What's so funny ))

[sinij_stepler]

Hi everyone.
Here's the link to the song Popular from the musical "Wicked"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_okUofqNgo
At 1:47 Galinda sings
...Instead of dreary who-you-were... are.
There's nothing that can stop you
From becoming popu-ler...- lar
And the audience is laughing after that -ler/-lar endings.
So could you please tell me is what's so funny about

Comments

[stacyinthecity]

It's just a play on rhyming. The line that rhymes with it ends in "are" and she sings the rhyming line to end with normal pronunciation (populer), which doesn't rhyme, so she corrects herself so it rhymes (popular).

It's a joke based on English phonology.

[sinij_stepler]

thanks

[sagesoren]

I understand it that way, too, but it doesn't strike me as especially funny. Oh well. It was sort of a neat idea to use in a song.

[stacyinthecity]

I think if I was hearing it for the first time and hadn't seen the lyrics written out, it would have been funnier. But it didn't get THAT many laughs, other parts of the song were funnier (both to me and the audience!).

[reading_angel]

I think it's also funny because the character of Galinda is supposedly very polished and put together, etc, and it seems like she's stumbling over the rhyme scheme. That's why I find it funny, anyway.

[sinij_stepler]

Now that makes sence )) Thanks