JFK Assassination Ad For French Horse Racing Bookmaker Takes A Controversial Shot At Humor (VIDEO)

WATCH: Ad Mocks JFK Assassination

Talk about a gamble.

A controversial commercial for a French betting site reimagines the assassination of John F. Kennedy as the fault of a bumbling cop -- and plays it for laughs.

The ad for horse racing bookmaker PMU, by the Publicis Conseil, France agency, begins with the motorcade of that fateful day in Dallas. One police officer bets another that he can twirl his gun three times like a cowboy. The gun discharges, and the bullet ricochets into the iconic tragedy.

"You like to bet?" the tagline asks before the ad segues to the logo for PMU.

Perhaps not surprisingly, critics felt the spot missed the mark. "The joke is forced, not that funny, and doesn’t tie back to product well at all," Copyranter wrote.

"While we're all for humor and making light of serious topics, there are some things that are sacred," Adrants commented.

Many YouTube commenters said the ad was in poor taste, while one viewer snidely remarked (in more colorful language) that the French didn't need to be as sensitive to our domestic catastrophes.

What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.

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