Bildeston Bugle – Ed’s comment (March)

March is when certain events seem to be combining to help make sure the mood of the nation changes from despair to delight, sad to happy and from gloom to laughter. A definite pattern is emerging. For example the Post Office has issued a set of ‘Only Fools and Horses’ special range of stamps, showcasing the classic comedy of Only Fools and Horses. They are issued to celebrate forty years of this classic comedy. The 12 designs feature Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad, Uncle
Albert and other favourites. The stamps show some of Only Fools and Horses most iconic moments. One is where Del Boy falls through the bar as he says to Trigger: ‘Play it nice and cool son, nice and cool.’ A scene which has been voted one of the funniest ever, along with the wrong chandelier smashing to the floor!

The hit BBC comedy, which began in 1981, followed the lives of wheeler-dealer Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter (David Jason), his hapless brother Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and their other family members and friends living on a Peckham estate. The series was followed by occasional specials until it ended in 2003, with Sir David and Nicholas reprising their roles for a Sport Relief special in 2014. Another March milestone is the centenary of Tommy Cooper’s birth. The hilariously unique comic was born on 19th March 1921. Although he was a respected member of the Magic Circle, it was the way he engineered his tricks to be unsuccessful that added so much to the comedy. Tommy Cooper was one of the most recognisable comedians on the stage and TV circuit, wearing a fez became his trademark, until his sad death on live TV in 1984. He wrote his own gags, such as:
I met my wife at a dance. I thought she was at home with the kids.
My wife complained that her feet hurt. I said: “You’ve got your shoes on the wrong feet.”
She said: “But these are the only feet I’ve got.”

I bought some HP sauce the other day. It’s costing me 20p a month for the next 2 years.

Police arrested two kids yesterday, one was drinking battery acid, the other was eating
fireworks. They charged one and let the other one off.

A man walked into the doctor’s, he said ‘I’ve hurt my arm in several places’. The doctor
said ‘well don’t go there any more’.

A statue of Cooper was unveiled in his birthplace, Caerphilly, in 2008 for Red Nose Day. This is the link to the third event in this theme of comedy in March 2021. This year on Friday 19th March, Tommy Cooper’s centenary, it is Red Nose Day. Comic Relief, which runs the event every two years, aims to “bring the UK together” by focusing on “laughter and helping others”. Lenny Henry says “we want to make you smile and bring you some laughter over the coming weeks!”
Comic Relief will launch ‘Share A Smile’. The idea is to display your favourite joke in your window. They explain: “Laughter can offer some temporary release from problems and so by encouraging people to put their favourite joke in their window, people power can get the nations laughing right across the UK, one home at a time.” How true, along with vaccination, laughter remains the best medicine!

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