It happened in 2008. You’re watching Adult Swim late at night, maybe a little sleepy, and suddenly a man with a synthesizer is telling you to contemplate your father. It's weird. It's awkward. It's Tim and Eric Now Think About Your Dad.
Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim didn't just make a comedy sketch; they accidentally created a permanent fixture of internet surrealism. This wasn't some high-budget production. It was part of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, specifically the episode titled "Dad." If you grew up in the era of early YouTube and "weird" TV, this melody is probably already stuck in your head.
But why? Why does a 40-second clip of a guy singing about a "rotten dad" and a "fancy dad" still get shared today? Honestly, it’s because the sketch taps into a specific type of discomfort that traditional sitcoms wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.
The Viral DNA of "Now Think About Your Dad"
The sketch features a character named B.S. Thompson, played by the late, legendary character actor Brian Posehn. He’s standing in front of a low-budget green screen. He’s wearing a sweater that looks like it smells like mothballs. He starts singing a jaunty, synthesized tune that feels like it was ripped from a 1980s corporate training video or a public access channel.
It's "dad" comedy, but not the kind you're used to.
The lyrics are absurdly simple. "Now think about your dad. I want to meet that dad." It’s repetitive. It’s hypnotic. Most importantly, it’s deeply uncomfortable. Tim and Eric have always excelled at the "anti-comedy" genre. They take a premise that should be wholesome—thinking about your parents—and they warp it through a lens of lo-fi aesthetics and social awkwardness.
When B.S. Thompson starts listing types of dads—rotund dad, burger dad, BBQ dad—it feels like a fever dream. The humor comes from the juxtaposition. You have this mundane subject matter paired with a presentation that feels slightly "off." It’s the visual equivalent of the Uncanny Valley, but for comedy.
Why the "Anti-Comedy" Label Actually Matters
Most people call this "random" humor. That's a lazy way to describe it.
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Real comedy nerds know that Tim and Eric were following in the footsteps of guys like Andy Kaufman. It's about subverting expectations. You expect a punchline? You aren't getting one. Instead, you get a guy staring into the camera, asking to meet your dad.
The "I want to meet that dad" line became a massive meme long before we used the word "meme" for everything. It’s the kind of phrase that works because it’s grammatically simple but contextually terrifying. There is no reason for this man to want to meet your father. And yet, he persists.
The Production Quality Was Intentionally Terrible
If you look at the "Now Think About Your Dad" segment, the editing is intentionally jarring. There are quick zooms. The lighting is harsh and flat. This was a direct reaction to the "slick" comedy of the mid-2000s. While everyone else was trying to look like The Office, Tim and Eric were trying to look like a cable access show from 1992 that aired at 3:00 AM.
This aesthetic is often called Vaporwave-adjacent or "Hauntology." It’s the use of cultural artifacts from the past to create something new and slightly disturbing. By using old-school video effects, they triggered a sense of nostalgia in the audience, only to subvert it with bizarre content.
They didn't just use Brian Posehn for his acting chops. Posehn has a specific energy—he’s a "nerd’s nerd"—and his delivery of the lines is perfectly deadpan. He isn't "winking" at the camera. He plays it straight. That's the secret sauce. If the actor looks like they're in on the joke, the joke dies. Posehn looks like he genuinely wants to meet that dad.
The Cultural Impact and the "Dad" Craze
The "Now Think About Your Dad" sketch eventually spilled over into real-world merchandise and wider pop culture. You can find "Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo!" t-shirts at almost any vintage-style clothing shop. It paved the way for other surrealist hits on Adult Swim like The Eric Andre Show and Loiter Squad.
Think about the landscape of comedy before this. It was very structured. Friends. Seinfeld. Even South Park has a very clear moral at the end of most episodes. Tim and Eric threw that out the window. They proved that you could build a massive following by leaning into the "gross-out" and the "weird."
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The "I Want to Meet That Dad" Game
Believe it or not, there was even a flash game. Back when the internet was still a playground for small, weird interactive experiences, Adult Swim released a "Meet That Dad" game. It was simple. It was repetitive. It captured the exact same manic energy as the sketch.
It’s easy to forget how much this one bit influenced a decade of internet culture. The "dad" obsession in memes—the "dad sneakers," the "dad bod," the "hi hungry, I'm dad" jokes—all share a bit of DNA with the way Tim and Eric deconstructed the concept of fatherhood. They took the "patriarch" figure and turned him into a series of punchlines about "burger dads" and "fancy dads."
Why It Still Works in 2026
We live in a world of high-definition, AI-generated, perfectly polished content. Tim and Eric Now Think About Your Dad feels like a breath of fresh air because it’s so humanly flawed. It feels like something a couple of guys made in a garage with a $50 budget and a green screen.
There’s a rawness to it.
When you watch it now, it doesn't feel dated the way a lot of 2008 comedy does. Why? Because it never tried to be "current." It was always weird. It was always out of time. If you show this clip to a teenager today, they’ll probably find it just as funny—or just as confusing—as someone did eighteen years ago.
It’s also surprisingly catchy. The jingle is top-tier songwriting, in a twisted sort of way. It uses basic major chords and a simple rhythm that gets stuck in your brain like a parasite.
Common Misconceptions About the Sketch
Some people think the sketch is making fun of dads. It really isn't. It's making fun of media. It’s parodying the way television tries to create a "connection" with the viewer. It’s mocking those overly earnest commercials that try to pull at your heartstrings.
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Others think it’s just "stoner humor." Sure, a lot of their audience might have been under the influence at 12:15 AM on a Tuesday, but the writing is too precise for that label. The pacing of the "Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo!" breaks is timed perfectly. The way Posehn’s voice slightly wavers on the word "rotten" is a choice. It’s sophisticated comedy disguised as low-brow nonsense.
How to Lean Into the Tim and Eric Aesthetic
If you're a creator, there’s a lot to learn from this sketch. You don't need a 4K camera to go viral. You need a perspective.
Tim and Eric took a very specific feeling—the awkwardness of family dynamics and the cheapness of old TV—and leaned into it 100%. They didn't blink. They didn't apologize for being weird.
If you want to revisit the world of "Now Think About Your Dad," don't just watch the clip on YouTube. Look for the "Dad" episode of Awesome Show in its entirety. It features other segments that build on the theme, including the "D-Pants" (Diaper Pants) commercial, which is equally legendary and disgusting.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Creators
If you've been inspired by the sheer weirdness of this sketch, here is how you can actually engage with that style of "anti-comedy" or just appreciate it more deeply.
- Watch the "Chrimbus Special": If you like the "Dad" vibes, the Tim and Eric Chrimbus Special is the ultimate evolution of their surrealist holiday commentary. It takes the "low-budget TV" aesthetic to its absolute limit.
- Study the Editing: For aspiring video editors, watch the "Now Think About Your Dad" sketch on mute. Pay attention to how often the camera cuts and how they use "bad" transitions. It’s a masterclass in using "mistakes" as a stylistic choice.
- Explore the "On Cinema" Universe: If you want to see what Tim Heidecker is doing now, check out On Cinema at the Cinema. It’s a long-running, deeply complex parody of film criticism that shows his commitment to long-form character work.
- Listen to the Music: Tim Heidecker is a legitimate musician. He has released several albums that range from serious folk-rock to comedic parodies. Check out his "Yellow River Boys" project for a taste of how he uses music in his comedy.
- Check Out "Beef House": This was a later project that parodied 80s and 90s sitcoms. It’s essentially "Think About Your Dad" expanded into a full-length show format.
The legacy of "Now Think About Your Dad" is simple. It taught us that comedy doesn't have to make sense to be effective. Sometimes, you just need a man in a bad sweater, a cheap synthesizer, and a very strong desire to meet your father. It’s a weird, wonderful piece of television history that continues to prove that "weird" is timeless.
Now, do-do-do-do. Go find a rotund dad. Or a burger dad. Just make sure you think about him.