Like the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, the Kennedy assassination in 1963 left professional comedians in a difficult spot.

"I think we stayed off for close to a week," famed 'Tonight Show' host Johnny Carson recalled. "What could you do? It just wasn't right. You've got to lay back in the weeds and wait till things cool down...

"When we did go back though, I remember getting a note from this lady who wrote, 'How dare you? How could you go on the air?' So I replied to her on the air, 'Why are you watching? If you're so deep in grief, why are you watching televsion!?'"

[When Kennedy was assassinated, it was not a federal felony to kill the president.]