The Rise of Bad Dad Jokes

A dad joke is a low-hanging fruit of comedy, and they are very easy to make. Unlike more complicated jokes that may require a setup or a segue, a dad joke is a punchline that can be delivered in a single sentence and relies solely on its groan-worthy response to be funny.

These type of jokes are often based on puns and, because they are usually inoffensive, are commonly told by fathers to their children. The phenomenon is so popular that it has earned its own Wikipedia entry, an addition to the Mirriam-Webster dictionary, and countless Reddit pages dedicated to this genre of humor.

According to this theory, the rise of dad jokes reflects a shift in the cultural meaning of fatherhood. In modern culture, fathers are expected to be a more caring and nurturing type of parent than their predecessors. This trend has coincided with a rise in sensitivity around gender and sexuality.

While some people may feel that the rise of dad jokes is insulting, this genre of humor has its own merits. In fact, there are some studies that suggest that laughing at cheesy jokes can actually have psychological benefits for the teller and the listener.

So the next time your dad or grandpa tells one of their classic, albeit cheesy, jokes, remember that despite their groans and eye-rolls, you are part of a long tradition of laughing at the same stale, cheesy jokes year-in and year-out. bad dad jokes