Poll: Canned Laughter

[Lemon Of Life]

I've been watching some old shows (MASH to name one) and they have canned laughter. This baffles me. These shows are very funny, and there is no need for an indication for when a joke is being told or for when a funny moment is happenning, these are obvious. The laughter just plain annoys me, I wish they would be quiet.

Your thoughts?

EDIT And dayum, wrong section, sorry guys.

 

[mad825]

Wait, I see no games unless MASH has become a game lately?

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

You put this in the wrong section buddy. With you subject matter it needs to be in Off-Topic Discussion.

Back on topic, that was the older days when most shows had that. Now a days most programs have genuine laughter unless it's a sitcom on CBS.

 

[Blue Horn]

Canned laughter in Sitcoms don't really bother me, but when it was used in old cartoons like Scooby-doo and The Flintstones, thats going too far.
Am I supposed to think that the cartoon was drawn in front of a live studio audience?

 

[Frequen-Z]

Depends on the program, canned laughter can never add to the experience, merely 'not detract'.

Shows like That Mitchell & Webb Look do fine with canned laughter, it doesn't take anything away. But get a show like The Office, and you're going to murder it instantly.

 

[Hurray Forums]

Canned laughter is a must for me. If there's no canned laughter and I'm sitting alone watching a show I wonder "Wait, was that funny? I thought it was funny, but maybe the joke is that whoever laughs at that is stupid. I don't want to be stupid. Okay, it wasn't really that funny. I don't need to laugh. But maybe if I don't laugh it's because I'm too stupid to get the joke! QUIT MOCKING ME SHOW I'M NOT STUPID!!! AM I SUPPOSED TO LAUGH OR NOT! OH GOD SOMEONE PLEASE VALIDATE MY SENSE OF HUMOR *breaks down into tears*"

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

I think laughter along with a show can help it. I think that Friends, Big Bang Theory and Blackadder wouldn't be the same without the laughter, and it's something I've observed on Scrubs is that I really don't find it as engaging an experience. I still find it funny, but I never quite feel part of it, in the same way that I don't feel a part of other TV shows.

For me canned laughter at least helps towards that sense of involvement that real laughter does, so I guess it does enhance the experience for me.

 

[Phoenixlight]

I really hate it, one of my friends told me once while we were watching friends that it tells you (the viewer) when you're supposed to laugh -_-