History Main / RhetoricalQuestionBlunder

'''[[CardCarryingVillain Jack Horner]]:''' [[KickTheDog Yeah, in the face]], [[CrossesTheLineTwice why?]]

'''Jack Horner:''' I meant ''[[ButForMeItWasTuesday specifically...!]]''

* Defied in ''[[Literature/TheMcAtrixDerided The McAtrix: Derided]], a parody of ''The Matrix'' trilogy, in this bit when the Agent Smith-expy snaps at his partner for interrupting him when he's interrogating the Neo-expy.

Could easily lead to a RhetoricalRequestBlunder. Particularly common when dealing with someone who is SarcasmBlind. Related to AnalogyBackfire and NameOne. Often the answer is a MathematiciansAnswer. Sometimes, when played for drama, the answer can be an ArmorPiercingResponse.

See Administrivia/AboutRhetoricalQuestions for why rhetorical questions don't work well on a wiki. BluntYes is a subtrope.

-> '''Mona Simpson:''' ''[singing]'' How many roads must a man walk down / Before you can call him a man?\\

* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' says this to a mirror in the January 28, 1985 strip when he asks it who the cutest cat of all is, and [[SickeninglySweet Nermal]] walks up soon after.
** [[http://images.ucomics.com/comics/ga/2015/ga150217.gif This]] strip had Garfield doing his usual stand-up routine on the fence and asks the audience if they're feeling good, only for the audience to reply that things could be better, before Garfield angrily tells them that it was a rhetorical question, to which the audience tells him to ask another.

-->'''Andy:''' Roger, you can't [[HelicopterParents spend 24 hours a day hovering over your kids]]! What are you going to do? Quit your job?
-->'''Roger:''' Now there's a thought.
-->'''Andy:''' I was '''kidding''', Roger. '''Kidding'''!

-->'''Paige:''' Those cheerleaders think they're so special. What have they got that we haven't got?
-->'''Nicole:''' Five guys fighting to carry their lunch trays.
-->'''Paige:''' Besides that.
-->'''Nicole:''' Really, really perfect bodies.
-->'''Paige:''' You're not helping, Nicole.
-->'''Nicole:''' I think the one on the left is a concert violinist.

'''Lucy:''' (''enthusiastically'') I will!

'''Chell:''' Is he? ''*pulls out phone to check*''\\
'''Yuki:''' ''*shoves Chell's phone back in her pocket*'' Yes. Yes he is.

* ''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 ([[StepfordSmiler still smiling]]) answers, "You needn't respond; that was rhetorical."

* Done hilariously in ''VideoGame/ArmyMen: 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.
--> '''General Plastro:''' WHAT?
--> '''Tan Soldier:''' Colonel Grimm and Sarge have escaped -
--> '''General Plastro:''' I HEARD YOU! IT WAS A RHETORICAL 'WHAT'! (''punches the soldier out of the building'') Does anyone else have any ''good news'' they'd like to share?
--> '''Tan Soldiers:''' No sir! Nope! Not me! Nothin'!

-->'''Catwoman:''' *sigh* Another one? What's Eddie's problem?\\

--> '''Cortana:''' Could we ''possibly'' make any more noise?
---> ''Chief grabs a missile launcher out of his pod.''
--> '''Cortana:''' ... I guess so.

--->'''Wrex:''' So tell me, who would win in a fight between you and Shepard?
--->'''Tali:''' Do krogan always size up one another for a fight? Even friends and allies?
--->'''Wrex:''' [[BluntYes Yes.]]

--->'''Wrex:''' Hey, Tali. Your people created the geth, ever talk about it?
--->'''Tali:''' Do the krogan talk about starting a stupid war that got your species sterilized?
--->'''Wrex:''' All the time.

* In ''VisualNovel/ShinraiBrokenBeyondDespair'', just after [[PlayerCharacter Raiko]] and Nobara restore power to the resort where they and some of their friends are holding a Halloween party, Mika ambushes them in order to try to scare Raiko.
-->'''Nobara''': Mika! The hell's wrong with ya?!\\
'''Mika''': Not even [[ThirdPersonPerson Mika]] knows, [[VerbalTic akukukuku]]!

-->'''Kil'ruk the Wind-Reaver:''' I have heard of your "heroism," Locust. They say your raids on mogu labor camps and farmlands delayed the completion of the wall by decades. I cannot argue with your results, but how can a proud warrior of the swarm make his name chasing down fleeing peasants and farmhands?
-->'''Ka'roz the Locust:''' Easily: You don't have to leap as far between kills.

* From ''Webcomic/AMiracleOfScience'':
-->'''Beatriz Juruna:''' What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?\\
'''Vergil Haas:''' ...Well, he profits by one entire ''world'', for starters.

* ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'': [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2010-11-05 Here]]:
-->'''Percy:''' Is there anything in the world more ''miserable'' than a ''wet cat?''\\
'''Pooch:''' Ummmm... A frozen penguin? ... A shaved porcupine? Constipated skunk? ... A toothless beaver!
** Implied [[http://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.
* ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'': [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/050421c Anyone want to know why I named him Mega Man X?]]

* ''Webcomic/{{Spacetrawler}}'', on [[http://spacetrawler.com/2011/08/23/spacetrawler-163/ 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.\\
'''Krep:''' Do you ''hear'' me replying?

--> '''Haley:''' Wanna see how many slaves we can sneak out of the palace before dinner?\\

* In ''Webcomic/BetweenFailures'', [[http://betweenfailures.com/comics1/874-stop-lying-to-yourself John commits one when he is trying to tell Thomas about having found a researcher for the team.]] Thomas' immediate reply is pretty good, though.
* In ''Webcomic/ThreeJaguars'', [[http://threejaguarscomic.net/?comic=the-web-comic-page-1 Artist asks Business Manager if she knows how long it takes to draw a comic. She retorts 60 to 75 minutes.]]
* In ''Webcomic/CaptainSNES'', [[http://www.captainsnes.com/2013/04/19/816-rhetoric-and-substance/ Golbez asks Samus a rhetorical question, which she gives an honest answer to ("It was a question with an answer.")]] When Golbez asks a follow-up rhetorical question, clearly believing Samus's answer to be impractical, Samus has an answer ''yet again'', to Golbez's utter frustration.
* In the ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' story "KITTEN", Max spends most of a large comic near the beginning explaining to the audience who the characters are, providing an excuse to introduce some of Zoe's college friends to the reader for the first time. At the end, this turns out to be his answer to another character's question "Who the hell do you kids think you are?"
* ''Webcomic/{{XKCD}}'' uses one [[http://xkcd.com/1170/ here]] in the JumpOffABridgeRebuttal, asking whether it's more likely all of his friends have gone insane or the bridge is on fire.
* Sara Peterson of ''Webcomic/NobodyScores'' gets one [[http://nobodyscores.loosenutstudio.com/index.php?id=454 here]]
--> '''Sara:''' Do you feel safer with like Lex Luthor having a million dollars - or with that cool million resting in the bank account of '''THIS GIRL RIGHT HERE'''?\\
([[{{Beat}} Her roomates consider.]])\\
'''Sara:''' Fuck you lack-of-support-motherfuckers
* Inverted in ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'': During a mission, Sigrun seems to be asking Emil if Lalli looks scared to reassure him after he freaks out. It quickly turns out that she's really asking because she can't read Lalli as well as Emil can.

-->'''Jiang Wei:''' What did Zhuge Liang ever do to you?
-->'''Wei Yan:''' Is that a serious question? He literally sent me into a minefield two chapters ago.

* ''WebVideo/FriendshipIsWitchcraft'': When Sweetie Belle accidentally activates Rarity's one-use, self hugging sweater, this exchange occurs;
---->'''Rarity:''' Oh, now who is going to hug me?\\
''[{{Beat}}]''\\
'''Sweetie Bot:''' [[AC:Sweetie Belle!]]

-->'''Question:''' How would you like to win fifty thousand pounds?
-->'''Answer:''' By ''not'' entering your contest?
* Website/YouTube [[LetsPlay Let's-Player]] [[LetsPlay/HCBailly HCBailly]] often jokingly asks [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] questions where the first answer to jump into most viewers' heads is often X-rated, and immediately follows up with "''Don't answer that, viewers.''" to discourage them from posting the naughty answers in the comments.

* From ''WebVideo/PlayStationAccess'':
-->'''[[VideoGame/FarCry3 Vaas Montenegro]]:''' Did I ever tell you the definition of insanity?\\
'''Rob Pearsen:''' Actually, Vaas, I've got the ''real'' definition of insanity right here. (''indicates an Oxford English Dictionary'')
* In WebVideo/ScottTheWoz's video on [[UsefulNotes/{{E3}} E3 2021]], Scott highlights the problem with Microsoft[=/=]Bethesda's showcases not having gameplay previews to back up their new titles announcements, asking, "Raise your hand if you remember the name of the new game by Avalanche announced in this press conference." Cue someone raising their hand right in front of Scott, much to his dismay.
-->'''Scott:''' Come on, I was trying to make a point!

%% Image and caption selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1327091452026545000
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* Creator/DonRosa played with the trope in "A Little Something Special". After [[VillainTeamUp 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.

-->'''Jameson:''' Ben, if you paid whatever this paper costs every morning to sit down and read it with the morning cup of joe, would you be interested in a story about some creature that lives in the sewer?
-->'''Urich:''' [[BluntYes Yes]].

* In Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{The Little Mermaid|1989}}'':
-->'''Scuttle:''' Have I ever been wrong? (''[[{{Beat}} Pause]]'') I mean when it's ''important''!
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}'' has one between Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins. For bonus points, Ratcliffe ends his monologue with another rhetorical question.
** Double bonus points when (if you read the ending credits) you realise Ratcliffe and Wiggins are voiced by the same person.
--->'''Governor Ratcliffe:''' Wiggins, why do you think those insolent heathens attacked us?\\
'''Wiggins:''' Because we invaded their land and cut down their trees and dug up their earth?\\
'''Governor Ratcliffe:''' It's the gold! They have it and they don't want us to take it from them. Well, I'll just have to take it by force then, won't I?

* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda1''. Shifu asks who could possibly be worthy of having the Dragon Scroll, the key to limitless power!!! There's a long 15-second pause, then Master Oogway says, "''I'' don't know."
* Twice in the ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameII''. Pheobus asks two of these to his SilentSnarker horse Achilles.
** First when Phoebus is getting reports on robberies involving the Circus
--->'''Phoebus:''' A string of robberies begins the moment a circus comes to town. Coincidence? ''I don't think so.'' How many times have I ever been wrong?\\
'''Achilles''' [''counts on his hoof *Tap. *Tap* *Tap*'']\\
'''Phoebus:''' Achilles, that was a rhetorical question.
** The second time he reports that the circus is responsible for robberies, which does not delight Quasi or his family (Quasi due to being romantically in love with Madellaine, Esmeralda due to believing that Phoebus still holds prejudice views towards gypsies, and their son Zephyr due to admiring the circus), and they all angrily leave.
-->'''Phoebus:''' Achilles, do you believe this? ''Everybody'' is mad at me! How often does ''that'' happen?\\
'''Achilles:''' [''counts on his hoof *Tap*. *Tap* *Tap*'']\\
'''Phoebus:''' ''Rhetorical!''
* In ''WesternAnimation/IceAgeDawnOfTheDinosaurs'', when Sid is on the playground that Manny built for his yet unborn child.
-->'''Manny:''' I don't want you touching anything. This place is for kids. Are you a kid?\\
'''Sid:''' Uh--\\
'''Manny:''' Don't answer that!
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheBookOfLife'', when Joaquin rides in to confront Chakal the Bandit King.
-->'''Joaquin:''' Hey, Chakal! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?\\
(''Overhead shot showing Chakal [[LargeAndInCharge towering over his mooks]], and pretty much every other character'')\\
'''Bystander:''' 'Cause no-one's that big, man!

'''Scar:''' [''gives a SlasherSmile''] ''Precisely.''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'' after Kuzco fires Yzma for trying to rule behind his back.
-->'''Kuzco:''' Sooooo, who's in my chair?\\
'''[[TheDitz Kronk]]:''' Oh, oh! I know! Yzma. Yzma's in your chair, right?\\
'''Kuzco:''' Very good, Kronk! Here. Get the snack.
* ''WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatiansIIPatchsLondonAdventure'': When Lars learns Cruella wants to turn the puppies into canvases for his artwork, he asks her and her henchmen how they can do something like that. [[LiteralMinded Each bad guy gives a suggestion]].
-->'''Jasper:''' Poison them.\\
'''Horace:''' Drown them.\\
'''Cruella:''' Bash them in the head!

--->'''Marty:''' (while Alex [[MeatOVision sees him, Gloria, Melman, and the lemurs as steaks]]) Come on, do I look like a steak to you?\\

'''Alex:''' (''hungrily'') Oh yeah.

-->'''Lampwick:''' Where does [''Jiminy''] get that stuff? "How do you ever expect to be a real boy?" [''face turns into a donkey''] [[ObliviousTransformation What does he think I look like? A jackass?]]\\
'''Pinocchio:''' [''amused''] You sure do!

-->'''Bubba:''' Forrest...why'd this happen?
-->'''Forrest:''' You got shot.

'''Mal:''' ''[thrown]'' ...[[LameComeback Well, you can't.]]

* From ''[[Film/TheNakedGun Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult]],'' Jane catches Frank in a rather compromising position with Tanya.
-->'''Jane:''' How could you!
-->'''Tanya:''' Well, you just shove your tongue as far down his throat as you can.
* Film/YoungFrankenstein:
-->'''Elizabeth:''' Would you want me like this, now, so soon before our wedding?
-->'''Froderick:''' ...''[[BluntYes Yes]]''!
* ''Film/CrocodileDundee'', especially after Mick got a taste of using his hunting stories to mess with people.
--> Jeez, Mick, were you born in a cave?
--> Yeah! How did you know that?
--> ... Never mind.
** Or,
--> Are you involved in cattle?
--> Yeah. mostly buffaloes.
--> Oh. do you breed them?
--> No, just toss 'em.
--> And how are you finding New York? Bit of a lunatic asylum, eh?
--> That's why I love it. I fit right in.
* In ''Film/AnalyzeThis'', 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?
-->'''Crony:''' You gonna slug me with that pipe?
-->'''Vitti:''' That was a rhetorical question, moron!!
* After discovering how to build a durable shelter to survive on the planet where they're both marooned, Lt. Davidge of ''Film/EnemyMine'' sits down and proudly asks "Jerry, ol' buddy, where would you be without me?" Jerry, an alien who doesn't yet grasp the concept of rhetorical questions (and is stuck on this planet because he and Davidge shot each other's ships down), just answers honestly:
--> ''"Back home."''
* ''Film/{{MASH}}'', after Hawkeye meets Major Houlihan, where they develop a deep and abiding contempt for each other:
-->'''Houlihan:''' I wonder how a degenerated person like that could have reached a position of responsibility in the Army Medical Corps!
-->'''Mulcahy:''' He was drafted.
** {{Justified|Trope}} in the sense that Mulcahy's response, while it is a literal response to Houlihan's question, is also making a larger point (reminding Houlihan that Hawkeye didn't exactly ''ask'' for the position, and would probably just as soon not have it).[[labelnote:Fun Fact]]This line was actually improvised by René Auberjonois during a read-through; the director liked it and [[ThrowItIn told him to keep it]].[[/labelnote]]
* A back-to-back pair of particularly dark examples in ''Film/FullMetalJacket'' when Joker is riding in a helicopter with a psychotic door gunner:
-->'''Door Gunner:''' Git some! Git some! Git some, yeah, yeah, yeah! Anyone who runs is a VC. Anyone who stands still is a well-disciplined VC! You should do a story about me sometime!
-->'''Joker:''' Why should we do a story about you?
-->'''Door Gunner:''' 'Cause I'm so fucking good! That ain't no shit neither. I done got me 157 dead Gooks killed and fifty water buffalo too! Them are all certified.
-->'''Joker:''' Any women or children?
-->'''Door Gunner:''' Sometimes!
-->'''Joker:''' How can you shoot women and children?
-->'''Door Gunner:''' [[AxCrazy Easy! You just don't lead 'em so much!]] Ha ha! Ain't war hell?
* ''[[Film/{{Scream 1996}} Scream]]'', when everyone's in shock from Casey and Steve's deaths:
-->'''Sidney:''' How do you gut someone?\\
'''Stuart:''' You take a knife a cut them from groin to sternum.
* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse''
** In ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', the AI in Nick Fury's car is a little too LiteralMinded. In the middle of an attack, Fury keeps asking it to do things, and it keeps responding that the relevant equipment is damaged. Finally:
--->'''Fury:''' What's ''not'' damaged?\\
'''Car A.I.:''' Air conditioning is fully operational.
** In ''Film/TheAvengers2012''.
---> '''Steve:''' Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away, what are you?\\
'''Tony:''' Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.
** Thor also interrupts Loki's MotiveRant with the question "You think yourself above [humans]?" Loki's response is a confused "[[BluntYes Well, yes]]" as though that's obvious.
** ''Film/BlackPanther2018'': When Ross sees Klaue with his bodyguards, he snarks that they look like a boy band, and asks when their next single is coming out. Klaue eagerly says that they finished it recently, and offers him a link to the file.
--->'''Ross:''' Please don't make me listen to your music.
** In ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', when Hulk is trashing his living quarters and throws a shield at Thor:
--->'''Thor:''' What are you, crazy?!\\
'''Hulk:''' YES!
** During the escape from Asgard in ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'', when Loki appears to be flying their ship [[RidiculouslyDifficultRoute into the side of a mountain]]:
--->'''Thor:''' Are you mad?!
--->'''Loki:''' Possibly.
* ''Film/ChittyChittyBangBang'':
-->'''First Spy:''' Now, then. Where are we?\\
'''Second Spy:''' I have here a map!\\
'''First Spy:''' I know ''where'' we are, stupid! We are in England. And when we are in England, what do we do?\\
'''Second Spy:''' We play cricket.\\
'''First Spy:''' "We play cricket." No! We dress like Englishmen!
* ''Film/TheForceAwakens'':
--> '''Han Solo:''' Boys, you're both gonna get what I promised. Have I ever not delivered for you before?\\
'''Bala-Tik:''' Yeah!\\
'''Tasu Leech:''' Twice!\\
'''Han Solo:''' .... [[NoodleIncident What was the second time]]?
* ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRockyAndBullwinkle'', after Fearless Leader learns that Moose and Squirrel have followed them to the real world.
-->'''Fearless Leader:''' How many times in the past have they stood between me and my dreams of glory? How many times have they foiled my plans with their bungling interference?\\
'''Boris:''' Er... 28?\\
'''Fearless Leader:''' Quiet, idiot!
* A lethal version in ''Film/{{Commando}}''. Matrix has burst into his daughter's room only to find a goon, Diaz, making it clear [[IHaveYourWife they have her hostage]].
-->'''Diaz:''' If you want your daughter back you'd better cooperate, right?
-->'''Matrix:''' Wrong. ''(BoomHeadshot)''
* ''Film/IRobot'': Del Spooner tries to define the difference between humans and robots:
-->'''Spooner:''' You are a clever ''imitation'' of life. Can a robot write a symphony? Can a robot take a blank canvas and turn it into a masterpiece?\\
'''Sonny:''' Can you?
* In ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020'', after Sonic takes out one of Robotnik's vehicles, he rhetorically asks if Robotnik's got anything else. He actually does.
-->'''Sonic:''' Ho-ho! Is that all you've got? ''[speeds back into Tom's truck]''\\
'''Robotnik:''' ''[behind a control panel]'' [[SicEm No, but thank you for asking.]] ''[launches a second, detachable vehicle from the bottom of the larger vehicle's chassis, which immediately races after the duo]''\\
'''Sonic:''' Uh-oh.
* ''Film/TheMule'': When Earl arrives at Laton's mansion, he is deeply impressed and jokingly asks who Laton killed for it. 
--> '''Laton:''' Many, many people.

-->'''Viper:''' In case some of you wonder who the best is, they're up here on this plaque on the wall. The best driver and his RIO from each class has his name on it. And they have the option to come back here to be TOPGUN instructors. [[DareToBeBadass You think your name's gonna be on that plaque]]?
-->'''Maverick:''' (''confidently'') Yes, sir.
-->'''Viper:''' That's pretty arrogant, considering the company you're in.
-->'''Maverick:''' Yes, sir.
-->'''Viper:''' (''slightly smirking'') I like that in a pilot.

--> "You made a good speech, but I'll never vote for you because I'm a Republican." \\

"Because my father was a Republican, and so was his father before him." \\
"That's not a very logical reason. What if your father and your grandfather were both horse thieves? Then what would you be?" \\

* In ''Literature/TheTalisman'' by Creator/StephenKing, the BigBad considers the [[AsTheGoodBookSays 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 ''Literature/JohannesCabalTheNecromancer'', Cabal wonders, probably not expecting an answer, why his brother's similes were always sexual, noting that it always bothered him. His brother Horst tells him he's answered his own question.

* In the Literature/VorkosiganSaga by Lois [=McMaster=] Bujold:
** At the end of ''Warrior's Apprentice'' Count Vordrozda asks the Council of Counts "If Lord Vorkosigan is so innocent, why is he not here?". At which point Miles makes his entrance. Lampshaded by Ivan, also waiting on the far side of the door without Vordrozda's knowledge, who observes to Miles that they won't get a better straight line if they wait all day.
** ''A Civil Campaign'': Richars Vorrutyer gives a speech with a lengthy list of insulting rhetorical questions. Then someone answers him.
** ''Diplomatic Immunity'': An annoyed Miles asks a rhetorical question about the lack of forensic thinking by the authorities on both sides of his current mystery. His [[BattleButler batman]] (an ex-policeman) starts to answer, then stops and says "Was that a question, m'lord?". Miles replies "A rhetorical one, but do you have an answer?". In fact he has a very good one.
* In ''[[Literature/TheWarGods The War God's Own]],'' Halashu asks who would be fool enough to claim that Bahzell Bahnakson is a Champion of Tomanak. Cue the War God appearing to say: "''I'' would."
* In the ''Franchise/WarcraftExpandedUniverse'' novel ''Literature/TidesOfWar'', Garrosh falls into these when [[DeadpanSnarker Hamuul]] is concerned.
-->'''Garrosh:''' Does this look like the green skin of Thrall?
-->'''Hamuul:''' No, [[GeneralRipper Warchief]]. No one would ever mistake [[ReplacementScrappy you]] for [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Thrall]].
** Hamuul does it again regarding Garrosh's apparently unwise delay in the attack on Theramore.
-->'''Garrosh:''' And now, can you tell me what my decision to wait has brought us?
-->'''Hamuul:''' Defeat?

-->Well, he wasn't going to let it get him down any more. He wasn't going to let it stand in his way. He was dead, there was no use bleating about it. Was that a reason to quit? Did Napoleon quit when he was dead? Did Julius Caesar quit when he was dead?
-->
-->Well... yes.
* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', Harry derails a Fey Queen's attempt to seduce him by reminding her that [[spoiler:he killed her cousin]].
--> '''[[TheVamp Maeve]]:''' Tell me, mortal. When was the last time flesh, new and strange to your hand, lay quivering beneath you, hmm? When was the last time you could taste and feel some little lovely's cries?
--> '''Harry:''' Technically? [[spoiler:[[MoodWhiplash When I killed Aurora]]]].
** Harry falls into this trap [[Literature/PeaceTalks later]], when visiting a Svartalf compound in a bit of a hurry, and asks if it would kill them to skip the security procedures just once. The guard looks at him like he's an idiot and calmly answers that, yes, letting someone who doesn't know the procedure for getting in could get him and everyone inside killed. That's why there is a procedure for getting in.

* In the Young Adult science fiction book ''Illuminae'', Ezra is undergoing a physcologial evalutaion before he can become a fighter pilot, something necessitated by the recent destruction of his home colony via BeiTech. Not very impressed with the interviewer, he snarkily asks if the real psychologist died and he's talking to a medical intern or something. Given how many people just got killed? Yup.
* In the Franchise/StarWarsLegends novel [[Literature/XWingSeries Wraith Squadron]], Grinder and Tyria get into a fistfight after the former accidentally presses the latter’s BerserkButton, only to be interrupted by [[TheCaptain Wedge Antilles]] walking in. [[TheMedic Phanon]] tries to brush off the fight as “demonstrating the finer points of a hand-to-hand technique”, but Wedge, visibly irritated, is having none of it.
-->'''Wedge:''' [[NeverHeardThatOneBefore How many times in my career do you suppose I’ve heard the “we were just discussing a boxing maneuver” excuse?]]
-->'''Phanon:''' I... don’t know, sir.
-->'''Wedge:''' That was a rhetorical question, Flight Officer Phanon. ''Do not re-enter this conversation''.

--> ''Do you like my band?''
--> ...Don't answer that.
* Music/TheMagneticFields' "Yeah! Oh Yeah!" is entirely this.
-->'''Her:''' Are you out of love with me?
--->Are you longing to be free?
--->Do I drive you up a tree?
-->'''Him:''' Yeah! Oh, yeah!

* Music/ProfessorElemental's "You Remind Me Of A Car" has the rapper do this to himself:
--> "Look at you, looking at me,\\
Looking back at you, what do you see?\\
Well, me, obviously, [[LameComeback That's been established]]\\
[[{{Metaphorgotten}} I'm all on you like Orange on a Carrot...]]"

Do you think that I'm kiddin'? What do I look like, some kinda idi - \\
- wait a minute. Shit. Don't answer that.

* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda''. Shifu asks who could possibly be worthy of having the Dragon Scroll, the key to limitless power!!! There's a long 15-second pause, then Master Oogway says, "''I'' don't know."

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'':

* In one issue of ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', Morpheus grants a 14th-century peasant immortality to see how he'll adapt to it, and the man agrees to meet Morpheus again in a pub 100 years later. When they see each other again in 1489, the man raves about all of the exciting technological advances that he's seen in the last century (including chimneys, playing cards and... handkerchiefs) and Morpheus sarcastically remarks, "Most impressive. What ''will'' you people think of next?" Not realizing that he's mocking him, the man responds "Something to get rid of fleas, with any luck..."

-->'''Andy:''' Roger, you can't [[OverprotectiveDad spend 24 hours a day hovering over your kids]]! What are you going to do? Quit your job?

* ''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 ([[StepfordSmiler still smiling]]) answers, "You needn't respond; that was rhetorical."

* In the videogame version of ''Disney/MeetTheRobinsons'', after Wilbur successfully steals his dad's time machine, he quips, "Is there anything Wilbur Robinson can't do?", to which his robotic friend Carl replies, "Well, there's clean your room, be on time, put your clothes away..." Carl [[OverlyLongGag continues listing things]] even after Wilbur has left.

* ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'' has [[BigBad Jack Horner]] pull this on himself shortly before his death.
-->'''Jack Horner:''' [[ThisCannotBe What did I do to deserve this?!]]\\

'''[[CardCarryingVillain Jack Horner]]:''' I meant ''[[ButForMeItWasTuesday specifically...!]]''
** Another instance happens earlier between the Ethical Bug and Horner when the latter has Perrito as a hostage and threatens to shoot him with a unicorn horn:
-->'''EB:''' You’re not gonna shoot a puppy, are ya, Jack?\\
'''Jack Horner:''' [[KickTheDog Yeah, in the face]][[CrossesTheLineTwice , why?]]

—->'''EB:''' You’re not gonna shoot a puppy, are ya, Jack?\\
'''Jack Horner:''' [[KickTheDog Yeah, in the face]][[CrossesTheLineTwice, why?]]

'''Jack Horner:''' [[KickTheDog Yeah, in the face]][[CrossesTheLineTwice , why?]]
* ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale'': When Oscar assures Lenny that the accident that killed his brother wasn't his fault, we get this exchange:

* A political candidate[[note]]Insert your own AcceptablePoliticalTargets to taste[[/note]] meets a voter who says:

* ''Series/TheMuppetShow'': In the Lola Falana episode:
-->'''Kermit:''' Gonzo! Have you no dignity?\\
'''Gonzo:''' Of course not! How long have we worked together?

* Happens in ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot''

* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', 3 Captains of the Gotei 13 "lost" their [[BadassLongcoat cloak]] during a fight, and have been called up by the Captain Commander [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking Yamamoto]] to explain.

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'':
-->'''Mallory:''' So if Crane really is behind all these accidents, the question is how do we catch him?\\
'''Cyril:''' Oh, you're asking me. Sorry. I thought that was rhetorical.\\
'''Mallory:''' Why would I be asking rhetorical questions?\\
'''Cyril:''' Bec-\\
'''Mallory:''' That one was!
* From ''WesternAnimation/CloneHigh'':
--> '''Mr. Butlertron:''' [[WhatWouldXDo What would the real Joan of Arc have done?]]\\
'''Joan:''' She would have listened to her heart. [[AnalogyBackfire And then she would've gotten burned at the stake.]] ''[nervous laugh]'' But what are the odds of that happening again?\\
'''Mr. Butlertron:''' 38%.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' did it several times.
** In "Homer to the Max":
--->'''Bart:''' This isn't bad!\\
'''Homer:''' "Isn't bad"? Tell me one thing mankind has ever done that's any better?\\
'''Lisa:''' The Renaissance?\\
'''Homer:''' This is better!
** And again in "Dead Putting Society":
--->'''Lisa:''' [[{{Koan}} What is the sound of one hand clapping?]]\\
'''Bart:''' Piece of cake. [clenches his hand so the fingers slap against the palm]\\
'''Lisa:''' No, Bart, it's a 3000-year-old riddle with no answer. It's supposed to clear your mind of conscious thought.\\
'''Bart:''' No answer? Lisa, listen up! [clenches his hand again]
** And also heavily {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in "Mother Simpson", as seen in the page quote.
** In "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder", when Homer is pulled over for speeding:
--->'''Chief Wiggum:''' All right, smart guy. Where's the fire?\\
'''Homer:''' Over there. (''points to the Springfield Police Station building on fire'')\\
'''Wiggum:''' Okay, you just bought yourself a 3-17: pointing out police stupidity. [[PoliceCodeForEverything Or is that a 3-14? Nah, nah. 3-14 is a dog, uh- No. Or is that a 3-15?]] You're in trouble, pal!
** "Homer the Vigilante", where Homer starts a neighborhood watch group.
--->'''Lisa:''' Dad, don't you see that you're abusing your power like all vigilantes? I mean, if you're the police, [[WhoWatchesTheWatchmen who will police the police?]]\\
'''Homer:''' I dunno. Coast Guard?
** Rainier Wolfcastle is interviewed about his ''[=McBain=]'' movie by [[WesternAnimation/TheCritic Jay Sherman]].
--->'''Jay:''' How do you sleep at night?\\
'''Rainier:''' On top of a pile of money, with many beautiful ladies.\\
'''Jay:''' Just asking. Yeesh!
** A couple women are complimenting Barney Gumble's short film when the man himself thanks them.
--->'''Woman:''' Did something crawl into your mouth and die?\\
'''Barney:''' It didn't die.
** The epilogue of "Simpsorama" with [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Lrrr and Ndnd]]:
--->'''Ndnd:''' What happened to the handsome man I married?\\
'''Lrrr:''' I ate him. Remember?
** The occasional RunningGag involving a member of the family trying to make Marge understand why her actions are annoying them by describing an equivalent action on their part that [[AnalogyBackfire she'd love to have them do]] (with the roles reversed at least once when Marge asked Homer, who'd blundered into success in one of her own areas of expertise, how he'd like it if she entered a belching contest: "Frankly, I'd be a little turned on.")
--->'''Bart:''' Look, Mom, it feels really weird having you on my turf. How would you feel if I started mopping the floor?
--->'''Marge:''' I'd be thrilled! You can start right now!
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'':
** In "SB-129", Squidward ends up in prehistoric times and teaches [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's ancestors about jellyfishing so they won't bother him. When he returns to the present:
--->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Does this mean you wanna go...\\
'''[=SpongeBob=] and Patrick:''' ...Jellyfishing?\\
'''Squidward:''' No! D'oh! Who's the barnacle head who invented that game, anyway?\\
'''[=SpongeBob=] and Patrick:''' ''You are'', Squidward! ''[laugh]''\\
'''Squidward:''' I'm going back.
** In "Wet Painters", when [=SpongeBob=] puts a drop of paint on a wall of Mr. Krabs' house and attempts to use a hairdryer to direct it away from his knick-knacks, only to create a giant bubble:
--->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Barnacles! What could be worse than a giant paint bubble?\\
'''[[TooDumbToLive Patrick:]]''' Oh, I know! ''[grabs a bubble wand, dips it in a paint bucket and makes another bubble]'' ''Two'' giant paint bubbles!\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' [[BigNo Nooooo]]!\\
''*The two bubbles combine to form a bigger bubble*''\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Patrick?\\
'''Patrick:''' Yeah, [=SpongeBob=]?\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' I don't think this bubble can get much bigger...\\
'''Patrick:''' ''[an air pump inserted into the bubble]'' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Nonsense!]] ''[starts pumping it until it explodes]''
** In "Patrick [=SmartPants=]," this leads to a EurekaMoment when Patrick figures out why he's suddenly become super-intelligent.
--->'''Patrick:''' When did the fun go away, [=SpongeBob=]?\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' It went away when you went over that cliff and your head came clean off.
** In "Growth Spout," Mr. Krabs is trying to convince Squidward not to call the cops on him for [[ItMakesSenseInContext breaking into his house and stealing all his food]]. Squidward snarks, "You'll what? You'll give me your [[GoldTooth golden tooth?]]" Mr. Krabs yanks the sucker out and gives it to Squidward right then and there.
--->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' I didn't know Mr. Krabs ''had'' a gold tooth.\\
'''Squidward:''' Neither did I.
* Used in ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama 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''?\\
'''Owen:''' Oooh! [[ComicallyMissingThePoint A SHOPPING CART!]]\\
'''Chris:''' It was a rhetorical question!
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' [[SignatureStyle 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? [[CuckooNest Is it not possible, nay, probable, that my entire life is just a figment of my or]] [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall someone else's]] [[CuckooNest imagination?]]\\
'''Technician:''' [[DefiedTrope No. Get out.]]
** ''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?\\
'''Stephen Hawking's head:''' No.
** "Love's Labours Lost In Space" has this [[InvertedTrope 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!
* The episode "Predator" of ''WesternAnimation/{{Sealab 2021}}'' has this inverted example:
--> '''Stormy:''' You and I may have to repopulate the human species, Debby!
-->'''Debby:''' That's disgusting!
-->'''Stormy:''' (flirtingly) Is it? ...[beat]… (seriously) Well is it?
-->'''Debby:''' YES!
** The bit is echoed later in the same episode with Captain Murphy and Dr. Quinn.
* Has happened a couple times on ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy''.
-->'''Eddy:''' Do I look like twenty bucks or what?\\
'''Edd:''' "Or what?" is a good question...\\
\\
'''Eddy:''' I was born to fleece, Double D! Do you know who I think I am?\\
'''Edd:''' Unfortunately, yes.\\
\\
'''Eddy:''' Oh? A Smart guy huh?\\
'''Edd:''' Only when ''you're'' around, Eddy.\\
\\
'''Eddy:''' What could be more important than Master Eddy?\\
'''Ed:''' COOKIE DOUGH!! Yum-yum-yum-yum-yum-yum-yum-yum!\\
\\
'''Eddy:''' What would we do without you, Double D?\\
'''Ed:''' Live the life of Riley?.\\
\\
'''Eddy:''' Will you ever cease to amaze me, Ed?\\
'''Ed:''' Yes I will!\\
\\
'''Edd:''' Ed! What in heaven's name were you thinking?!\\
'''Ed:''' Absolutely nothing, Double D.
** Maybe he's learning his lesson: in TheMovie, 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."
* ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'':
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends'': In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyAndFriendsE4TheEndOfFlutterValley4 The End of Flutter Valley, Part 4]]", when Sting voices concerns about the swarm's increasingly villainous activities when Queen Bumble orders him to guard Morning Glory, she asks him whether he wishes to remain her right hand or not. He starts answering that he's not actually too sure about that, but an angry Bumble cuts him short and orders him to just go guard the prisoner already.
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
*** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E1MareInTheMoon Friendship is Magic, part 1]]", Nightmare Moon's demand for recognition backfires when [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Pinkie Pie]] treats it as guessing game.
---->'''Nightmare Moon:''' Am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?\\
'''Pinkie Pie:''' Ooh, ooh, more guessing games! Um, Hokey Smokes? How 'bout... Queen Meanie? No, Black Snooty! Black Snooty!\\
''[Applejack tries to shut Pinkie up by stuffing a cupcake in her mouth]''
*** Pinkie does it again in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E7Dragonshy Dragonshy]]":
---->'''Rainbow Dash:''' Hey! What are you waiting for, an invitation?\\
'''Pinkie Pie:''' Ooh, I think I have one in my bag!
*** Sweetie Belle gets in on the act in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E5SisterhoovesSocial Sisterhooves Social]]":
---->'''Rarity:''' Sweetie Belle, what ''am'' I going to do with you?!\\
'''Sweetie Belle:''' Oh, we could paint together! We could ride bikes, play chess, sing a song, catch frogs, pillow fight...\\
'''Rarity:''' That's ''not'' what I meant!
* ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'':
** In one episode, 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?\\
'''Natasha:''' Well...\\
'''Boris:''' Don't answer that.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'':
-->'''Fred:''' Barney, my boy, did I ever give you a bum steer?\\
'''Barney:''' Well...\\
'''Fred:''' ''[covering Barney's mouth]'' Don't answer that, Barney!
** In another episode, after Wilma [[BedtimeBrainwashing sleep-hypnotizes]] Fred into being more assertive, he confronts Mr. Slate in his office and asks questions like "Have I ever let you down?", "Have I ever screwed up on the job?", etc. Slate [[BluntYes answers "yes" to each question]]. (Despite that, he's sufficiently intimidated by Fred's new attitude to give in when he demands a raise.)
* WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck while flattering a cop in the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short "Hollywood Daffy": "What's Errol Flynn got that you ain't got? ''[[[AsideGlance to audience]]]'' Don't answer that!"[[note]]As the Looney Tunes Radar page points out, the answer Daffy doesn't want is "A statutory rape charge"[[/note]]
** In "WesternAnimation/KittyKornered", after Sylvester and his fellow cats have been put out on a freezing-cold night:
--->'''Sylvester:''' Are we men, or are we mice?\\
'''[[TheRuntAtTheEnd Small Cat]]:''' I like cheese...\\
'''Sylvester:''' (''{{dope slap}}s the small cat'') [[SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud Smack!]]
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'':
** From [[ChristmasEpisode "A Very Possible Christmas]]:
--->'''Ron:''' What? I'm supposed to let you take over the world? \\
'''Drakken:''' In the spirit of the season, yes!
** From [[VillainTeamUp "A Sitch in Time"]]:
--->'''Monkey Fist:''' Can you two buffoons take this outside?\\
'''Killigan:''' At thirty thousand feet?\\
'''Monkey Fist:''' [[BluntYes Precisely.]]
* From the ''WesternAnimation/{{Chowder}}'' episode "Schnitzel Makes a Deposit":
-->'''Old Lady:''' Would you care for a free lollipop?\\
'''Chowder:''' Would I?!\\
'''Old Lady:''' Would you?\\
'''Chowder:''' Would I?!\\
'''Old Lady:''' [[OverlyLongGag Would you?]]
* ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'':
-->'''Jimmy:''' Would you have a good date with a [[SatiatingSandwich sandwich]]?\\
'''[[BigEater Beezy]]:''' *begins drooling*\\
'''Jimmy:''' Don't answer that.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': "You wanna live forever?" "Was that an option?"
* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{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'')
-->'''Beetlejuice:''' And if a log falls on a lumberjack in the forest and no one's around, does he make a sound? (''Chicken now getting frustrated'')
-->'''Lydia:''' (''winks to B.J.'') Now here's the clincher. (''to chicken'') Hey, poultrygeist...which came first, the chicken or the egg? (''Chicken loses it and explodes'')
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyTest'' 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 said ''not to bring back the dead?!''\\
'''Johnny:''' Um, never?\\
'''Hugh:''' Well, we shouldn't have to!
* A few instances on ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'':
** In the earlier instance, Max is trying to convince PJ to ask Pete to take him fishing. This probably would have worked better if Pete weren't a {{Jerkass}} who [[AbusiveParents treats PJ very poorly]]:
--->'''Max:''' Aww, Peej! Fishing with your dad! What could be more fun?\\
'''PJ:''' Eating glass! You got any idea what fishing with him is like?!
** PJ is just as guilty as Max is of giving Pete too much credit in this form, however, as he asks this when it's discovered Pete has been stealing water from Goofy's pipe. PJ, at least, catches himself:
--->'''PJ:''' Wait, what's that supposed to mean, Max, huh? Are you suggesting that my dad would do something unethical or dishonest? ''(realization)'' 'Scuse me. For the sake of our friendship, don't answer that.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'':
** In the FiveEpisodePilot when names are being given to the gargoyles that don't have any, one of them argues against the ludicrous human custom of naming everything. He rhetorically asks if the river needs a name, only to be informed that the river in question is called the Hudson. He finally gives up the argument at that, and adopts the name of the river as his own.
** In the "Avalon" three-parter, when the Archmage learns that human sorcery (i.e the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Grimorum]]) isn't allowed on Avalon, [[MyFutureSelfAndMe his future self]] gives him [[IngestingKnowledge a surprising solution]].
--->'''Past!Archmage:''' You mean we went to all that trouble to get the Grimorum, and now I can't even take it in with me?! What am I supposed to do, ''[[ExtremeOmnivore eat it?!]]''\\
'''Future!Archmage:''' [[BluntYes You]] ''[[BluntYes are]]'' [[BluntYes learning]].
* This exchange from ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''.
-->'''Megatron:''' How long does it take to exterminate a lone Autobot and her human pet?!\\
'''Starscream:''' Well, in my experience...\\
'''Megatron:''' ''Not'' a riddle, Starscream!
* From the ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' segment "Bumbie's Mom"
-->'''Slappy:''' Have I ever lied to you before?\\
'''Skippy:''' You said keno was legal in Burbank, you said WesternAnimation/MagillaGorilla was a woman, you said--\\
'''Slappy:''' Can it!
* ''WesternAnimation/GetAce'': In the episode "Bandemonium", Ace decides to take up the guitar in order to impress his crush Tina.
-->'''Ace''': Tina ''loves'' the guitar.\\
'''Hugo''': Well she loves her dog, too. Would you eat dog food to impress her?\\
'''Ace''': Well, if this doesn't work, it's Plan B.
* Inverted in the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode "The Time Traveler's Pig":
-->'''Blendin:''' Do you have any idea how many rules you just broke? [{{Beat}}] I'm asking. I wasn't there. It was probably a lot, right?
* ''WesternAnimation/QueerDuck:'' When they attend the funeral of a friend who died of AIDS:
-->'''Openly Gator:''' (sobbing) ''Why him? Why him?''\\
'''Queer Duck:''' Oh, I don't know, because he was a condom-hating, intravenous drug user with a Haitian boyfriend?\\
'''Openly Gator:''' That was a ''rhetorical'' wail!
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'':
** In "Joker's Millions", the Clown Prince of Crime has a caper go sour because he keeps running out of bullets, squirting flower acid, etc. His problems continue when he attempts to [[VillainExitStageLeft flee the scene]]:
--->'''Joker''': I thought I told you to get gas!\\
'''Harley Quinn''': We're ''broke'', remember? What was I supposed to do? Fill the tank, shoot the guy, and drive off?\\
'''Joker''': ''([[BluntYes affirmative "mm-hmm"]] mumble)''.\\
'''Harley Quinn''': {{Now you tell me}}!
** In ''The New Batman Adventures'' episode "Girl's Night Out", [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries Livewire]] asks Harley if she's out of her mind, which she thinks about for a few seconds before answering "Yeah."
* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry'': when things start to go bad for King K. Rool, he loudly asks "Where is Klump when I need him?!" Krusha, of all lizards, asks whether or not that was rhetorical.
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
-->'''Sokka:''' Look! Can your fortune telling explain THAT!?\\
''[Cut to a volcano clearly on the verge of eruption, despite the town fortune-teller's reading that the volcano wouldn't destroy the town that year]''\\
'''Villager:''' Pff. Can your SCIENCE explain why it RAINS?\\
'''Sokka:''' YES! YES IT CAN!
* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil''
** From the first episode, "Star Comes to Earth", we have this exchange:
--->'''Star:''' ''Ludo!'' How'd you know I was here?\\
'''Ludo:''' Heh heh heh, wouldn't you like to know?\\
'''Star:''' (''completely serious'') [[LiteralMinded Yes, that's why I asked.]]\\
'''Ludo:''' Well, Buff Frog... ''Hey!'' I don't have to tell you anything!
** In "Mathmagic", Star bursts out laughing in math class after Janna tells her the ChickenJoke. When Miss Skullnick angrily asks "What's so funny?", Star [[DontExplainTheJoke tries explaining what makes "Why did the chicken cross the road?"]] a piece of "classic AntiHumor".
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars''[[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS1E19StormOverRyloth , "Storm Over Ryloth"]]: After being informed that scans reveal Anakin is the only lifeform aboard the ''Defender'' Tuuk gives a disbelieving "[[FlatWhat What?]]" that causes the droid to start repeating its report verbatim before Tuuk cuts it off as he realizes it's a trap.
* A variation in Livewire's introductory episode of ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''. She is a radio shock jock being interviewed by Lois Lane and Clark Kent regarding her hatred and constant harassment of Superman. During the interview, Clark becomes distracted when his super senses realize that a construction crane is collapsing, and she sarcastically asks if she is boring him. Needing to leave to rescue the people in danger, Clark flatly responds [[BluntYes that yes, she is boring him]], and he gets up and walks out of the interview.
* In the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/OverTheGardenWall'', Wirt and Greg have this exchange on first meeting [[TalkingAnimal Beatrice]]:
-->'''Wirt:''' What in the world is going on?!\\
'''Greg:''' Well, you're slapping yourself, and I'm answering your question, and...
* ''WesternAnimation/TheNewAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh'': "Lights Out" begins with Rabbit storming into Pooh's house after he allowed the bear to borrow his shovel, but Pooh forgot to return it.
-->'''Rabbit:''' Pooh, I want my shovel back right now!\\
'''Pooh:''' Your shovel?\\
'''Rabbit:''' You promised you'd return it last week, you silly bear! If I don't begin planting my carrots at the stroke of 12, how will they grow up to be midnight snacks?!\\
'''Pooh:''' I don't know, Rabbit. Uh... how?\\
''(beat)''\\
'''Rabbit:''' (''pulling his ears in frustration'') AAARGH!!!
* In the ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'' episode "Donatello Trashes Slash", [[BunglingInventor Donatello]] gets ready to demonstrate his new pizza-slicer. Understandably, the other turtles aren't too crazy about it.
--> '''Leonardo:''' Uh, Donatello, are you sure this is such a good idea?\\
'''Donatello:''' Hey, have you ever known ''one'' of my inventions to fail?\\
[''his brothers stare, giving an obvious answer'']\\
'''Donatello:''' Uh, never mind. Don't answer that.
* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'': After being busted canoodling by Gizmo (A super-genius five year old), Cyborg and Jinx try to convince him they were actually fighting over the ice cream cone they were sharing.
--> '''Gizmo:''' STOP! Do I look like I was born yesterday?\\
'''Jinx and Cyborg:''' "Yes." "A little." \\
(''Gizmo's face is replaced with a live action baby and SFX of a baby crying'')
* In the ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' episode "The It", Wander tries to get Lord Hater to play tag with him while Hater is planning his next big invasion, but Lord Hater assures his minions he's not going to let himself get distracted by Wander's antics again.
-->'''Lord Hater:''' Do you think I'm going to let some silly game ruin my chances at galactic superiority?\\
'''Watchdog:''' [[BrutalHonesty Uh, you do seem to do that a lot, so...]] (''gets zapped by Peepers'')
* ''WesternAnimation/CliffordTheBigRedDog'':
-->'''Cleo:''' [[CatchPhrase Have I ever steered you wrong?]]\\
'''Clifford:''' Well, as a matter of fact--\\
'''Cleo:''' Never mind...
** Another example from ''Clifford's Really Big Movie'':
--->'''Cleo:''' We need a plan, guys!\\
'''T-Bone:''' Alright, who's got a plan?\\
'''Cleo:''' I do.\\
'''Clifford''': Are you sure?\\
'''Cleo:''' Have I ever steered you wrong?\\
'''Clifford & T-Bone:''' Well--\\
'''Cleo:''' Don't answer that.
* ''WesternAnimation/MiloMurphysLaw'': Played with in the episode "The Note":
-->'''Melissa:''' When we signed up to be Milo's friends, we knew it wouldn't be easy...\\
'''Zack:''' I don't remember signing anything.\\
'''Melissa:''' ...So are we going to find that note?\\
'''Milo:''' That's a good question.\\
'''Zack:''' You're supposed to say "yes", Milo.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'':
** In [[Recap/AdventureTimePilot the pilot]], after Pen throws snowballs at a fire elemental for no apparent reason, the elemental sarcastically asks how old he is. The implied dig at his maturity goes over his head.
--->'''Elemental:''' Oh, real nice. How old ''are'' you?\\
'''Pen:''' I'm 12 years old!\\
'''Jake:''' [[{{Manchild}} I'm 28!]]
** "[[Recap/AdventureTimeS5E8MysteryDungeon Mystery Dungeon]]":
--->'''Finn:''' (''ruefully'') Who in this world is sadder than the Ice King?\\
'''Shelby:''' (''snarky'') Me, watching this.
** "[[Recap/AdventureTimeS8E14TheLightCloud The Light Cloud]]"
--->'''Finn:''' You think the outside world is scary. Well, you know what's really scary?\\
'''Bystander 1:''' Bees!\\
'''Bystander 2:''' Germs!\\
'''Bystander 3:''' Frogs! \\
'''Bystander 4:''' Crowds!\\
''(the last bystander [[ExplainExplainOhCrap looks around and shrinks away in a panic]])''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': In the episode "The Secret Origin of Denzel Crocker", it's Mr. Crocker's birthday and he's angrier than usual to his students. His method of torturing AJ, the resident InsufferableGenius, is by posing the question "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?", causing AJ to freak out when he can't answer it. Crocker later asks him "What is the sound of one hand clapping?", and when AJ can't answer that either, the left side of his head collapses.
* ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'': In "Nullzilla", Hack and Slash are searching Lost Angles for Megabyte's pet Null Nibbles, and run into Mike the TV, who's just fled from a bunch of Nulls that suddenly swarmed Hexadecimal after she was attacked by [[spoiler: a Web Creature.]]
-->'''Hack:''' We're looking for a null.\\
'''Slash:''' That's right, uh, have you seen one?\\
'''Mike:''' Have I seen one? Have I ''seen'' one?! ...That's a joke, right?\\
'''Hack:''' Hey, whaddaya mean "joke"?\\
'''Slash:''' [[LiteralMinded Joke. Noun. Something said or done to cause laughter; something not in earnest or ridiculous.]]
* Defied in ''WesternAnimation/TheGarfieldShow'' episode "Perfect Pizza" when Garfield gets caught in a pizza-making machine.
-->'''Garfield:''' ''(To the audience)'' Do I look like a ball of dough? No, don't answer that. HELP!
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In "The Trial", the Defense Zircon falls into this when she starts to question the official story of Rose Quartz shattering Pink Diamond. It's especially funny since Blue Diamond really ''did'' ask that question earlier in the episode.
-->'''Zircon:''' The only question no one seems to be asking is, "How?"\\
'''Blue Diamond:''' (''indignant'') ''I've'' been asking that question.\\
'''Zircon:''' (''nervous'') And right you are to ask, my Diamond!
* ''WesternAnimation/PollyPocket'': In "Vet on it", Polly asks if there's a better two-word combination than "snack buffet". Lila says "clearance sale" and Shani says "scientific discovery". Polly says it was a rhetorical question.
[[/folder]]

'''Jack Horner:''' I meant ''[[ButForMeItWasTuesday specifically...!]]''

** For a while in the UK, it was common for police officers to pull over speeding drivers and rhetorically ask them, "Who do you think you are, Stirling Moss?" Moss himself once recalled being asked that exact question by an officer who had pulled him over for speeding and didn't recognise him. He apparently had some difficulty convincing the officer that yes, he really ''was'' Stirling Moss.
** There's a (probably apocryphal) story that during the 1992 British Grand Prix weekend, a policeman near the Silverstone circuit pulled over a speeding driver and asked him, "Who do you think you are, Nigel Mansell?"... only for the driver to introduce himself as Ayrton Senna.

* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', this happens in a randomly occurring conversation between Kil'ruk the Wind-Reaver and Ka'roz the Locust (probably a ShoutOut to the ''Film/FullMetalJacket'' example above).
-->'''Kil'ruk the Wind-Reaver:''' I have heard of your "heroism," Locust. They say your raids on mogu labor camps and farmlands delayed the completion of the wall by decades. I cannot argue with your results, but how can a proud warrior of the swarm make his name chasing down fleeing peasants and farmhands?
-->'''Ka'roz the Locust:''' Easily: You don't have to leap as far between kills.
* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'': In the series' backstory, when Sol was training Sin, they had a discussion about what the latter's weapon of choice would be. Sin said he wanted something flashy that would stand out and let the enemy know exactly who they were fighting; Sol [[DeadpanSnarker snarked]] "Why don't you just wave a giant flag around while you're at it?!" Sin took him seriously.

* When Faris joins the party in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasyOperaOmnia'', Steiner protests because she's a pirate. Vaan, who is a sky pirate, asks if he should leave too. Steiner's reaction indicates that yes he should, because Steiner hadn't realized just how many {{Loveable Rogue}}s were in the party already.

* During Kiyohime's interlude quest in ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', she wonders aloud what she did to merit being attacked by wyverns... and immediately comes up with several reasons [[SelfDeprecation herself]].
* In ''VisualNovel/ShinraiBrokenBeyondDespair'', just after [[PlayerCharacter Raiko]] and Nobara restore power to the resort where they and some of their friends are holding a Halloween party, Mika ambushes them in order to try to scare Raiko.
-->'''Nobara''': Mika! The hell's wrong with ya?!\\
'''Mika''': Not even [[ThirdPersonPerson Mika]] knows, [[VerbalTic akukukuku]]!
* In ''VideoGame/Persona4'', Yosuke signs up Chie and the other girls for the Yasogami beauty pageant without their consent. The next day, Chie and the other girls sign him and the other guys up for the cross-dressing pageant in retaliation. Yosuke is not amused.
-->'''Yosuke''': What kinda joke is this...?\\
'''Chie''': Uhh, the exact same joke you pulled on us!

* Before their final battle in ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'', [[BigBad Emperor Doviculus]] [[HannibalLecture tries to taunt]] [[TheHero Eddie]]. It doesn't quite work.
-->'''Doviculus:''' [[LukeIAmYourFather Son of]] [[spoiler:[[PredecessorVillain Succoria]]]], suckled by the dry teat of man. You are half so many things, I doubt any part of you is whole. Is there even a word [[HalfHumanHybrid for a creature such as you?]]\\
'''Eddie Riggs:''' [[BluntYes Yeah.]] [[TheRoadie I'm a roadie.]] [[StealthInsult I keep the trash]] [[PreAssKickingOneLiner off the stage.]]
* ''VideoGame/TheCommunitree'': Typing "find" in ''Giftcode Hunter'' without any other thing will make the game ask "Find? Find what? Girlfriends?" You can type that in and discover you already have one.
* In ''VideoGame/GhostTrick'', 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.

* Cortana has one of these done to her in ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}'' when the Chief and some Helljumpers are deployed onto Halo Installation 05 by [[DropPod HEV]].
--> '''Cortana:''' Could we ''possibly'' make any more noise?
---> ''Chief grabs a missile launcher out of his pod.''
--> '''Cortana:''' ... I guess so.

* Does Dr. Toadley in ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory'' answer his own questions all the time? He most certainly does.
* Exploited in one of the most difficult puzzles of ''VideoGame/ColossalCave'': [[YouCantGetYeFlask "With What? Your bare hands?"]] is the rhetorical question asked when you forget to specify a weapon in an attack. After a few weeks of utter frustration trying to find a weapon that will slay a dragon, the player [[BluntYes angrily types "Yes"]], more or less at random. Tada!
-->Congratulations, you just vanquished a dragon with your bare hands! ([[LampshadeHanging Unbelievable, isn't it?]])
* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'': Batman and Catwoman are forced to go through one of Riddler's {{Death Trap}}s together, leading to this:
-->'''Catwoman:''' *sigh* Another one? What's Eddie's problem?\\
'''Batman:''' Fanatic [[{{Narcissist}} narcissism]], [[SmallNameBigEgo egocentricism]], and megalomania crossed with [[UsefulNotes/ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder severe obsessive compulsion]].\\
'''Catwoman:''' [[SarcasmMode ...Thanks.]]\\
'''Batman:''' Don't mention it.