You mean other than the opportunity to do the gag: "What's the secret of come-TIMING-dy?"

Ha ha! That's obviously the main problem. But I was also thinking about the links between creativity, comedy, and a word I never thought I'd be old enough to use - mores.

I used to get fascinated by the various definitions of comedy doing my first degree - e.g. tragedy is falling into the void, comedy is seeing it and thinking that was close (unearthing fears) comedy is half smile, half bare-teethed attack (driving for change) ... could drone on ... but there is interesting stuff about changing attitudes through comedy.

So (ahem, breath Piers, breath) - is there a way of grading the effectiveness of communication media for social/attitudinal change based on how well they support comedy? Timing being one factor in that.

Of course a) this might be a bunch of twaddle and b) none of it will ever affect the following gag:

"You know what really get's my goat?

A troll"

That, I think, is timeless :)