No, it isn't a guy thing, I assure you. Many's the time I have been hit with inappropriate laughter at the worst time, when something struck me funny - particularly embarrassing in concerts and sessions. It's just human nature - sometimes it pops up when things are particularly serious or emotional and something in you needs to relieve the tension, and sometimes it's just something incongruous, as in Spaw's story. I'm afraid I'd have been rolling around, too.

A couple of years ago, my girlfriend's mother died, and we had just been to her funeral. That night we went to The Loaded Dog (top Sydney folk club) and the band there chose to sing "Isn't it grand boys" (of course they were totally unaware of her circumstances). I looked at Sue to see how she was reacting, expecting it might upset her, and she was cracking up laughing, even singing along -

"Look at the coffin, with silver handles
Isn't it grand boys, to be bloody well dead?
Let's not have a sniffle, let's have a bloody good cry
And always remember, the longer you live
The sooner you'll bloody well die." (other verses in the digi trad)

That relieved the tension, she felt better, and it made a bloody good story to tell afterwards. Never be ashamed to laugh - it's saved me lots of times when life was a bit grim. Laughter makes the world go round!

LAUGH ON SPAW - YOU'VE MADE MY DAY!!!!!!!!