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1vanvan1
10th June 2009, 19:50
What is with the laughing in TV shows?

Ya know the ones where the edit it in after the character says something "funny"

I swear there is one every 15 seconds.

Whats is the point of it? Any1 know
Usarka
10th June 2009, 20:02
Why don't girly dramas have a cry track?
xwhatsit
10th June 2009, 20:11
It's a cue to let you know when to laugh. American comedies aren't very funny so the audience often misses the fact a joke was made at all. So you need reminding every so often in case you think it's a terribly silly and nonsensical drama.
Maha
10th June 2009, 20:14
Canned laughter (or, laugh-o-meter) was widely used years ago, and probably still is.
Duke girl
10th June 2009, 20:19
I guess they think it adds character to the show having a pre recorded laughing audience at the push of a button without having a real live audience there when filming it.
Its so artificial and fake and after listening to it for more than 10 mins would make me change channels.
short-circuit
10th June 2009, 20:20
I guess they think it adds character to the show having a pre recorded laughing audience at the push of a button without having a real live audience there when filming it.
Its so artificial and fake and after listening to it for more than 10 mins would make me change channels.

An american accent alone is enough to cause me to change channels
1vanvan1
10th June 2009, 20:21
Yeah, when i noticed it I couldn't help but hear it every time. It was on my subconscious and got very annoying
Duke girl
10th June 2009, 20:23
An american accent alone is enough to cause me to change channels

I totally agree with you on that 1.:bash:
Dave Lobster
10th June 2009, 20:27
An american accent alone is enough to cause me to change channels

That's a lot of channel flicking. It's a struggle to find anything that isn't full of SPAMs and their oh my guard bullshit.
short-circuit
10th June 2009, 20:30
That's a lot of channel flicking. It's a struggle to find anything that isn't full of SPAMs and their oh my guard bullshit.

Hence contributing to threads tagged "arsebiscuit"
98tls
10th June 2009, 20:31
That's a lot of channel flicking. It's a struggle to find anything that isn't full of SPAMs and their oh my guard bullshit. Aussie programmes are worse 4 5 sex 7 or what about thongs:argh:why call a jandal a thong?
steve_t
10th June 2009, 21:51
Canned laughter pisses me off too :angry2: Sometimes I can ignore it... other times it just ruins it
howdamnhard
10th June 2009, 21:56
It's a cue to let you know when to laugh. American comedies aren't very funny so the audience often misses the fact a joke was made at all. So you need reminding every so often in case you think it's a terribly silly and nonsensical drama.

Well said.
pete376403
10th June 2009, 22:20
When you view a real comedy like "The Office" (Brit version) with no canned laugh track and no background music, initially it seems a bit weird, somethings missing.
Virago
10th June 2009, 22:28
Most Brit comedies have had canned laughter too.

The Red Dwarfers who have watched the new three-part special will have noted the complete lack of laughter, so different from the original shows.
Laxi
10th June 2009, 22:33
When you view a real comedy like "The Office" (Brit version) with no canned laugh track and no background music, initially it seems a bit weird, somethings missing.

I couldn't laugh at that program if I was stoned:crazy:
Pixie
11th June 2009, 08:58
It's a cue to let you know when to laugh. American comedies aren't very funny so the audience often misses the fact a joke was made at all. So you need reminding every so often in case you think it's a terribly silly and nonsensical drama.

Why do pom shows have it?

You know, the ones that are always about old codgers waiting to die
MisterD
11th June 2009, 09:20
Canned laughter (or, laugh-o-meter) was widely used years ago, and probably still is.

I still remember the day the M*A*S*H episodes screened by Auntie Beeb started retaining their canned laughter - made the funniest thing on TV completely unwatchable. :(
Flatcap
11th June 2009, 09:23
The most annoying is in programs filmed outside, yet there is still canned laughter - are we expected to believe the "Live Studio Audience" has been taken onto location?
Dave Lobster
11th June 2009, 19:24
The most annoying is in programs filmed outside, yet there is still canned laughter - are we expected to believe the "Live Studio Audience" has been taken onto location?

That depends on how stupid the intended audience is..
Usarka
11th June 2009, 19:42
My funeral is going to have a laugh track. It's in my will.
xwhatsit
11th June 2009, 21:53
Why do pom shows have it?

You know, the ones that are always about old codgers waiting to die
Probably for exactly the same reason; the humour is rubbish.

Bittorrent and fast ADSL was the death of television for me and a good chunk of my peers. Why watch the shit that gets handed to you (along with advertising) when you can pick and choose what you want... most of which is never screened locally (esp. not on free-to-air) anyhow.
Skyryder
11th June 2009, 22:25
They assume you are sheep. Canned laughter is just that. Follow the sheep.


Skyryder
Dave Lobster
12th June 2009, 05:22
They assume you are sheep. Canned laughter is just that. Follow the sheep.


A reasonable assumption in the majority of cases
Usarka
12th June 2009, 07:17
baaaaaaaaa.
Krayy
12th June 2009, 11:56
A perfect illustration of how it works is in the episode of Family Guy called "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1" where Stewie comments that it "Makes every line you say funny":

STEWIE (keeps turning on canned laughter machine after every line he says)

BRIAN: Where'd you get that thing?

STEWIE: Oh, I got it off the set of "Dharma and Greg".

BRIAN: Really? I'm surprised there's anything left in it.

BRIAN AND STEWIE, to audience: Ooooooh!