--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Times once published an…" description: "\"“The Times once published an unintentionally humorous description of a Peter Ustinov documentary, noting that “highlights of his global tour include en..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/conor-lastowka-41145_humor_the-times-once-published-an-unintentiona_2058914.jpg" --- # The Times once published an unintentionally humorous… ![“The Times once published an unintentionally humorous description of a Peter Ustinov documentary, noting that “highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector”. This is ambiguous as it stands, and would still be ambiguous if a…” quote by Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/conor-lastowka-41145_humor_the-times-once-published-an-unintentiona_2058914.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/conor-lastowka-41145_humor_the-times-once-published-an-unintentiona_2058914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/conor-lastowka-41145_humor_the-times-once-published-an-unintentiona_2058914.jpg) > ““The Times once published an unintentionally humorous description of a Peter Ustinov documentary, noting that “highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector”. This is ambiguous as it stands, and would still be ambiguous if a serial comma were added, as Mandela could then be mistaken for a demigod.”” [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A list with multiple items can become unclear without proper punctuation, leading to misinterpretation of who is being described. **In simple terms:** Missing commas cause confusion. Key Takeaway Clarify lists with commas. Themes grammar clarity communication Mood analytical educational Type instructional explanatory When to use this quote - editing - technical writing - publishing Key Concepts punctuation rules ambiguity resolution Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure list items are distinct? - When is a serial comma essential? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on commas may not fix all ambiguities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Added Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/added-mandela-3918067/) [Documentary Noting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary-noting-3918068/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mandela/) [Mandela Mistaken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mandela-mistaken-3918066/) [Mistaken Demigod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistaken-demigod-3918069/) ## Related quotes > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Mandela's heroism is the heroism of a man who suffered so badly for what he thought of as freedom. And yet when he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bono/mandela-s-heroism-is-the-heroism-of-a-man-who-suffered-so-badly-for/) [Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bono/) > [I'm inspired by people like Nelson Mandela. Can you imagine - you know how racist America was back then - imagine how racism was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-m-inspired-by-people-like-nelson-mandela-can-you-imagine-you-know/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [My thoughts and love go out to the Mandela family. Rest in peace Madiba. You will be missed, but your impact on this world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/my-thoughts-and-love-go-out-to-the-mandela-family-rest-in-peace/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > ['Selfie' is the word du jour, and it became cause celebre at Nelson Mandela's funeral when the Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt took a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/selfie-is-the-word-du-jour-and-it-became-cause-celebre-at-nelson/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [Nelson Mandela is a leader Barack Obama should try to emulate... He could start by spending 27 years in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-imus/nelson-mandela-is-a-leader-barack-obama-should-try-to-emulate-he/) [Don Imus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-imus/) > [In Durban, where I was born and grew up, and all over Africa, Nelson Mandela was a hero! Now he is a hero to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/in-durban-where-i-was-born-and-grew-up-and-all-over-africa-nelson/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [The famous passage from her book is often erroneously attributed to the inaugural address of Nelson Mandela. About the misattribution Williamson said, "Several years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-famous-passage-from-her-book-is-often-erroneously-attributed-to/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Even here in America, we felt the cool, refreshing breeze of freedom when Nelson Mandela took the seat of Presidency in his country where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/even-here-in-america-we-felt-the-cool-refreshing-breeze-of-freedom/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Mandela did go to prison, and he went in there as a burning revolutionary. But look what came out. Mandela let us down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-madikizela-mandela/mandela-did-go-to-prison-and-he-went-in-there-as-a-burning/) [Winnie Madikizela-Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-madikizela-mandela/) > [There were three people I always wanted to meet: Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali, and Nelson Mandela.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-prince-boateng/there-were-three-people-i-always-wanted-to-meet-michael-jackson/) [Kevin-Prince Boateng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-prince-boateng/) > [Mandela has played a crucial part in history. He's done some extraordinary things, not only for his country but also for the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zinedine-zidane/mandela-has-played-a-crucial-part-in-history-he-s-done-some/) [Zinedine Zidane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zinedine-zidane/) > [Mandela's message will never die. It will continue to inspire freedom fighters and give confidence to people who defend just causes and universal rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/mandela-s-message-will-never-die-it-will-continue-to-inspire-freedom/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gallegos-borresen/our-human-compassion-binds-us-the-one-to-the-other-not-in-pity-or/) [Michael Gallegos Borresen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gallegos-borresen/) > [“Mandela alikuwa hodari ndiyo maana akapelekwa jela. Alikuwa mvumilivu ndiyo maana akakaa jela kwa miaka ishirini na saba. Alivyotoka akawa kiongozi bora wa Afrika…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mandela-alikuwa-hodari-ndiyo-maana-akapelekwa-jela-alikuwa-mvumilivu/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) ## More by Conor Lastowka > [“Dedicated to the guy who won the 40,000-word edit war over the capitalization of “Star Trek Into Darkness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/dedicated-to-the-guy-who-won-the-40-000-word-edit-war-over-the/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) > [“Asimov received frequent criticism about his books that they never included aliens or sex, so Asimov included in this book aliens, sex, and alien…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/asimov-received-frequent-criticism-about-his-books-that-they-never/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) > [“The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound Kevin Costner was inspired to write Dances With Wolves after viewing this movie on television.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/the-good-the-bad-and-huckleberry-hound-kevin-costner-was-inspired-to/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) > [“Intercourse without prophylactic devices was universal before their invention. Can we just replace the entire US Constitution with this sentence? It’s that good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/intercourse-without-prophylactic-devices-was-universal-before-their/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) > [“Fuzzy-Wuzzy can refer to: Fuzzy Wuzzy (poem), a popular children’s poem/tongue-twister in which a bear is thought to be fuzzy, but it turns out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/fuzzy-wuzzy-can-refer-to-fuzzy-wuzzy-poem-a-popular-children-s-poem/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) > [“Similarly, diaper lovers (DLs for short) are often associated with the adult babies (ABs). While there is some commonality, they are not identical. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/similarly-diaper-lovers-dls-for-short-are-often-associated-with-the/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) > [“The idea that there is a “realist” faction in the debate over the size of the Smurfs ought to chill you to your very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/the-idea-that-there-is-a-realist-faction-in-the-debate-over-the-size/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) > [“In Israel, chocolate sauce may be spread on a slice of bread and eaten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/in-israel-chocolate-sauce-may-be-spread-on-a-slice-of-bread-and-eaten/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) > [“Because of the failed take-over bid by Walt Disney Studios of Harvey Comics in 1955, the Disney studio began a rumor that Casper was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/because-of-the-failed-take-over-bid-by-walt-disney-studios-of-harvey/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) [Explore all 10 Conor Lastowka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) ## More Humor quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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Munt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-k-munt/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/) [TimBur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timbur/) > [“ “Do Southerners laugh at different things than Northerners do? Yes, I say--Northerners.” Roy Blount, Jr., Roy Blount’s Book of Southern Humor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/do-southerners-laugh-at-different-things-than-northerners-do-yes-i/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) [Browse all 33,155 Humor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Times once published an unintentionally humorous description of a Peter Ustinov documentary, noting that “highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector”. 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