CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Move over, stand-up comedians — there’s a new comedic rivalry heating up between the Coral Springs Fire Department and Police Department, and it’s not about tactics or turf. It’s about dad jokes.
In a now-viral video with over 1.8 million views, 30,000 reactions and 1,500 comments on Facebook, Fire Chief John Whalen and Police Chief Brad Mock went head-to-head on Father’s Day in what’s been dubbed the “ultimate Dad Joke face-off.”
And let’s just say — the puns were blazing and the punchlines had both departments fighting to keep a straight face.
“How can you tell the firefighter at the party?” Mock asks with a grin. “He will tell you.”
Whalen fires back without missing a beat.
“Why did the coffee file a police report?” he deadpans. “It was mugged.”
The exchange continues with jabs like, “In the police department, we do ride-alongs. Does fire do sleepovers?” and zingers such as, “Someone broke into the police station and stole all the toilets. The cops said they had nothing to go on.”
Their delivery? Classic deadpan. Their material? Grade-A dad fuel — with plenty of firehouse flair and patrol beat wit.
From circus fires to shady trees, no joke was too cheesy to make the cut:
“Did you hear about the fire at the circus? It was intense.”
“Why are firefighters such great performers? They’re always staging.”
“Did you hear the one about the roof? It was over your head.”
And then came the line from Whalen that truly fired up the rivalry:
“What do cops and firefighters have in common?” “They both want to be firefighters.”
‘Bad, bad jokes’ and proud of it
Chief Whalen introduced himself as a dad-joke veteran:
“I’ve been telling bad, bad jokes since 1997,” he confessed, before wishing a heartfelt “Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. You deserve it.”
Chief Mock, quick with a smile, replied:
“I’ve been telling bad dad jokes since 2015,” and added, “Thank you for taking on the best job ever — being a father. Happy Father’s Day.”
Thousands weigh in: Who had the better punchlines?
The comments section lit up as viewers chimed in with their favorite moments — and cast votes for the winner.
“‘They’re always staging’ 😂😂 Brad…you won this round for sure,” one commenter wrote.
“Chief Mock for the win with the fridge joke,” another claimed.
Others shouted out standout lines:
“I thought the ride-along / sleepover one was brilliant.”
“The donut at the end!!”
“That ending was GREAT! ‘Ohh, cop food!’”
Why it works: Connection and community
The friendly competition between the two chiefs showcases the camaraderie often seen between firefighters and police officers — and highlights the human side of leadership in public safety. The humor not only drew laughs from the community but also brought the two departments closer in a way only good-natured teasing and shared service can.
So, who won the battle of the dad jokes? That’s up to the viewers to decide.
