Now that Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling look like spending the rest of their lives in the clink, the late-night jokes are flying thick and fast. A sampler:

"Former Enron founder Ken Lay and CEO Jeffrey Skilling found guilty in the Enron case. Ken Lay is so guilty I'm surprised people aren't calling him Congressman Ken Lay. Wait 'till these guys find out in prison that insider trading has a whole new meaning." - jay leno
"Former CEO of Enron Ken Lay is going away. He's going to be sentenced in September, and it could be 16-18 years. But he got some good news today - Martha said she'd wait for him." - David Letterman
"A jury found former Enron sleazeballs Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling guilty of fraud and conspiracy. Ken Lay? That's not a good name to have when you're going to prison. And Kenny Boy ain't too good either. ... I guess in prison they'll have done to them what they did to the stockholders." - Jay Leno



Not to be outdone, MarketWatch humour columnist Bill Mann has his take on Ken Lay's first day behind bars. Here's a snippet:

8:05: Lay meets cellmate Leon "Bonecrusher" Smith, serving 20-30 for armed robbery and carjacking. "Lay is NOT a good name to have in prison," the blue-collared white-collar criminal is told. Lay is consoled by the fact that he's the smartest guy in THIS room, although certainly not the most athletic.
9:30: Lay's spirits boosted when he notices that the cell's sole TV has cable. Asks cellmate if it gets religion channels. Is brusquely informed it only gets "Cops," pro wrestling, and something called "The Metalworking Channel." Is told to shut pie hole.
10:15: Asks guard if the prison's exercise yard might be re-named Enron Field, since name is currently available. Possible revenue stream. Inmate Lay is again told to shut pie hole.
10:35: Lay assigned to first work detail -- breaking up a fight in the shower.
11:35: Lay treated by prison doctor for deep cuts and contusions and released back to cell, still woozy and muttering, "God is in control."

While on the subject of prisons, and jokes aside, the reality is that Lay and Skilling will probably end up in a medium security prison, says Frank Ahrens in his Washington Post blog.

Anticipating this, Forbes shows us the best places to go to prison.

Still, no jail time will be easy.