How long was I in the army? Five foot eleven.

In this quote, Spike Milligan delivers a classic example of his absurdist humor. When asked, "How long was I in the army?" he responds with "Five foot eleven," which is a humorous play on words. Rather than answering the question about the length of his service, Milligan interprets "how long" as referring to his height, giving a literal and nonsensical response. This twist not only subverts the expected answer but also showcases Milligan's ability to blend wordplay and surreal humor to create a comedic moment.

The humor in this quote lies in Milligan’s ability to take a simple question and turn it into something unexpected and silly. By shifting the meaning of "how long" from time to height, he undermines the seriousness of the situation, making it clear that he is more interested in playing with language and expectations than providing a straightforward response. It’s a great example of his comedic style, where the joke often emerges from the absurdity of the situation.

The origin of this quote comes from Spike Milligan, a British comedian, writer, and actor best known for his work on The Goon Show. Milligan was a master of nonsense humor, often employing clever wordplay, puns, and unexpected twists in his comedy. His ability to take a simple situation and turn it into something illogical or comically absurd was one of the hallmarks of his career. This quote reflects Milligan’s wit and his talent for creating humor through unexpected answers to ordinary questions.