"Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything!" Do you get it? Me neither... My dad told me this joke when I was eight years old and fell on the couch laughing. I guess dad jokes fall into a niche category, often best understood and appreciated by dads themselves. Nevertheless, the Instagram page 'Dad Says Jokes' has a whopping 4 million members who seem to appreciate the art of cheesy humor and pun-filled wit. It's a world where groans and eye-rolls are met with proud chuckles from dads all over the internet. The page has become a digital gathering place for dads to unite, sharing their best jokes and creating a bond over their unique sense of humor.
The term "dad joke" was first recorded in a 1987 Gettysburg Times column penned by Jim Kalbaugh. On Father's Day that year, Kalbaugh introduced the term "dad joke" to the public and passionately advocated for keeping the genre alive: "As we approach Father’s Day, I would like to propose that ‘Dad’ Jokes not be banned. They should be revered, preserved."
Dad jokes strike a perfect balance between being neutral and punchy, which is where their beauty lies. “What’s brown and sounds like a bell? Dung dung,” comedian Paul Seven told the National Post his dad's favorite joke. "It’s so stupid. There is no social commentary in there, there is no agenda, no political material, its neutral."
Seven considers dad jokes to be true works of comedy, often drawing their humor from puns, which he believes is a lost art. He thinks that dad jokes are a genre that kids from all backgrounds can relate to, requiring no cultural or social knowledge to appreciate.
Dad jokes never go out of style because they don't even try to stay in style, unlike stage comedians who constantly update themselves to stay relevant. "Dad jokes take the audience away from everything awful to something so neutral and inoffensive, without even trying," says Seven. "You don’t have to think and no one gets hurt."
That's what makes dad jokes even more appealing in today's world. "I think we’re tired of turning on CNN and watching the absolute nightmare that is the reality around the world," says Seven. "And then you go on Twitter and you read about dad puns."
In today's online world, dad jokes offer a brief and innocent escape from the harsh humor found on social media. "You look at old-school comedy, somebody is the victim of some joke somewhere," says Seven. "In my mind, comedy should heal, make you feel good about yourself." A good dad joke offers a quick laugh, often accompanied by a slight cringe, delivering exactly what you need.
