Laughter: Here in the UK we get a lot of American programs (that help fill up all the cable channels we have). However, the one thing that leaves me cold, are those programs that have...

norman1312 Loc: London, UK

Here in the UK we get a lot of American programs (that help fill up all the cable channels we have).
However, the one thing that leaves me cold, are those programs that have a canned laughter track that seems to work after every single line.
I cannot believe that practically every sentence is funny, and you are being 'told' to laugh to order.
That really spoils my enjoyment of what is otherwise an entertaining program.
What do you over there think about it?

trainguy Loc: Suttons Bay, MI

I enjoy them much more with out the annoying sound

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

I agree. The laugh track is nothing but annoying and can ruin an otherwise decent show.

jack schade Loc: La Pine Oregon

I never liked the laugh tracks.

Jack

Frank47 Loc: West coast Florida

Agree. Laugh tracks are phoney and detract from the program. 👎

twowindsbear

Mute the audio & read the closed captioning - problem solved.

ggttc Loc: TN

Wont watch anything with them

lmTrying Loc: WV Northern Panhandle

ggttc wrote:

Wont watch anything with them

Oops, attached to the wrong post. Meant to attach to OP.

A fellow teacher here in the states married a British girl. One summer they went over to visit the family. He noted while watching the telly with the family, especially Benny Hill who was popular in both countries, that he would laugh at things he thought was funny, but the family did not. They only looked at him with blank stares. Then, the entire family would laugh at something else that did not strike him as funny at all.

I have heard comedians on TV talk about doing live shows in other countries. They expressed the same things, and found themselves re-writing their entire sketches for each country.

That much I can comment on. As to why do we have laugh tracks, I do not know.

But the Benny Hill shows televised in the US all have laugh tracks. I assume, they were dubbed in here.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

It totally sux.
And you also wonder about the mental state of someone laughing at the poor attempt at humor.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

I never liked laugh tracks, either.

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

I seldom pay attention to them. When I do, the question is - Would I laugh at that?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

norman1312 wrote:

Here in the UK we get a lot of American programs (that help fill up all the cable channels we have).
However, the one thing that leaves me cold, are those programs that have a canned laughter track that seems to work after every single line.
I cannot believe that practically every sentence is funny, and you are being 'told' to laugh to order.
That really spoils my enjoyment of what is otherwise an entertaining program.
What do you over there think about it?

Here's an answer from the BBC. It began with a sound engineer at CBS. People didn't laugh right or at the right times, so he decided to control the laughter electronically. Ironically, the company that invented canned laughter is moving away from it.
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160926-where-does-canned-laughter-come-from-and-where-did-it-go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpY0Muy_1qI

bersharbp Loc: Texas

twowindsbear wrote:

Mute the audio & read the closed captioning - problem solved.

Most of the time, I don't mind hearing the line, but the 'laughter' is disgusting. My answer is a different channel or the off switch. I object to being told something is funny when it is not.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

They are very stupid and annoying. I do not watch any "regular programming". I watch Netflix, Amazon Prime, DVD's from local library & a few movies I record. I record golf & tennis to fast forward through commercials and my news is online. I totally agree with your assessment.
Mark

norman1312 wrote:

Here in the UK we get a lot of American programs (that help fill up all the cable channels we have).
However, the one thing that leaves me cold, are those programs that have a canned laughter track that seems to work after every single line.
I cannot believe that practically every sentence is funny, and you are being 'told' to laugh to order.
That really spoils my enjoyment of what is otherwise an entertaining program.
What do you over there think about it?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

markngolf wrote:

They are very stupid and annoying. I do not watch any "regular programming". I watch Netflix, Amazon Prime, DVD's from local library & a few movies I record. I record golf & tennis to fast forward through commercials and my news is online. I totally agree with your assessment.
Mark

Same here. I'm finishing up a month with Hulu, which will end August 9. Yes, FF is great!