The Bloggy of Johnny Blobby

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in Venezuala for talks with student cult hero and fellow US botherer Hugo Chavez. They're discussing expansion of joint projects and agreements and how to reduce the influence of the US.

Seeing a photo of the two leaders together got me thinking. Chavez was a handsome buck in his younger days and there is no doubt that Ahmadinejad is something of a heart throb. So is this the most handsome political alliance in recent history?

It's well known that no man was in the slightest bit handsome until 1935. Once 1935 dawned, the most handsome leader in the world was Haile Selassie of Abyssinia. Hitler, Mussolini, Mac Donald, Baldwin, Flandin, Bouisson, Laval, Roosevelt, Stalin, Hodza, Benes, DeValera (despite Alan Rickman's portrayal in Michael Collins) etc. Not an oil painting between them.

And since? Even with the special relationship between the US and UK there's never been a handsome partnership. With the exception of the Bushes, the British PMs have always let the side down. There's never been a handsome Russian leader so that lets down the Eastern bloc. In fact, the only handsome communists full stop come from Latin America. And even then there's only a handful.

So I was at a complete loss until I saw that photo of Chavez and Ahmadinejad. My faith restored, I hope we can go forward now and enjoy many years of political alliances built on looks rather than common policy.

This week sees the 20th anniversary of The Chuckle Brothers. The Morecambe and Wise (or Two Ronnies if you will) of the late 20th and early 21st Century. In fact, don't take my word for it, let the bbc do my bidding for me.

"Ask most children under the age of eight, and they will tell you: the Chuckle Brothers are hilarious. To them they are Eddie Izzard, Ricky Gervais and Russell Brand rolled into one."

Not just kids under 8. I laugh at them. I've never laughed at anything Russell Brand's ever said. There's no 'blue for the dads'. Just good old fashioned slapstick fare. I remember eating my dinner in front of the tele (pork chops and pasta) in front of them. They made me laugh. Ant and Dec take note. This is proper comedy.

So yeah, in short - long live Barry and Paul Chuckle.