A longtime writer for The Daily Show and a winner of 8 Emmy Awards, once told me that his favorite kind of humor is the cheesy, corny kind—what we all know as “Dad Jokes.” And while you might expect that from a comedy writer, it’s a sentiment shared by many of us. A good dad joke doesn’t need to be clever or sophisticated—it just needs to make you laugh (or groan, which is pretty much the same thing).
I asked my 12-year-old son to define a dad joke, and without missing a beat, he said, “A joke that a dad tells to kids that’s usually cheesy.” He’s not wrong. Dad jokes are simple, often corny, and usually delivered with a smile that says, “I know this is terrible, but I’m doing it anyway.”
When I was growing up, my dad had a couple of classic dad jokes that he pulled out every time we went to a restaurant. First, he’d finish his meal, and when the waiter inevitably asked, “How was everything?” my dad would point at his empty plate and say, “Terrible!” It wasn’t exactly cutting-edge comedy, but it always got a laugh. Then, when the check came, he’d grab it and say, “I insist,” before looking at the total with exaggerated shock. Of course, he’d pay it without complaint. Classic dad material.
But here’s the thing: I’ve never understood why dad jokes get such a bad rap. It’s the combination of “dad” and “humor”—two things we all love. When you put them together, though, people act like it’s some weird, unnatural mix, like “peanut butter and socks.” But dad jokes are like a pair of comfy slippers. They might be a little cheesy, but they’re reliable, warm, and guaranteed to make you smile.
One reason dad jokes often miss the mark is because they rely on puns, and kids—especially younger ones—aren’t always ready to process them. For instance:
“I used to be addicted to soap, but I’m clean now.”
Unless your child has been to rehab (or knows what rehab is), they’re probably not going to get it. And that’s fine. For younger kids, the best dad jokes are the ones that don’t require them to think too hard—just a little silly wordplay or complete nonsense.
Take these gems, for example:
- Kid: “I’ll call you later.”
Dad: “Please, call me Dad.” - Kid: “Can you put my shoes on?”
Dad: “I can try, but I don’t think they’ll fit me.” - Kid: “Make me a sandwich!”
Dad: “Poof! You’re a sandwich.” - Kid: “Did you get a haircut?”
Dad: “No, I got them all cut.”
Those are the types of dad jokes that get kids laughing, even if they don’t fully understand why they’re funny. But there’s an even better way to elevate dad jokes: involve the kids in the fun. My 10-year-old daughter Zoe is a huge fan of Taylor Swift, and one of her favorite songs is “You Need to Calm Down.” So we’ve turned listening to it into our own little family comedy routine, inspired by the classic Who’s on First? sketch.
Here’s how it goes:
- Me: “What’s the name of this song?”
- Zoe: “You Need to Calm Down.”
- Me: “I am calm. Just tell me the name of this song.”
- Zoe: “You Need to Calm Down.”
- Me: “I told you, I’m perfectly calm! Now, what is the name of this song?”
- Zoe: (Pretending to get frustrated) “You Need to Calm Down!”
- Me: “Why are you yelling at me?”
It’s simple, silly, and we both laugh every time—no need for complicated punchlines or elaborate setups. Sometimes, you don’t need to be clever. You just need to be goofy.
Now, to round things off, I did some “serious research” (a quick Google search) and found “The 200 Best Dad Jokes of All Time Guaranteed to Make You Laugh” (though, to be fair, the “guaranteed” part might be pushing it). Here are a few of my favorites:
- Why don’t you ever see elephants hiding in trees?
Because they’re so good at it. - Which days are the strongest?
Saturday and Sunday. The rest are weekdays. - I’m reading a horror story in braille.
Something bad is going to happen, I can just feel it. - What has five toes and isn’t your foot?
My foot. - What’s blue and not very heavy?
Light blue. - In 2017, I didn’t do a marathon.
I didn’t do one in 2018, 2019, or 2020, either. This is a running joke.
Here’s a classic for the grown-ups:
- My friend claims he glued himself to his autobiography.
I don’t believe him, but that’s his story, and he’s sticking to it.
And I couldn’t leave out this one. It’s the kind of dad joke you deliver with a completely straight face:
- What’s brown and sticky?
A stick.
I always do that one with the kind of deadpan delivery made famous by the late Norm Macdonald—no smile, no change in tone, just a completely blank stare until they either laugh or walk away.
But the best dad joke, in my opinion, isn’t in any of those lists. It’s one that was actually told to me by the very funny Sarah Silverman (yes, I know Sarah Silverman—she’s as hilarious as you think). Here’s the joke:
- Why couldn’t the little boy go see the pirate movie?
Because it was rated “Arrrgh!”
It’s cheesy, it’s simple, and it’s perfect. Sometimes, dad jokes don’t need to be anything more than just ridiculous enough to make you laugh. And if all else fails, there’s always the fallback option—tickling. Works every time.
Grid
very funny