column Arthritis diary Game for a laugh Knowing when to laugh at yourself is all part of the game, says BBC presenter Julian Worricker I Rest assured Im not about to have a pop at either the News Quiz or Sandi Toksvig was listening to the News Quiz on Radio 4 on a recent Friday evening. Towards the end of the show, host Sandi Toksvig posed a question about Blurred Lines the song by Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams that a US court decided bore too close a resemblance to a 1977 Marvin Gaye hit Got to Give It Up. The usual humorous discussion followed, then Toksvig brought the topic to a close with a scripted gag. Referring to Thickes defence in the court case, she said hed claimed he was channelling the late 70s feeling and then added, or as its otherwise known, arthritis. Rest assured Im not about to have a pop at either the News Quiz or at Sandi Toksvig. That afternoon Id spent three hours in the TV studio, relaying unremittingly bleak news to the wider populace, so the chance to laugh at some of the weeks events came as a blessed relief. It often does. And if a few people are offended during the course of the half-hour and if an age-old stereotype about only older people getting arthritis is aired once again so be it. What the gag prompted me to do was to consider a trait that Brits are constantly praised for that gift we have, were told, to laugh at ourselves, even in adversity. Itgoes down well not just because the material can be funny, but the jokes are also often a way of raising awareness when a more serious message just doesnt hit home. So, I did a search online. I hoped that, amid the sick humour and be assured, theres plenty of that Id find examples of subtle, self-deprecating wit relating to arthritis, from people with arthritis, which would be uplifting. And I did. Familiar phrases Under the heading Finding laughs while fighting illness, I discovered a bingo game aimed at those with a chronic condition, in which each square is made up of those oh-so-familiar phrases we hear from well-intentioned people when theyre trying to help. For example: Are you better yet?; You dont look sick; and, my personal favourite: Oh, I get that too. Under the same heading a woman in her 20s is seen pulling a face of utter disdain. Alongside her is the caption: When someone says: But youre too young to have arthritis. None of this is to minimise what arthritis is like on a bad day. I know there arent too many laughs in for example a sleepless night caused by the misery of carpal tunnel syndrome, pins and needles in the hand and everything else besides. Ive been there, and no the splint I wore a) didnt help much and b) looked ridiculous, so I know its not always much fun. That said, heres something I enjoyed. I found a cartoon depicting a pharmacy. The chemist is at the counter and a woman is waiting to be served. On the wall behind the chemist are masses of shelves full of pots, bottles and potions, labelled health supplements, vitamin A, vitamin C protein, beta carotene you name it. The chemist is trying to help the woman, and he holds a box in front of her that he clearly thinks might be of use. On it are pictures of various fruits and vegetables and its labelled simply: Food. She is looking at it with great interest. Have you tried this? the chemist asks. It used to be all the rage."