By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
August 16, 2022
We have all heard them. You see them on television and in magazines, or you hear them at family gatherings. The best earn an unimpressed laugh, if only to stop them from being repeated. The worst are rewarded with a groan. We are talking about the ever-present dad joke.
I Like Telling Dad Jokes; Sometimes He Even Laughs.
In honor of National Tell a Joke Day, this blog is dedicated to the “father” of all puns, the dad joke. Do not let the name fool you! These jokes can be enjoyed by more than paternal parents. Read on as we break down this surprisingly adaptable form of humor, from the humble one-liner to the thought-provoking anti-joke.
The Obvious Pun
The classic pun is what most people think of when they hear “dad joke.” The pun starts with a basic question about a common object. Through wordplay, it delivers a punchline in the form of a factual statement. The strength of the pun is how simple and flexible it can be. Listeners of all ages can “get” it, making it an option for audiences young and old.
Example: “Why couldn’t the bicycle stand on its own?” “Because it was two-tired.”
The One-Liner
For the one-liner, the setup and punchline are delivered in the same sentence, so you can tell this joke before the listener can cover their ears. Most puns can also be converted to a one-liner with just a little editing, increasing the groan factor!
Example: “I have a joke about chemistry, but I don’t think it will get a reaction.”
The Anti-Joke
This style of joke is often overlooked because it is not technically a joke. The anti-joke is set up as a pun, but the punchline is likely not what the listener would expect. The joke is there is no joke.
Example: “What did the man say when he lost his truck?” “Where’s my truck?”
The Factual Joke
The factual joke shares traits of the anti-joke and the one-liner but is unique enough to stand out on its own. Like the one-liner, a factual joke is often delivered as a statement in response to a related topic. Like the anti-joke, there is no wordplay. This gives the factual joke a drier tone, so be careful! Your listener may not realize you are trying to be funny.
Example: “You don’t need a parachute to go skydiving. You need a parachute to go skydiving twice.”
Now that you are familiar with the different styles of dad jokes, you can unleash them on unsuspecting victims. By following the design of a joke, you can even have fun writing your own.
“When does a blog post become a dad joke? When the humor is apparent.”
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