Laughter is the best medicine, and one classic way of establishing it is through dad jokes. Though cheesy and usually receiving eye-rolls, these jokes yield a collective laugh and satisfaction when done right. Dad jokes can quickly break the ice and set the mood for a great day.
In this article, we’ll cover all the humorous ins and outs of dad jokes, from corny puns to slapstick one-liners and everything in between. Get ready to laugh away!
What are Dad Jokes?
At its core, a dad joke is an old-fashioned type of “groaner” joke, usually told by dads and in a dad-like humor. Whether bad or good, dad jokes always contain a pun, unintended double meaning, and/or joke that’s considered corny and cliché by those that don’t get them.
Types of Dad Jokes
There are several types of dad jokes that one can tell. Here are just a few:
Question-and-Answer Jokes: These types of dad jokes work by asking a question that seems to have a straightforward answer. However, when you reach the punchline, it usually contains a pun that makes one laugh after a bit of thought. For instance, you might ask, “What type of music do mummies listen to?” Answer: “Wrap music.”
Play-On-Words Jokes: These jokes are designed to pun with one or more words of the phrase. For example, you could start with the phrase, “A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.” This joke then encourages your audience to think of the two meanings of “beat”: defeating and beat like music.
Poot Jokes: The most cringeworthy of all dad jokes, poot jokes play on the word ‘poot’, like a bad smell or flatulence. For example, you could say something like “No wonder he’s poor; he poots his money away!”
Slapstick Jokes: These are low-level jokes that involve physical activities such as poking or tripping. Always be respectful when using this type of joke, as it can backfire if delivered with too much force. An example of this is, “I told my friend 10 jokes to get him to laugh. Unsurprisingly, no pun in 10 did.”
Miscellaneous Jokes: Finally, we have miscellaneous jokes. This can be anything from jabs at fellow dads to random jokes about any topic. “Why did the invisible man turn down the job offer? He couldn’t see himself doing it.”
Favorite Dad Jokes
Now that you know a bit more about the types of dad jokes you can make, here are some of our favorite bad jokes to get the ball rolling.
Q: What do you call a bear with no teeth?
A:A gummy bear.
Q: Why don’t scientists trust atoms?
A:They make up everything!
Q: What did the grape do when he got stepped on?
A:He let out a little wine.
Q: Why don’t eggs tell jokes?
A: They might crack each other up!
Q: What did the fish say when it swam into a wall?
A:Dam.
Q: What did the 0 say to the 8?
A:Nice belt!
Tips for Telling Dad Jokes
Sometimes it takes a master of comedy to fully convey a great dad joke. Here are some tips to help you tell your jokes properly to unlock the full humor potential:
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Timing: A good joke needs to be timed perfectly. Wait for a brief pause when people have stopped talking or have just heard a random joke before introducing your own joke.
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Delivery: A joke is only as good as the delivery. Relax and be confident in your delivery. Don’t be afraid to act out certain parts of your joke to emphasize the humor.
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Timers: Timers are moments when audience members expect you to continue the joke. After telling your joke, you may want to add a ‘timer’. This could be anything from “Am I right?” to “Did I do it again?”
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Tone: Tone is key in telling dad jokes. Embrace your inner dad and add dad-like hints when telling your joke. This could be something like a winking motion, smirk with a raised eyebrow, or shrill laughter.
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Suspense: No joke comes alive if there’s no suspense in it. Use pauses strategically to build suspense and elevate the punchline to a gratifying response.
Tips for Responding to Dad Jokes
Ok, so now you know some tips on how to tell a dad joke properly. But what about when someone else tells one? Here’s what you should do when reacting to a dad joke:
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Smile: A smile is the perfect response to a dad joke. It shows appreciation, admiration and respect.
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Laugh: Laughing can be contagious and lighten the mood of the joke-teller. If you don’t want to laugh out loud, at least chuckle to show appreciation.
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Eye Contact: Maintaining eye contact is key when responding to a dad joke. It conveys acknowledgement and promotes an exciting atmosphere.
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Counter Jokes: A great way to tell someone you enjoyed their joke is to respond with a counter-joke. Be sure to keep it light and amusing.
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Polite Acknowledgment: Polite acknowledgment is an appropriate way to respond to a dad joke. This can be done by nodding your head, saying “Good one”, or even “That’s so clever”.
Are Dad Jokes Always Appreciated?
Everyone has different tastes and opinions on dad jokes, some find them hilarious while others find them lame and cheesy. The key is to understand the person you are telling the joke to, and to know their sense of humor and what kind of jokes they’ll find funny.
On the flipside, if you don’t appreciate dad jokes, there are still ways to respond to them and keep the atmosphere light-hearted. Polite acknowledgment and gentle countering jokes are always appreciated, and this can show that you appreciate their effort in trying to make you laugh.
All in all, dad jokes can be a great thing to bring people closer together, particularly amongst fathers and their children, or just any group of people in a casual setting. They’re cheesy and corny, but they can sometimes hit the funny bone.
So, next time you’re looking to lighten the mood with a chuckle or two, dad jokes are definitely worth a try. Who knows, you might just get the biggest laugh of the day!
Happy joking!
