Dad Jokes by Angela Rieck

Dad jokes have recently become popular, especially on Twitter.

What is a Dad Joke? A Dad Joke is a short, rarely funny, but sometimes amusing, joke. Frequently, Dad Jokes are puns or one-liners. (In my experience, the only people who think puns are funny are those who are telling them.) Since they are Dad Jokes, often the humor can be understood and appreciated by children.

So, I decided to look into the history of Dad Jokes. While these jokes have been around forever, the derivation of this term has a nebulous history—mainly because I couldn’t find its history.

Some attribute its nomenclature to a 1987 Gettysburg Times column under the headline “Don’t ban the ‘Dad’ jokes; preserve and revere them.” A sitcom and an Australian quiz show used the term regularly and may have been responsible for its current name.

Perhaps there is someone out there who has a definitive origin story, but for now, we can just say that these harmless, sweet jokes have gained popularity. You can find a daily Dad Joke on Twitter, and a weekly Dad Joke on a sports show.

It is just a light touch to the day. My nephew sends his father a Dad Joke each day and my brother-in-law forwards them to us. Here are couple of my nephew’s jokes just to make you (perhaps) chuckle.

• I’m afraid for the calendar. Its days are numbered.”
• My husband has been gone for a week. The police said to prepare for the worst, so I went to the Thrift Store and bought his clothing back.
• Plateaus are the highest form of flattery.
• Received a text from the wife saying that she was breaking up with me. Imagine how relieved I was when a couple of minutes later she texted: ‘sorry, wrong number.’
• Tesla founder Elon Must is originally from South Africa, which is strange. You’d think that he was from Mad-at-gas-car.
• Remember when plastic surgery was a taboo subject? Now you mention Botox, and nobody raises an eyebrow.
• Two antennas got married. The wedding was okay, but the reception was incredible.
• Which body part is the most reliable? Well, you can always count on your fingers.
• Did you know that Albert Einstein had a younger brother named Frank? He was a monster.
• I got in a fight with 1,3,5,7 & 9. The odds were against me.
• People call me self-centered. But that is enough about them.
• You think gas prices are high, have you seen chimneys? They’re through the roof.
• Can trees poop? Yes, how else do we get Number 2 pencils? (Kids love this one.)
• They’ve tried to improve the efficiency of wind farms by playing country music around them, but it’s not working because they’re big heavy metal fans.
• What’s the best thing about Switzerland? I don’t know, but the flag is a big plus.
• Dad, can you put my shoes on? Sorry, but I don’t think they’ll fit me.
• The salesclerk asks a customer at paint store: Do you wanna box for that? Reply: No, I am against violence, can I pay with a credit card instead?
• I used to play piano by ear. Now I use my hands.
• You know, people say they pick their nose, but I was just born with mine.
• What did the fish say when he hit the wall? Dam.

Oh well, it was a slow news day…

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.