In a poignant and unflinching episode of her new podcast, YouTube influencer Rosanna Pansino honored her late father’s dying wish by smoking cannabis grown from his ashes. The 54-minute episode of her Rodiculous podcast, titled “Smoking My Dead Dad,” featured Pansino, along with her sister and mother, paying tribute to her father, Michael Reardon, who appeared in her baking videos as Papa Pizza.
Pansino’s father, who passed away in 2019 after a battle with leukemia, had expressed a desire to have his ashes used to grow cannabis, which his daughter and family members have now done. The influencer, who has over 14.6 million followers, described the experience as a way to honor her father’s memory and cope with her own grief.
The podcast featured an interview with an expert on grief and grief counseling, David Kessler, who discussed the complexities of dealing with loss. Pansino, 39, spoke candidly about her own struggles with grief, saying that it has been a permanent and constant presence in her life since her father’s passing.
The episode also touched on Pansino’s close relationship with her father, who she described as a kind of Willie Nelson character. She recalled sharing a cigar with him on her 18th birthday and how that moment has stuck with her. The experience of smoking cannabis grown from his ashes was a way for her to connect with her father and feel closer to him.
Pansino’s podcast, which will feature a mix of serious and lighthearted topics, is expected to be a departure from her usual baking-focused content. The influencer has said that she plans to use the podcast as a way to share her thoughts and experiences with her followers, and to provide a platform for others to share their own stories.
