History Main / MistakenForProfound

* ''Limbo'', by Bernard Wolfe. The protagonist deserts his post as a surgeon during World War III. He hides out on a island for years and on returning to the AfterTheEnd civilisation is shocked to find that some bitter rantings he left in his diary--that people should volunteer to mutilate themselves instead of fighting wars--have become the basis of a worldwide ideology where people practise self-amputation as a pacifist act, and his impulsive act of desertion is assumed to be a HeroicSacrifice to stop the war that's turned him into a martyr.

* A long time ago, the Pope decreed that all Jews must leave Italy unless their best rabbi could beat him in a theological debate. Since the best rabbi at the time couldn't speak Italian, the Pope agreed to hold the whole thing using sign language. During the debate, the Pope held out three fingers to signify the Trinity, which the Rabbi countered by holding one finger, seemingly signifying one God. Then, the Pope pointed around him to signify how God was all around them, which the Rabbi countered by by pointing to the ground, seemingly signifying that God was also with them. Then, the Pope brought out his communion wine and wafer to signify God's forgiveness, which the Rabbi answered by bringing out an apple, seemingly signifying the original sin. Impressed, the Pope declared the Jews victorious and allowed them to stay. Later, the Jewish community gathered around the very confused Rabbi to ask him how he won. As it turns out, he had interpreted all of the Pope's signs as insults and responded in kind, only for the Pope to mistake all of them for profound retorts. When he held out one finger in response to the Pope's three, he was actually interpreting the three fingers as three days to leave Italy and [[FlippingTheBird flipped the bird]] in retaliation. When he pointed to the ground in response to the Pope pointing around him, he was interpreting the gesture as "Jews everywhere will be expelled" and pointed to the ground to reply "we are staying right here". Finally, when he brought out the apple, he was actually bringing out his lunch because he thought the Pope was entering a lunch break with his wine and wafer.

* ''Anime/SailorMoon'' in the third season Usagi is at a waltz where some of Mamoru's college buddies are also, they are native English speakers and studying science so Usagi is panicking about her poor language skills and lack of scientific know how being embarrassing. Whilst practising basic English phrases off in the corner to herself she [[UnsuspectinglySoused accidentally picks up a cocktail]] and downs it thinking it's juice trying to calm her nerves... and ends up [[CantHoldHisLiquor utterly plastered from this one drink]]. She then starts wittering on about "The Pudding of Relativity" during a conversation about the theory or relativity an Mamoru's friends think she's coming at the concept from a fresh and novel angle.

* A long time ago, the Pope decreed that all Jews must leave Italy unless their best rabbi could beat him in a theological debate. Since the best rabbi at the time couldn't speak Italian, the Pope agreed to hold the whole thing using sign language. During the debate, the Pope held out three fingers to signify the Trinity, which the Rabbi countered by holding one finger, seemingly signifying one God. Then, the Pope pointed around him to signify how God was all around them, which the Rabbi countered by by pointing to the ground, seemingly signifying that God was also with them. Then, the Pope brought out his communion wine and wafer to signify God's forgiveness, which the Rabbi answered by bringing out an apple, seemingly signifying the original sin. Impressed, the Pope declared the Jews victorious and allowed them to stay. Later, the Jewish community gathered around the very confused Rabbi to ask him how he won. As it turns out, he had interpeted all of the Pope's signs as insults and responded in kind, only for the Pope to mistake all of them for profound retorts. When he held out one finger in response to the Pope's three, he was actually interpretating the three fingers as three days to leave Italy and [[FlippingTheBird flipped the bird]] in retaliation. When he pointed to the ground in response to the Pope pointing around him, he was interpeting the gesture as "Jews everywhere will be expelled" and pointed to the ground to reply "we are staying right here". Finally, when he brought out the apple, he was actually bringing out his lunch because he thought the Pope was entering a lunch break with his wine and wafer.

** Similarly, when impersonating the [[spoiler:Gourmet]], you can instruct the chef Gianna to add ingredients such as vampire dust, a giant's toe and a gold coin to the stew, to which she interpenetrates as creating a distinct flavor.

%%* In ''Videogame/Portal2'' when [=GLaDOS=] finds inspiration in the insane ramblings of Cave Johnson, especially when he makes a rant about how when life gives you lemons, you should burn life's house down. [Is this really an example? Doesn't GLaDOS know perfectly well what Cave means, and happen to take inspiration from that because she's sort-of insane too?]

* In ''Videogame/Portal2'' when [=GLaDOS=] finds inspiration in the insane ramblings of Cave Johnson, especially when he makes a rant about how when life gives you lemons, you should burn life's house down.

Compare IceCreamKoan, ComicallyMissingThePoint, NotActuallyTheUltimateQuestion and MistakenForExhibit. When the entire work gets this treatment from the audience, it's EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory.

* ''Anime/SailorMoon'' in the third season Usagi is at a Waltz where some of Mamoru's college buddies are also, they are native English speakers and studying science so Usagi is panicking about her poor language skills and lack of scientific know how being embarrassing. Whilst practising basic English phrases off in the corner to herself she [[UnsuspectinglySoused accidentally picks up a cocktail]] and downs it thinking it's juice trying to calm her nerves... and ends up [[CantHoldHisLiquor utterly plastered from this one drink]]. She then starts wittering on about "The Pudding of Relativity" during a conversation about the theory or relativity an Mamoru's friends thing she's coming at the concept from a fresh and novel angle.

* A long time ago, the Pope decreed that all Jews must leave Italy unless their best rabbi could beat him in a theological debate. Since the best rabbi at the time couldn't speak Italian, the Pope agreed to hold the whole thing using sign language. During the debate, the Pope held out three fingers to signify the Trinity, which the Rabbi countered by holding one finger, seemingly signifying one God. Then, the Pope pointed around him to signify how God was all around them, which the Rabbi countered by by pointing to the ground, seemingly signifying that God was also with them. Then, the Pope brought out his communion wine and wafer to signify God's forgiveness, which the Rabbi answered by bringing out an apple, seemingly signifying the original sin. Impressed, the Pope declared the Jews victorious and allowed them to stay. Later, the Jewish community gathered around the very confused Rabbi to ask him how he won. As it turns out, he had interpeted all of the Pope's signs as insults and responded in kind, only for the Pope to mistake all of them for profound retorts. When he held out one finger in response to the Pope's three, he was actually interpretating the three fingers as three days to leave Italy and [[FlippingTheBird flipped the bird]] in retaliation. When he pointed to the ground in response to the Pope pointing around him, he was interpeting the gesture as "Jews everywhere will be expelled" and pointed to the ground to reply "we are staying right here". Finally, when he brought out the apple, he was actually bringing his lunch because he though the Pope was having a lunch break with his wine and wafer.

* The entire premise of the ''WesternAnimation/TazMania'' episode "Ask Taz".

* ''WesternAnimation/DcSuperheroGirls'': Karen (Bumblebee) is trying to tell Jessica (Green Lantern) that the Super Villain Girls are planting a bomb on the bridge into town so Harley Quin won't have to take a math test tomorrow. [[GranolaGirl Jess]] believes "There's a bomb on the bridge" is a perfect metaphor in favor of vegetarianism, and incorporates it into her protest of the Burrito Bucket restaurant.