They call themselves ‘Disney’ these days, but before “Star Wars” and Marvel super heroes filled the multiplexes, families used to go to the pictures to see a ‘Walt Disney’ film.

For some reason (surprisingly they never asked my advice about re-branding) they dropped the first name of the man who created the company in the 1930s!  What sort of Mickey Mouse organisation would do that?

Up to the early 1990s, Walt Disney films usually came out for the summer holidays or at Christmas and were mostly live-action adventures or re-releases of favourites like “Peter Pan” or “Cinderella”.

As cartoon features took so long to make, audiences often waited two or three years for a new one – making them events.  But now Disney, often in conjunction with Pixar, releases several animation films each year and has its own TV channel, which mixes new films and TV series with animation classics.

And it’s some of these classics that “Two people with too much time on their hands” reckon “Give out the wrong messages’ to modern children”.  Have they no idea what ‘modern children’ have access to on the internet?

Two American ‘Theme Park Reviewers’ have criticised Disneyland’s new “Snow White” ride which ends with a variation on the kiss Prince Charming gives to the ‘sleeping’ Snow White.

In their words, “He kisses her without her consent, while she’s asleep, which cannot possibly be true love if only one person knows it’s happening,” adding, “haven’t we already agreed that consent in early Disney movies is a major issue?

“Teaching kids that kissing, when it hasn’t been established if both parties are willing to engage, is not OK?”

Which makes me wonder if they’ve actually seen the film or read the original fairy story – because at the end, Snow White isn’t ‘sleeping’.

Having munched on a poisoned apple, she’s lying stone dead in a glass coffin that’s (obviously) free of condensation from her breath!

So, she couldn’t possibly have given consent for the kiss, which, incidentally, brought her back to life.

Besides – it’s not real life.

It’s a cartoon . . . of a fairy story!

Is it any wonder I get so animated?

Each and every day, I make time to write and have to admit that this can be a challenging experience.

If I’m not writing jokes, editing a script or fine-tuning ideas for this newspaper column, I’m adding to my list of corporate and conference talks (for when such events take place in the future, hopefully).

Doing this exercise on a daily basis is good practice, to ensure my writing skills don’t get rusty.

When researching subjects, I often turn to the news pages online, which is a great source of material.  Unfortunately, most of the time, well, nearly all of the time the news is full of negative and shocking stories from home and abroad.

Rarely do we see a happy, uplifting headlines.  That wouldn’t sell, would it?

As my loyal followers will testify, I’m all for freedom of speech and the free exchange of information, but the level of shock news reporting we are exposed to is bound to have a detrimental effect on our moods and outlook on life.

Children are also exposed to this negativity at such a young age, which can’t help to create a healthy and positive lifestyle – and don’t even get me started on so-called “social influencers”

I would welcome more good news – or even a ‘Good News Channel’.  Is it any wonder that we now live in a society where mental illness and depression is at an uncontrollable level?

The media has a voracious appetite for new stories and controversial personalities.  That’s why breakfast TV, 24-hour rolling news channels and all media outlets regularly give airtime to individuals eager to make statements about matters they want to bring to everyone’s attention.

But because they’re so caught up in the ‘bubble’ of their own opinions (which they passionately believe are right) they’re completely blind to what might happen if the idea they’re putting forward actually became reality.

In short…they fail to think it through.

Like the man on breakfast TV recently who suggesting that as pets eat pet food (Well deducted, Sherlock!) they’re environmentally unfriendly and we’d do well to rid the world of all cats, dogs, hamsters and your Great Aunt Jemima’s budgie.

And if the lady likes to dunk dog biscuits in her tea, she’ll have to go too!

The man made all sorts of statements backed-up by statistics, including the (true) fact that cats kill millions of birds every year. Therefore, he said, we should stop breeding cats and dogs and, when the last one dies, the world would be a better place.

He forgot to mention that large birds like Magpies, Crows and Cuckoos kill vast numbers of small birds too – and no-one’s suggested a mass cull of our feathered friends.

I found it strange he wasn’t asked the big question about what’d happen if there were no cats and dogs.

How would we cope with the rapid, potentially dangerous rise of the rodent population?

There are already far too many stories in our newspapers about areas where rats are running around people’s gardens and attics, creating filth, misery and fear.

Anyone unfortunate enough to have had their home infested with mice, knows they’re difficult to get rid of.

Cash-strapped councils don’t employ ‘rat catchers’ any more so if you’re being troubled by vermin, you have to pay for professional help.

Quite simply, it comes down to this this.

Which do you consider the more ‘environmentally unfriendly’?

Cats and dogs?

Or rats and mice?

You’re right.

But you won’t get a chance to say that on Breakfast TV!

Is it just my imagination or are there really more cyclists on our roads these days?

Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed so many more brightly coloured and lycra-clad two-wheel enthusiasts riding through the little fishing village of Ammanford.  From the early hours of the morning to the darkest hours of the night.

Their energy and commitment must be applauded as every form of exercise is without doubt a step in the right direction (or pedal in the right direction in this case).

On a personal note, I’m not sure if I would enjoy clocking up the miles in all conditions with view to keeping fit and healthy.  But not everyone thinks like me – fortunately.

And, before you say anything, I already know that I would look ridiculous in colourful and tight-fitting lycra and my bike has a basket on the front. Say no more.

I do like seeing these crazy people head down and pedalling – but can’t help but think as to how vulnerable they are on our increasingly busy roads.  The roads have become so much busier after lockdown and everyone seems to be in a rush!

Time to THINK BIKE for our two-wheeled population – this is something that we should all be embracing. After all, cyclists have been around a lot longer than us motorists. Just a thought…

I was sitting in my kitchen, sipping coffee while listening to Tom Jones singing “The Green Green Grass Of Home” and when the song finished, I said to Tom…  “Your voice sounds better than ever, mate. Now drink your coffee before it gets cold!”

See what I did there?

You automatically assumed Tom was on the radio or a CD, then I pulled the rug from under you by revealing that Tom was actually in my kitchen.
It’s a standard joke format – the comedian’s equivalent of the stage magician’s misdirection.

My one attempt at mixing comedy with magic failed dismally. Producing a bunch of limp daffodils out of thin air instead of delivering a killer punchline didn’t go down too well.

Although I’m no learned expert in humour, I know a bit about comedy and comedians.  If I hear a joke, I usually know which comedian originated it.

Which makes me slightly more knowledgeable than the journalist who recently mentioned ‘The Two Ronnies’ in a national newspaper article.  He was making a point about the over-use of swearing by modern TV comedians, contrasting them with the true greats of British comedy, like Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, who never resorted to swearing to get laughs.

The Ronnies set a high bar in humour, personally selecting the ‘news items’ used at the beginning and end of each show out of the hundreds they were offered.  If either Ronnie was doubtful about a gag, it wasn’t used.

While it was an interesting article, the examples of ‘Classic Two Ronnies jokes’ given by the journalist were apparently no such thing!

A comedy writer friend of mine, who penned jokes for The Two Ronnies, suspects the half-dozen ‘Classic Two Ronnies jokes’ may have been supplied by the journalist himself, in a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to capture the ‘Ronnies’ style.

Comedy can be so hard to get right!

Annoying errors like this often appear in articles written about Tommy Cooper.  Any list given of typically hilarious ‘Cooperisms’ usually include a smattering of Tim Vine gags!

Having cleared that up, the only way to finish is to say…  “It’s “Goodnight!” from me!”

I don’t know about you, but the summer months are quickly approaching and my mood is lifting just thinking about it.

Last week, I took a short stroll along the Llanelli coastal path towards Burry Port and couldn’t help but think what beautiful scenery we are blessed with in this part of Wales.

Now, we are able to book holidays to far away sunny places again and offers from our local travel agents are everywhere to be seen.

The conversation I regularly hear is that it’s cheaper to secure a holiday overseas than it is to stay here in beautiful Wales. Is this still the case after lockdown though?

Even walking down the seafront in Mumbles takes me away from the day-to-day challenges, yet it’s so much more appealing when the sun is shining and the tide is in. If only we were guaranteed the weather eh? The weekend just gone was like a monsoon!

Now then . . .  Here is my challenge to you: Give me your five best reasons as to why people should visit this part of Wales this summer.

The best answers will receive a personalised gift from me . . .

I don’t do it.  And I bet you don’t.  But after 14 months of stop-start lockdowns, as soon as we were allowed a little freedom, it multiplied beyond belief.

If you watched the TV news or read the ‘papers around the time rules were eased, it seemed that hordes of brain-dead zombies had been unleashed and headed straight to beaches and beauty spots, parks and playing fields and proceeded to do it on an industrial scale.

I’m talking about dropping litter.

It’s one of my pet peeves, which I make no apology for returning to from time to time.  The people who should apologise but lack the common sense and decency to do so, are the thoughtless idiots who carelessly discard it.

You’ve seen the pictures of the crowds who swarmed around Roald Dahl Plas on Cardiff Bay, Durdle Door beach in Dorset, and hundreds of parks and beaches all over the UK.

The appalling piles of detritus left strewn everywhere were disgusting.  And I say that as someone who never before felt the need to use the word detritus.

‘Litter’ is far too polite a word for what some of these people leave behind.

We’re talking burger cartons, plastic bags, plastic bottles, wine bottles, beer bottles, beer cans, soft drink cans and… used nappies!
It’s ironic that people who swig cans of caffeine-packed energy drinks find it far too much of an effort to take their empties over to a bin.  The poor, exhausted dears leave them where they’ve been sitting, for someone else to clean up.

We’ve seen enough documentaries warning us that the world’s marine life is endangered by discarded plastic.  So, if I hear someone else on TV say “People need educating about litter!”, I shall throw a can of Scarlet Cow at the screen – and it may not be an empty one.

Because if people don’t instinctively know it’s just plain wrong to leave beer cans and nappies on a beach, no amount of education will persuade them not to do it again.  But the threat of life imprisonment in solitary confinement might.  It’s an idea…

Laughter comes in many forms: the giddy giggle, the mild chuckle, the gutsy guffaw, the sarcastic “ha!”

Its meaning is just as varied, signalling everything from amusement to discomfort and distain.  For researchers, understanding how our brain interprets this complex behaviour is serious business.  Yes, people are actually paid loads of money to research this stuff.

Every day we are faced with varying degrees of stress and challenging situations.  And, as time goes on, as we get older, relaxation and laughter can slow down the ageing process.

We are bombarded with information relating to weight loss, diets, exercise and such like.  But little is said about the huge health benefits of laughter.  This is probably because of the lack of understanding by the masses . . . up to this point!

Over the years, while attending many conferences, I have been party to such a discussion, that left me convinced that the benefits of humour and being around uplifting people can add years to our lives, reduce the need for anti-depressants and keep our brains active for much longer.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could get laughter on prescription?

After all, laughter is the best medicine.  Unless, of course, you are diabetic. Then, insulin works better.

There are no limits to the number of ways that people can deliberately aggravate, alienate, exasperate, infuriate and irritate others.

For example, no one accidentally drives up and down Oystermouth Road on a fine Spring evening with their car stereo turned up so loud it shakes the foundations of buildings in Port Talbot.  They do it deliberately.

You don’t see ‘Ghetto Blasters’ around these days but it’s easy to spot annoying individuals who once carried those heavy radio cassette players on their shoulders, blasting out the chart hits of the time.  Today, they lean heavily to one side and are deaf in one ear.

Things haven’t improved for anyone who doesn’t want to be entertained by the entertainment other people are entertaining themselves with.

A recent newspaper article promoting the idea of “Garden Cinemas” took me aback.  It must have done because I’ve never before used the word ‘aback’.

The article suggested that on warm summer evenings you could take your giant 60” TV out into your garden, settle down with drinks and snacks on your garden furniture, turn up the volume and enjoy ‘A MOVIE UNDER THE STARS’.

Which genius thought up that stupid idea?

A Garden Cinema is only practical if you live in a remote country house with no immediate neighbours.  It’s totally im-practical if you live in a detached, semi-detached or terraced house.

If your neighbours are sat outside enjoying a quiet drink, why would anyone with half a brain want to disturb the peace with the ear-splitting sound of “Transformers 27” or “Justice League Part 56”?

I’d go as far to say that selfishly watching TV at high volume in your garden, while people in the houses overlooking yours were trying to get their kids to sleep or hoping to get an early night themselves, was anti-social behaviour.

Should ‘Garden Cinema’ take off, I foresee major problems.  Because if everyone in your road took their TVs into their gardens and all watched different films, can you imagine the nightmare cacophony it would create?

You’d have to pop down to Oystermouth Road for some relative peace and quiet.

Sleep. We all need a good night’s sleep to recharge the batteries and to maintain good health. How else will our bodies repair?

Some of you reading this will, without doubt, have had a few sleep challenges lately, which can range from insomnia, not needing much sleep, to needing more sleep than most.

Living through a pandemic has changed a lot of people’s sleep patterns.
But for me, it’s vivid dreams on an extremely regular basis.  Too regular, if I’m honest!

This could be down to the fact I have an over-active mind or the fact that I don’t relax or unwind before bed time. Possibly both.

Either that or there could be a much more serious underlying cause. Who knows?

One thing is for sure, my disturbed dreams could easily be part of a documentary on the subject of sleep and the source of many after dinner stories.

If you are ever chatting to my partner, ask her about the night she mistakenly tried to wake me up and ended up in A&E!

I’d love to know if you have any strange sleep habits, or maybe YOU are a sleep expert! Get in touch!