Housing humor -- seriously

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Perhaps I am punchy after the Countrywide news, but I found some unintentional humor in this account of a Hillary Clinton campaign appearance in Las Vegas.

Unintentionally Funny #1: ‘In broken English, one woman told Clinton how she wasn’t making money as a broker anymore.’ The woman then complains that brand-new homes in Las Vegas are worthless. Clinton explains that ‘unscrupulous lending leads to bad mortgages, which lead to foreclosures, which lead to people with nowhere to go and vacant neighborhoods that can go rapidly downhill. ‘We treat these problems as if one is guacamole and one is chips, when ... they both go together,’ Clinton said.’

Why is that funny? Well, the guac and chips part is so weird and awkward it’s funny. But the irony is this: A woman who participated in the housing bubble (as either a real estate broker or a mortgage broker, it’s not clear which) complains that the bubble has popped, and Clinton responds sympathetically! She blames ‘unscrupulous lending,’ as if real estate professionals were somehow innocent bystanders. Who was selling the houses and selling the loans? Evil, mysterious men in states that don’t hold early primaries?

Unintentionally Funny #2: ‘A man shouted through an opening in the wall that his wife was illegal. ‘No woman is illegal,’ Clinton said, to cheers.’

Maybe it’s my twisted sense of humor, but when I first read that I pictured some guy looking at a room full of Secret Service agents in dark suits, thinking, ‘Here’s my chance, I’m gonna get rid of her right now -- I’ll turn her in!!’ And he shouts, accusingly, ‘My wife is illegal!’ And then he realizes his mistake.

Your thoughts? Comments? E-mail story tips to peter.viles@latimes.com.