National Lampoon's Israeli Vacation: Airport Security Scene

[Evan]

Rusty Griswold: Dad, look at this cool thing I found! What is it?
Clark Griswold: Well, Rusty, I believe that's an ancient Phoenecian burial urn. Good find!
Ellen Griswold: Oh, Clark, that would go great in the dining room. Can we keep it?
Clark Griswold: I don't see why not. We just have to declare it at the airport. Toss it here, Rusty!

[SCENE: At the airport security desk]

Security agent (John Candy): Howdy folks! Whatcha got there?

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/israel-airport-unexploded-shell-american-tourists/index.html

[Gabriel]

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[TeeVee]

outlandish to say the least. what surprised me was not the stupidity of the family trying to bring unexploded ordnance on an aircraft, but the fact that they aren't locked up in an israeli prison for a good long time.

evn, you should be far more pissed about them being let go, then delta inviting the anti-maskers back on board.

[Evan]

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Sorry, fixed.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/artic...sts/index.html

[brianw999]

The problem would have been easily fixed by going back into the desert and utilising a controlled explosion……on the dumb yanks ! Just throw the shell back where it came from.

[flashcrash]

I think it's OK though - they wrapped it up in a sturdy plastic bag.

[Evan]

You all seem to be missing the John Candy part.

[Gabriel]

what surprised me was not the stupidity of the family trying to bring unexploded ordnance on an aircraft, but the fact that they aren't locked up in an israeli prison for a good long time.

Under Israel law, it is not a crime to be an idiot. They even DECLARED the item to airport security at luggage drop, so obviously no ill intent, just an ill brain.

[Evan]

so obviously no ill intent

Exactly. And then what happened?

[Gabriel]

Exactly. And then what happened?

Rusty Griswold: Dad, look at this cool thing I found! What is it?
Clark Griswold: Well, Rusty, I believe that's an ancient Phoenician burial urn. Good find!
Ellen Griswold: Oh, Clark, that would go great in the dining room. Can we keep it?
Clark Griswold: I don't see why not. We just have to declare it at the airport. Toss it here, Rusty!

Maybe.

[Evan]

Maybe.

No, I mean, what happened after they declared it? Did comedy ensue?

I guess 'comedy' isn't the right word for a full-on panic stampede. My armchair position is that maybe it might have made more sense to discreetly clear the immediate area and then call in some ordnance removal rather than freak out the entire airport. AFIAK, old mortar shells are not time bombs in the literal sense and certainly do not destroy entire airports.

Seems like a bit of a John Candy-esque overreaction on somebody's part.

[3WE]

comedy

maybe it might have made more sense

Not sure of your objective, unless it’s multiple.

I see the humor here.

Now, as to how it was handled, I imagine procedures were followed.

Israelis are security nuts, so I’m sure there’s little tolerance to cowboy improvisation.

Someone brought a bomb to a place where bombs are kind of frowned upon…I’m sure you can process this in black and white terms…

The security guys probably have limited freedom to evaluate how “hot” the item is and, in a matter of seconds, screen the Griswolds for their pure intentions.

I’d also bet that there’s no intention of stampedes nor panic…just that us humans are a stinking mess. We have Clintons and Trumps and Bidens running a major country, so keeping people from panicking is tough.

[Evan]

Now, as to how it was handled, I imagine procedures were followed.

If so, those procedures seriously need to be reconsidered.
Also, an unexploded shell is not a bomb.
In Germany, when they come upon an old unexploded 500lb or 1000lb bomb from WWII, they conduct an orderly evacuation, not a spontaneous pandemonium.
There is nothing about to detonate the thing. An explosion is not imminent.
And, obviously, the airport wasn't under attack.

[3WE]

…In Germany, when they come upon an old unexploded 500lb or 1000lb bomb from WWII, they conduct an orderly evacuation…

So, in Germany, tourists occasionally bring 500 or 1000lb antique bombs that they’ve found into the airport with their luggage?

[TeeVee]

There is nothing about to detonate the thing. An explosion is not imminent.
And, obviously, the airport wasn't under attack.

says the expert on EVERYTHING.

well, these guys may know a bit more about the stuff: http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/edit...3a5b94c2a.html

even picking it up can cause detonation. and dont tell me "well they picked it up, packed it, transported it etc etc. if your grandmother was there, would you have said, "hey granny, no need to worry. go ahead and play with the unexploded shell. you'll be just fine?"