A question I frequently get asked (as well as “How long are you going to be in there? I need to shower!”) is, “Do you have the well-known writer’s fear of the blank page first thing in the morning?”
I don’t, because (a) I’m not a well-known writer and (b) I avoid facing a blank page, or blank screen, first thing in the morning, by starting work the night before!
To clarify, for anyone who lacks a sense of humour (or it only surfaces after a second cup of coffee), that was a joke. Yes, really!
We hear a lot about endangered species in the natural world, but not the endangered species in the unnatural world of comedy, the joke.
The one-liner. The topical zinger. And ‘The shaft of wit’, which the great Ken Dodd often liked to point out, is a phrase one has to enunciate very carefully, to prevent causing offence in mixed company.
A joke may only contain a handful of words, but, if it’s a good one, it has the power to create laughter, either amongst friends and colleagues or (increasingly rarely today) on stage and television.
I’ve heard jokes sneerily described as ‘Dad jokes’ inferring they’re a bit naff and old fashioned. Which I find rather sad.
Few modern British comedians tell jokes now, Tim Vine, the ‘Pun-slinger’ being an honourable exception. Comedians prefer routines, usually based on a single subject closely linked to the individual performer.
These routines can be inventive, thought-provoking and in some cases exceptionally intelligent.
If I owned a hat I’d take it off to them.
To create an hour or more of material involves facing a lot of blank pages.
While many American comedians also deliver long routines, jokes aren’t ‘looked down on’ over there, as they are here.
The late-night talk show hosts have always delivered a string of topical jokes in their opening monologue. And they go down a storm, though perhaps not with the big man in the Oval Office.
Elton John loves jokes so much he’s written a joke book, which I just finished reading.  It’s a little bit funny . . .