Dad jokes are a funny type of humor that rely on groan-inducing puns and silliness. They may seem cheesy, but they can be really effective and even hilarious!
The typical dad joke features a dad telling his kids or their friends a lame pun, only to have them react with groans and eye-rolls. These types of jokes are commonly seen in American sitcoms, especially in father-child relationships. They can also be found in movies and books that deal with parenting or family issues.
So, what makes a dad joke? A dad joke is a joke that consists of a pun or play on words, is not crude, and is often accompanied by a visual element. The jokes can range from one-liner to a full-blown narrative, but they are most typically in the form of a question and answer or a statement/pun.
Why Do Dad Jokes Rule?
The reason why dad jokes are so groan-worthy is because they often feel like an intentional violation of the linguistic norms of humor. The teller of the joke knows that the punchline will be unfunny to most people, and so they tell the joke to intentionally make everyone else groan. This is a classic example of weaponised anti-humour.