History Main / AskAStupidQuestion

--> '''House:''' There's a bullet in his head.\\

'''House''':...No, somebody THREW it at him!!
* Dorothy from ''TheGoldenGirls'' is ''made'' of this kind of sarcasm.

** One memerable incident had Rose give it back.
--->'''Dorothy:''' (seeing Rose coming out of her room with a bucket in each hand) Oh Rose. Is your roof leaking too?
--->'''Rose:''' No Dorothy. I just finished milking the cow I keep in my closet. Gee with only three hours sleep I can be as bitchy as you!

[[folder:Stand Up Comedy]]

* ''RedVsBlue'':
-->'''Church-in-Sarge's-body:''' Uhh... Who ya talking to red? Me?\\
'''Grif:''' No, I'm talking to Lopez, because, you know, that's real rewarding.

* In an episode of ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', Solomon Grundy gives Superman a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown that involves -- among other things -- punching him through several buildings, smashing him between two cars, and tossing him through the supports of a suspension bridge. After that last one, Superman climbs out onto a pier, not only bruised and battered but dripping wet as well, and:

** Although in fairness to Green Lantern, [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes]] Superman will just shrug that off like it's nothing.

-->'''Green Lantern:''' Noone can see the beginning of time! [[AndThatsTerrible It's a universal law!]]
-->'''Batman:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Write him a ticket!]]

* {{Animaniacs}} episode 'Temporary Insanity'. The Warners are fighting to answer the phone first, causing Mr. Plotz's office (And Mr. Plotz himself) to be wrapped in a telephone cord.
-->'''Mr. Plotz:''' When will all this insanity end!?
-->'''Dot:''' When one of answers the phone, silly.
-->'''Mr. Plotz:''' I didn't know that.

* PeterDavid likes these. For example, this exchange from ''Madrox'':

'''Dorother:''' (seeing Rose coming out of her room with a bucket in each hand) Oh Rose. Is your roof leaking too?
'''Rose:''' No Dorothy. I just finished milking the cow I keep in my closet. Gee with only three hours sleep I can be as bitchy as you!

[[folder: Real Life]]
* A old, very basic and [[DidntThinkTHisThrough slightly immature]] anti-religious argument is the hypothetical question asking "If God is omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent, why is there so much suffering in the world". The answer? "God works in mysterious ways." Some have actually attempted using this as a strawman argument to prove how illogical religion is, built entirely on the assumption that the person asked will give the above answer or some variation. Actual answers by the people asked are usually disregarded.
[[/folder]]

[[/quote]]

** Wait... [[DoctorWho Davey Tenant?]]

* ''DoctorWho'', Amy's Choice:

->"I see this guy Marty tryin' to carry a big ol' sofa up the stairs all by himself. So I, I say to him, I say 'Hey, you want me to help you with that?' And Marty, he just [[SarcasmMode rolls his eyes]] and goes '''Noooo'', I want you to cut off my arms and legs with a chainsaw!'
->[[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor So I did.]]"
-->-- ''WeirdAlYankovic, Albuquerque''

...and you'll {{get a stupid answer}}.

An attempt to maneuver someone into asking a stupid question for the purpose of delivering a snappy answer is [[{{Henway}} What's A Henway?]] When the stupid answer is, in fact, correct, it's [[DontBeRidiculous Don't Be Ridiculous]].

In HolidayWars Ask A Stupid Question Day is personified as a character who only asks stupid questions.

[[AC:{{Comic Books}}]]
* PeterDavid likes these. For example, this exchange from Madrox:
-->'''Jamie Madrox''': How long was I out?
-->'''Guido Carousella''': Seventeen years. The US was bought by the Swiss. The new national bird's the cuckoo, but the chocolate's better.

[[AC:{{Fanfiction}}]]
* In {{Fanfic/Through A Looking Glass Darkly}}, Jack provides some choice answers.
-->'''Jellybean''': Did you have that on you the entire time?
-->'''Jack''': No, I teleported back to the Looking Glass while we were running from the Jabberwock and stole it then.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* In the Flemish movie ''[[MoscowBelgium Moscow, Belgium]]'', Matty is calling to her daughter from the bathroom.
-->'''Vera''': Mom, are you taking a bath?
-->'''Matty''': No, I'm getting a massage from a big black guy.
* Then there's this exchange in ''{{Analyze This}}'':
-->'''Paul Vitti''': I couldn't get it up last night.
-->'''Ben Sobel''': You mean sexually?
-->'''Paul Vitti''': No, I mean for the big game against Michigan State. Of course sexually!
* ''HisGirlFriday'':
-->'''Reporter:''' What, Hildy, you still here?
-->'''Hildy:''' No, I'm in Niagara Falls.

* ''KissKissBangBang'' is absolutely ''ridden'' with this trope, coming from several characters, though it's a particular specialty of Gay Perry. For example, after Harry finds a corpse dumped in his room:
-->'''Perry:''' OK, first thing's first: we gotta move her somewhere. You got gloves?
-->'''Harry:''' Excuse me?
-->'''Perry:''' Gloves, do you have gloves? We have to move her. If it's a frame-up, some asshole’s probably calling the cops on you right now. Do this: wrap up the body, in a blanket, a sheet, anything.
-->'''Harry:''' OK, uh...any particular kind of gloves?
-->'''Perry:''' Yes...fawn. ''Will you fucking hurry?''

-->'''Mr. Tweedy''': What is it? \\
'''Mrs. Tweedy''': It's a pie machine, you idiot. Chickens go in, pies come out. \\
'''Mr. Tweedy''': Ooh, what kind of pies? \\
'''Mrs. Tweedy''': Apple. \\
'''Mr. Tweedy''': [[DoesNotUnderstandSarcasm My favourite!]] \\
'''Mrs. Tweedy''': ''Chicken'' pies, you great lummox!

-->'''Fake Santa''': That'll be 200. \\
'''Howard''': ...dollars? \\
'''Fake Santa''': No, chocolate kisses. Yes, dollars!

-->'''Hanks''': The president of what?
-->'''Candy''': The president of the Three Stooges fan club. The President of the United States!"
* Used in ''MuppetsInSpace'', when Gonzo sits upright in bed quickly, accidentally launching Rizzo the Rat out the window.
--> '''Gonzo:''' (hearing Rizzo climbing back in) Is that you, Rizzo?
--> '''Rizzo:''' No, it's Santa. I forgot my reindeer.

--> '''Farrell:''' Did you ''see that!?''
--> '''[=McClane:=]''' Yeah, I saw it, I ''did'' it!

-->'''Treehorn's Thug, holding a bowling ball:''' What's this?
-->'''The Dude:''' Obviously, you're not a golfer.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* ''TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''- Zaphod is asked if he's THE Zaphod Beeblebrox "No, just a Zaphod Beeblebrox. Haven't you heard, we come in six packs?".

-->'''Receptionist:''' But sir, I umm, it was on the sub-ether radio this morning, er... it... er... said you were dead.
-->'''Zaphod:''' Yeah that's right, I just haven't stopped moving yet.
-->[AND]
-->'''Roosta:''' Beeblebrox! Over here!
-->'''Zaphod:''' No, Beeblebrox over here. Who are you?
-->'''Roosta:''' A friend.
-->'''Zaphod:''' Oh yeah? Anyone's friend in particular or just generally well disposed to people?

--> '''Rachel:''' No way. ''George'' Washington?
--> '''Marco:''' Jake, tell her, "No, ''Guido'' Washington."
--> '''Jake:''' Marco would like me to pass along a sarcastic remark.

-->"Looking for something?" Dali came up from the hallway.
-->"No, I'm dancing the can-can." Ask a dumb question...
-->Dali blinked at me. "Would you mind making coffee while you're dancing? I smell it on the bottom shelf, either first or second jar on the left."
* Sherlock Holmes's ''War of the Worlds'' had an offensive misinterpretation. Sherlock Holmes tells Dr. Watson how one of the invading machines was going after him. Watson exclaims, "And you escaped!" Holmes replies, "No, Watson. I was caught and killed by the machines." Of course, Watson wasn't asking a silly question, he was exclaiming in surprise.
* ''WelkinWeasels: Heastward Ho!'':

[[AC:{{Live-Action TV}}]]

-->'''Brent:''' Whoa, what are you doing?
-->'''Emma:''' We're building a haunted house for Halloween.
* ''{{House}}'':
-->'''Cuddy:''' Chase and Cameron are together?
-->'''House:''' If by "together" you mean "having sex in the janitors closet" then yeah!
-->'''Cuddy:''' The janitors closet here?
-->'''House:''' No, the one at the local high school. Go Tigercats!
** And in "House Divided", when he comes into the O.R. wearing CoolShades and holding a boombox playing "[[PublicEnemy Fight the Power]]"
-->'''Foreman''': What are you doing?
-->'''House''': What does it look like I'm doing? I'm fighting the power.

--> '''House''': There's a bullet in his head.\\
'''Cameron''': He was shot?!\\

-->'''Dorothy:''' Have you ever given a eulogy?
-->'''Rose:''' You mean at a funeral?
-->'''Dorothy:''' No, Rose, at a pie-eating contest!

-->'''Frasier:''' Roz, that was quite a flattering description. Just out of curiosity, were you just helping that lady with her fantasy, or do you really see me that way?
-->'''Roz:''' You really don't know, do you? Frasier, I am so attracted to you. I always have been. Your looks, your voice, you don't know how many times I've wanted to strip naked and hurl myself at that glass partition like a bug on a windshield.
-->'''Frasier:''' Are you through?
-->'''Roz, [[DopeSlap bopping him on the head]]:''' Well, AskAStupidQuestion!
* Repeatedly on ''TheWestWing'', mainly by CJ in response to moronic press questions, but everyone else as well:
--> '''Mandy:''' Who was the last president to commute a [death] sentence?\\

** and another:
-->'''C.J.:''' There's an article I want you to read in the New Yorker. \\
'''Josh:''' What's it about? \\
'''C.J.:''' Smallpox. \\
'''Josh:''' The disease? \\

* In an episode of ''{{iCarly}}'', Spencer enters singing and dancing with joy:
-->'''Spencer:''' I won the boat! I won the boat! I won the boooat!
-->'''Carly:''' You won the boat?
-->'''Spencer:''' [[DeadpanSnarker No.]] Yes!

--> '''Carly:''' iCarly.
--> '''Freddie:''' Our webshow?
--> '''Sam:''' No, our potato farm!

--> '''Carly:''' What's the temperature in here?
--> '''Spencer:''' Seventy-two!
--> '''Carly:''' Turn the heat up to ninety!
--> '''Spencer:''' Ninety degrees?
--> '''Sam:''' No, ninety pickles! Yes ninety degrees!
* In one episode of ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', Dawn finds her sitting on her bed, reading a magazine and asks "What are you doing?" Buffy answers: "Playing soccer."

-->'''Xander:''' Hey, did you guys hear that Cibo Matto is going to be at the Bronze tonight?
-->'''Willow:''' Cibo Matto? They're playing?
-->'''Xander:''' No, Will, they're going to be clog dancing.
-->'''Willow:''' Cibo Matto can clog dance?

-->'''Dick:''' I can't get his face out of my mind!
-->'''Nina:''' Strudwick's?
-->'''Dick:''' ''(serene voice)'' No, Nina, little Davey Tenant, the boy down the block. You see, ever since Davey was three years old, he's wanted more than anything to see a real professional baseball game. He wished the biggest wish his little heart could muster. But his dad was laid off and couldn't afford the tickets. Well, one day last week, little Davey was outside playing ball like he always does, and who should walk up the block, tall as a building, but home run king Mark [=McGwire=]. To see little Davey's face light up as Mc Gwire handed him four seats on the first base line, well, it's something that I will never forget. ''(pause)'' YES, STRUDWICK'S! DON'T ASK STUPID QUESTIONS!

* In one episode of ''{{Friends}}'', Joey is upset at his co-star Wayne, who is about to have him fired:
-->'''Wayne:''' Joey, I’ll get you your job back if you help me out.
-->'''Joey:''' Why should I help you out?
-->'''Chandler:''' ...the reason he just said?

-->'''Chandler''': "I got her machine."
-->'''Joey''': Her answering machine?
-->'''Chand;er''': No, interestingly enough, her leaf blower picked up.
* In ''{{Sherlock}}'', after the police find a dead woman who has scratched RACHE into the floorboards with her fingernails:
-->'''Cop:''' So we're looking for a Rachel?
-->'''Sherlock:''' No, [[MythologyGag she was writing an angry note in German]]. Yes, of course we're looking for a Rachel!

-->'''Receptionist:''' Are you at home, or are in you in Palm Springs?
-->'''Jack:''' I'm in Stockholm! Smorgasbord, 8321!

-->'''Dream Lord:''' If you die in the dream world, you wake up in reality.[...] Ask me what happens if you die in reality.
-->'''Rory:''' What happens?
-->'''Dream Lord:''' You ''die'', stupid, that's why it's called reality.
* Parodied in''ABitOfFryAndLaurie'':
-->'''Hugh''', ''in a vox pop'': Ask a stupid person and you get a stupid answer.

-->'''Vice Principal:''' Echolls, can I have a word?
-->'''Logan:''' Anthropomorphic. All yours, big guy.

-->'''Rimmer''': Lister, is that a cigarette you're smoking?
-->'''Lister''': No, it's a chicken.


[[AC:{{Music}}]]
* The song "Foolish Questions"

-->Now instead of four in the eights place\\
You've got three, 'cause you added one,\\
That is to say, eight, to the two,\\
But you can't take seven from three,\\
So you look at the sixty-fours.\\
"Sixty-four? How did sixty-four get into it?" I hear you cry.\\
Well, sixty-four is eight squared, don't you see?\\
Well, you ask a silly question, and you get a silly answer.\\


[[AC:{{Newspaper Comics}}]]
* In ''{{Garfield}}'', when Jon first meets Liz:
-->'''Jon:''' By the way there, doc, what's your name?
-->'''Liz:''' Liz.
-->'''Jon:''' Gee, what a pretty name. Is that short for Elizabeth?
-->'''Liz:''' No. It's short for lizard.
** In another strip:
--->'''Jon:''' Are you going to sleep all day, Garfield?
--->'''Garfield:''' Let me check my social calendar. Let's see... There's high tea with the Queen of England tomorrow, but nothing today. ''(falls asleep)''
--->'''Jon:''' Ask a stupid question...
* ''Don't Some People Ask the Biggest Fool Questions?'' uses this trope extensively. In one example, Gerald is building a dog house:
-->'''Man walking by:''' Hello, Gerald, building a dog house?
-->'''Gerald:''' No, I'm up in a balloon milking a chicken.

[[AC:{{Tabletop Games}}]]
* Paranoia supplement Acute Paranoia, adventure "Outland-ISH". The Troubleshooters try to find out the source of a drug affecting ISH sector by questioning the residents.
-->'''Troubleshooter:''' How did all these people get drugged?
-->'''Drugged Citizen:''' They drank the water. Snrfff.
-->'''Troubleshooter:''' The drug is in the water?
-->'''Drugged Citizen:''' Sklaxxl. No, the drug is on the inside of the cups! Of course it's in the water. Hrraww.

[[AC:{{Web Comics}}]]
* In Holiday Wars, Ask a Stupid Question is personified as a character who only speaks with stupid questions. An example of this [[http://www.holiday-wars.com/blog/2010/09/17/episode-64/ can be seen here.]]
* [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/3/13/ This]] ''PennyArcade'' strip.
** Also [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/2/5/ this]] one.

[[AC:{{Web Original}}]]
* ''{{Red vs Blue}}'':
-->Church (in Sarge's body): Uhh... Who ya talking to red? Me?
-->Grif: No, I'm talking to Lopez, because, you know, that's real rewarding.
* NotAlwaysRight. Good God.
** And in a similar vein, [[http://community.livejournal.com/customers_suck/29221674.html this post]] from the LiveJournal community "customers_suck."
* DragonBallAbridged episode 14: Freeza and his thugs are attacking the Namekian village holding one of the planet's Dragon Balls.
-->'''Namekian''': What do you want from us? Why are you slaughtering our people?
-->'''[[LittleKuriboh Freeza]]''': Well, you see, I was just in the area and I thought this would be a delightful place for a summer home what the '''f*ck''' do you think I'm here for?
-->'''Namekian:''' [[TooDumbToLive Our trees]]?
-->'''Freezza:''' *{{beat}}* Zarbon, [kill] two or three more.

[[AC:{{Western Animation}}]]
* In an episode of ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', Solomon Grundy gives Superman a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown that involves - among other things - punching him through several buildings, smashing him between two cars, and tossing him through the supports of a suspension bridge. After that last one, Superman climbs out onto a pier, not only bruised and battered but dripping wet as well, and:
--> '''Green Lantern:''' You okay?
--> ''{{Beat}}''
--> '''Superman:''' [[SarcasmMode Do I ]]''[[SarcasmMode look]]'' [[SarcasmMode okay?]]
** Although in fairness to GL, [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes]] Superman will just shrug that off like it's nothing.
* In the ''Elefun and Friends'' short "A Tangled Tale," Elefun follows a kite string all the way to China, where he and his friends see a panda trying to launch herself across a river [[{{Treebuchet}} using a piece of bamboo]]. The bamboo gets stuck halfway, leaving her dangling and leading to this conversation:
-->'''Elefun''': Whatcha doing?
-->'''Panda''': [[SarcasmMode Sipping tea]]. What does it look like I'm doing?
-->'''Spin''': Sinking.
-->'''Pandarama''': Who asked you?

-->'''Beezy''': What is this, dandruff?\\
'''Heloise''': Yeah, I made a machine that makes dandruff. '''It's snow!'''
* A RunningGag in DannyPhantom would be one of the characters falling, being attacked, thrown or mauled. Cue someone else asking uselessly:
--> "Are you okay?"
--> *[[{{Beat}} Stares]]*
--> "Sorry, standard question."

-->'''Rainbow Dash''': Pinkie Pie, you asleep yet?\\
'''Pinkie Pie''': No. Are you asleep yet?\\
'''Rainbow Dash''': If I was sleeping, how could I have asked you if you were asleep?\\
'''Pinkie Pie''': Oh yeah. ''*giggles*''\\
'''Rainbow Dash''': When we get to Appleloosa, you think we'll have to carry that heavy tree all the way from the train to the orchard?\\
'''Pinkie Pie''': What tree? You mean Bloomberg?\\
'''Rainbow Dash''': [[SarcasmMode No, Fluttershy]].\\
'''Pinkie Pie''': [[DoesNotUnderstandSarcasm Fluttershy's not a tree, silly]].

<<|{{Dialogue}}|>>

* In Holiday Wars, Ask a Stupid Question is personified as a character who only speaks with stupid questions. An example of this [[http://www.holiday-wars.com/blog/2010/09/17/episode-62/ can be seen here.]]

In HolidayWars AskAStupidQuestion is personified as a character who only asks stupid questions.

--> '''House''' There's a bullet in his head.\\
'''Cameron''' He was shot?!\\
'''House''''...No, somebody THREW it at him!!

An attempt to maneuver someone into asking a stupid question for the purpose of delivering a snappy answer is [[{{Henway}} What's A Henway?]]

* Occurs twice in ''WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', both times with the title character talking to Benny the Cab: "Benny, is that you?" "No, it's [name]."

* ''DoctorWho'':
-->'''Dream Lord:''' If you die in the dream world, you wake up. Ask me what happens if you die in reality.
-->'''Rory:''' What happens if you die in reality?
-->'''Dream Lord:''' You ''die'', stupid, that's why they call it reality.

'''Mr. Tweedy''': [[CaptainOblivious My favourite!]]

--> '''Rachel:''' No way. George Washington?
--> '''Marco:''' Jake, tell her, "No, Guido Washington."