Wiff waff, as Boris correctly identifies, is a nickname for ping-pong or table tennis, and did originate over the dinning tables in England.  So now it is coming home for the next Olympics in 2012.

Boris is a genius.  Sure, he can also be a buffoon, and put his foot in his mouth, but as a public speaker, he is a genius.  We can’t compete with Beijing in terms of spectacle or money, but we can make it great fun, especially if Boris is still mayor in 4 years time.

It is much better watching the video, but if you can’t then here is part of the relevant speech:

I say this respectfully to our Chinese hosts who have excelled so magnificently at ping pong.  Ping pong was invented on the dining tables of England in the 19th century and it was called wiff waff.  There I think you have the essential difference between us and the rest of world.  Other nations, the French, looked at a dining table and saw an opportunity to have dinner. We looked at a dining table and saw an opportunity to play wiff waff. That is why London is the sporting capital of the world.

On another humorous note, on Sunday at church this video was played.  Not sure there was much connection with anything, but it was fun…