Actuary, actually.

Actuaries don’t have a reputation for an easygoing lighthearted approach to life. This is not necessarily a bad thing. No one wants a slapdash “it’ll be all right… probably” kind of actuary but it doesn’t help conversations at parties.

If, like me, you have gone in search of the actuarial sense of humour you will inevitably come across Actuarial Jokes. Many of the jokes are old, many are simply the same old joke you have heard a hundred times before told about accountants or lawyers, most are not really funny. But all this only makes it that much more appropriate.

And just occasionally it gets it right:

123. The classic party misunderstanding:

• “What do you do for a living?”
• “I’m an actor”
• “Really!! Have you valued any pension funds that I may have heard of?” (submitted by David Harrup)