I Have Nothing to Say to That
One character is arguing with another who (s)he thinks is being stupid, when the other makes a point which renders the first momentarily speechless. Related to Dumbass Has a Point. In comics, as per the Webcomics example, signified by '?'. In live action, usually signified by character 1 pausing open-mouthed, possibly with a finger in the air.
Related to Shutting Up Now and Sarcasm Failure.
Film
- In Tootsie:
Sandy: A guy named Les is sending you flowers?
Michael Dorsey: Yes. He's a friend of mine. He can't eat candy; he's diabetic.
Sandy: Why is he thanking you for a lovely night in front of the fire?
Michael Dorsey: [long pause] My mind's a blank.
Live Action TV
- In one episode of Stargate SG-1, the team hesitates at the prospect of getting to the gate, which is guarded by a legion of Jaffa. O'Neill is arguing with a scientist about how to go about it, when the scientist just goes, "But you're SG-1!" O'Neill has no response to that except to shrug, and go ahead and kick some ass.
- In an epsisode of The West Wing, Sam Seaborn gets his ass verbally handed to him by Blonde Republican Sex Kitten Ainsley Hayes, who then heads off for a snack. He's quite speechless until after she's left, at which point he says "...I could have countered that, but I'd already moved on to other things in my head."
Web Comics
- This from Sluggy Freelance.
- Here in Skin Horse, Dr Lee doesn't think Tip is an idiot, as such, but she certainly wasn't expecting his pithy assessment of the situation.
- Order of the Stick frequently uses this for its punchlines. See here and here (spoilers).
- Another Skin Horse example, and again it's Dr Lee that has walked into it.
Western Animation
- In Justice League Unlimited Lex Luthor is trying to shut up Tala so he can concentrate on reviving Brainiac. Tala says "Transmutation of matter is what you want, right?" It takes a bit of time for this to sink in, but Lex is finally taken aback. "Do it then!"
- Parodied by Peggy in King of the Hill, where she goes on a thirty second rant of how she cannot say anything to that.
PEGGY: Hank Hill, I am speechless. I literally have nothing to say. Not one word. Nada. Zilch. Zero. (beat) I don't know what you're waiting for.
- From Regular Show:
Mordecai: But if there is one thing you can trust us with, it's perfecting pointless skills on company time.
Benson: Wow... I really don't have an answer to that.