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No matter how smart we think we are, no matter how many degrees we might have, everyone (everyone!) has at least one embarrassing knowledge blindspot. You might be like Ted Mosby from the hit TV show How I Met Your Mother who pronounces ‘chameleon’ with the ‘ch’ like in ‘chocolate’ and the ‘leon’ part like the name Leon.

Or you might be like comedy writer Ariane Sherine who used to think that pigs would snuff out chocolate truffles from the ground like they do normal truffles. When Ariane shared this fun fact on the internet and added that one of her friends thought that Colonel Sanders’ bow on the KFC logo was a stickman body (we can’t unsee it now, by the way), she sparked an amusing thread about the most embarrassing misunderstandings that people have had. Scroll down, upvote your faves, and share your own embarrassing blindspots in the comments below! I’ll get the ball rolling by saying that I keep forgetting that New Zealand is to the Southeast of Australia—in my mind, it’s always to the Southwest! Whoops! Sorry, Kiwis.

"I share a lot of the knowledge blindspots other people have confessed to. For example, when I was young, I also thought the word ‘misled’ was pronounced ‘mizzled!’ And I’m sure I’m also guilty of hundreds of misunderstandings I can’t remember now," Ariane told Bored Panda. "I think that’s why the thread was so popular—everyone can identify with the idea of an embarrassing misunderstanding! Can’t help you with Colonel Sanders though—I fear that image is seared into your brain forever..." Scroll down for the rest of our interview with Ariane.

More info: ArianeSherine.co.uk | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

"I think some people think they’ll lose face if they admit to not knowing things. But no one can know everything! Having gaps in your knowledge is just a natural part of being human. And sometimes, as the thread proves, those gaps can be amusing!"

Ariane also revealed to Bored Panda what she's been up to during the Covid-19 quarantine. "I’ve been working on a really fun book for ages 8-12 set during the coronavirus lockdown. Unfortunately though, my agent has stopped work during lockdown, so if any children’s fiction publishers would like to read the manuscript, please hit me up! I’ve also been proofreading my next book, called How to Live to 100. It’s a funny health science book which tells you how to live a long and healthy life, and is out on October 1," she said.

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Peachikeen
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And that mummys had girl babies and the daddys had boy babies. Childhood is a strange time.

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39-year-old Ariane has many talents besides her talent with the quill: she’s also a comedian, campaigner, and a songwriter. But she’s best known for her writing skills. If you’re a fan of British TV, then you’ve probably enjoyed some of her work without even knowing it. She’s written scripts for BBC shows like My Family, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, The Story of Tracy Beaker, and Space Pirates, ITV1’s The New Worst Witch, and jokes for Channel 4’s Countdown.

She’s incredibly energetic and also a regular on TV and radio programs like BBC Breakfast, Sunday Morning Live, The One Show, Victoria Derbyshire, iPM, Woman’s Hour, Sunday, and Night Waves.

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Shea Briggette
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3 years ago

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Ariane’s a seasoned journalist, too. She has written over 90 columns for The Guardian and The Spectator, a few travel pieces for The Sunday Times, book reviews for The Observer, album reviews for NME, and features for The Independent, Independent on Sunday, and Esquire. That’s the sort of experience that any journalist would be glad to add to their CV.

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So if someone as talented and hard-working as Ariane can talk about her embarrassing misunderstandings openly, there’s no reason for us to hide our own knowledge blindspots. Don’t you think so, dear Pandas?

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Kate
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Omg I absolutely read it as extra vagance at first LOL!

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kasa alex
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I literally had to google this before I could figure out what it was meant to say instead of 'Extra Vagance'. Doh'

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Cyndi Hafele
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had to come to the comments to find out what it is. Thank you comments.

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joshdrye avatar
Josh Drye
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This took me way too long to figure out what it actually says.

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Cassie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Apparently, it's all one word despite the fact that it uses an underscore typically used to separate words rather than a dash designed to connect parts of the same word on separate lines. The wife is smarter than the title designer, imo.

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Anna Doddridge
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A friend told me she bought a new fragrance called "FramBoysee". We live in Canada, she was looking at the French side of her raspberry body spray.

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Malakai
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair, that's some ridiculous typesetting anyway

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Rebecca V
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It took me about 30 mins to realize that it was extravagance not extra vagance

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Debrina Blackmoon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

idk what vagance is, but maybe i do/don't need extra if i ever have or had any at all

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danielw
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and this is why you don't put a newline in the middle of words, logo designers.

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grosse_daus
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sorry, I don't get it, the word is "extravagance" in French and it's correct, your wife did nothing wrong?

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Lynn Morello
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to say Given Chy. We often get things wrong. It'ss OK.

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Sarah Bell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ashamed to admit I had took me wayyyyyyyy longer than it should have. Lol

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SciFi Vortex
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought it said "Extra Vagina". Always good to have spare ... I guess.

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SciFi Vortex
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It DOES say "vagance". S****y design from a s****y designer. Simple as that.

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Lola
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It took me a while to put those two words together.

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LauraLee Foley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All I see is that... makes sense... so what does it really say?

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JJM
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So, what is it? Can't unsee that name............

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Aimee Simmons
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

so then what is it? IF it isn't what it looks like? What the hell am I seeing wrong? This makes me anger!

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Ade Line
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't get the drama... In french it sounds the same and extra-vagance doesn't exist just extravagance and it sounds the same ... not in english ? Or does vagance means something in english that i don't know ?

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Rebecca V
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Took me about 10 mins to realize it was extragance not extra vagance

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Francis
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3 years ago

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Bastette Cat
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

E erroneous thought that! There’s even a band called Youth in Asia.

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Pseudo Puppy
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, if your parents weren't into retro music when you were a kid, and didn't listen to the Beatles... logically speaking, this is actually a very reasonable assumption to have as a kid.

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Whatshername
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please don't take this the wrong way. Things like this honestly always make me wonder if people in the USA (not saying Mr. O'Neill is American) get taught topography of the world in school? Maybe it's just that there's so many Americans and in Europe we hear a lot from you. Maybe that's why things like this get noticed. It is not my inention to be rude, I am honestly wondering. As to me this is unimaginable. We get taught stuff like this when we're about 10-12 years old.

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