The Un-Funny Pages
Posted on 26. Mar, 2008 by Brian Reid in General
Look, I know I spend a ton of time humorlessly bashing those who play the doofus dads for laughs, in advertising, on TV, in movies … and on and on. Even I get a little tired the prattling on as if there is no room for incompetent fathering in any media under any circumstances, ever. But indulge me one more rant:
There is a new comic strip about an at-home dad called Daddy’s Home. It appears to have a single source of humor: the dad is an moron who can’t be bothered to dress his kid right or remember his allergies or essentially do anything correctly. And because of the three-panels-and-a-joke format of the funnies, there doesn’t appear to be the kind of room for personal growth and revelation that even “According to Jim” can serve up every once in a while. Give me back the dad from Calvin and Hobbes, please.
(Speaking of cartoon at-home dads, is Adam @ Home still getting much traction? We don’t get it here in DC, despite our three (count ‘em!) pages of comics a day in the Post. Doesn’t that manage to be funny without making Adam out to be a dunderhead? Or am I misremembering?)
(Just found out that my hometown paper is trying out Daddy’s Home while Doonesbury takes a break. I’m sure the Post can do better …)
(Thanks to gamingwithbaby.com for the tip.)
Will
27. Mar, 2008
The incredible thing, it’s not written by a stay-at-home dad. Imagine that? I’m not impressed with it at all.
Lone Star Ma
27. Mar, 2008
I generally don’t allow Berenstein Bears books around here because of the stupid dad.
Working Dad
27. Mar, 2008
I always thought the Calvin & Hobbes dad was hilarious, though that was before I had kids…I see what I’ll be reading this weekend.
Kayris
27. Mar, 2008
One of my moms former coworkers gave me a pile of Berenstain Bears videos. I let my son watch one the other day and wanted to vomit because the dad is a bumbling idiot. My husband is FAR from a bumbling idiot. Isn’t it time to get past the stereotype?
Rebel Dad
27. Mar, 2008
Oh my! Calvin’s dad is probably the best dad in the history of comic strips:
Calvin: What makes wind?
Dad: Trees sneezing.
Calvin: Really?
Dad: No, but the truth is more complicated.
Calvin: Boy, the trees are really sneezing today.
Kelly M. Bray
28. Mar, 2008
I have to agree with Rebel Dad on this one. Calvin and Hobbes is the funniest comic strip ever.