Joe Miller n. A jest or joke; esp. a stale joke, a ‘chestnut’.

Short for Joe Miller n. at sense 4.

slang. A story that has been told before, a ‘venerable’ joke. Hence, in extended use, anything trite, stale, or too often repeated. Also attributive.

a joke told by a father, or of the type associated with fathers, esp. one which is hackneyed, embarrassing, or unoriginal; (now also) any hackneyed…