Comedian Paul Seven told the National Post that nowadays humor is all about instant gratification and avoiding insulting anybody. According to him, dad jokes have no social commentary, no agenda, no political material—they’re as neutral as can be.
That’s because they rely on puns. “It’s a genre most kids grow up with and can relate to, no matter where they are from. It requires no cultural know-how, no knowledge of social trends, or world updates,” Seven says.
“Dad jokes take the audience away from everything awful to something so neutral and inoffensive, without even trying. You don’t have to think and no one gets hurt. I think we’re tired of turning on CNN and watching the absolute nightmare that is the reality around the world. And then you go on Twitter and you read about dad puns,” the comedian explained the beauty of dad jokes and how they help us unwind.
In his opinion, comedy and humor should be about “healing” and making people feel better about themselves, not putting someone else down for a quick laugh. And dad jokes are perfect for this role. After all, the worst they can do is make us cringe.
