When does a joke become a “dad joke?” Well… when it become a-parent.

But seriously, what led to the classification of dad jokes? After speaking to some students of Fairview, as well as looking for historical and modern commentaries on “dad jokes,” similarities that would classify a dad joke began to emerge.

Most dad jokes are one or two liners, inoffensive answers to a posed question incorporating some sort of pun, all with the intention of causing a “groaning” reaction.

The first reference to a “dad joke” was in a column from The Gettysburg Times in 1987 by Jim Kalbaugh, who was writing a defense of the genre of joke. The modern popularity and familiarity with the classification of a joke as a “dad joke,” however, is thanks to the internet, through which the dissemination of dad jokes is easily facilitated.

The nature of such jokes often relies upon their inherent lack of funniness, refusing to conform to the standard thread of a joke and creates a subversion of expectations If you’d like a more in-depth read on how this tendency of Dad jokes proliferates, and how it contrasts with standard jokes, I highly recommend this article from JSTOR: The Dubious Art of The Dad Joke – Chi Luu.
This unfunny characteristic of dad jokes is common wherever you look. When searching online for “Best Dad Jokes” this collection by Blair Donovan is what appears first.

“I’m afraid of the calendar. Its days are numbered.”
“My wife said I should do lunges to stay in shape. That would be a big step forward.”
“If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?” “Pilgrims.”
“I only know 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y.”
“How does the moon cut his hair?” “Eclipse it.”

Throughout these examples, the pattern of subverting humor, or conventional expectations is prevalent. When asking Fairview students about some of their best, or perhaps worst, dad jokes one can see that this pattern holds true.

“Knock Knock. Who’s there? Interrupting cow. Interrupting cow wh-. MOO!” – Julio Dominguez (12).

“Pickles, Kinda a big dill.” – Robert Handorean (12). 

“Why don’t Dinosaurs drive cars… They’re all dead.” – Gus Ferguson (11)

These jokes are unique, but all share the use of puns, anti-humor, which is to say humor that is so clearly NOT funny and absurd that it becomes funny once again. This commonality of dad jokes speaks to their prevalence and applicability to most situations or topics. They’re a type of humor that, while basic and not necessarily professional, can safely be spoken by anyone, to anyone, about anything.