40+ Dad Jokes That Are So Bad They're Kind of Funny

This article appeared in sneakertoast.com and has been published here with permission.

Being a dad means many things, but one of the most important is that you have to start telling dad jokes: bits of humor that often end up being so bad and so corny, that they almost loop entirely back around into being good and genuinely funny. We can't say if all of these dad jokes make the cut, but this list contains some of the most stereotypical dad jokes around. If you laugh, you lose.

Soup or Salad

This joke probably wasn't said to an actual waitress in an actual restaurant. But from us to you, please don't ever actually do this to someone in the service industry. Even if they laugh, we promise you that all you've done is hurt them.

It's hard enough to pretend you like customers as it is; the last thing you need to do is hit them with a terrible dad joke that they have to pretend to like. Be aware, and have a heart. They'll like you a little more that way.

In Your Face

The thing about dad jokes that are just a play on words is that pronunciation and accent may ruin the whole thing. Depending on how you say something, the joke might stop making any sense at all.

But hey, as long as someone gets it, right? If you're wondering how else someone could say jalapeño, consider this: if you said it in a way that makes this joke sensible, you're probably the one saying it wrong in the first place.

Play on Words

Many dad jokes are totally dependent on wordplay, but the problem with jokes like that is the fact that they only work if someone uses a specific pronunciation. But, if you're the one telling the joke, you can always ensure that it's said right.

With this joke, you should be able to understand what is being hinted at quite easily. Indeed, what would a hybrid of all of these animals be called? Most of us would probably have no idea what the right answer would be.

The Most Basic of Jokes

Some puns require you to jump through a few hoops in order for them to make sense. Other puns, not so much. In fact, anyone who's unable to get this joke about cells and cell phones has a serious problem. But hey, some dad jokes are simplistic.

Is a dad joke better or worse if it's simple? Are you more likely to groan when you hear such a joke, or would you prefer a short and sweet one? In our opinion, there are terrible dad jokes on both ends of the spectrum.