Canned Laughter...Ugh!

[Katie]

It annoys me occasionally but most of the time I just tune it out anyway. There was one program where it seemed to be every other line and drove me mad, I can't think what it was though.

[Dyson]

It's even worse when they have cheers and things. I think that happens on Married With Children.

 

Yes, it was. Family Guy did a parody of it once . It happens in programs where a celeb enters aswell, wild cheers from the audience.

[MoogleViper]

Yes, it was. Family Guy did a parody of it once . It happens in programs where a celeb enters aswell, wild cheers from the audience.

 

Yeah that really annoys me.

[Solo]

I think it can actually help me laugh on programs that struggle (like Freinds) to make me laugh. Could be a subliminal/sub-concious thing.

 

I think the worst thing I've seen canned laughter on is Scooby Doo, I mean... why?

[Jimmy3000]

i find it annoying on American shows were the joke just isnt funny (see that abc channel, full of them) but can add to the show sometimes.... Go scrubs for not using it.

[Stocka]

Whats the record here for the most rapid topic in terms of the number of posts within the first few hours of creation, would it be the E3 topic back when the site had a record amount of people log in?

Has to be the Game Informer scans thread with the first pics of Red Steel. I think that was like 11 pages in 1 hour

[Eddage]

I always thought Friends was filmed in front of an audience as well?!

[Jon]

I always thought Friends was filmed in front of an audience as well?!

 

It was, apart from the finale for obvious reasons.

[Garden_Pigeon]

Anyone watch King of Queens? I don't pay attention to the laughter that much so I don't know if its too over the top. Its a really good show though. Really funny when Doug does his "flipping out" thing

[Fierce_LiNk]

I dunno if you've seen the programs at all but it's there after nearly every sentance. My Family isn't quite as bad but it's still near unwatchable.

 

My Family and My Hero have bad humour anyway.

But yeah, I can see what you mean there.

 

But, what about with something like the Vicar of Dibley? Doesn't that have canned laughter?

[fanman]

i find it annoying on American shows were the joke just isnt funny (see that abc channel, full of them) but can add to the show sometimes.... Go scrubs for not using it.

 

That's just american humour. Most of it is just retarded.

[Dyson]

My Family and My Hero have bad humour anyway.

Actually My Hero's first season was good for a while, quite enjoyed it. That said...I must have been 11 at the time. Same with My Family.

But, what about with something like the Vicar of Dibley? Doesn't that have canned laughter?

 

I think so, but I don't watch it, so I wouldn't know :P

[Ashley]

Canned laughter, when a programme is filmed in front of a live audience works this way;

 

They film it, audiences laugh. In post-production they loop the SFX over the top because its easier (real laughter may go on, have 'weird' laughs etc)

 

If anyone owns the Mighty Boosh DVDs (sidebar, well done) watch the original pilot. Theres canned laughter, its quite bad.

[Supergrunch]

I don't think canned laughter should be used at all, but it's worst with surreal humour.

[solitanze]

Seriously, I find myself laughing in bad/tragic moments like serious arguments etc in shows more so than actual funny moments. I'd like to see a show where they put a laughing audience in one of these moments to see the reaction of the viewers that watch that particular show.

[mcj metroid]

people dont miss this until its gone.its needed really.iv tried watching a few like red dwarf without laugh track and it seems quieter and weird

[Rummy]

No.

 

In most cases, it doesn't annoy me, in most cases I do not notice it, in most cases it has a purpose and works well in doing its purpose to the extent which it can do it. Sometimes the principle of it does annoy me though.

[Dyson]

people dont miss this until its gone.its needed really.iv tried watching a few like red dwarf without laugh track and it seems quieter and weird

 

It leaves you with gaps, as you'll notice if you watch Friends. Whenever there is an intended gag, nothing else is said or done, perhaps a reaction shot.

 

If they did away with the gaps, it'd seem more natural.

[fanman]

It leaves you with gaps, as you'll notice if you watch Friends. Whenever there is an intended gag, nothing else is said or done, perhaps a reaction shot.

 

If they did away with the gaps, it'd seem more natural.

 

Then there's no space for you to laugh. The gaps are nescessery, but the laughing track isn't.

[nekunando]

..the canned laughter probably does work ok with Friends (but then you'll never know what it would have been like without it)

 

To be honest, a lot of the time it is the music in Friends that would annoy me more than the canned laughter would. Usually at the end of an episode, something 'funny' would happen followed by the names coming up on the screen accompanied by some often infuriating music (before the end bit where the names appear at the bottom).

[Dyson]

..the canned laughter probably does work ok with Friends (but then you'll never know what it would have been like without it)

 

To be honest, a lot of the time it is the music in Friends that would annoy me more than the canned laughter would. Usually at the end of an episode, something 'funny' would happen followed by the names coming up on the screen accompanied by some often infuriating music (before the end bit where the names appear at the bottom).

 

That happened in between all the scenes aswell, normally a guitar bit. Come to think of it, the same thing happens on Scrubs. I prefer it to be honest.

[nekunando]

That happened in between all the scenes aswell, normally a guitar bit. Come to think of it, the same thing happens on Scrubs. I prefer it to be honest.

 

..there's a few times at the end of friends though when the joke really wasn't funny and it was just infuriating (there was one particular guitar bit which got on my nipples)

 

It's ok in Scrubs (probably a little bias in there since I really like Scrubs)

[Dyson]

I probably know the friends one you mean as well. Bow, ba-bum, bada, bada, bow badum, bada bow.

 

...It doesn't come across as well in text. It's fine in Scrubs unless they end a scene with an unfunny joke.

[nekunando]

I probably know the friends one you mean as well. Bow, ba-bum, bada, bada, bow badum, bada bow.

 

...It doesn't come across as well in text. It's fine in Scrubs unless they end a scene with an unfunny joke.

 

That IS the one! (or at least, I can hum it along to those words.. not that I want to because it's so annoying.. but it won't leave my head.. get it out.. GET IT OUT )

[Dyson]

That IS the one! (or at least, I can hum it along to those words.. not that I want to because it's so annoying.. but it won't leave my head.. get it out.. GET IT OUT )

 

Lmao! Oh dear, sorry about that. Rest assured, it's in my head too!