THE SHERYL CROW QUANDARY

Where is Clark Kent changing into Superman these days? For years he would rush into a phone booth and change into his long johns when an emergency hit Metropolis - it's a classic image. But - come on, people - it's the 21st century. They are closing down the phone boxes wherever you look, ripping them out of the streets, paving over the places they used to stand. Everyone has a mobile phone these days - no one's using the phone booth anymore.

Changing in the telephone booth only really works when you can move at superspeed. Otherwise it's just kind of awkward and exhibitionist. You have to move very fast to change into your superhero costume in that confined space surrounded by glass - that's why the Superman outfit doesn't feature any buttons or zippers, they'd just slow him down.

Wonder Woman had the best costume change technique. She used to do that pirouette on the spot as Diana Prince and when the spin was finished she'd be in her Wonder Woman togs, checking to see that her tiara was on straight. Because, ideally, you want to rush into battle against a threat to mankind immediately after you've been spinning rapidly in one place. You're woozy, you're knocking stuff over, you could collapse at any moment.

Every episode of her show, Wonder Woman would turn up to save Steve Trevor's life after doing her quick change spin and he'd have that knowing smile that said, "This woman in the stars and stripes bathing costume keeps saving my life... I think I may be in with a chance here." I swear, nine times out of ten he was thinking she'd be a lot more attractive if she didn't drink so much.