Is it even possible for someone to have a serious thread on a subject which has known puns and word play without several people jumping on the words?

NO

Why can't you resist throwing Groucho & Harpo into a thread on Karl?

Was it Karl Marx who said? - Most of us can resist everything but temptation.

It was Joe Offer who said "Learn to live with it" *Smiles*

Is it possible to have serious thread stay in the music section (where this one was placed) without some anonymous volunteer rushing to condemm it to the B/S?

Is it possible that any contributions to a thread can address the thread subject - rather than simply pass judgement on what other's choose to post?

This does not look very likely.