The whole "Cool Dad" thing

[Burst]

I see this term thrown around a lot mostly in regards to Chris Jericho, but I'm genuinely curious, where is the threshold where one crosses the line from cool dad to "Cool Dad"?

I don't think it's necessarily fair that hitting your late thirties or turning 40 means that you suddenly have to either dress like Red Green or wear nothing but polos and khakis and watch football and play golf. If anything I suppose it's a subjective "when one seems like they're trying too hard to be cool and in with it" more than anything. You never see the term used towards, I dunno, Ian McKellen or Patrick Stewart, who both do plenty of stuff that the 'kids these days' do (though I guess that would be 'Cool Granddad' if that were the case).

[BorneAgain]

"Cool Dad" is really more of a presentation than an actual specific age. Jericho is only 45 and he screams "Cool Dad." Haku's over ten years older than that, but seems much genuinely cooler just by sheer virtue of being a laid back badass.

[Crimson]

I think the reality is people started getting sick of "The Local Men" so there needed to be some new witty insult to bash Jericho with.

[Some Guy]

Feb 1, 2016 20:47:33 GMT -5 Crimson said:

I think the reality is people started getting sick of "The Local Men" so there needed to be some new witty insult to bash Jericho with.

The Cool Dad nickname predates local men on other parts of the Internet. I know I've been calling him it since...early 2014 maybe.

[Bub (BLM)]

A cool dad is a dad who doesn't try to be cool, but just happens to be fun to be around. A Jericho "Cool Dad" is a middle-aged father trying desperately to still be cool and hip. That's the big difference.

[Professor Chaos]

I'm too old now to ever be a cool dad. I try to be cool but probably still fail anyway.

[Throwback]

[El Cokehead del Knife Fight]

"COOL DAD" implies trying too hard. A cool dad is just generally a dad that is chilled out, friendly and likable.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

The "Cool Dad" thing has been around forever, it just used to be called "mid life crisis".

[Deleted]

Feb 2, 2016 3:17:23 GMT -5 El Cokehead del Knife Fight said:

"COOL DAD" implies trying too hard. A cool dad is just generally a dad that is chilled out, friendly and likable.

That's the best way to describe it. Although I doubt my kids think I'm cool; they have to do most of the work when we play "Tri-Force Heroes". (Or my son picks my character up and throws me down a cavern.)

But I do try to pay attention to what they are interested in, even if I think it's stupid.

[A Platypus Rave]

Feb 2, 2016 6:09:42 GMT -5 Futureraven: Beelzebruv said:

The "Cool Dad" thing has been around forever, it just used to be called "mid life crisis".

a mid life crisis generally indicates a change in behavior.

Jericho has always been this way.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

Feb 2, 2016 12:30:33 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Feb 2, 2016 6:09:42 GMT -5 Futureraven: Beelzebruv said:

The "Cool Dad" thing has been around forever, it just used to be called "mid life crisis".

a mid life crisis generally indicates a change in behavior.

Jericho has always been this way.

Also generally involves trying to act about half as old as you are and becoming more immature. Just with his gimmicks he's gone from changing into a more mature gimmick back to his old ways.

[Deleted]

People who try to be the "cool dad" probably weren't "cool married dudes," "cool single dudes," "cool teens" or "cool kids" either so there's something.

[Glitch]

It's sad. Just like when someone tries to be the Cool Mom or Cool Moderator.

[James Fabiano]

I can't be the only one who thought of :