Maybe the questions were exactly as silly as they seemed. I noticed this too, people (e.g. students) asking stupid stuff simply to force others to interact with

Maybe the questions were exactly as silly as they seemed. I noticed this too, people (e.g. students) asking stupid stuff simply to force others to interact with them. It's a silly manipulation but it works well, too. It's a good maneuver to feign interest and enthusiasm, and to make superiors remember your name.