“Playing by ear” doesn’t mean that a musician uses ears instead of hands, but there are jokes.
 
“I do play by ear. But I play better with my hands” was posted on Twitter by DouglasClayMusic on December 12, 2014. “Oh, you have a piano! Do you play by ear?”/“Sometimes, but it’s much easier to use my hands…” was posted on Twitter by Luisa on January 22, 2019. “I would love to play by ear, but alas ain’t that good so I just use my hands!!” was posted on Twitter by Colin Bennett on October 8, 2020. “I have played piano for years. I used to play by ear. It sounds much better now that I use my hands” was posted on Reddit—Dadjokes on June 2, 2021.
 
   
Wikipedia: Playing by ear 
Playing or learning by ear is the ability of a performing musician to reproduce a piece of music they have heard, without having seen it notated in any form of sheet music. It is considered to be a desirable skill among musical performers, especially for those that play in a musical tradition where notating music is not the norm.
 
It is a misconception that musicians who play by ear do not have or do not require musical education, or have no theoretical understanding of the music they are playing.
       
Twitter
Luci Mahon
@LuciMahon
Replying to @robsteadman
@robsteadman I play piano badly too.  Play by ear, but use my hands.
3:00 AM · Jun 13, 2009·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
DouglasClayMusic
@DouglasAClay
Replying to @JEClay33
@Jessica_Clay_PR I do play by ear. But I play better with my hands.
10:31 AM · Dec 12, 2014·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
Luisa
@Lals1002
“Oh, you have a piano! Do you play by ear?”
“Sometimes, but it’s much easier to use my hands…”
1:00 PM · Jan 22, 2019·Twitter for iPhone
     
Twitter
Mike (MSD)
@AbarthFerrari
Replying to @ColdfeetNo1fan
Thank you - much appreciated!
When I originally saw this, the music at the end is a song called “Love” by John Lennon and I then played it on my piano (as I can play by ear - but easier if I use my hands!)
7:00 AM · Aug 5, 2020·Twitter for Android
   
Twitter
Colin Bennett
@ogreat1
Replying to @channyparis1 and @Timbaland
I would love to play by ear, but alas ain’t that good so I just use my hands!!
12:36 PM · Oct 8, 2020·Twitter for iPad
   
Twitter
Kenneth Freeman
@kencf0618
Replying to @LauraJFuller
McCoy: Tell me Spock, do you play by ear?
Spock: No, Dr. McCoy, I use my hands.
8:33 AM · Nov 1, 2020·Twitter Web App
   
Twitter
David House 〓〓
@House_dg
Replying to @StevesMusicRoom
I tried to play by ear but prefer to use my hands
11:35 AM · Mar 14, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
Nath
@NJGidds
When I first started playing the piano I could play by ear, though as I got better I found it much easier to use my hands.
3:46 PM · May 1, 2021·Twitter for iPad
 
Reddit—Dadjokes
Posted by u/ImprudentGoose June 2, 2021
I have played piano for years. I used to play by ear
It sounds much better now that I use my hands