Not Watching Ham From 'The Sandlot' Dance on TikTok? 'You're Killin' Me Smalls!'

This celeb dad knows how to have fun and keep the nostalgia alive.

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

Without even thinking, I say to my daughter in my most exasperated—yet amused—”mom” voice,  "You’re killing me, Smalls!” at least once a week. Who knew that 30 years ago when I first saw the beloved coming-of-age movie The Sandlot the infamous line uttered by Hamilton “Ham” Porter would become an integral part of my parenting?

My daughter isn’t dressed and ready to leave for school—at the exact same time we leave every single morning? I mutter, “You’re killin’ me, Smalls” as she slowly puts on her shoes. She doesn’t like the chicken nuggets at a restaurant because they heaven forbid top them with sesame seeds. It’s a “You’re killin’ me, Smalls” moment with the frustration oozing out of my pores as I end up eating them for her.

As irritated as I usually am, saying  “You’re killing me, Smalls!” never fails to inject me with a jolt of happiness and nostalgia. My dad loves The Sandlot because it reminds him so much of his own childhood. My daughter saw it for the first time—and loved it—as part of a camp outing this past summer.

So, imagine my surprise and utter delight to learn that Patrick Renna, who played Ham and uttered that all-important phrase, is still “killin’” it, just in a slightly different, yet equally hilarious, way in 2023.

Renna is a dad—and the very best kind—a cool dad who gets it. In the way that I could watch Ham utter “You’re killin’ me Smalls” to his friend and teammate Scotty Smalls over and over on a loop—I cannot get enough of watching Renna’s incredible and perfectly choreographed dances on TikTok.

If you’re not in on my new obsession, Renna performs alongside two of his best friends, brothers Caige and Cru Moore, whom he affectionately dubs the “Chubby Ginger” crew.  Their dance nicknames are XL (Renna), XXL (Caige), and XXXL (Cru).

It all began in 2022 when the guys went viral for their interpretive NFL theme song dance, based on choreography created by social media sensations Cost n' Mayor. The clip went viral and the NFL on Prime Video’s official account noticed—and reached out asking why the guys weren’t dancing to their theme song too. Renna and his friends immediately went to work and created a dance for the NFL on Prime Video too.

The group will usually perform dance routines that are already trending on social media but Renna’s childhood friend Lynsey Moor helps the guys add their own flair to their choreography and helps them rehearse. Their dance to Lizzo's "About Damn Time" got 10 million views—and Lizzo herself not only watched it but personally gave the guys some notes on their choreography! And this 90s child can't get enough of their dance to Bell Biv DeVoe's "Poison."

I’ve been asking myself why I’m obsessed—and clearly, I’m not alone. There are two things that are at play. The first is that there’s nothing better than dads who aren’t afraid to be goofy, and silly and put it all out there. Nothing makes my daughter laugh harder than when my husband tries to dance along to her Taylor Swift playlist or play Barbies with her.

I’m okay when my husband gets to be the silly one or “ham” it up (no pun intended) as a way to bond with my daughter. I take my daughter to concerts, and Broadway shows and get her binge-watching some of my favorite shows like Friends so we have our "things."

But I also coordinate the playdates, volunteer at school,  figure out the schedule with our babysitter, get supplies needed for one of a million extra-curricular activities, make sure we have the right kind of pancakes stocked in the freezer at all times . . . So, I’m okay letting my husband be a funny playmate as I don’t always have the energy or mental space—and it gives me a minute to relax.

I imagine this is true for Renna and his pals. Between them, they have a combined seven kids. Renna and his wife Jasmin are the parents of Flynn, 6, and Liam, 3. And maybe Flynn and Liam have no idea how iconic their dad is—yet—but I love the way Renna embraces that part of his past too.  A few years ago, Flynn got his first black eye playing baseball and Renna used his experience playing Ham to give his son the perfect home remedy—a raw steak right on his face!

This leads me to the second reason I'm loving Renna going all out on TikTok with not just his dance moves but also his fun nods to The Sandlot. There’s simply nothing better than a young ‘90s star, now an adult, paying homage to the roles that give us Gen X parents all the feels. I liken it to when earlier this year Alicia Silverstone recreated the magic of Clueless and her beloved Cher Horowitz in commercials that first ran in the Superbowl.

For those ‘90s stars who run away from their fame or think they are above the roles that made them household names, I simply say to them, “You’re killin’ me, Smalls!” And to stars like Renna who have found ways to keep the nostalgia alive and give us 40-something, ‘90s-loving parents a much-needed smile—I say thank you!

Related: 6 Throwback Movies We'd Love to Revisit With Our Kids

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