Philly Police Make Super Odd Anti-Drug PSA

It'll look familiar to anyone who watched Saved By The Bell
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 18, 2015 8:27 AM CDT

Why make your own PSA when you can just reuse one from the 1990s? That’s apparently the logic of the Philadelphia Police Department, which on Aug. 4 released an anti-drug PSA that probably looks familiar. It’s essentially the same one aired during a 1991 episode of Saved By The Bell—and includes the message "There's no hope with dope"—except Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey's head is pasted over that of then-TV executive Brandon Tartikoff, reports the New York Daily News. The video has been shared on the Philadelphia Police Department’s Facebook and YouTube pages recently, tallying 100,000 views.

"Who is this appealing to—people in their 30s and 40s who have probably already determined their feelings on pot?" asks the AV Club. Should you feel the need to bow down in praise, you can do so in front of social media manager Sgt. Eric Gripp, who initially planned to trade the entire TV cast for officers. Then scheduling difficulties and prep for Pope Francis' visit got in the way. "I just got tired of waiting and crudely pasted the commissioner's face over the original video," he says. "Fortunately for me the boss is very down-to-earth and has a great sense of humor." Speaking of one's sense of humor, here's part of the video's caption: "Hopefully, you will enjoy it as much as me, because its production costs were close to 4 million dollars." The department followed the video with a Straight Outta Compton meme. (More Philadelphia stories.)

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