Dads (well our parents as overall) tend to make efforts to be funny with us but they end up being cringe. I think this situation happens due to the collapse of different generations. What some would think it is funny, others would see it as "cringe"
I guess if I were a dad, I would make bad/ridiculous jokes in a unconscious way.

145 Best Dad Jokes That Have The Whole Family Laughing

Take your pick or start a research program. :joke:

This should be in the Lounge.

What is it exactly that goes to make a joke that much more “dad” level cringe but laughable all the same? — Benj96

I don't think Dad jokes are a thing. There are just mediocre jokes that when uttered by a middle aged man are dad jokes and when said by a young and ostensibly cool person either flop or succeed. We may arrive at a place where any mediocre joke is known as a dad joke in the same way that every complaint now seems to be made by a Karen.

It depends on the dad and the joke told. Jokes told by own dads can be the most fantastic or the most worse. I mean, if the professional comedian told a joke it could have a different impact than the same joke told by dad. The comedian could be the dad.

The so-called generation gap manifesting via your dad in so embarrassing ways that it's hilarious = Dad joke!

I think dad jokes are basically puns?