Tyler Knott Gregson - Tyler Knott Productions Brain Rain

Monday, May 19, 2003

I am home. Apologies for my going M.I.A. Alas, here I am.

I noticed today, something that's always been in front of me, but never really analyzed. This "thing" is the ever popular "laugh track" that weaves itself throughout nearly all of the sitcoms on television. Think of this for a moment, you are sitting there in the comfort of your home, watching fake lives on television, and the option to laugh at the jokes, "aaaaahhhhh" at the touching moments, and react to whatever else goes on, is stolen. While you watch, a fake and unseen audience is watching the show in front of you, dictating the laughter that they expect to get out of you. Jokes that are not funny, moments that are not particularly touching, and situations that are poorly written all recieve the same amount of attention by these fake audiences. The choice is being made for us, and a large majority of the time we laugh along with this psuedo-audience. I truly wonder how often we'd laugh if there were no laugh track, would sitcoms be funny, and even more importantly, would sitcoms be popular? It just strikes me as very odd that in a society in which customizeability, independence, and freedom of thought are so chiefly valued, (at least they claim to be) we are told when to laugh, and when to cry.

At any rate, I want to get hired to be a laugh track laugher. I've noticed that there are always one or two laughs that stick out the most and are either the loudest, the most obnoxious, or the last laughing laugh. If I get hired, rest assured, this laugher will be me.

eloquently said by

| 11:44 PM | | |


Monday, May 19, 2003 Return I am home. Apologies for my going M.I.A. Alas, here I am. I noticed today, something that's always been in front of me, but never really analyzed. This "thing" is the ever popular "laugh track" that weaves itself throughout nearly all of the sitcoms on television. Think of this for a moment, you are sitting there in the comfort of your home, watching fake lives on television, and the option to laugh at the jokes, "aaaaahhhhh" at the touching moments, and react to whatever else goes on, is stolen. While you watch, a fake and unseen audience is watching the show in front of you, dictating the laughter that they expect to get out of you. Jokes that are not funny, moments that are not particularly touching, and situations that are poorly written all recieve the same amount of attention by these fake audiences. The choice is being made for us, and a large majority of the time we laugh along with this psuedo-audience. I truly wonder how often we'd laugh if there were no laugh track, would sitcoms be funny, and even more importantly, would sitcoms be popular? It just strikes me as very odd that in a society in which customizeability, independence, and freedom of thought are so chiefly valued, (at least they claim to be) we are told when to laugh, and when to cry. At any rate, I want to get hired to be a laugh track laugher. I've noticed that there are always one or two laughs that stick out the most and are either the loudest, the most obnoxious, or the last laughing laugh. If I get hired, rest assured, this laugher will be me. eloquently said by \| 11:44 PM \| \| \|	Tyler Knott Productions Tyler Knott Photography Vimeo Tumblr Twitter Clutch Del.icio.us MySpace Last.fm LinkedIn Resumé Atom Feed Twitters follow me on Twitter Horizon Expanders McGraw Donovan Dave Morin Flickr Blog Jaymie Keller Kevin Casey Nate Warner Rachel Hoffenberg Sarah Joelle Sarah Joelle's Music My Photography Past Downpours September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 Copyright This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.