Rhetorical Question Blunder: Difference between revisions
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[[File:rhetorical-question-backfire 2140.jpg|link=Sinfest|frame|"Oh! Oh! I got it. A toothless beaver!"]] |
[[File:rhetorical-question-backfire 2140.jpg|link=Sinfest|frame|"Oh! Oh! I got it. A toothless beaver!"]] |
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'''[[Iron Man]]''': A [[Gadgeteer Genius|genius]] [[Fiction 500|billionaire]] [[The Pornomancer|playboy]] [[Uncle Pennybags|philanthropist]]? |
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|''[[The Avengers (film)|The Avengers]]''}} |
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Ah, rhetorical questions. Is there anything they can't do? [[Self-Demonstrating Article|...Wait, don't answer that.]] |
Ah, rhetorical questions. Is there anything they can't do? [[Self-Demonstrating Article|...Wait, don't answer that.]] |
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A Rhetorical Question Blunder is what happens when a character asks a question that they didn't need an answer to... and then gets an answer anyway. That answer will almost always be contrary to the point they were trying to make. Occasionally this can lead down a slippery slope as the asker tries to salvage the original intention. |
A '''Rhetorical Question Blunder''' is what happens when a character asks a question that they didn't need an answer to... and then gets an answer anyway. That answer will almost always be contrary to the point they were trying to make. Occasionally this can lead down a slippery slope as the asker tries to salvage the original intention. |
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Could easily lead to a [[Rhetorical Request Blunder]]. Particularly common when dealing with someone who [[Does Not Understand Sarcasm]]. Related to [[Analogy Backfire]]. |
Could easily lead to a [[Rhetorical Request Blunder]]. Particularly common when dealing with someone who [[Does Not Understand Sarcasm]]. Related to [[Analogy Backfire]]. |
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Despite the common use of the phrase when the asker sees this coming, this has nothing to do with [[Don't Answer That]], which is a trope about [[Perp Sweating]]. |
Despite the common use of the phrase when the asker sees this coming, this has nothing to do with [[Don't Answer That]], which is a trope about [[Perp Sweating]]. |
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See [[About Rhetorical Questions]] for why rhetorical questions don't work well on a wiki. |
See [[All The Tropes:About Rhetorical Questions|About Rhetorical Questions]] for why rhetorical questions don't work well on a wiki. |
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{{examples}} |
{{examples}} |
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* In ''[[Bleach]]'': |
* In ''[[Bleach]]'': |
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** 3 Captains of the Gotei 13 "lost" their [[Badass Longcoat|cloak]] during a fight, and have been called up by the Captain Commander [[Badass Grandpa|Yamamoto]] to explain. |
** 3 Captains of the Gotei 13 "lost" their [[Badass Longcoat|cloak]] during a fight, and have been called up by the Captain Commander [[Badass Grandpa|Yamamoto]] to explain. |
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'''Yamamoto''': Shut up, you morons. }} |
'''Yamamoto''': Shut up, you morons. }} |
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== Comic Books == |
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* ''[[Don Rosa]]'' played with the trope in "A Little Something Special". After [[Villain Team-Up|Magica De Spell, Flintheart Glomgold, the Beagle Boys and Blackheart Beagle]] teamed up in a plan to steal Scrooge [[McDuck]]'s fortune and failed, Magica and the Beagles went to South Africa and robbed Flintheart, who asked what he did to deserve that but quickly added a "Don't Answer That" command. |
* ''[[Don Rosa]]'' played with the trope in "A Little Something Special". After [[Villain Team-Up|Magica De Spell, Flintheart Glomgold, the Beagle Boys and Blackheart Beagle]] teamed up in a plan to steal Scrooge [[McDuck]]'s fortune and failed, Magica and the Beagles went to South Africa and robbed Flintheart, who asked what he did to deserve that but quickly added a "Don't Answer That" command. |
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* From ''[[New Avengers]]'': |
* From ''[[New Avengers]]'': |
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'''Reed Richards''': Sorry. I thought he was actually asking. }} |
'''Reed Richards''': Sorry. I thought he was actually asking. }} |
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== Film -- Animated == |
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* ''[[Pocahontas]]'' has one between Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins. For bonus points, Ratcliffe ends his monologue with another rhetorical question. |
* ''[[Pocahontas]]'' has one between Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins. For bonus points, Ratcliffe ends his monologue with another rhetorical question. |
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{{quote|'''Governor Ratcliffe:''' Wiggins, why do you think those insolent heathens attacked us? |
{{quote|'''Governor Ratcliffe:''' Wiggins, why do you think those insolent heathens attacked us? |
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* In Disney's ''[[The Little Mermaid]]'': |
* In Disney's ''[[The Little Mermaid]]'': |
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{{quote|'''Scuttle:''' Have I ever been wrong? (''[[Beat|Pause]]'') I mean when it's ''important''! }} |
{{quote|'''Scuttle:''' Have I ever been wrong? (''[[Beat|Pause]]'') I mean when it's ''important''! }} |
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* From the [[Hilarious Outtakes]] at the end of ''[[A Bug's |
* From the [[Hilarious Outtakes]] at the end of ''[[A Bug's Life]]'': |
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{{quote|'''Hopper:''' Are you saying that I'm stupid? |
{{quote|'''Hopper:''' Are you saying that I'm stupid? |
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'''Princess Atta:''' ''([[Corpsing|bursts out laughing]])'' Yes! }} |
'''Princess Atta:''' ''([[Corpsing|bursts out laughing]])'' Yes! }} |
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== Film -- Live Action == |
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* ''[[Life of Brian]]'' has an extended example: when Reg asks "What have the Romans ever done for us?" the other revolutionaries begin offering examples, eventually leading to: |
* ''[[Life of Brian]]'' has an extended example: when Reg asks "What have the Romans ever done for us?" the other revolutionaries begin offering examples, eventually leading to: |
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{{quote|"All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?" |
{{quote|"All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?" |
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{{quote|'''Steve:''' Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away, what are you? |
{{quote|'''Steve:''' Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away, what are you? |
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'''Tony:''' Genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. }} |
'''Tony:''' Genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. }} |
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* In ''[[Analyze This]]'', mobster Paul Vitti is interrogating a crony while threatening him with a pipe: |
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{{quote|'''Vitti:''' Know what I'm gonna do to you if you if you don't answer me? |
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'''Crony:''' You gonna slug me with that pipe? |
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'''Vitti:''' That was a rhetorical question, moron!!}} |
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== Literature == |
== Literature == |
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* In ''[[The Talisman]]'' by [[Stephen King]], the [[Big Bad]] considers the [[As the Good Book Says...|Bible verse]] "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" He concludes, "It profits him the world." |
* In ''[[The Talisman]]'' by [[Stephen King]], the [[Big Bad]] considers the [[As the Good Book Says...|Bible verse]] "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" He concludes, "It profits him the world." |
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* Several [[Discworld]] examples: |
* Several ''[[Discworld]]'' examples: |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Moving Pictures]]'' has: |
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{{quote|'''Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler:''' Trust me. Have I ever lied to you? |
{{quote|'''Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler:''' Trust me. Have I ever lied to you? |
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'''Bezam Planter:''' Well, one night last month you sold me a sausage in a bun and you said - |
'''Bezam Planter:''' Well, one night last month you sold me a sausage in a bun and you said - |
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'''Throat:''' I was speaking rhetorically. |
'''Throat:''' I was speaking rhetorically. |
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'''Bezam:''' Oh. Well. I dunno about rhetorically. }} |
'''Bezam:''' Oh. Well. I dunno about rhetorically. }} |
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** ''[[ |
** ''[[Moving Pictures]]'' also has the same ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' gag as ''[[Neverwhere]]'' (below), with the troll who asked the question still insisting "Ah, but I would if I had blood. I'd bleed all over the place." |
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** In ''[[ |
** In ''[[Going Postal (Discworld)|Going Postal]]'', Mr. Groat informs Moist von Lipwig that he has to take "The Postman's Walk" if he wants to be accepted as the new Postmaster by [[Brotherhood of Funny Hats|the Order of the Post]]. Moist decides to go through with what he thinks is just a harmless initiation ritual, asking [[Tempting Fate|"What's the worst that could happen?"]] After a bit of thought, Mr. Groat responds "The worst that could happen is you lose all your fingers on one hand, are crippled for life, and break half the bones in your body. Oh, and [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|then they don't let you join.]]" |
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** In ''[[ |
** In ''[[Thud!]]'', Fred Colon comments on the trouble in Koom Valley with the immortal question "[[Waxing Lyrical|War, Nobby, huh. What is it good for?]]" This being Discworld, where rhetorical questions never caught on, Nobby answers the question with things like "Freeing slaves?" and "Protecting yourself from a totalitarian aggressor?" |
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* The undefined-but-clearly-supernatural nature of Messrs Croup and Vandemar in ''[[Neverwhere]]'' is shown when Vandemar sticks a knife through the back of his own hand, doesn't bleed, and shows no pain. Shortly afterward, Mr Croup makes a comment about "[[The Merchant of Venice|Oh, Mr Vandemar, if you cut us, do we not bleed?]]" Vandemar's response is a carefully considered "No." |
* The undefined-but-clearly-supernatural nature of Messrs Croup and Vandemar in ''[[Neverwhere]]'' is shown when Vandemar sticks a knife through the back of his own hand, doesn't bleed, and shows no pain. Shortly afterward, Mr Croup makes a comment about "[[The Merchant of Venice|Oh, Mr Vandemar, if you cut us, do we not bleed?]]" Vandemar's response is a carefully considered "No." |
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* In ''A Civil Campaign'' by Lois McMaster Bujold, Richars Vorrutyer gives a speech with a lengthy list of insulting rhetorical questions. Then someone answers him. |
* In ''A Civil Campaign'' by Lois McMaster Bujold, Richars Vorrutyer gives a speech with a lengthy list of insulting rhetorical questions. Then someone answers him. |
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== Live |
== Live-Action TV == |
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* On ''[[3rd Rock from the Sun]]'', Dick Solomon responds to the question "You think you're the smartest person in the world, don't you?" with "For the thousandth time, ''yes''!" |
* On ''[[3rd Rock from the Sun]]'', Dick Solomon responds to the question "You think you're the smartest person in the world, don't you?" with "For the thousandth time, ''yes''!" |
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* In ''[[Blackadder]] II'', Blackadder shows Baldrick a potato and [[One Dialogue, Two Conversations]] ensues: |
* In ''[[Blackadder]] II'', Blackadder shows Baldrick a potato and [[One Dialogue, Two Conversations]] ensues: |
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'''Molly:''' ''(completely serious)'' Approximately 300. }} |
'''Molly:''' ''(completely serious)'' Approximately 300. }} |
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* When Samantha Carter is introduced in the pilot of ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'', the men in the briefing room are somewhat annoyed that "another scientist"<ref>O'Neill's words</ref> (and a female one, no less) is being foisted on them for the recon mission to Abydos. Maj. Kawalsky condescendingly asks her if she has ever pulled out of a simulated bombing run in an F-16 at eight-plus g's. Carter's response is a [[Blunt Yes]], and Kawalsky has to stop and process that before saying that traveling through the stargate feels worse. |
* When Samantha Carter is introduced in the pilot of ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'', the men in the briefing room are somewhat annoyed that "another scientist"<ref>O'Neill's words</ref> (and a female one, no less) is being foisted on them for the recon mission to Abydos. Maj. Kawalsky condescendingly asks her if she has ever pulled out of a simulated bombing run in an F-16 at eight-plus g's. Carter's response is a [[Blunt Yes]], and Kawalsky has to stop and process that before saying that traveling through the stargate feels worse. |
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== Music == |
== Music == |
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...Don't answer that. }} |
...Don't answer that. }} |
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* [[The Magnetic Fields]]' "Yeah! Oh, Yeah!" |
* [[The Magnetic Fields]]' "Yeah! Oh, Yeah!" |
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{{quote|Are you out of love with me? |
{{quote|''Are you out of love with me? |
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Are you longing to be free? |
''Are you longing to be free? |
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Do I drive you up a tree? |
''Do I drive you up a tree? |
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(Yeah! Oh, yeah!) |
''(Yeah! Oh, yeah!) |
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Do I drive you up the wall? |
''Do I drive you up the wall? |
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Do you dread every phone call? |
''Do you dread every phone call? |
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Can you not stand me at all? |
''Can you not stand me at all? |
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(Yeah! Oh, yeah!) }} |
''(Yeah! Oh, yeah!) }} |
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== [[Newspaper Comics]] == |
== [[Newspaper Comics]] == |
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* [[Garfield]] says this to a mirror in the January 15, 1985 strip when he asks it who the cutest cat of all is and [[Tastes Like Diabetes|Nermal]] walked up soon after. |
* [[Garfield]] says this to a mirror in the January 15, 1985 strip when he asks it who the cutest cat of all is and [[Tastes Like Diabetes|Nermal]] walked up soon after. |
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* In the musical of ''[[Wicked (theatre)|Wicked]]'', Glinda the Good Witch enters in the first song to cheers and halloos. She, smiling, replies "It's good to see me, isn't it?" They all respond, "Yes!" She ([[Stepford Smiler|still smiling]]) answers, "You needn't respond; that was rhetorical." |
* In the musical of ''[[Wicked (theatre)|Wicked]]'', Glinda the Good Witch enters in the first song to cheers and halloos. She, smiling, replies "It's good to see me, isn't it?" They all respond, "Yes!" She ([[Stepford Smiler|still smiling]]) answers, "You needn't respond; that was rhetorical." |
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== Video Games == |
== Video Games == |
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'''Tali:''' Do the krogan talk about starting a stupid war that got your species sterilized? |
'''Tali:''' Do the krogan talk about starting a stupid war that got your species sterilized? |
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'''Wrex:''' All the time. }} |
'''Wrex:''' All the time. }} |
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== Web Comics == |
== Web Comics == |
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'''Vergil Haas''': ...Well, he profits by one entire ''world'', for starters. }} |
'''Vergil Haas''': ...Well, he profits by one entire ''world'', for starters. }} |
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* ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'': Do you have a distinctive impression that [http://egscomics.com/?date=2009-03-06 Abraham didn't care] to hear [[Too Much Information|the answer]] to this question? |
* ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'': Do you have a distinctive impression that [http://egscomics.com/?date=2009-03-06 Abraham didn't care] to hear [[Too Much Information|the answer]] to this question? |
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* ''[[Sinfest]]'': [ |
* ''[[Sinfest]]'': [//www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2010-11-05 Here]: |
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{{quote|'''Percy:''' Is there anything in the world more ''miserable'' than a ''wet cat?'' |
{{quote|'''Percy:''' Is there anything in the world more ''miserable'' than a ''wet cat?'' |
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'''Pooch:''' Ummmm... A frozen penguin? ... A shaved porcupine? Constipated skunk? ... A toothless beaver! }} |
'''Pooch:''' Ummmm... A frozen penguin? ... A shaved porcupine? Constipated skunk? ... A toothless beaver! }} |
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** Implied [ |
** Implied [//www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2012-04-18 here] — "You been living in a cave or something?" is not answered "Yes", but the readers know it's true. |
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* ''[[Bob and George]]'': [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/050421c Anyone want to know why I named him Mega Man X?] |
* ''[[Bob and George]]'': [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/050421c Anyone want to know why I named him Mega Man X?] |
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* ''[[Girl Genius]]'', with [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031229 Agatha and Krosp], when she didn't know who and what he is yet. |
* ''[[Girl Genius]]'', with [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031229 Agatha and Krosp], when she didn't know who and what he is yet. |
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** [https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110919 Othar]. |
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** The Grandmother's errant flyboy [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20171129 here]. And again on the next page. Any rhetorical question with a possible answer including the words "massive firepower" should be retroactively reclassified as [[Tempting Fate]]. |
** The Grandmother's errant flyboy [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20171129 here]. And again on the next page. Any rhetorical question with a possible answer including the words "massive firepower" should be retroactively reclassified as [[Tempting Fate]]. |
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** Gil [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20191218 here]. |
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* ''[[The Last Days of Foxhound]]'': "Do I look like a masochist? [http://www.gigaville.com/comic.php?id=124 Don't answer that.]" |
* ''[[The Last Days of Foxhound]]'': "Do I look like a masochist? [http://www.gigaville.com/comic.php?id=124 Don't answer that.]" |
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* ''[[Spacetrawler]]'', on [http://spacetrawler.com/2011/08/23/spacetrawler-163/ this page]. |
* ''[[Spacetrawler]]'', on [http://spacetrawler.com/2011/08/23/spacetrawler-163/ this page]. |
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'''Schlock''': Oooh! I know this one! "A [[Fake Memories|mind-control]] test-subject who hasn't yet had his head re-examined!" }} |
'''Schlock''': Oooh! I know this one! "A [[Fake Memories|mind-control]] test-subject who hasn't yet had his head re-examined!" }} |
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* ''[[Unshelved]]'' [http://www.unshelved.com/2015-9-26 demonstrates] an easy way to use it. |
* ''[[Unshelved]]'' [http://www.unshelved.com/2015-9-26 demonstrates] an easy way to use it. |
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* ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' had a moment when Lodoze [http://archives.sluggy.com/book.php?chapter=24#2001-07-01 walked right into this one]. |
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== Western Animation == |
== Western Animation == |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:Index Backfire]] |
[[Category:Index Backfire]] |
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[[Category:Dialogue]] |
[[Category:Dialogue]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:03, 20 November 2022
Captain America: Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away, what are you? |
Ah, rhetorical questions. Is there anything they can't do? ...Wait, don't answer that.
A Rhetorical Question Blunder is what happens when a character asks a question that they didn't need an answer to... and then gets an answer anyway. That answer will almost always be contrary to the point they were trying to make. Occasionally this can lead down a slippery slope as the asker tries to salvage the original intention.
Could easily lead to a Rhetorical Request Blunder. Particularly common when dealing with someone who Does Not Understand Sarcasm. Related to Analogy Backfire.
Despite the common use of the phrase when the asker sees this coming, this has nothing to do with Don't Answer That, which is a trope about Perp Sweating.
See About Rhetorical Questions for why rhetorical questions don't work well on a wiki.
Anime and Manga
- In Bleach:
Yamamoto: You fools, what do you think of the Captain's cloak? |
Comic Books
- Don Rosa played with the trope in "A Little Something Special". After Magica De Spell, Flintheart Glomgold, the Beagle Boys and Blackheart Beagle teamed up in a plan to steal Scrooge McDuck's fortune and failed, Magica and the Beagles went to South Africa and robbed Flintheart, who asked what he did to deserve that but quickly added a "Don't Answer That" command.
- From New Avengers:
Namor: When were you going to tell me about this? |
Film
- Pocahontas has one between Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins. For bonus points, Ratcliffe ends his monologue with another rhetorical question.
Governor Ratcliffe: Wiggins, why do you think those insolent heathens attacked us? |
- In Alice in Wonderland, when Alice shrinks back to normal size after calling the Queen out, the Queen rhetorically asks what she was saying and the Cheshire Cat answers. But unlike many other examples, it's likely he knew it was a rhetorical question and he did it for a laugh.
- In Disney's The Little Mermaid:
Scuttle: Have I ever been wrong? (Pause) I mean when it's important! |
- From the Hilarious Outtakes at the end of A Bug's Life:
Hopper: Are you saying that I'm stupid? |
- Life of Brian has an extended example: when Reg asks "What have the Romans ever done for us?" the other revolutionaries begin offering examples, eventually leading to:
"All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?" |
- Time Bandits has the embodiment of Evil thinking aloud:
Evil: That's a good question. Why have I let the Supreme Being keep me here in the Fortress of Ultimate Darkness? |
- Serenity has one such example, where in the midst of an argument between the crew, Mal barks a question at Jayne, who promptly answers, much to throw Mal off of his speechifying track.
Mal: Do you want to run this ship!? |
Holly: I have a request. |
- Hans, being who he is, proceeds to act like a perfect gentleman.
- Errol from Snatch has this problem, with his boss Brick Top just wanting him to be Dumb Muscle. "It was a rhetorical question, Errol. What have I told you about thinking?"
- A rather tragic example from Forrest Gump, when Bubba is dying in Gump's arms.
Bubba: Forrest...why'd this happen? |
- In The Avengers.
Steve: Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away, what are you? |
- In Analyze This, mobster Paul Vitti is interrogating a crony while threatening him with a pipe:
Vitti: Know what I'm gonna do to you if you if you don't answer me? |
Literature
- In The Talisman by Stephen King, the Big Bad considers the Bible verse "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" He concludes, "It profits him the world."
- Several Discworld examples:
- Moving Pictures has:
Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler: Trust me. Have I ever lied to you? |
- Moving Pictures also has the same The Merchant of Venice gag as Neverwhere (below), with the troll who asked the question still insisting "Ah, but I would if I had blood. I'd bleed all over the place."
- In Going Postal, Mr. Groat informs Moist von Lipwig that he has to take "The Postman's Walk" if he wants to be accepted as the new Postmaster by the Order of the Post. Moist decides to go through with what he thinks is just a harmless initiation ritual, asking "What's the worst that could happen?" After a bit of thought, Mr. Groat responds "The worst that could happen is you lose all your fingers on one hand, are crippled for life, and break half the bones in your body. Oh, and then they don't let you join."
- In Thud!, Fred Colon comments on the trouble in Koom Valley with the immortal question "War, Nobby, huh. What is it good for?" This being Discworld, where rhetorical questions never caught on, Nobby answers the question with things like "Freeing slaves?" and "Protecting yourself from a totalitarian aggressor?"
- The undefined-but-clearly-supernatural nature of Messrs Croup and Vandemar in Neverwhere is shown when Vandemar sticks a knife through the back of his own hand, doesn't bleed, and shows no pain. Shortly afterward, Mr Croup makes a comment about "Oh, Mr Vandemar, if you cut us, do we not bleed?" Vandemar's response is a carefully considered "No."
- In A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold, Richars Vorrutyer gives a speech with a lengthy list of insulting rhetorical questions. Then someone answers him.
Live-Action TV
- On 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dick Solomon responds to the question "You think you're the smartest person in the world, don't you?" with "For the thousandth time, yes!"
- In Blackadder II, Blackadder shows Baldrick a potato and One Dialogue, Two Conversations ensues:
Blackadder: I mean, look at this. What is it? |
- This happens in The Big Bang Theory when Raj, Howard, and Sheldon go look up an entomologist to settle a bet:
Professor Crawley: Let me ask you a question. What does an accomplished entomologist with a doctorate and twenty years of experience do when the university cuts all his funding? |
- Sheldon often answers rhetorical questions.
Penny: And what kind of doctor removes feet from asses? |
- In Warehouse 13, Artie is looking at the Warehouse's electrical schematic and muttering to himself.
Artie: For crying out loud. Who designed this thing? |
- One Mark Wary sketch on The Wedge features his manager asking "How could Mark possibly have impregnated three women at the same time?" Mark, sitting next to him, unhelpfully answers "Daylight Savings."
- In How I Met Your Mother, Barney's brother shows the gang pictures of his son.
James: Isn't that adorable? When was the last time you saw a diaper poking out from a Dolce and Gabbana suit? |
- Also Barney once, when he was angsting about finding his father.
Barney (to the girl he's about to climb in bed with) Who's your daddy? |
Mr. Whitmore: How many of us have lost countless productive hours plagued by unwanted sexual thoughts and feelings? |
- And in "Bargaining, Part I":
Xander: (to Willow) Excuse me? Who made you the boss of the group? |
- In "Seeing Red" Buffy is up against a vampire who's putting up a good fight.
Buffy: How hard you gonna hit when you're blowin' in the wind? |
- Played with in "Crush".
Spike: What the bleeding hell is wrong with you bloody women? What the hell does it take? Why do you bitches torture me? |
- Angel gets in on it too, when Cordelia is chastising him for letting a demon get away:
- On Will and Grace, when Grace is getting ready for her rushed wedding to Leo, she and Will have this exchange:
Grace: I'm doing the right thing, right? |
- In Star Trek: The Original Series, Spock sometimes answers rhetorical questions. For example, this exchange from "The Apple," after Spock has risked his life to save Kirk:
Kirk: Trying to get yourself killed. Do you know how much Starfleet has invested in you? |
- Supernatural did one of these in the episode "Bedtime Stories".
Dean: "Dude, could you be more gay? ...Don't answer that." |
- Community—in "Competitive Wine-Tasting" Professor Sheffield, who teaches a class critically analysing Who's The Boss?, opens his first class with the question: "Who was the Boss?" He intends it as a rhetorical question—unfortunately, as Abed ends up conclusively and empirically demonstrating, this particular question has a quite clear and definite answer.
- So the professor moves on to "What was happening?" (a course critically analyzing What's Happening)
- Slings and Arrows has this dialogue exchange (from "Steeped In Blood"), which perfectly typifies the difference in philosophy between Geoffrey and Richard.
Geoffrey: Which would you prefer: an empty house with a great play, or a full house with a piece of garbage? |
- From Monty Python's Flying Circus, the Science Fiction Sketch:
Charles: Will they stop at nothing?! |
- From Dexter:
Debra: I've sat through god knows how many briefings; why am I so fucking nervous? |
- Done in Threshold. Awesomely
Whitaker: (sarcastically) And how many people do you think you can pluck off the streets before people start noticing? |
- When Samantha Carter is introduced in the pilot of Stargate SG-1, the men in the briefing room are somewhat annoyed that "another scientist"[2] (and a female one, no less) is being foisted on them for the recon mission to Abydos. Maj. Kawalsky condescendingly asks her if she has ever pulled out of a simulated bombing run in an F-16 at eight-plus g's. Carter's response is a Blunt Yes, and Kawalsky has to stop and process that before saying that traveling through the stargate feels worse.
Music
- Bowling for Soup's song "No Hablo Ingles", in a verse containing a series of questions:
Do you like my band? |
- The Magnetic Fields' "Yeah! Oh, Yeah!"
Are you out of love with me? |
Newspaper Comics
- Garfield says this to a mirror in the January 15, 1985 strip when he asks it who the cutest cat of all is and Nermal walked up soon after.
Theatre
- In the musical of Wicked, Glinda the Good Witch enters in the first song to cheers and halloos. She, smiling, replies "It's good to see me, isn't it?" They all respond, "Yes!" She (still smiling) answers, "You needn't respond; that was rhetorical."
Video Games
- In Ghost Trick, Bailey the prison guard blunders over his own rhetorical question when he replies to a co-worker implying he's stupid with "What's that supposed to mean?", then explains apropos of nothing that it was just an expression of indignation.
- Done hilariously in Army Men: Sarge's Heroes
Tan Soldier: Colonel Grimm and the Sarge have escaped our forces and captured a blue intelligence officer and...to make matters worse, Sarge found one of our portals. |
- In the first Mass Effect 1 game, Urdnot Wrex has a penchant for these, particularly in his elevator conversations with Tali.
Wrex: So tell me, who would win in a fight between you and Shepard? |
Wrex: Hey, Tali. Your people created the geth, ever talk about it? |
Web Comics
- From A Miracle of Science:
Beatriz Juruna: What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul? |
- El Goonish Shive: Do you have a distinctive impression that Abraham didn't care to hear the answer to this question?
- Sinfest: Here:
Percy: Is there anything in the world more miserable than a wet cat? |
- Implied here — "You been living in a cave or something?" is not answered "Yes", but the readers know it's true.
- Bob and George: Anyone want to know why I named him Mega Man X?
- Girl Genius, with Agatha and Krosp, when she didn't know who and what he is yet.
- Othar.
- The Grandmother's errant flyboy here. And again on the next page. Any rhetorical question with a possible answer including the words "massive firepower" should be retroactively reclassified as Tempting Fate.
- Gil here.
- The Last Days of Foxhound: "Do I look like a masochist? Don't answer that."
- Spacetrawler, on this page.
Nogg: Does failing so many times mean I should give up, or that it's more noble that I keep getting up to get knocked down again? ... That's rhetorical. |
Schlock: That's not how I remember it, Commander. |
- Unshelved demonstrates an easy way to use it.
- Sluggy Freelance had a moment when Lodoze walked right into this one.
Western Animation
- From Clone High:
Mr. Butlertron: What would the real Joan of Arc have done? |
- The Simpsons did it several times.
- In "Homer To The Max":
Bart: This isn't bad! |
- And again in "Dead Putting Society":
Lisa: What is the sound of one hand clapping? |
- And also heavily lampshaded it in "Mother Simpson":
Mona Simpson [sings]: How many roads must a man walk down / Before you can call him a man? |
- In the Flowers for Algernon Syndrome episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, this leads to a Eureka Moment when Patrick figures out why he's suddenly become super-intelligent.
Patrick: When did the fun go away, Spongebob? |
- Used in Total Drama World Tour, when Chris was trying to tell the contestants that one of them would have to ride in the baby carriage as part of their challenge.
Chris: And what's a baby carriage without a baby? |
- Futurama really likes doing this with "is it not" questions:
- "Obsoletely Fabulous has:
Bender: If that stuff wasn't real, how can I be sure anything is real? Is it not possible, nay, probable, that my entire life is just a figment of my or someone else's imagination? |
- The Beast With A Billion Backs has a similar example:
Farnsworth: I know this anomaly is terrifying, but, as scientists, is it not our sworn duty to seek out knowledge, even at the cost of our very lives? |
- "Love's Labours Lost In Space" has this inversion:
Zapp Brannigan: We have failed to uphold Brannigan's Law. However, I made it with a hot alien babe. And, in the end, is that not what man has dreamt of since first he looked up at the stars? [[[Beat]]] Kif, I'm asking you a question! |
- Similar to the Futurama example, the episode Predator of Sealab 2021 has this inverted example:
Stormy: You and I may have to repopulate the human species, Debby! |
- The bit is echoed later in the same episode with Captain Murphy and Dr. Quinn.
- Has happened to Eddy a couple times on Ed, Edd n Eddy.
Eddy: Do I look like twenty bucks or what? |
- Maybe he's learning his lesson; in Ed, Edd, 'n' Eddy's Big Picture Show, Eddy, having gotten stranded in the middle of the desert with his friends, says to Double D, "Have I ever steered you wrong? Don't answer that."
- From the first episode of My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic:
Nightmare Moon: Am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am? |
- Pinkie does it again in "Dragonshy":
Rainbow Dash: Hey! What are you waiting for, an invitation? |
- Sweetie Belle gets in on the act in "Sisterhooves Social":
Rarity: Sweetie Belle, what am I going to do with you?! |
- In one episode of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Boris says something to the effect of "Do I look like the kind of guy who'd lie to you? Don't answer that."
- Also
Boris: What did I ever do to deserve this? |
Fred: Have I ever given you a bum steer? |
- Daffy Duck while flattering a cop in the Looney Tunes short "Hollywood Daffy": "What's Errol Flynn got that you ain't got? [to audience] Don't answer that!"
- Kim Possible:
[during the Christmas Episode] |
- From the Chowder episode "Schnitzel Makes a Deposit":
Old Lady: Would you care for a free lollipop? |
- Phineas and Ferb: "You wanna live forever?" "Was that an option?"
- In the Beetlejuice episode "Poultrygeist," Beetlejuice is tormented by a sentient roast chicken from his refrigerator that has an answer for every question which it writes on a note pad. Lydia has the solution—ask it questions that have no answer.
Lydia: What's the sound of one hand clapping? (Chicken is about to write but is stumped) |
- An episode of Johnny Test where Johnny uses a device to reanimate the corpses of Porkbelly's founding fathers has this exchange:
Lila: Johnny, how many times have your father and I told you not to bring back the dead?! |
- ↑ She actually knows double. Not only did it happen to the character, but the actress had the same thing happen as well.
- ↑ O'Neill's words