Topic: Canned laughter

[Diabolico]

Do you like cannded laughter? I find it extremely annoying at times.

Everybody Loves Raymond:

Two and a Half Men:

Fraiser:

Friends:

IT Crowd:

Dad's Army:

'Allo 'Allo:

[redlandslide]

I hate canned laughter. I remember Scooby Doo cartoons being really annoying with it.

[smokester]

I seriously cannot watch anything modern with canned laughter, although I tend to be more accepting with old nostalgic comedies.

[ohcheap1]

I cant say "I like it" but most times it doesnt bother me.

[chekovsulu]

I tend to be more accepting with old nostalgic comedies.

Me two.  I can watch Blackadder, Alan Partridge, Red Dwarf and older episodes of Friends (heh) and not notice the laughter.

Most of the time, with modern comedies, I don't like canned laughter.  There are times when the laughing happens for a joke that's not very funny, like some things Penny says in 'The Big Bang Theory'.

Sometimes it gives me an indication of how funny a joke is meant to be, but other times it feels like I'm being told something that isn't funny is funny.

It would be nice to see if they showed comedy shows with the option to remove the canned laughter (like optional switching to a different audio track, like they do with audio described programmes) just to see how I react.

[indie180]

I am a big M.A.S.H fan and on the box set's it give's you the chance to switch it off.

I have watched the ones I have both ways and off is the best for me, you have to listen and you catch a lot more of the funnies that are sometimes missed because of what the studio thinks is funny or because of political issues or for what ever reason. 

[hmed2390]

I read a huge article on canned laughter a few months ago and how it came about.

It doesn't really bother me mostly because I don't notice it or give it any attention.

Then again some people are super observative and notice any small potential annoyance so I can understand their pain.  

LOL@ Scooby Doo. That's one case of canned laughter that's a little hard to miss. Classic show though so it gets off the hook.  

edit: how about a "it doesn't really bother me/grab my attention" in the poll?  

But I suppose a simple "no" is equivalent.  

[chekovsulu]

I often wonder what the most recent Red Dwarf episodes would have been like with the laughter.

[dweez]

I hate you Diabolico.  I never noticed the canned laughter before and now it's all I hear.

[frankcapri]

I hate it.  It's there so you think jokes are funnier than they really are.  It's manipulative and super cheesy.
Weak comedies use canned laughter because the producers know the shows aren't actually that funny. 

Whatever happened to "Filmed before a live studio audience"?  At least those kinds of shows had
real people laughing at the jokes even if they had to feed the audience amphetamines and pump the air full of nitrous oxide beforehand

I do like The Big Bang Theory, but initially when I heard the laugh track I said, "Oh, golly this show."
I'm glad I stuck it out, but I really wish they'd ditch that poo. 

[dweez]

Live studio audiences also get prompted to "laugh" or "clap" or whatever at the appropriate time but at least it's not the same "laugh" each time.

[frankcapri]

Yeah, that's why I mentioned the amphetamines and nitrous oxide 

And yeah, the laughs are different and varied.  I liked the Married With Children live studio audience the best. 
The audience for that show hooted and hollered 

Still, I'd prefer shows nowadays did away with what I see as an antiquated presentation style. 
That, or The Office should start using a laugh track 

[chekovsulu]

I recently saw some pretty bad canned laughter, I can't recall what it was but it was awful!  It was like someone was pressing an laughter on/off button

[frankcapri]

I wish I had a device like that for real life.  I bet people would think I was way funnier than I actually am 

[ztx651]

Poll needs: golly No.

I don't need to reminded to laugh when *I* find something funny.