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WEST BERLIN — History is important for various serious reasons, so sometimes the hilarious things are forgotten.
Most hilarious moments and soundbites in history are forgotten because they tend to be generational, needing the specific context of a specific culture in a specific moment to be funny.
One unfunny moment in history was the attempted assassination of then-President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Two months into his term, he was shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr. in Washington, D.C.
They say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger; but for some people, what doesn't kill you makes you funnier. Think of it as an "if I don't laugh I'll cry" type of coping mechanism situation.
Fast forward to 1987 and Reagan is addressing a crowd in then West Berlin, two years before the fall of the Berlin Wall. At many political events and rallies, no matter what the country, festive balloons are part of the decoration.
Well, balloons pop. And a popping balloon may sound like a firing gun. And if you've been shot before, the sound of a popping balloon may be traumatic. Not so much for Reagan.
Without being startled or even looking up, Reagan delivers a line that will make you laugh out loud 35 years later.
No, I will not tell you what it is; you'll have to watch the 31-second video. But, the crowd does, indeed, go wild.