The greatest who ever lived

Playwright, explorer and inventor Jára Cimrman was voted the "Greatest Czech" this week in a contest run by Czech TV. But as a fictional character who was "born" 150 years ago (plus/minus 200 years), he wasn't eligible. Only real people could be considered. Cimrman's subtle humor poked fun at the Communist regime - "Have you ever seen a coal mine? It's a hole in the ground. Someone can take your wallet, but not a mine." - but it risks losing relevance in the new age, when humor is in- your-face. When the legendary late-night comedian Johnny Carson died last week, many young Americans had never heard of him. He, too, was a master of subtle humor. Nobody can bring back Johnny, and Czech TV won't make an exception for the other JC, but at least the tributes have exposed them to a younger generation who don't understand what all the fuss is about. [Czech Republic Czech Television comedy Zdeněk Svěrák Ladislav Smoljak]