So, Three Economists Walk Into a Bar...Wait, Is This a Joke?

These days especially, there's not much in the world that's less funny than economics. You'd have a better chance booking Larry the Cable Guy into a North Beach coffee house than inspiring much levity with discourse regarding the state of the world's finances. And, to top it off, economists are not universally known for their mirth; Paul Krugman may be able to juggle his bestselling books, his John Bates Clark Medal, and his Nobel Prize -- but his version of "The Aristocrats" sucked.

So that's why a recent San Francisco gathering covered by Time was so noteworthy. At a recent city symposium, the American Economics Association (which, incidentally, awarded Krugman that medal in 1991), debuted their "Economics Humor Session." Among the highlights were University of Washington Professor Yoram Bauman (pictured) and his supposedly wicked impression of Greg Mankiw, the chairman of George W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers. Good God -- I thought that was Greg Mankiw!

Anyway, here are a few jokes you didn't hear at the event:

• The only time Hank Paulson has an intelligent bone in his body is when I'm fucking him in the ass;
  

• Ron Paul is so popular these days he's making his tinfoil hats out of gold;

• An economist walks into a bar with a 12-inch pianist -- crap! I screwed it up!

• Hey, tip your waitresses -- they're all getting laid off tomorrow!