Buon Compleanno, Papa e Ti Amo!

It is my Pop’s birthday today. It would have been his big 9-0. 

Hard to believe he’s been gone more than five years already.

Heavy sigh.

However, in his honor, I thought I’d try commemorating the day with some silly fare that I thought he might have enjoyed, being that he could be something of a prankster himself. 
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So I went in search of intel on the history of the ever-popular “Dad Joke” phenomenon.

I wound up locating an article entitled “The History of Dad Jokes: From Ancient Times to Modern Day.”

Wait, what? Like the cave dwellers were etching puns in stone or something?

Hmm.

Either way, the evolution (see what I did there?) of the trend intrigues me. 

And though it may seem unlikely, Dad jokes evidently do date back to primal civilizations.

According to https://honesthistory.co: “The Greeks and Romans loved to tell silly jokes and puns, many of which would be considered dad jokes by today's standards.”

I assume this might be because the collective tone portrayed fathers as authoritative yet affable. 

Anywho, as many of us know, back in the Middle Ages, jesters and minstrels would entertain kings and nobles with puns and riddles. But what a multitude of us might not have realized is that a slew of these quips were apparently aimed at fathers and were designed to be silly and lighthearted Dad jabs. 

Sorry, gents.

Either way, by the 20th century, dad jokes really started to take off. With the rise of radio and television, comedians like Bob Hope and Milton Berle became famous for their cheesy one-liners and puns. Many of these jokes were simple and predictable, but they always got a laugh. And by the by, Dad often took on the chin therein.

The term "dad joke" itself didn't become popular until the 1980s. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first recorded use of the term was in a 1987 article in the Chicago Tribune. The article described dad jokes as "unfashionable, uncool, and somewhat embarrassing."

In the 21st century, dad jokes have become a cultural phenomenon. They've been the subject of countless memes and viral videos, and they even have their own holiday (which is celebrated on August 16th). But why are dad jokes so popular?

There's no denying that dad jokes are cheesy and predictable. But that's exactly the point. According to psychologists, dad jokes work because they're "benign violations…they violate our expectations in a harmless way, which makes us laugh.”

There you have it.

In addition, dad jokes are a way for fathers (and other authority figures) to bond with their children. They're a way of saying, "I'm not just your dad, I'm also a person with a sense of humor."

Indeed.

In closing, here are a few silly samples to peruse; giggle and groan at will!

​• Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything.
• I'm reading a book on anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down.
• Did you hear about the restaurant called Karma? There's no menu, you get what you deserve. (Okay, now this one, I love!)
• Why don't eggs tell jokes? Because they'd crack each other up.
• What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? "Supplies!"
• I used to play piano by ear, but now I use my hands.
• Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired.
• I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I can stop anytime.
• Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing.
• What do you call fake spaghetti? An impasta.
• What do you call a snobbish criminal going downstairs? A condescending con descending.
• I'm so good at sleeping, I can do it with my eyes closed.
• Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other slide.
• What do you call a can opener that doesn't work? A can't opener.
• What do you call a group of cows playing instruments? A moo-sical band.
• I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised.
• Why do seagulls fly over the sea? Because if they flew over the bay, they'd be bagels.
• Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field.
• Why couldn't the bicycle stand up by itself? Because it was two-tired.
• What's the best thing about Switzerland? I don't know, but the flag is a big plus.
• I'm a big fan of whiteboards. They're re-markable.
• Why did the coffee file a police report? Because it got mugged.

Oof.
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I’ll leave it on that nutty note---while wishing a happy heavenly birthday to my Pop!

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