Dad jokes

Chip Leighton and I have three things in common: We both love Maine (he lives there; I wish I did), both wrote books, and both love laughing at the dumb-ass things our kids say, Jim writes.

• We have one big difference: He makes enough money making fun of his kids to quit his corporate job — and do it professionally! 

Why it matters: Leighton is out today with a new book — "What time is noon?" — loaded with funny texts from kids.  

• A personal favorite: "How does eating cold turkey help you quit smoking?"

⚡ The quick backstory: Leighton, working in corporate world marketing, was bored during COVID so he hopped on TikTok and started posting funny texts from his kids.

• He racked up a whopping 17 followers and was about to quit — until one of the texts went viral. 
• Long story short, it turned him into a social media star. Today, he has 700,000 followers on Instagram and more than 600,000 on TikTok, a real business, paid speeches and a new book. 

📖 The book is a fun stocking stuffer loaded with things only a clueless teenager could type. 

Some classics: 

• "Did Grandma have kids?"
• "Was my job at Taco Bell government or non-government?"

• "Can I leave a parking space before the meter runs out?"
• "Do I put the bear spray on before I start hiking or just if I see the bear?"
• "I tried this cologne I want for Christmas at the store. The brand is called tester."
• "Is Carolina a swingers state?"

Buy the book.

📬 Let's hear your classics! Send us the funniest texts or quotes from the kids and teens in your life at [email protected]. Make sure to include your name and hometown.