--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Public service announcement: In case of a…" description: "\"Public service announcement: In case of a terrorist attack, bottled water and duct tape are not going to do a damn thing. So do what Homeland Security ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/david-letterman-378_announcements_public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a_337329.jpg" --- # Public service announcement: In case of a terrorist… ![“Public service announcement: In case of a terrorist attack, bottled water and duct tape are not going to do a damn thing. So do what Homeland Security Dir. Tom Ridge does: Get really drunk, and pick up a hooker.” quote by David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/david-letterman-378_announcements_public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a_337329.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/david-letterman-378_announcements_public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a_337329.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/david-letterman-378_announcements_public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a_337329.jpg) > “Public service announcement: In case of a terrorist attack, bottled water and duct tape are not going to do a damn thing. So do what Homeland Security Dir. Tom Ridge does: Get really drunk, and pick up a hooker.” [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. Satirical warning that typical emergency supplies are useless in a terrorist attack, suggesting absurd coping. **In simple terms:** Emergency kits won’t help in terror. Key Takeaway Prepare realistically, not humorously. Themes terrorism preparedness humor Mood satirical ironic Type comedic social commentary When to use this quote - travel - public events - personal safety Key Concepts absurdity social critique media satire Questions to Reflect On - What truly helps in crises? - How to balance humor and safety? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bottled water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottled-water/) [Drunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunk/) [Homeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeland/) [Homeland security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeland-security/) [Public service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-service/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Terrorist attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist-attack/) [Terrorist attacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist-attacks/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge made that critical leap from 'be afraid' to 'be very afraid,' raising the terrorist threat level to orange for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/homeland-security-chief-tom-ridge-made-that-critical-leap-from-be/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Tom Ridge now says we don't have to run out and put plastic sheets all over the house. Great, tell that to my dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/tom-ridge-now-says-we-don-t-have-to-run-out-and-put-plastic-sheets/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [John Kerry told Tom Ridge he was too busy to receive a Homeland Security briefing. I thought that was odd, since you're not supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/john-kerry-told-tom-ridge-he-was-too-busy-to-receive-a-homeland/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [The marketers can compete with free; it just has to be better. Look at bottled water if you don't believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-potter/the-marketers-can-compete-with-free-it-just-has-to-be-better-look-at/) [Jonathan Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-potter/) > [“New Rule: You don't have to put the cap back on the bottled water after every sip. It's water, not a genie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-you-don-t-have-to-put-the-cap-back-on-the-bottled-water/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Remembering is my only job and it's hard work. We are natural-born amnesiacs, hardwired to let go of the past, to release ourselves from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-olear/remembering-is-my-only-job-and-it-s-hard-work-we-are-natural-born/) Greg Olear > [Forget bottled water; tap water is just as good! Pour it into a reusable water bottle, and always have fresh water on the go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlan-gorse-cousteau/forget-bottled-water-tap-water-is-just-as-good-pour-it-into-a/) [Ashlan Gorse Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlan-gorse-cousteau/) > [Portland can put the champagne away and get out the bottled water, 'cause that's all they're gonna drink on their way home!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chick-hearn/portland-can-put-the-champagne-away-and-get-out-the-bottled-water/) [Chick Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chick-hearn/) > [“You in the mood for a movie tonight?" Kate asked him a couple days later. Matt was working, and she was sitting on her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-wade/you-in-the-mood-for-a-movie-tonight-kate-asked-him-a-couple-days/) [Becky Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-wade/) > [They got rid of bottled water. We got thermoses that say 'Grey's Anatomy Season 4' with our names on it. Cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-smith/they-got-rid-of-bottled-water-we-got-thermoses-that-say-grey-s/) [Brooke Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-smith/) > [Drink lots of water, and nap. I've made some really big messes along the way, whether on the academic side or on the media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/drink-lots-of-water-and-nap-i-ve-made-some-really-big-messes-along/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [“Bottled water is not better than tap water. As you can tell, I’m quite passionate about water being your beverage of choice. So let’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-besser/bottled-water-is-not-better-than-tap-water-as-you-can-tell-i-m-quite/) Richard Besser > [I like that Brita makes tap water taste good, so you don't need to spend money or waste plastic with bottled water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-curry/i-like-that-brita-makes-tap-water-taste-good-so-you-don-t-need-to/) [Stephen Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-curry/) > [“In the summer of 2002, Biden was pushing his RAVE Act, an absurdly broad law that would have made venue and club owners liable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radley-balko/in-the-summer-of-2002-biden-was-pushing-his-rave-act-an-absurdly/) [Radley Balko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radley-balko/) > [“But there’s more. When I was on my way to the event today, Carolyn texted me and told me that Steve and Eve got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-morrisx/but-there-s-more-when-i-was-on-my-way-to-the-event-today-carolyn/) Linda Morrisx ## 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 Announcements quotes > [Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/smart-people-duck-when-they-hear-the-dread-announcement-i-m-going-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [We welcome the Election Commission's announcement of a five-phase poll in the state. We will abide by all the guidelines and directives issued by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamata-banerjee/we-welcome-the-election-commission-s-announcement-of-a-five-phase/) [Mamata Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamata-banerjee/) > [the announcement that you are going to tell a good story (and the chuckle that precedes it) is always a dangerous opening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-asquith/the-announcement-that-you-are-going-to-tell-a-good-story-and-the/) [Margot Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-asquith/) > [In addition to fines, violators of decency standards could be required to air public service announcements serving educational and informational needs of children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-w-pickering/in-addition-to-fines-violators-of-decency-standards-could-be-required/) [Charles W. Pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-w-pickering/) > [I ejaculated about ten minutes ago and the stuff was black. So everything is not normal." Silence greeted that happy little announcement. Man, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/i-ejaculated-about-ten-minutes-ago-and-the-stuff-was-black-so/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [We commend GM for being the first out of the starting gate in the Great Plug-In Car Race of 2007. GM's announcements are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-kramer/we-commend-gm-for-being-the-first-out-of-the-starting-gate-in-the/) Felix Kramer > [Innovating Women is more important today than ever. Things are changing for the better. The recent announcements by Google, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and Facebook of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-wadhwa/innovating-women-is-more-important-today-than-ever-things-are/) [Vivek Wadhwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-wadhwa/) > [It seems like it has kind of taken off where people are saying 'oh it's a female character' and it just kind of grew.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-aonuma/it-seems-like-it-has-kind-of-taken-off-where-people-are-saying-oh-it/) [Eiji Aonuma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-aonuma/) > [Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge made that critical leap from 'be afraid' to 'be very afraid,' raising the terrorist threat level to orange for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/homeland-security-chief-tom-ridge-made-that-critical-leap-from-be/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Donald Trump is talking about running for president. He hasn't made an announcement, but I want to tell you something. The fake suspense is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/donald-trump-is-talking-about-running-for-president-he-hasn-t-made-an/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Once you're heterosexual and comfortable with that, you don't need to take out an announcement every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bernhard/once-you-re-heterosexual-and-comfortable-with-that-you-don-t-need-to/) [Sandra Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bernhard/) > [In actual fact, I wanted to be an actor, but I was a lawyer, and I was a week away from qualifying and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/in-actual-fact-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-i-was-a-lawyer-and-i-was-a/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [Pack the one bag. Unpack it, pack it, unpack it, pack it: passeport, ticket, book, taxi, airport, check-in, beer, announcement, stairs, airplane, fasten seat-belt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/pack-the-one-bag-unpack-it-pack-it-unpack-it-pack-it-passeport-ticket/) [Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/) > [But what exceeds all wonders, I have discovered four new planets and observed their proper and particular motions, different among themselves and from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/but-what-exceeds-all-wonders-i-have-discovered-four-new-planets-and/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) Browse all 152 Announcements quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Public service announcement: In case of a terrorist attack, bottled water and duct tape are not going to do a damn thing. So do what Homeland Security Dir. Tom Ridge does: Get really drunk, and pick up a hooker.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Letterman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a-terrorist-attack-bottled/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Announcements" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a-terrorist-attack-bottled/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/david-letterman-378_announcements_public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a_337329.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/david-letterman-378_announcements_public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a_337329.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/david-letterman-378_announcements_public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a_337329.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Public service announcement: In case of a terrorist attack, bottled water and duct tape are not going to do…” — 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": "Public service announcement: In case of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a-terrorist-attack-bottled/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/public-service-announcement-in-case-of-a-terrorist-attack-bottled/#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 } } ] } ```