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Here's a so-called lawyer joke. I don't get it. Can you help? Thanks!

Q: What do you call a smiling, sober, courteous person at a bar association convention?

A: The caterer.

I thought it meant only the lawyer who acts courteously in front of others can do dishonest or evil deeds without getting caught, that is, a 'smart' lawyer need to be cunning enough to disguise themself so as to gain others' trust while waiting for a chance to stab others in their back. But I'm not sure. Maybe I misunderstood the caterer to be a figure of speech, someone who treat others as food, which they can decide how to cut or eat.

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    I am not really sure this is an English-learner question unless you have a specific question about the language. Here's a hint to help understand the joke: if the caterer is the smiling, sober, courteous person, what does that say about everyone else at the convention?
    – stangdon
    Commented Dec 23, 2022 at 17:14
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    Lawyers are frowning, drunken and rude at bar association conventions. Someone who is not these things cannot be a lawyer, and must be the caterer.
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Dec 23, 2022 at 18:32

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Everyone who is not the caterer namely the actual lawyers are not smiling, sober or courteous.

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    Oh, I thought it meant only the lawyer who acts courteously in front of others can do evil deeds without getting caught, that is, a 'smart' lawyer need to be cunning enough to disguise themself.
    – Michael
    Commented Dec 23, 2022 at 18:18
  • @Michael like a lawyer disguised as a caterer?
    – BCLC
    Commented Dec 23, 2022 at 18:29
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    It may be a figure of speech. I thought caterer referred to the lawyer, someone who treats others as food, which they can decide how to cut and eat. The misunderstanding comes from I thought convention is all about conference, there's no food served, so there's no actual caterer at the convention.
    – Michael
    Commented Dec 23, 2022 at 18:30
  • @Michael i think i see what you mean. i myself thought besides caterer you might say other non-lawyers there like maybe valet or secretary
    – BCLC
    Commented Dec 23, 2022 at 21:01

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