[General] Copernicus, Goebbels and Saint Ralph the Liar

[holdenenglish]

Dear teachers

I'm watching Black Adder. In the beginning of the first episode, there are laughters when the narrator says the following:

• Copernicus, Goebbels and Saint Ralph the Liar (screen shot attached)

Could you advise why these names can lead to laughters?

Cheers

Holden

 

[Raymott]

You could probably ask that question about most lines in situation comedy. The pre-recorded laughter (canned laughter) is meant to convince you that what is being said is funny. "Saint Ralph the Liar" is an oxymoron (or should be) because presumably saints don't lie.
Part of the reason it might be funny comes from the previous lines - the context. You can't just give a punchline and ask why it's funny.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Not to mention that the identified Saint is Saint Benedict.

 

[Tdol]

And Copernicus wasn't lying when he placed the sun at the centre of our universe rather than the earth.