Ce n'est pas drôle
I have many middle aged adults feeding me wretched puns and go-nowhere anecdotes as suggestions to fill my speaking time for Mary's engagement. The universal nature of the acceptance of these minor throwaway sentiments, lifted directly from a book purchased on the subject in panic after having accidentally accepted the invitation to speak, betrays the flat lack of substance conveyed through their presentation. The social ritual fulfilled, it will be a very mild and therefore happy birthday/dethday speech. Congratulations.
Mild platitudes are not expressions of anything more profound than the speaker's recognition of the honouree's status as included in a group of people he defines to be non-offensive. What better way to let an acquaintance know that you know them well enough to briefly stand up in front of a room full of people in their honour, but not quite too-well enough to the point of actually having anything amusing or insightful to say stored up after a lifetime of association. Being asked to present them is an awkward thing, but where's the harm? A night of pageantry and name-dropping, how very droll.
Open bar? Yeah right. Cleared out by 9? Take off. Now I need to find someone to drink with in a suit on Wednesday night.