COMEDIAN
(Biz. of shaking head.)
STRAIGHT
That means you want her to give you—
COMEDIAN
Ten cents.
The reason why these two words come with such humorous effect, lies in two causes. First, "ten cents" has been used before with good laugh results—as a "gag line," you recall—and this is the comedian's magical "third time" use of it. It is a good example of the "three-sequence mystery" which Weber and Fields mentioned, and which has been used to advantage on the stage for many, many years.
Second, the comedian had refused to answer the straight-man's question. He simply stood there and shook his head. It was the very simple business of shaking his head that made his interruption come as a surprise and gave perfect setting for the "gag-line."
Read the speeches that follow and you will see how business is used. Note particularly how the business makes this point stand out as a great big laugh: