Disney’s newest shrieking goblin child, Demi Lovato, has a dad, Patrick Lovato, who evidently attended the “Joe Simpson School Of Parenting.” Which, if we’re not mistaken, is located in some Austrian basement:

“She’ll always be ‘my partner’ — that’s what we’ve always called each other,” Patrick Lovato tells Star in an exclusive interview. “We have a special relationship that’ll never change, no matter how big she becomes.”

That’s cute… Or cringe-inducing. Like two lovers torn apart by tragedy, Patrick’s marriage to Demi’s mom ended in 1994, and he hadn’t really seen much of his daughter until she paid him a surprise visit last February:

“I was at my dad’s house when I heard a knock on the door, and he yelled out that someone wanted to see me,” says Patrick. “I walked out of the bedroom — and there was Demi! I couldn’t believe how beautiful she was.The first thing she said to me was, ‘Hey, partner… I love you!’ We threw our arms around each other and began to cry.”

Because what good is a “Daughrtner” unless she’s rich, famous and a burgeoning sex symbol? Maybe it’s because we had a father who was more likely to praise us when we brought home good grades or won the lead in a school play than when we “looked beautiful,” but we can’t help but feel Patrick Lovato’s comments are mildly to wholly creepy. Who would ever want their child to be their partner in anything other than an old-timey jewel heist set to banjo music? You know, like normal people.

Camp Rock’s Demi Lovato’s Reunion with Dad [Star]