Puns are the gag hand buzzers of conversation. It hurts a bit but everyone gets a good laugh out of it.

The line likens puns to a novelty prank—an electric “hand buzzer” used in a handshake—suggesting that wordplay delivers a small jolt of discomfort (groans, eye-rolls, momentary annoyance) while still producing communal amusement. The metaphor captures the social dynamics of punning: it is mildly aggressive or intrusive because it forces listeners to notice an artificial twist in language, yet it also functions as a bonding ritual, inviting shared laughter at the speaker’s cleverness and the audience’s predictable reaction. The quote implicitly defends puns as low-stakes mischief—humor that may “hurt” in taste but ultimately entertains and connects people.