---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Honey, what happened to \"ladies first\"?…"
description: "\"Honey, what happened to \"ladies first\"? Husband replies, \"That's the reason why the worlds a mess today, because a lady went first!\"\" — David Letterman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/david-letterman-378_firsts_honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husb_3180252.jpg"
---

#  Honey, what happened to "ladies first"? Husband replies…

![“Honey, what happened to &quot;ladies first&quot;? Husband replies, &quot;That's the reason why the worlds a mess today, because a lady went first!&quot;” quote by David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/david-letterman-378_firsts_honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husb_3180252.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/david-letterman-378_firsts_honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husb_3180252.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/david-letterman-378_firsts_honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husb_3180252.jpg)

> “Honey, what happened to "ladies first"? Husband replies, "That's the reason why the worlds a mess today, because a lady went first!"”

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A joke about gender roles suggesting that traditional chivalry caused modern chaos.

**In simple terms:** Traditional courtesy blamed for current problems.

Key Takeaway

Question outdated customs.

Themes

gender roles humor social commentary

Mood

playful ironic

Type

satire comedic

When to use this quote

- dating
- social interactions
- political debates

Key Concepts

patriarchy cultural critique

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you view modern gender expectations?
- Can humor change perceptions?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex societal issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/) [Ladies First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladies-first/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [Ladies, if you ever find out your husband is cheating, then you should take your fat ass to the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/ladies-if-you-ever-find-out-your-husband-is-cheating-then-you-should/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [Hen wife pulls her husband, whos fully drunk, to bed &amp; tries removing his shirt &amp; husband replies- LADY¦ LEAVE ME ALONE, I AM Married..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab/hen-wife-pulls-her-husband-whos-fully-drunk-to-bed-tries-removing-his/)

AB

> [There's one day you're feeling good and the next you're like, boom, I'm a mess today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-villasenor/there-s-one-day-you-re-feeling-good-and-the-next-you-re-like-boom-i-m/)

[Melissa Villasenor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-villasenor/)

> [“I can't change yesterday, but I can sure mess up today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-heston/i-can-t-change-yesterday-but-i-can-sure-mess-up-today/)

[Charlton Heston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-heston/)

> [“The men re-tighten my bolts just for safe measure. The men open my car door, Ladies first. The men are always helping. One man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-gatwood/the-men-re-tighten-my-bolts-just-for-safe-measure-the-men-open-my-car/)

[Olivia Gatwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-gatwood/)

> [“The entertainment palled. Fatigue like gravitation pulled at limbs and eyelids. As they had come so they departed, first Abbzug, then the two women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/the-entertainment-palled-fatigue-like-gravitation-pulled-at-limbs-and/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Ladies first." "Why is it men only say that when it's something horrible or dangerous?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/ladies-first-why-is-it-men-only-say-that-when-it-s-something-horrible/)

[Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/)

> [MEN CREATED LADIES FIRST SO THEY COULD LOOK AT THEIR ASSES.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thewomenizer/men-created-ladies-first-so-they-could-look-at-their-asses/)

[Thewomenizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thewomenizer/)

> [“Ladies first" Mina Hesitated. "Uh, age before beauty." "Grimms never win." "Prince before pauper." "Oh, fine. Just don't say chivalry is dead. 'Cause you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-hahn/ladies-first-mina-hesitated-uh-age-before-beauty-grimms-never-win/)

[Chanda Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-hahn/)

> [I'm pretty sure the whole 'ladies first' thing was created by guys like me just so we could check out yo sexy ass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/i-m-pretty-sure-the-whole-ladies-first-thing-was-created-by-guys-like/)

[Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/)

> [“It’s time for the drawing. Effie Trinket says as she always does, “Ladies first!” and crosses to the glass ball with the girls’ names.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-time-for-the-drawing-effie-trinket-says-as-she-always-does/)

[Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/)

> [When you stop to take a minute and look at Queen Latifah's career, she came out of the box right. You know, 'Ladies First!'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khandi-alexander/when-you-stop-to-take-a-minute-and-look-at-queen-latifah-s-career-she/)

[Khandi Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khandi-alexander/)

> [“What happen to ladies first?" Lilly teased, just trying to expel her nervous energy. She knew what the answer was but she just needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/what-happen-to-ladies-first-lilly-teased-just-trying-to-expel-her/)

[Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/)

> [Ladies first is just a nice way of saying Let me look at your a\*\* while you walk in front of me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/ladies-first-is-just-a-nice-way-of-saying-let-me-look-at-your-a-while/)

[Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/)

> [“A bell dinged and Gator opened the oven door and pulled out the rolls. Their yeasty, warm smell filled the air and made her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-j-walters/a-bell-dinged-and-gator-opened-the-oven-door-and-pulled-out-the-rolls/)

[N.J. Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-j-walters/)

## More by David Letterman

> [Two things you need to know about taxes. They've extended the deadline to April 18, and when you write your check, just make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/two-things-you-need-to-know-about-taxes-they-ve-extended-the-deadline/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [You know Kim Jong Un, the evil dictator of North Korea? Apparently, a guy in his inner circle used his ashtray while smoking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-know-kim-jong-un-the-evil-dictator-of-north-korea-apparently-a/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [It's the first day of spring. That means this weekend I'll take down my Christmas lights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/it-s-the-first-day-of-spring-that-means-this-weekend-i-ll-take-down/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [There are a lot of New York City Thanksgiving traditions. For example, a lot of New Yorkers don't buy the frozen Thanksgiving turkey. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-are-a-lot-of-new-york-city-thanksgiving-traditions-for-example/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [I can hardly wait until Donald Trump announces his celebrity cabinet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-can-hardly-wait-until-donald-trump-announces-his-celebrity-cabinet/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Experts say this global warming is serious, and they are predicting now that by the year 2050, we will be out of party ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/experts-say-this-global-warming-is-serious-and-they-are-predicting/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [We make a lot of fun at President Clinton's expense. But this transition is going to be tough because it's been 25 years since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/we-make-a-lot-of-fun-at-president-clinton-s-expense-but-this/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [I'm worried about John Kerry, he's so confident now that he's already planning his White House sex scandal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-m-worried-about-john-kerry-he-s-so-confident-now-that-he-s-already/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [“There is no off position on the genius”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-is-no-off-position-on-the-genius/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [I vote Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-vote-democrat-because-i-m-way-too-irresponsible-to-own-a-gun-and-i/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Do I think there is a heaven? Uh, yeah I do. Like a really big gymnasium. How do I see myself there? With really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/do-i-think-there-is-a-heaven-uh-yeah-i-do-like-a-really-big-gymnasium/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [If it wasn't for coffee, I'd have no discernible personality at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/if-it-wasn-t-for-coffee-i-d-have-no-discernible-personality-at-all/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Well, we're just a couple of weeks from new President Barack Obama being sworn in. And he's been very busy naming a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/well-we-re-just-a-couple-of-weeks-from-new-president-barack-obama/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Sometimes when you look in his eyes you get the feeling that someone else is driving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/sometimes-when-you-look-in-his-eyes-you-get-the-feeling-that-someone/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Prince William and Kate Middleton are in New York City. We have got to do something about immigration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/prince-william-and-kate-middleton-are-in-new-york-city-we-have-got-to/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

[Explore all 619 David Letterman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

## More Firsts quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/)

[Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/)

> [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/)

[A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/)

> [You sort of can't talk about the post production unless you talk about what comes first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/you-sort-of-can-t-talk-about-the-post-production-unless-you-talk/)

[Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/)

[Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/)

[Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/)

> [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/)

[Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/)

> [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/)

[Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/)

> [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/)

[Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/)

> [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/)

[Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/)

> [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/)

[Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/)

Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Honey, what happened to \"ladies first\"? Husband replies, \"That's the reason why the worlds a mess today, because a lady went first!\"",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Letterman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husband-replies-that-s-the-reason/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Firsts"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husband-replies-that-s-the-reason/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/david-letterman-378_firsts_honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husb_3180252.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/david-letterman-378_firsts_honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husb_3180252.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73e/david-letterman-378_firsts_honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husb_3180252.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Honey, what happened to \"ladies first\"? Husband replies, \"That's the reason why the worlds a mess today…” — David Letterman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Letterman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Honey, what happened to \"ladies first\"?...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husband-replies-that-s-the-reason/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/honey-what-happened-to-ladies-first-husband-replies-that-s-the-reason/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
