Poll: Do you like canned laughter?

[mojojowjow2007]

Simple question do you like the laughter that is added onto comedy progammes e.g. two and a half men and fraiser.

This doesnt include friends or fresh prince because the are filmed infront of a live audience.

 

[Sergeant M. Fudgey]

I laugh at the laughter. It's just so cheesy.

 

[Beffudled Sheep]

It used to annoy me but then I realised that the show would be too quiet without it.

 

[Goatlemon]

No, it sucks like a supercharged vacuum cleaner. I would rather laugh when I think something is funny, not when some numpty director thinks I should.

BTW, those shows filmed in front of a live audience often have those applause signs, so in a way those too have canned laughter, it's just fresher.

IMHO Everybody Loves Raymond was by far the worst offender for overused laughter.

 

[Snor]

depends on the show

 

[fix-the-spade]

No.

If something is funny then it doesn't need it.
If something isn't funny then no amount of it can hide that fact.

It's just a cheap cue for bad writers to try and force laughs out of their audience. Ever notice that Scrubs has none but Friends has masses?

 

[iron codpiece]

It's still better than 'a live studio audience' occasionally you'll get this person with a really annoying laugh that sticks out. Also, they tend to pause while the audience laughs and the actors step out of character for a moment.

Terrible, just terrible.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I really hate Canned Laughter...

The Missus bought a gigantic MASH boxed set (all eleven seasons plus the movie) that thankfully offers the entire show LAUGH TRACK FREE! Without the canned laughter it's amazing TV.

 

[dragontiers]

I tend to tune out the laughter. Unless it's absurdly out of place, I never even notice it. On the other hand, I do notice it's absence. I've only seen bits of The Office, which doesn't have any laugh tracks at all. I just felt really awkward whenever someone made a joke. It felt like watching a comic up on stage when no one in the audience laughs. Even if it was mildly funny, it still feels kind of embarrassing for them.

 

[NeutralDrow]

It used to annoy me but then I realised that the show would be too quiet without it.

This.

 

[beddo]

Do they have it in Comedy films? NO!

It's often really overused, for example in the IT Crowd where it's on practically every line. STOP USING CANNED LAUGHTER!

 

[Krakyn]

Personally, I like the canned laughter because I need it. On the incredibly stupid shows that use it, I literally need the laugh track to tell me when they're trying to be funny.

 

[mojojowjow2007]

I really hate Canned Laughter...

The Missus bought a gigantic MASH boxed set (all eleven seasons plus the movie) that thankfully offers the entire show LAUGH TRACK FREE! Without the canned laughter it's amazing TV.

Some of the really old episodes of mash used to have some canned laughter in but not much.

Also fair play on having a girl who understands the genius of mash.

 

[Krakyn]

I tend to tune out the laughter. Unless it's absurdly out of place, I never even notice it. On the other hand, I do notice it's absence. I've only seen bits of The Office, which doesn't have any laugh tracks at all. I just felt really awkward whenever someone made a joke. It felt like watching a comic up on stage when no one in the audience laughs. Even if it was mildly funny, it still feels kind of embarrassing for them.

This is the effect that they're going for. The jokes are supposed to make you feel embarrassed and awkward on behalf of the characters. Some people like this style of low energy comedy.

 

[BonsaiK]

Hate it.

One of the great things about The Simpsons when it appeared was the lack of canned laughter. No-one was telling people when to laugh so people had to work out for themselves was was funny and what wasn't. So borderline retards could laugh at the "D'oh" stuff and smart people could laugh at the veiled social satire, and neither would get in each other's way.

 

[SchnorriS]

Arrgh! No, I hate it.

I feel someone is trying to manipulate me, and I feel it's a crutch propping up bad comedy shows.

It's the worst when the laughs sound exactly the same for every joke.

 

[dragontiers]

I tend to tune out the laughter. Unless it's absurdly out of place, I never even notice it. On the other hand, I do notice it's absence. I've only seen bits of The Office, which doesn't have any laugh tracks at all. I just felt really awkward whenever someone made a joke. It felt like watching a comic up on stage when no one in the audience laughs. Even if it was mildly funny, it still feels kind of embarrassing for them.

This is the effect that they're going for. The jokes are supposed to make you feel embarrassed and awkward on behalf of the characters. Some people like this style of low energy comedy.

Well, at least they're getting the effect they're trying for. Just not my cup of tea I guess.

 

[Beefcakes]

IMHO Everybody Loves Raymond was by far the worst offender for overused laughter.

I'll second that honest opinion

Canned laughter is really, really ever so bad...

 

[oktalist]

Personally, I like the canned laughter because I need it. On the incredibly stupid shows that use it, I literally need the laugh track to tell me when they're trying to be funny.

This