you'd laugh if it weren't so tragic

After that killer 12 mile run yesterday I decided taking it easy today wasn't an option so I walked the dogs (twice, morning and evening) and did a beasty workout in between. So now I am sat, sleepy and with my legs up on heat packs, and I thought I'd share a thought with you that I'm sure I'm not the first to notice: a lot of the great comedians come from extremely painful backgrounds.

Take Billy Connolly, for instance. Born "on the linoleum" in Glasgow to a hospital cafeteria worker (mother) and instrument technician (father), Billy had a rough start. His mum left when he was only four years old, whilst his dad was away at war. Between the ages of 10 and 15 he was abused by his dad, which makes his decision to go into stand up comedy at the tender age of 12, with this backdrop of turmoil, all the more astounding.

"my parents used to take me to the pet department and tell me it was the zoo"

But Billy isn't alone in tough beginnings; Eddie Izzard, most recently in the public eye for raising money running 43 marathons in 51 days for Sport Relief, lost his mother to cancer when he was only 6 years old.

"I wana live until I die: no more, no less"

British comedienne Dawn French knows of great loss, when her dad's long-standing severe depression caught up with him when his suicide attempts were finally successful when she was 17.

"It was my father who taught me to value myself. He told me I was uncommonly beautiful and that I was the most precious thing in his life"

Michael McIntyre, often recognised from his appearances on Mock the Week, endured his parents' divorce at the age of 7, which saw his father re-marrying and moving to Los Angeles before dying of a heart attack when Michael was 17.

"I still love you. See last year's card for details" [talking on Valentines Day cards]

Bill Hicks was sent to a psychoanalyst by his parents at 17 due to his unusual and strong opinions and was told "it's them, not you". He openly discussed his drug and chronic smoking habits in his stand up and in 1993, whilst on tour in Australia he complained of a pain in his side; this led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer which had already spread to his liver. He called friends to say goodbye, moved back in with his parents and re-read The Fellowship of the Ring and in Feb 1998, aged 32 years old, he died with his parents at his bedside.

"They proved that if you quit smoking, it will prolong your life. What they haven't proved is that a prolonged life is a good thing. I haven't seen the stats on that yet" [Dark Poet, 1991]

And finally, Kelsey Grammer, the famed Frasier in the American TV show. Plagued with bad luck, Kelsey has suffered the divorce of his parents and when he was just 13 - the sudden and violent death of his father, whom he had only seen twice since the divorce, who was shot dead in is front garden. His sister was raped and murdered, and Kelsey has tirelessly fought her killer being given parole. He also lost his twin brothers in a scuba accident.

"I think it's your duty to overcome what you inherit in life"

So all these people, who have brought and continue to bring such laughter and jovial amusement into our lives, come from such sadness, loss and despair.

I wonder if they feel the same as me, when I laugh at funerals and joke about the black things that've happened to me. We're all in the same game, and it seems it's one of human natures' to jest and joke - and long may it continue, as there are much more destructive ways to cope.
"If I didn't laugh; I'd cry"