There's always something to laugh about; and our people nuh too particular about where, when and how dem laugh. Some good laughing buss regularly in churches, court houses, parish council meet-ings, and even in the house of Parliament.

Yeah man, no matter the event or occasion, laughing is always a part of the equation. We find ways to make laughing gwaan during legal debates, academic dis-courses and even during certain kinds of physical intercourse.

We laugh during christening and also during childbirth - no, I'm not suggesting that any woman can manage to laugh during the actual delivery, but many look back after the fact and laugh at aspects of the ordeal. I was there for the birth of my last son, and I was gen-uinely nervous and totally discom-bobulated. First, I took a surgical cap for a mask and completely covered my face with it. Then while putting on the cap, I hit off my own glasses, and then pro-ceeded to step on them. So even before I entered the delivery room the nurses were laughing at me! Jamaican people laugh at nuff things that foreign people would cry over.

'Tek kin teet kibba heart bun'

We laugh inna church, and we laugh inna court house. We laugh at weddings, and we especially laugh during funerals! The Honourable Miss Lou called it 'tek kin teet kibba heart bun', and we do it a lot. I was just reading about the funeral service for the late great Roy Shirley.

Based on the reports, there were numerous moments of applause and laughter as people celebrated the life and work of the soulful musical veteran; and that is typical of a Caribbean funeral. Nuh care how wi sad, laughing haffi gwaan. As Trinidadian comic Sprangalang would say "wi have to mix some merriment in di bury-ment"

A comedy show

The best place to laugh though is at a comedy show. So I have to big up the people who keep laughter alive by continuing to promote comedy events. Some of the shows sell off and some of them well, the crowd was meagre; but the laughter always loud and hearty. Renae did 'Jamaica vs USA comedy connection' a few months ago, Dwight Samuels did 'Commingle with Comedy' in Sav-la-mar in July and Pretty Boy Floyd did 'Fashion meets Com-edy' last month in Portmore. Then there was Raga's birthday comedy ting! From all accounts Raga-shanti's event on September 4 was a feast of laughter and it 'sell aff' in more ways than one.

A major first

Importantly, the event achieved a major first in the area of comedy as the first event ever held at Mas Camp featuring comedians only. Raga had a whole bunch of comedians tearing up di place wid laughter, and him is a comedian himself. His 'Mix up and Blenda' shows always feature comedians as well.

And there is still more comedy in the pipeline. Rohan Gunter has 'Mi Nah Laugh' set for October, and Yohann Stephen's 'Fusion' which fuses comedy, music and dance, is set for September 27 in Montego Bay. Of course, fun and laughter follow food and drink. And I suggested earlier, the best time to laugh is when you're at a place where the people have gathered specifically for fun and laughter.

It's even nicer when good food and drinks are available. And that's what will be 'gwaaning on' up by Heather's on Haining Road next week Wednesday when the new 'LOL Comedy Show' kicks off. A lickle birdie tells me that this promises to be the hottest new monthly comedy series 'bout the place. Will I be there? Who knows, it name LOL! So you never can tell.

Live good, love hard, laugh loud. And box-mi-back@hotmail.com