No, I won’t

Someone recently asked me whether I would give up my sense of humor. And the answer is – No. Not happening. How can I give up all that I have?

In Shakespeare’s times the court jesters were present to entertain the King and the court. They were called fools. Motley fools – just like Touchstone in As You Like It. To be a jester was no ordinary matter. You had to be well versed in poetry, philosophy, politics and what not and be able to relate these complex issues to the happenings all around you. In essence it was a fool’s duty to be well read and witty and entertaining at the same time. No ordinary matter. In Akbar’s court, Birbal would have been called a fool – a witty yet wise companion to the king.

I have a long list of hobbies – I don’t want to list them here, and I do consider myself as a comedian. A light hearted person who takes everything at the surface and yet finds humour in everyday life. Whether it is cycling on the Manchester Cycleway on a sunny day or watching a movie tucked in a blanket with a friend on a wintry night (with popcorn and coffee ofcourse). So whether it is my argument on why suicide bombers should serve as investment bankers or my two hour speech on why popcorn should not be called popcorn, I will not give up my sense of humour. It comes after a long distillation of studying, maniacal traveling, interacting with so many people, playing music and watching and critically analysing movies – of today and days bygone. How can I give up all that I have in a jiffy? Nope, not happening.

It will continue and continue and continue…

As a recent example: