Hands Go Down

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

A trope that plays on the ignorance, Small Reference Pools or limited/differing concerns of some person or group. A figure of authority -- often a School Teacher -- makes an attempt to communicate an important point. They may then solicit questions, or find their listeners have questions they wish to ask when he takes a breath -- hands go up. Anticipating the nature of the listeners' questions, someone -- usually the original speaker, but not always -- then refines the question or context. ("...but without using your computer?" "No, the answer isn't 'cheese'".)

Hands go down.

The implication is that the listeners' questions are painfully predictable to the speaker, due to their intelligence or personal preoccupations. Sometimes the refinement of the context takes place in several steps, as the speaker finds they have to exclude even more extreme or ridiculous conditions in the hopes of eliciting a meaningful observation or question from their listeners. At each stage more hands go down, until finally no hands are left up at all.

Usually Played for Laughs.

Examples of Hands Go Down include:

Comic Books

  • Happens to Bruce Banner at the beginning of Ultimate Avengers: "Any questions not about the Hulk?"
  • During the time that Commissioner Gordon left the force to become a teacher, he frequently had to tell his students that he would not answer questions about Batman.

Fan Works

"Any further questions?"
Seeing a small furry palm reach just over the edge of my desk, I let out a small sigh.
"Any actual, serious questions?"
The palm slowly lowers out of sight again.

  • In chapter 29 of the RWBY fanfic Relic of the Future by "Coeur Al'Aran", Taiyang and Qrow are substitute-teaching at Jaune Ashari's pre-huntsman gym and try prompting the students for ways they can even the odds when fighting against the two older men:

"Let me," [Taiyang] said, stepping up. "Okay. Hands up if you have an idea."
All the hands went up.
"Hands down if it involves some kind of vicious hidden weapon, technique, a booby trap or cheating in one way or another."
Every hand went down except one.
"Hands down if it involves a tactical airstrike."
The final hand went down.
Fucking Ashari.
"Teamwork!" Taiyang groaned, waving one hand in the air. Qrow could hear some of the parents above laughing at the two of them. "I meant teamwork."
"Oooooh…." The assembled students crowed, as if they'd never heard the like of the word before.

Film

Grant: Does anyone have a question?
(all hands in the room go up)
Grant: Does anyone have a question that does not relate to Jurassic Park?
(most of the hands go down)
Grant: Or the incident in San Diego, which I did not witness?
(several more hands go down)

Kah Mun Rah: Are there any other questions?
(Napoleon's hand goes up)
Kah Mun Rah: Any questions not about the dress... tunic.
(Napoleon's hand goes down)

Live-Action TV

Teacher: How many people here have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark?
(virtually all students raise their hands)
Teacher: Now in the movie, whom was Indiana Jones fighting?
(one hand goes up)
Teacher: Besides the snakes.
(hand goes back down)

  • From Friends, when Ross has begun teaching his class in an English accent, then admitted he's not English:

Ross: Are there any questions?
(hands go up)
Ross: About paleontology?
(hands go down)

  • The kids in the Step by Step episode where Frank and Carol remarried after finding out they're not legally married.

Preacher: If anyone rejects to this union, speak now or forever hold their peace.
(The kids raise their hands up)
Frank: (not even looking behind him) Hands down.

Miles: Who in here has been part of an actual fistfight?
(Murphy raises hand)
Miles: I meant as grown adults.
(Murphy keeps her hand up)
Miles: This week.
(Murphy sighs and keeps it up)

Leonard: Show of hands, who actually wants to do this?
(Howard raises his hand.)
Leonard: We'd all be naked. In front of each other.
(Howard lowers his hand.)

Theatre

Daniel: "How many of you have seen or read a Shakespeare play?"
(whole audience raises their hands)
Daniel: "Oh, all right. How many of you have seen King John?"
(everyone lowers their hands except for Adam, who is planted in the audience)
Daniel: "Oh, yeah right."

Web Comics

 Name an important geologist. Just one. Any one.
And you folks who have studied geology put your hands down.

Web Original

Washington Any ideas on how to break into the base?
Grif I know
Washington "Let's not do it," is not an appropriate answer.
Grif Probably should've mentioned that before you started asking.

Western Animation

Patrick: Is mayonnaise an instrument?
Squidward: No, Patrick. Mayonnaise is not an instrument.
(Patrick raises his hand)
Squidward: Horseradish is not an instrument either.
(Patrick puts his hand down)

  • The Simpsons used this a lot.
    • One example from a parenting seminar Homer and Marge are forced to attend:

Instructor: Now, who here can think of a way to resolve the Skinners' problem?
(Everyone raises their hands)
Instructor: Without resorting to violence?
(All hands go down except Kearney's)
Instructor: Or childish name-calling?
(Kearney lowers his hand)

  • Done again on The Simpsons when Bart and Homer glue a rainbow wig onto George H. W. Bush's head before his press conference.

Bush: Any questions?
(all reporters put their hands up)
Bush: Keeping in mind that I already explained about the wig.
(reporters put their hands down)

  • They really do love this one. When trying to find Springfield's oldest citizen at an award ceremony for the oldest citizen (the original candidate having died on stage upon receiving the award):

"Anyone over seventy, please stand up."
(Several people stand up)
"Anyone over eighty."
(Many sit down, including Abe Simpson who is quite visible in the front row)
"Ninety."
(Abe stands back up again)
"One hundred years old?"
(Abe goes down again and the award goes to Mr. Burns)

  • Used again in "Deep Space Homer".

Scientist: Ladies and gentlemen and members of the press. I'd like to present the new generation of NASA astronauts: the average American. *Homer and Barney appear*
Reporter: Jim Wallace, Associated Press. Is this a joke?
Scientist: Far from it, Jim. One of these men will prove space travel is within the reach of the common man.
Reporter #2: Toby Hunter, Minneapolis Star. No really, is this a joke?
Scientist: No, Toby, and no more questions about whether this is a joke. *Everyone disappointedly lowers theirs hands*

  • The Penguins of Madagascar, "Launchtime": Skipper wants to go on vacation and Private suggests going to a zoo (which is shot down because they already live in one). Later...

Skipper: Gentlemen, we are going to the moon!
(Private raises his hand)
Skipper: And no, there's no zoo on the moon.
(Private's hand goes down)

  • Family Guy: When Brian and Stewie are searching for Mort at a Jewish wedding:

Stewie: Uh, excuse me. We're looking for a Mr. Goldman.
(Every man raises their hand)
Brian: Mr. Mort Goldman.
(Half the men lower their hands)
Stewie: He's a small business owner. Tends to whine a lot. Kind of a hypochondriac.
(The half that lowered their hands raise them again)
Stewie: No, no! You can't put your hand back up after you've put it down...You know what, never mind.

  • This Robot Chicken sketch involving Saved by the Bell and Saw: the cast can escape if they press a button that will torture Screech. They refuse to do so, until they are told they will receive free Corvettes. When Belding explains that it was just a trust exercise, the cast beats up Screech and end up in detention.

Slater: So we really don't get Corvettes?
Belding: No. Are there any other questions?
(hands go up)
Belding: Are there any other questions not pertaining to Corvettes?
(hands go down)

2003 Leonardo: Any idea what we should do next?
1987 Turtles: Ooh! Ooh! I know! I know!
2003 Leonardo:...other than going out for a slice?

Sunny: Who knows what we need to beat Easley in the band competition?
(hands go up)
Sunny: And do not say 'musical ability'.
(all hands go down except Tamika and Madison)
Sunny: Or wedgies.
(Tamika's hand goes down)
Sunny: Or dolphins.
(Madison's hand goes down)

Mr. Hornbill: (explaining an assignment involving eggs) Any questions?
[a girl Badger happily raises her hand.]
Mr. Hornbill: No, Lacey, you may not eat the eggs.
[Her hand goes down after turning her smile into a frown.]

"Can anybody tell me what photosynthesis is? ... And PLEASE don't say plant farts."

Phineas: Has anyone else here been leading a bizarre double-life? (Beat, without looking) Put your hand down, Ferb.

  • In Recess before a vocabulary test.

Ms. Grotke: Does anyone have any questions?
almost all students raise their hand
Student: Does spelling count?
Ms. Grotke: Yes.
all other hands go down

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