Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
The space shuttle Columbia broke up on re-entry in 2003, scattering debris over Texas.
double post
The remains of the Columbia were found over a large stretch of Texas.
Thanks ! As said, I’m one of those weird people who take little interest in this subject (i.e. “space” stuff, not jokes).
Thanks for the kind words.
I just thought that the absurdity of someone being publically struck by a fit of laughter by a silly 25 year-old joke that had only initially elicited a smirk when I first heard it a few hours earlier, surrounded by people who I couldn’t have explained what I was laughing so hard about, (even if I fluently spoke their language, which I don’t) because the subjects involved are minor niche celebrities even many Americans probably are unfamiliar with was pretty unusual and was certainly amusing to me, in a bizzare, surreal kind of way, especially because I knew full well that nothing about the whole thing was actually all that funny, which of course made it all the more hilarious and silly to me, the guy laughing like an idiot in the middle of one of the most historic, majestic, beautiful (and tragic) cities on Earth.
I hope those outraged by the precious time they wasted reading my drivel can find it in their hearts to forgive me and move on with their lives.
Grab yerself a cruller and a cup of coffee, Guin, this could take awhile:
For a brief period in the history of our great country, the Secretary of the Interior was a guy named James Watt, who developed a less than stellar record in the position. His tenure gave rise to a bunch of environmental jokes, which was OK to enjoy as it was his fault they existed. The Baby Seal seemed to be the linchpin of all this humor. Here’s another BS joke, courtesy of National Lampoon:
The Lampoon published a phony paperback book cover (part of some other comedy piece) called “50 Watts,” a joke-book of favorite bits by you-know-who. This cover had a drawing of a baby seal with a fatal head wound hanging halfway in a window of a suburban home. The wife is cowering in the bed, the husband is holding a baseball bat and a cop is interviewing the man, who exclaims, I thought it was a burglar! Honest!
Aren’t you glad you asked? 
I’d never till this moment heard of the Secretary of the Interior James Watt. However, this, with attendant baby-seal business: brings to mind the maybe more famous James Watt, 1736 – 1819: British inventor and engineer, generally credited with inventing the first successful (stationary) steam engine – and the attendant agelessly-feeble routine:
Q. Who invented the first successful steam engine?
A. Watt.
Q. Who invented the first successful steam engine?
A. Watt.
Q. WHO INVENTED THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL STEAM ENGINE?
A. Watt.
Q. What’s the flaming matter with you? WHO INVENTED THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL STEAM ENGINE?
A. Why do you keep asking the same bloody thing? Watt, I tell you.
Q. Blasted deaf idiot !
A. Idiot, plain and simple ! Get lost !
(et cetera)…
One of the “strange coincidences” between Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy"
Lincoln spent time in Monroe, Maryland. Kennedy spent time in Marilyn Monroe.
What’s GAY stand for? Got AIDS Yet?
I had never heard of him. Thanks for posting. The Lenny Bruce joke was great.
I too thought it was a well-told anecdote, not a joke per se.
Being Captain Obvious here, but I would argue that all of the jokes above were never funny or are still funny depending on your sense of humor and knowledge of the topical events/political climate of the time.
Disregarding political correctness, I still groan and chuckle (though not outright laugh) at most of them since I remember the events/people.
That said, I highly recommend “National Lampoon’s Cartoons Even We Wouldn’t Dare Print” and “National Lampoon’s Cartoons Even We Wouldn’t Dare Print II” for visual humor that I probably couldn’t speak about, much less show to anyone but someone I’ve known for years, and even then it’s questionable! 
Magic bullet, indeed!
Yeah, that was a humorous read. I could almost imagine this guy’s reaction to the events in Dallas.
I heard that Princess Grace was on the radio … and the steering wheel and the dashboard …
Hey, did you hear the latest about O. J. Simpson?
No, what is it?
OK, good, you’re on the jury.
Being Major Obvious, the point of the OP is that the joke only works with knowledge of historical context, a knowledge that can’t be assumed with a modern audience.
Gulf War-era joke:
What do Saddam Hussein and Fred Flintstone have in common?
They both look out their window and see rubble.
Remember, if Karen Carpenter had eaten Mama Cass’ ham sandwich…
They’d BOTH be alive today.
Have you seen the last Karen Carpenter album? Her picture’s on the side.
Ok a Karen threefer:
Whats Richard Carpenters new single?
She ain’t heavy She’s my sister
RIP Karen!!
Not funny?? Hell I practically laughed till I peed. 