Laugh Tracks

[cgannon64]

Do you believe people laugh more often at sitcoms that have laugh tracks, that people have learned only laugh when other people are laughing? I've heard people say this before, and I've seen a strange phenomenon in my school where sitcoms with laugh tracks (Friends, etc) are MUCH more popular than those without (Scrubs, etc).

So what do you think? Do laugh tracks make a show funnier, or at least make people laugh more?

i personally hate them

 

[Richard III]

I was going to vote "no" and then decided not to in protest, because the option I really wanted was missing, namely,

"no, laugh tracks actually ruin a show and make people laugh less."

I can't stand laugh tracks, and they literally embarrass me. All you have to do is watch "ALF" for five minutes to see why.

R.III

 

[andrewgprv]

Laugh Tracks drive me nuts!

 

[gael]

I prefer to watch comedy that has people laughing with you. It dosn't make it more funny, it just makes it easier to laugh at.

It does depend on the style of comedy though. Scrubs wouldn’t would not suite a laugh track, its not the 'laugh track' type of comedy.

 

[cgannon64]

Originally posted by gael
IIt does depend on the style of comedy though. Scrubs wouldn?t would not suite a laugh track, its not the 'laugh track' type of comedy.

Good point. I personally think ALL shows aren't 'laugh track' type of comedy, though. I can't stand them. I feel like someone is trying to force me to laugh.

They were sort of OK when they were actually the audience laughing at the taping. But then they decided to make them recordings...

*sigh*

 

[Bifrost]

Laugh tracks are included in some boring series to show they are funny, and to mark where exactly you should laugh. Stupidity? Nonsense? - I can't find the right word to explain my attitude

 

[Zcylen]

I find them disgusting.

once a friend and I made a short film, then we edited it and put some laugh tracks...















IT SUCKED!!!

 

[philippe]

I hate them.Burn the inventors on the stake!
Slash off their heads and let the heads be eaten by cats!

 

[gael]

Originally posted by cgannon64


Good point. I personally think ALL shows aren't 'laugh track' type of comedy, though. I can't stand them. I feel like someone is trying to force me to laugh.

They were sort of OK when they were actually the audience laughing at the taping. But then they decided to make them recordings...

*sigh*

If its not funny, then its not funny. Nothings going to make you laugh if your not amused.
I didn't know that friends had a 'laugh track', i always thought it was a real audience. ( laughing at tapes, or whatever it is they do)
Any comedys that i have watched and liked, seem to have a genuine laughing audience (?).
I couldn't care less, if its not funny, no matter how many people are laughing, I won't watch it.
But if it is funny, I like to here others laughing with me.

Like Frazier and Happy Days

 

[cgannon64]

Originally posted by gael


If its not funny, then its not funny. Nothings going to make you laugh if your not amused.
I didn't know that friends had a 'laugh track', i always thought it was a real audience. ( laughing at tapes, or whatever it is they do)
Any comedys that i have watched and liked, seem to have a genuine laughing audience (?).
I couldn't care less, if its not funny, no matter how many people are laughing, I won't watch it.
But if it is funny, I like to here others laughing with me.

Like Frazier and Happy Days

Thats what I mean. Do you think you laugh MORE when there is a laugh track? Obviously a laugh track can't get you laughing, but it could probably keep you laughing.

Oh, and I don't know show-by-show if they use laugh tracks or real audiences. Sometimes its hard to tell (sometimes not - sometimes you can hear one identical laugh throughout the show :crazyeyes: ) if they use audiences or not. But I am kind of suspicious; I mean, Friends isn't THAT funny.

or maybe im just unique

 

[gael]

Have you ever heard someone tell a really funny joke, and every one starts to laugh.
Its that laughter that carries the joke. Even when you are just about to stop laughing, you see someone still cracking up and it gets you started again.
If you were to tell the same joke around a bunch of d**k heads that had no sense of humor, it would die on its arse.

Comedy is all about laughing, and hearing other people laugh makes you laugh louder. (If its funny)

 

[napoleon526]

I think that laugh tracks work subliminally. If you hear a bunch of other people laughing, your subconcious instinct is to go along with the crowd. Thus, you laugh along, making you think that the show must be funny. How else do you explain the longevity of shows like "Friends," which is so not funny as to be painful to watch?

 

[Zarn]

I don't like the laugh track, but I do like Friends.
*There are laughs in the background*
Hey, no laughing about that. I'm serious.

 

[gael]

Originally posted by napoleon526
I think that laugh tracks work subliminally. If you hear a bunch of other people laughing, your subconcious instinct is to go along with the crowd. Thus, you laugh along, making you think that the show must be funny. How else do you explain the longevity of shows like "Friends," which is so not funny as to be painful to watch?

I've watched shows that had people laughing away in the background, but i thought it was pure s**t.
Although I have to agree that it does make really bad comedy bearable to watch. So you may have a point.

PS. I think friends is funny.

 

[napoleon526]

Friends USED to be kind of funny, now it's gotten old. They've had every friend be romantically involved with every other friend. I'm just waiting for Courtney Cox and David Schwimmer's character's to hook up, even though they're supposed to be brother and sister. They should change the name of the show to "People Who Screw Each Other."

 

[anarchywrksbest]

"CFC is filmed in front of a live studio audience"

That is the best laughter cause it is real Like on the old Fresh Prince show.

 

[Zarn]

Originally posted by gael

PS. I think friends is funny.

At least someone likes friends.

*starts to attempt to sing the theme song*

 

[cgannon64]

Originally posted by napoleon526
I think that laugh tracks work subliminally. If you hear a bunch of other people laughing, your subconcious instinct is to go along with the crowd. Thus, you laugh along, making you think that the show must be funny. How else do you explain the longevity of shows like "Friends," which is so not funny as to be painful to watch?

While I don't hate Friends as much as you, I don't see why my friends practically worship it. My friends will say, "You see Friends last night?" When I tell them I didn't, they look at me like I just killed someone. "What did youdo instead?" "There was this cool documentary on the History Channel. "*collective *"

I really agree though. They've made that show into a soap opera. How do you accidentally propose to someone? Good god.

Originally posted by Zyclen
I find them disgusting.

once a friend and I made a short film, then we edited it and put some laugh tracks...

IT SUCKED!!!

And I thought I was the only one who made a short movie...(if 36 minutes long is short) What is yours about? We didn't put in a laugh track, but there is a less obvious one - us laughing in the background. Even with multiple takes, its almost impossible to find a scene without us laughing quietly. That's what you get for doing an entirely ad-libbed movie (with action figured no less...) - lots of laughter, but funnier jokes, IMO. Is yours live action? Ours is...but with action figures. Because we suck as actors. But voices...

subliminal laugh tracks may be worse...

 

[Dark Ascendant]

I think all sitcoms can go down the drain. Reality is more important. On laugh tracks, it really makes the show seem funny, even when it's not.

 

[Pongui]

Perhaps the laugh track only makes viewers more comfortable. They needn't contract their diaphragms for the actor's benefit because others are doing a sufficient job of it.