Corpsing is defined as breaking into uncontrollable laughter at exactly the wrong moment in front of a camera or audience.
Radio 4’s Charlotte Green was recently convulsed with the giggles during the reading of an obituary of Oscar-winning screenwriter Abby Mann.
It followed an item on the first recording of a human voice, singing Au Clair de la Lune.
Green was distracted when a colleague whispered in her ear that the female singer sounded like a ‘bee buzzing in a bottle’, prompting the frantic hilarity.
Mid and west Wales AM Alun Davies ‘corpsed’ spectacularly during an Assembly plenary session last week after becoming hyper-amused by preceding speaker North Wales Lib Dem AM Eleanor Burnham.
The wild fit of giggles continued for the best part of a minute, despite several attempts by the new chair of the Assembly’s broadcasting committee to compose himself.
The written record does little justice to the episode.
But Eleanor Burnham was in full flow in a Lib Dem inspired debate on broadband access.
She said (in precis): “Globally, I am sure that we are a laughing stock, frankly, and we will remain so until we get up to speed.
“Our pupils and our youngsters are already ahead of us - compared to them, I am obsolete (sic) when it comes to IT. Each generation improves. deputy first minister, do your best and improve the not spots (sic).”
Mr Davies was undone. “Follow that. Some things are beyond satire,” he managed.
“[Laughter.] Sorry, I have—[Laughter.]
“I have great sympathy with the motion this afternoon, and with what has been said—[Laughter.]”
Deputy presiding officer Rosemary Butler was losing her patience.
She said: “I do not know what the Record will make of this - you are not on the BBC, Alun Davies.
“You are using up your time by laughing, and I am not sure how laughter is noted in the Record. Please try to control yourself and move on.”
At last, he did: “I apologise, Deputy Presiding Officer. I have sympathy with the motion this afternoon, and I am not entirely sure that the Government’s amendment would necessarily improve it.”
The radio classic corpsing title belongs to cricket’s Brian Johnson bringing listeners quickly up to date with: “The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey,” before collapsing into mirth.
Ex-cricketer Jonathan Agnew commented on Ian Botham's failure to hurdle his stumps with, ‘just didn't quite get his leg over,’ also reducing Johnston to wheezing fits of laughter.
The subject of Jeremy Paxman’s underpants doubled up This Morning presenters Philip Schofield and Fern Britton, while BBC Radio 2 newsreader John Marsh saw the funny side of an item involving the unconventional use of a firework.
Mr Davies said: “It’s a bit embarrassing to say the least.
“She (Ms Burnham) was talking about broadband and suddenly said with a dramatic pause, ‘I am obsolete’ - and then the laughter started and couldn’t stop.”
As they say, ‘You had to be there.”
