It is like the Mary Tyler Moore ‘Chuckles the Clown’ episode when Chuckles died and everyone except for Mary was laughing, then at the funeral Mary was laughing. I don’t think it is disrespect, but it is a way to cope.
And so today we remember Chuckles the Clown: “A little song, a little dance, a little Seltzer down you pants!”
Some of the best writing on TV, ever. No wonder the Emmy’s (back when they meant something!) were awarded to MTM so many times over. :)