tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post7416214025992441029..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: A comedy scene without a laugh trackBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91349771392319635032019-08-04T08:10:38.086-07:002019-08-04T08:10:38.086-07:00Give me a break! What is the difference between ha...Give me a break! What is the difference between having a laugh track or not. If you like a sitcom you watch it if you do not like it you do not watch it canned laughter or not. But trying to watch one that you like that canned "noise" gets extremely annoying and I sometime change to a boring news channel. <br /><br />AlkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66580844202877160362017-08-01T00:58:43.256-07:002017-08-01T00:58:43.256-07:00I don't mind laugh tracks. Or real laughter. (...I don't mind laugh tracks. Or real laughter. (I can can hear one guy's distinctive laugh on many old Mary Tyler Moore shows. I kind of like it. It's like that guy and me are enjoying the same show.) I really only notice the laughter (real or fake) when I'm not amused. Then I wonder what they're laughing at, why they're laughing, or start thinking about how not funny the show is. In other words, it takes me "out of the show" when there's a reaction or laughter and I'm not reacting the same way. <br /><br />But sitcoms have a rhythm, and removing the laughter messes it up. I think it's kind of like watching fireworks on TV--it just really seems dull and uninteresting. That's how I felt watching the Big Bang Theory without reaction. (I thought the first half of the clip wasn't smart or funny, but it picked up for me at the end. But that's just me at this moment.)<br /><br />I think cartoons without music would be the same way. I've been watching old favorites again and so much of cartoons are musical cues or "reactions." Older sitcoms like Bewitched or Hazel or Jeannie also had musical cues/reactions that were integral to the show. Without them, plus the laughter, things would drag or feel off.Janetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27416014731209824032017-07-25T07:03:03.176-07:002017-07-25T07:03:03.176-07:00@jean satzer
The image was reversed to avoid a co...@jean satzer<br /><br />The image was reversed to avoid a copyright claimScarletNumbernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4860556814370341712017-07-24T16:30:25.486-07:002017-07-24T16:30:25.486-07:00I guess there's also this:
https://www.youtube...I guess there's also this:<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Q1_QQePVMDWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26150317214904185392017-07-24T08:24:19.171-07:002017-07-24T08:24:19.171-07:00It reminded me of the first run through with the c...It reminded me of the first run through with the crew. If you can make them laugh you know it is funny. How much do the writers take that run through into consideration for rewrites?Starts With Storyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13178299983770215150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-40340289141790372782017-07-24T08:12:59.891-07:002017-07-24T08:12:59.891-07:00I don’t think people laugh at a bad joke because o... I don’t think people laugh at a bad joke because of a laugh track. I still laughed and think it is a funny show, I've always thought that Seinfeld was absolute crap though so I wouldn't go by my taste. I've always been annoyed that Seinfeld claimed to be the first show about nothing when there were shows decades before about nothing like "The Honeymooners" and "Steptoe and Son" (remade in America As "Sanford and Son".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18586532111775390942017-07-24T08:06:39.478-07:002017-07-24T08:06:39.478-07:00I've seldom watched the show, and while early ...I've seldom watched the show, and while early parts were irritating, "scraping WITH the grain" made me laugh. Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3850127337829457262017-07-24T07:20:58.585-07:002017-07-24T07:20:58.585-07:00Reminds me of this clip - Breaking Bad as a sitcom...Reminds me of this clip - Breaking Bad as a sitcom.<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6v-ApehVbc<br />Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34870890073416893842017-07-23T22:20:09.496-07:002017-07-23T22:20:09.496-07:00All removing the laugh track does is destroy the t...All removing the laugh track does is destroy the timing. Whatever you think of the writing on the show, the actors (Simon Helberg, especially) are all very talented. They would have adjusted their deliveries to work.<br />J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17508676243132528755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73060538763240857332017-07-23T08:00:11.073-07:002017-07-23T08:00:11.073-07:00For the opposite effect, Google "Inappropriat...For the opposite effect, Google "Inappropriate laugh tracks".Artie Fufkinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62339985785406964412017-07-22T20:58:56.711-07:002017-07-22T20:58:56.711-07:00It's been going on for 10 seasons. Everyone is...It's been going on for 10 seasons. Everyone is multi-dimensional now even if it started that way. Myleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07139984409445302062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29179834959100211732017-07-22T20:57:22.095-07:002017-07-22T20:57:22.095-07:00Usually you should assume it's live if it'...Usually you should assume it's live if it's current. Most sitcoms have live audiences Can check a site like tvtickets.com to see which ones tape in LA if you wonder if the laughter is real or not. Myleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07139984409445302062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80921196767791220182017-07-22T19:20:57.946-07:002017-07-22T19:20:57.946-07:00I'm no fan of the show, but it's unfair to...I'm no fan of the show, but it's unfair to remove the audience reaction. The actors are timing their lines to the audience reaction and it makes no sense to remove it. It was one thing back in the day when we used to object to canned laughter being inserted into material that wasn't funny. Now it seems that we have people objecting to having an audience at all, and I couldn't disagree more with that. Many of the greatest sitcoms, and all of Ken's great shows except for MASH, were done in front of an audience and I wouldn't have it any other way.Mike Schryverhttp://otrcomedy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35871192599827167752017-07-22T18:52:06.890-07:002017-07-22T18:52:06.890-07:00Someday I will write my pro-BIG BANG THEORY manife...Someday I will write my pro-BIG BANG THEORY manifesto, but this not that day.<br /><br />However, I think you could take the laughter out of any multi-cam comedy and it would seem strange.Charles H Bryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-78750269738838594592017-07-22T18:48:46.038-07:002017-07-22T18:48:46.038-07:00I laughed hard, but for different reasons. Watchin...I laughed hard, but for different reasons. Watching these characters go through the motions in silence was in itself hilarious. I don't think this proves that Big Bang wasn't funny. The humor of a sitcom comes through in the shared experience with an audience. Some of those jokes were funny, but the setting and context (no audience laughter) changed our perception of the experience.<br /><br />A lot of people dump on Big Bang (in your blog comments and elsewhere) as being painfully unfunny. I only found certain segments cringe-worthy (ie, any interaction with Howard's mom), but overall I thought it was really well crafted and enjoyable. And funny. Up until the kid was born. As you wrote about recently Ken, babies take all the energy out of a show.Stuart Bestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67172800340719659752017-07-22T18:18:14.302-07:002017-07-22T18:18:14.302-07:00Hope I can be forgiven for going off topic to say ...Hope I can be forgiven for going off topic to say I'm saddened by the sudden death of John Heard. A terrific actor. He'll probably be best remembered for the Home Alone films but he was also great in Deceived and Big, especially Deceived, an underrated movie which was a total contrast to his Home Alone image. RIP.Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31808903021305325012017-07-22T17:46:05.056-07:002017-07-22T17:46:05.056-07:00I thought that to gain persprective, I would read ...I thought that to gain persprective, I would read the comments and watch the clip later.Mike Barerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14447874605833321732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76000031821376954972017-07-22T17:45:56.066-07:002017-07-22T17:45:56.066-07:00You could even say the same thing for plays and mu...You could even say the same thing for plays and musicals performed without an audience. I caught part of NBC's live "Hairspray" last fall, and when a character said a funny line, another would read their next line while I was in the middle of a laugh or chuckle. That sense of pacing threw me a little off, as actors in the stage production would've waited for the audience laughter before continuing, like in this BBT scene. It was just a small thing that didn't affect my overall enjoyment of "Hairspray Live", as the musical numbers carry the show, but it was noticeable. <br /><br />An interesting variation of this experiment is if someone filmed or cut this scene single-camera, where a short reaction shot replaces waiting for audience laughter. Or filming something sans audience that doesn't require familiarity with the characters, like Ken's politician and hooker sketch. Many sitcom jokes rely on established character traits (knowing that Raj couldn't talk to women unless he drank alcohol that season would affect one's understanding of this BBT scene); one-off characters and sketches don't have that luxury.<br /><br />Liggienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49125662260418596292017-07-22T17:33:51.538-07:002017-07-22T17:33:51.538-07:00Not to mention, but for some reason, the image was...Not to mention, but for some reason, the image was flipped. That threw me, and the pause for reaction, made it seem stilted and wrong. If they had played this scene properly, it would have worked. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16052986912066599837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29097132400046581432017-07-22T16:09:18.528-07:002017-07-22T16:09:18.528-07:00It was funny enough given that I've never watc...It was funny enough given that I've never watched an episode. The pacing seemed slow, but that's because they took the laugh track out and replaced it with dead air. Put in enough dead air and you can unfunny even the funniest video.<br /><br />Still, I'm sure it would have been funnier if I had recognized the characters or at least the character types. I remember watching one skit on a Turkish channel with a fat, lazy guy, a dumb skinny guy and a trouble maker. I don't speak Turkish, but it was hilarious. The broad acting helped. I recognized the stereotypes, so I had built in context.<br /><br />Without context, comedy is hard. I could never get a laugh from Cheers or Seinfeld, because I just couldn't find the time it would take to learn the set up.Kaleberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05283840743310507878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2137491012771933212017-07-22T16:08:52.531-07:002017-07-22T16:08:52.531-07:00The only thing a laugh track would have accomplish...The only thing a laugh track would have accomplished was to make me wonder why people were laughing. I don't watch the show and, based on the times I've been exposed to it, don't think it's funny.Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90292394199551644902017-07-22T15:31:22.951-07:002017-07-22T15:31:22.951-07:00That is a fascinating watch. The timings of the pe...That is a fascinating watch. The timings of the performances are all weird because they're waiting for the laughter to stop, which must make any multicam look weird. But wow. Sometimes they paused for what seemed like no reason at all... You're left thinking, "Wait, THAT got a big laugh?"<br /><br />Is it because this is from a later season, and basically the audience is just happy to be seeing their favourite characters in person? I'm looking around for excuses here...!Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-301799661364370722017-07-22T14:57:26.845-07:002017-07-22T14:57:26.845-07:00I just saw the first episode of HORACE & PETE ...I just saw the first episode of HORACE & PETE (louisck.net) and it occurs to me that you could throw on a laugh track and make it a middle-level sitcom: Racist bartender, people arguing about money, pretentious yuppies (is that still the term?), gay lawyer, man with mental illness, even a fat girl. Huge laughs, no Emmys but a long run on Fox, critics comparing it to MARRIED...WITH CHILDREN, right-wing bloggers praising its lack of political correctness. There's a fine line between comedy and tragedy, and it may be the laugh track. Buttermilk Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430011403223875192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30987588254266179542017-07-22T14:46:30.597-07:002017-07-22T14:46:30.597-07:00I've seen this clip before. I don't think...I've seen this clip before. I don't think it's a fair comparison because the actors' timing is geared to the response of the studio audience, and Chuck Lorre has been adamant that the audience reaction is real and not from canned laughter. At this point, the audience is so familiar with the characters and so excited to be at a taping that their response is going to be greater than it would be if they were seeing the show in a vacuum. Also, since you were recently talking about stand-up, one thing I learned when briefly doing that is how hard it is to be funny when you're doing your act in an audition setting for an empty club with just a harried manager who'd rather be doing anything else as an audience. Even the best material tends to come out of your mouth and clunk to the floor like a lead balloon. <br /><br />On another topic, here's something that might make a good Friday question: You wrote about a DJ's show that you thought was hilarious when you were younger, but you were stunned by how unfunny it was when you relistened to it. I'm curious about the other side of that. What shows/performers did you think were hilarious when you were a child that still crack you up today? For instance, as a little kid, I loved the local reruns of Jay Ward cartoons (especially Bullwinkle, Super Chicken and Fractured Fairy Tales) and Homer & Jethro records. Recently, I revisited both (Ward on YouTube and a download collection of H&J rarities from the early '50s), and I still laughed my head off. <br />Pat Reederhttp://www.facebook.com/hollywoodhifibooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10876670874112426982017-07-22T13:03:53.584-07:002017-07-22T13:03:53.584-07:00I agree with the idea that without a laugh track, ...I agree with the idea that without a laugh track, everyone seems mean-spirited. However, without the laughs, the writing on this show feels formulaic and less conversational. Like someone else mentioned, it's as if the characters are waiting for the laughs. The flow of dialogue is definitely different on a show like <i>Modern Family</i> or <i>The Office</i>, more fast-paced.<br /><br />I do disagree that today's sitcoms make it hard to discern real from canned laughter. I've seen a few CBS shows that use laugh tracks, and the laughs sound exactly the same no matter what the punchline was. I've also seen a couple Tyler Perry and Byron Allen sitcoms where the uproarious audience would make you think you were watching <i>The Cosby Show</i> or <i>Seinfeld</i><br /><br />It's refreshing to read the comments, and not see a pretentious "I prefer my shows without a laugh track, because I don't need to be told when to laugh!"BGVAnoreply@blogger.com