Spike Milligan (1918-2002) - Spike Milligan was my favourite Goon.

A lot of people didn't like him when he was in his prime, because they thought he was mad as a hatter. Well, he did have a bit of trouble with not letting the world get the better of him. He was a genius, and, like many geniuses, saw things that other people didn't, couldn't, or wouldn't... and that upset him.

Now, of course, he is hailed as the man who re-invented comedy for the post-Neanderthal generation... well, not quite. But he did change things a lot. He taught us that seeing the world through the bottom of a jam jar is funny mainly because it reminds us that the way we usually see things is just as much an illusion.

Spike wouldn't have been content to tell us that the Emperor is not wearing any clothes; he would have gone on to say that he had four legs, a tail, and a fat naked bloke sitting on his back. Cheers, mate.