In Defense Of The Dad Pun

November 15, 2016

If you have a dad, you’ve had occasion to go, “ughhh, dad,” at a cringe-worthy Dad Pun. Hell, you probably said it dozens, if not hundreds, of times growing up.

Dad Puns tend to get a bad rap — they’re usually easy and designed to make you groan. But you know what? We say we should embrace the Dad Pun. The Dad Pun is good and pure and funny in the way that Michael Scott from The Office is funny, but also not funny at the same time.

We are here to defend Dad Puns.

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“RIP boiling water. You will be mist.”

If your dad hasn’t made that joke before, send him this article, and you will hear it ten times in the next year. And you know why? Because it’s funny! It’s stupid, and lazy, and you can go to hell if you didn’t at least crack a smile reading it.

Dad Puns are joyful in their simplicity. A dad dropping a Dad Pun isn’t trying to change the world, or even send you into a fit of laughter. He’s embracing his dorkiness to bring a little sunshine into your day.

Picture your dad, in an apron in front of the grill, tongs in hand, as he barely spits out with a straight face, “What is Beethoven’s favorite fruit? A ba-na-na-naaaa.” Tell me that doesn’t shoot stupid, dumb joy straight into your heart.

Here’s another one. “What’s Forrest Gump’s password? 1Forrest1.” Come on! That’s funny! “What time did the man go to the dentist? Tooth-thirty.” You’re groaning, and that’s good!

There are three kinds of jokes in the world.

There are legitimately good jokes. There are legitimately bad jokes. And there are jokes that are so bad that they’re good. They’re the The Room of jokes. Those are Dad Puns, and they should be embraced, not stigmatized. Long live the Dad Pun.