--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I heard doctors revived a man who had…" description: "\"I heard doctors revived a man who had been dead for 4-1/2 minutes. When they asked him what it was like being dead, he said it was like listening to Ya..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa4/david-letterman-378_announcers_i-heard-doctors-revived-a-man-who-had-be_1404425.jpg" --- # I heard doctors revived a man who had been dead for 4-1/2… ![“I heard doctors revived a man who had been dead for 4-1/2 minutes. When they asked him what it was like being dead, he said it was like listening to Yankees announcer Phil Rizzuto during a rain delay.” quote by David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa4/david-letterman-378_announcers_i-heard-doctors-revived-a-man-who-had-be_1404425.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa4/david-letterman-378_announcers_i-heard-doctors-revived-a-man-who-had-be_1404425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa4/david-letterman-378_announcers_i-heard-doctors-revived-a-man-who-had-be_1404425.jpg) > “I heard doctors revived a man who had been dead for 4-1/2 minutes. When they asked him what it was like being dead, he said it was like listening to Yankees announcer Phil Rizzuto during a rain delay.” [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 man described death as hearing a baseball announcer during a rain delay—mundane and absurd. **In simple terms:** Death felt oddly ordinary and noisy. Key Takeaway Find humor in confronting mortality. Themes mortality humor absurdity Mood lighthearted reflective Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - hospital experiences - funeral eulogies - stand‑up comedy - creative writing Key Concepts existential dread comedy perspective Questions to Reflect On - How does comedy change our view of death? - What can we learn from absurd descriptions of serious events? A Different Perspective Humor can mask deeper fear of death. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Announcers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/announcers/) [Dead Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-said/) [Delay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delay/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Doctors Revived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors-revived-4931006/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Like Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-dead/) [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minutes/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) [Revived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revived/) [Revived Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revived-man-4931005/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Yankees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yankees/) ## Related quotes > [“I can't tell whether a revived man would appreciate his second chance or yearn for the stolen serenity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-mostafa/i-can-t-tell-whether-a-revived-man-would-appreciate-his-second-chance/) [Ahmed Mostafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-mostafa/) > [“You are not dead!” he said. “I like it when you are not dead!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-not-dead-he-said-i-like-it-when-you-are-not-dead/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hope is slowly extinguished and quickly revived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-lee/hope-is-slowly-extinguished-and-quickly-revived/) [Sophia Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-lee/) > [We are not revived because we sing; we sing because we are revived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/we-are-not-revived-because-we-sing-we-sing-because-we-are-revived/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [At a time when mythologicals were considered obsolete, Devon Ke Dev Mahadev' revived the genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-raina/at-a-time-when-mythologicals-were-considered-obsolete-devon-ke-dev/) [Mohit Raina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-raina/) > [New York City revived around the team. I don't think you can look at the recovery of New York from the 1970s without, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-mahler/new-york-city-revived-around-the-team-i-don-t-think-you-can-look-at/) [Jonathan Mahler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-mahler/) > [“Reality revived. She frowned and gazed ahead, feeling numb still after all these months, yet unable to believe it was true, wanting to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kinsale/reality-revived-she-frowned-and-gazed-ahead-feeling-numb-still-after/) [Laura Kinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kinsale/) > [“The sense of smell, that mysterious aid to memory, had just revived a whole world within him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-sense-of-smell-that-mysterious-aid-to-memory-had-just-revived-a/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Drake revived 'Top Boy,' if I'm honest with you. You've got to give him a lot of credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/drake-revived-top-boy-if-i-m-honest-with-you-you-ve-got-to-give-him-a/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I know a love may be revived which absence, inconstancy, or even infidelity has extinguished, but there is no returning from a dTgovt given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-a-love-may-be-revived-which-absence-inconstancy-or-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Harte sent one of her revived men after him, and Pat sent him back in boxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/harte-sent-one-of-her-revived-men-after-him-and-pat-sent-him-back-in/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Men are not revived because they sing; they sing because they are revived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/men-are-not-revived-because-they-sing-they-sing-because-they-are/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/when-i-write-i-can-shake-off-all-my-cares-my-sorrow-disappears-my/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [“A revived spirit, a renewed soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/a-revived-spirit-a-renewed-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [and then there are some who believe that old relationships can be revived and made new again. but please if you feel that way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-then-there-are-some-who-believe-that-old-relationships-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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. 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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 Announcers quotes > [“I read somewhere that all the digitized announcers on the tube have names.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-lowe/i-read-somewhere-that-all-the-digitized-announcers-on-the-tube-have/) [Keith Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-lowe/) > [Because of my tremendous respect for Bob Barker and for the show's high standards of professionalism I consider this a tremendous honor that few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-west/because-of-my-tremendous-respect-for-bob-barker-and-for-the-show-s/) [Randy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-west/) > [He has the vocal modulation of a railway-station announcer, the expressive power of a fence-post and the charisma of a week-old head of lettuce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fintan-o-toole/he-has-the-vocal-modulation-of-a-railway-station-announcer-the/) [Fintan O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fintan-o-toole/) > [I would say the referees have the toughest game to call. I would say that there's a lot of officiating done by announcers, local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stern/i-would-say-the-referees-have-the-toughest-game-to-call-i-would-say/) [David Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stern/) > [I think if you checked the attendance records of all the announcers, you'd find a lot better record than you would of anybody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-harwell/i-think-if-you-checked-the-attendance-records-of-all-the-announcers/) [Ernie Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-harwell/) > [Most announcers over talk. I'm in the opinion space so I talk all day, but play-by-play guys generally over talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cowherd/most-announcers-over-talk-i-m-in-the-opinion-space-so-i-talk-all-day/) [Colin Cowherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cowherd/) > [People who think they know what they are talking about when they talk about baseball include the announcers and all of the sports press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/people-who-think-they-know-what-they-are-talking-about-when-they-talk/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [Announcers don't do enough of the cat-and-mouse strategy and all the work that goes into it. You watch a broadcast and guys get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-leiter/announcers-don-t-do-enough-of-the-cat-and-mouse-strategy-and-all-the/) [Al Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-leiter/) > [Most of the time when something goes bad—a marriage, a war, a run of good luck—you don’t know it. It’s like in the cartoons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-slouka/most-of-the-time-when-something-goes-bad-a-marriage-a-war-a-run-of/) [Mark Slouka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-slouka/) > [The best basketball announcer is one who allows you to close your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/the-best-basketball-announcer-is-one-who-allows-you-to-close-your-eyes/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Even if, as is generally the case, everything that the ad says about the product is scrupulously honest, or at any rate scrupulously avoids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schudson/even-if-as-is-generally-the-case-everything-that-the-ad-says-about/) [Michael Schudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schudson/) > [Get out the rye bread and mustard grandma, cause it's GRAND SALAMI TIME!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-niehaus/get-out-the-rye-bread-and-mustard-grandma-cause-it-s-grand-salami-time/) [Dave Niehaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-niehaus/) > [It makes me think about how you hear these young people say, "I see you, man." 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