What's Your Opinion on Canned Laughter?

[The Wanderer]

"Canned laughter," in a nutshell, is the effect in a TV show when somebody says something "funny" and a bunch of laughter suddenly appears as if to remind you it's humorous. My personal opinion is that canned laughter is annoying and unnecessary; if anything, it's kind of insulting to my intelligence when a show thinks I can't figure out what's funny for myself. Having this intrusion forced into a show is also a little distracting and would kind of be like forcing white noise into a movie every ten seconds. Furthermore, it seems to me most of the jokes in your average sitcom aren't even that funny, which just makes it seem even more juvenile that I should be expected to laugh uproariously at every single mediocre pun.

So what's your take on canned laughter? Does it distract from or enhance the experience? Are you completely neutral?

 

[ProtagonistJake]

It depends if the show is actually funny honestly, because if it is, like in the show Drake and Josh, It feels like there are others laughing along with me. Even if it's canned, if it seems deserved, I don't mind it. Though it can be distracting because you can never really get a silent joke in there because the audience ruins it. So it's more hit and miss i suppose.

However, if the show ISN'T funny well... It makes you feel pretty violent towards the audience...

 

[Reaca]

I absolutely hate shows that have a laugh track that plays too much. One prime example of one it The Big Bang Theory. I don't mind the show, I mean, it has it's funny moments, but when you hear the same laughing every few seconds, it gets a bit annoying.

 

[Raindrop14]

I think the canned laughter comes with the style of show. All sitcoms have become that way and its basically just been adapted to that, in that that is the way sitcoms work. I personally don't watch that many sitcoms (Sinfeld only when my mom is at home, but all other sitcoms I've seen these days aren't good). But I don't take it as "I should laugh at this" I take it as "It might be funny to some people but perhaps not me". So its okay with me that they are there, but actually recently sitcoms have been "enforcing" it too much in that they use it a lot and their jokes are pretty bad.

So I'm neutral.

 

[Myriadviper42]

When the jokes are actually funny and isn't every five seconds, I have little problem with it. When it's in your face and the jokes aren't honestly that funny...totally obnoxious.

 

[Ventus]

Oftentimes canned laughter occurs when I start laughing myself. Otherwise, that "laughtrack.wav" simply doesn't strike a bell with me, but it isn't like it's some horrible thing. Humor isn't universal, after all, so I can understand why many comedy shows (and shows in general) play them so frequently.

 

[Dan]

I don't mind it really, but am I the only one that tries to pick out and think up what each audience member may look like, I can pick up on an old granny laugh a lot of the time.

 

[videogamenerd10]

I don't think you should have a laugh track, you should have an actual audience there to laugh. You see, the reason behind the canned laughter is if there's something funny, the laughing of the audience (or the laughtrack) can give you enough time to get the laughing out of your system before the show continues.

 

[Emma]

I have never heard the name "canned laughter" before. It's always, always been just "laugh track". It's bad in a few different ways. First off all, it's always very similar, doesn't sound organic like real laughter. So it doesn't fit the "joke" it's played to, often resulting in a larger laugh than the situation would naturally result in. And of course there is the problem of being told what is funny. I've always found that to be way too pretentious. It's very distracting. I'm bothered so much by it, that it can often be a deal-breaker for watching a show. I'd much rather watch one without a laugh track.

 

[Zorth]

"Canned laughter," in a nutshell, is the effect in a TV show when somebody says something "funny" and a bunch of laughter suddenly appears as if to remind you it's humorous. My personal opinion is that canned laughter is annoying and unnecessary; if anything, it's kind of insulting to my intelligence when a show thinks I can't figure out what's funny for myself. Having this intrusion forced into a show is also a little distracting and would kind of be like forcing white noise into a movie every ten seconds. Furthermore, it seems to me most of the jokes in your average sitcom aren't even that funny, which just makes it seem even more juvenile that I should be expected to laugh uproariously at every single mediocre pun.

So what's your take on canned laughter? Does it distract from or enhance the experience? Are you completely neutral?

I find it slightly annoying, the thought behind is really stupid. Making the audience seem stupid by deciding what's funny for them. This is why among my favorite comedies are the ones that don't have any canned laughter at all, but there are shows that have it that I still find funny mainly because the writers have the same sense of humor as me and the canned laughter laughs kind of with me, not for me.

 

[Blue Star]

I find the laugh tracks obnoxious, but I can live with them if I like the show. Still, the jokes should be able to speak for themselves. I know the show wants to let the audience have time to laugh, but if you're not laughing, the pause for the laugh feels annoying. :I

 

[the_miserable]

I really don't like canned laughter/laugh tracks. people have different senses of humor and I don't like being told when to laugh.

 

[Mellow Ezlo]

Honestly, I hardly ever even notice the laugh tracks. I guess I have become so accustomed to it, that it seems almost natural now. So, I really don't mind them.