I can help explain the dad joke phenomenon, I think. I may be uniquely qualified to do so.

I would never attempt to make the case that this material is not a Rate Class Alpha Danger (RCD/A), meaning it is “virulent” and “inimical to life itself.” Having occasionally told what you might call Good Jokes, jokes of Quality, witnessing the joy they create, I can tell you that creating that joke’s dark mirror - manufacturing a kind of sentient, starveling Joy Vampire - delivers an approximation of that thrill with virtually no labor. And you can have it twice as often.

It is, in essence, a socially acceptable way to fart on people.

Oh! I usually mention it around this time, but I wanted to make sure you knew that most of the panel content - which is to say, most of the content - at a PAX show is brought by the community. There are a few ancient manifestations, like Acquisitions Incorporated, Pitch Your Game, hallowed traditions, but much of it comes from you. So, if you have a panel you’d like to submit, you can do that right here for either PAX West or PAX Dev. Submissions close this Friday, the 29th of June, so affix your Panel Hat firmly and found the culture you want to see.

(CW)TB out.