I can’t believe I missed this, but the archive of what happened when The Barefoot Quack, er, Doctor (who dispenses laughably daft new-age advice in the Observer magazine every week) went online on the Guardian’s website on Tuesday this week is possibly the funniest thing I have read in ages.

That’s questions like: “Of what, exactly, are you a doctor? Also, I know two people with Multiple Sclerosis. Should they massage their kidneys clockwise or anticlockwise? And what is the correct chant?”

And: “I’ve recently contracted syphillis. Do you have any exercises to cure me of this affliction ? Oh, and I have a friend with full blown AIDS. Would acupuncture help ?”

Even better is the fact that, according to Private Eye, the Observer had to send round the following internal memo:

“The Barefoot Doctor is online on Tuesday to answer questions of healing and health. Safe to say, he isn’t proving wildly popular and the questions are just a tad aggressive.”

The memo then went on to implore Observer hacks to redress the balance: “If some of you could take time out to ask a rather more benign question, then you’ll probably feel better for it.”