennsylvania who graduated from West Virginia University, plays the "Pittsburgh Dad". Wootton and Preksta met on the set of the 2005 web series Captain Blasto. They later collaborated on The Mercury Men for the Syfy network, where Wootton entertained the crew with a character based on his own father, Keith, emulating the thick Pittsburghese accent of his youth.The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette describes the character as "Archie Bunker from Dahntahn or S'Liberty or Little Warshington," referencing Pittsburgh locales. Dan Gigler of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette praised the portrayal, saying, "This is supposed to be a parody but it's practically a documentary. Pure genius. De Niro has nothing on Curt Wootten for method acting. This is a dead on portrayal of like, every single one of my male relatives."

The first several episodes were recorded "just for fun" on an iPhone, with the intended audience only the two men's families and friends. It quickly became an Internet hit, generating 3 million YouTube views within 6 months. The series appeals to both current and ex-Pittsburghers, many of whom relate to the character's speech patterns and temperament.

Each episode lasts about 2 to 9 minutes and opens with a piano theme song reminiscent of the intro to another Pittsburgh-based program, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Each show features the Pittsburgh Dad delivering soliloquies on topics including "grass clippings," "freeze pops," and "jag-offs in Baltimore," all punctuated by an exaggerated laugh track, which would eventually be removed.

View Pittsburgh Dad: https://www.youtube.com/user/pittsburghdad

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