AFAICT, this (the punmaking, and language games in general) is actually a prime attribute of PL researchers, at least in several major PL subdisciplines. It's been awhile since I've cracked open the POPL proceedings or the like, but ... wow, just wow.
One of my favorites was a (peer-reviewed, published!) paper with this gem of a footnote in the first column: This work supported in part by cinder blocks.
I am not sure if this applies, but in my experience, presenting a dry, more or less theoretical subject matter in a humorous way makes it substantially easier for me to stay focused.
Also, as somebody else already said, if you are designing languages professionally, you probably get to appreciate puns on a whole new level.
One of my favorites was a (peer-reviewed, published!) paper with this gem of a footnote in the first column: This work supported in part by cinder blocks.