And yet, despite all that, the fact of the thing is that it was my birthday last Friday, and one of my favourite presents was this:

That’s right: I love Carry On films. And I ain’t ashamed to say so. Okay, so the humour is crass and the jokes are very often horrendous. But I love these films. And I especially love Kenneth Williams.

I had a huge crush on him when I was in my teens (oh yes, I really was that odd), and I keep expecting to grow out of it. But last night I watched Carry On Abroad and I still fancy the pants off the man. There, I said it. Especially in Carry On Cruising where he’s wearing this sailor uniform for the entire film . . .

I loved Kenneth Williams then, I love him now, and I will probably always love him for as long as I live. Ditto for the Carry On films in general. Sometimes being serious and intellectual and academic can be over-rated. And, at the end of the day, if I was ever forced to choose between serious and silly, I wouldn’t even have to think twice. Silliness is in my soul. For example, the other day I dreamed a little tiny elephant came to me and said it was up to me to save the world. I woke up in a blind panic because my cat, Chloe (the fluffy one) was making this high pitched whining sound she always does right before she’s about to be sick and – to my sleep-muddled brain – it sounded just like a little tiny elephant trumpet . . . Now that’s just silly. It’s the sort of silly dream only silly people have . . .

Anyway, I think I’ve made my point. Er . . . even if I’m not entirely sure what it is anymore.