Do TV networks think people can't laugh on their own? I'm curious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laugh_track
Before television, audiences often experienced comedy, whether performed live on stage, on radio, or in a movie, in the presence of other audience members. Television producers attempted to recreate this atmosphere in its early days by introducing the sound of laughter or other crowd reactions into the soundtrack of television programs.

Sweetening is a technique in which pre-recorded laughter is used to augment the response of the real studio audience if they did not react as strongly as desired. Laugh tracks have been used in some traditionally animated television series, which do not have live audiences. The Flintstones and The Jetsons originally aired with laugh tracks, but later aired with the laugh track removed.[2] Other cartoons that at least originally had laugh tracks ******* The Pink Panther Show, Scooby-Doo, Josie and the Pussycats, The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, and the very first episodes of Rocky and His Friends.[citation needed]

In parts of East Asia, laugh tracks are often loud and exaggerated in comedy-variety shows despite them being filmed with small live audiences. The Hong Kong game show Minutes to Fame is one of the recognizable shows that uses a large number of laugh tracks, which sometimes cover up the singing or dialogue. In Japan and the United Kingdom, the use of laugh tracks is almost unheard of, and is derided as being artificial.

A well-known gag often used in satirical comedy is the use of a laughter track which cuts off unnaturally abruptly after each burst of laughter or applause, emphasizing its artifice and therefore its implied insincerity. Shows such as Monty Python's Flying Circus pioneered this gag. The sound of laughter has even been portrayed as emerging from a can marked 'Canned Laughter' as if it were a product. The sound emerges whenever the can is opened.

In some cases, laugh tracks are used as a source of humor in themselves. For example, the video game, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, features a laugh track after certain lines of text dialog used for humorous effect, particularly since there being a live audience would be impossible for a video game.[citation needed]

that wiki particle is a fuckin mess.

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In some cases, laugh tracks are used as a source of humor in themselves. For example, the video game, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, features a laugh track after certain lines of text dialog used for humorous effect, particularly since there being a live audience would be impossible for a video game.[citation needed]

FUCK YEAH, Mystical Ninja starring Goemon is awesome. That is some high quality referencing.

In parts of East Asia, laugh tracks are often loud and exaggerated in comedy-variety shows despite them being filmed with small live audiences. The Hong Kong game show Minutes to Fame is one of the recognizable shows that uses a large number of laugh tracks, which sometimes cover up the singing or dialogue.


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why does anyone invent anything, really

flashing a "laughter" sign is about as genuine

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oh my god. i'm in love. she is most exquisite.

i always found it real obvious that they're there merely for the humorous effect.
i mean, there's a much higher chance you'll be laughing at a punch line if you hear a lot of people laughing, its contagious. of course, it kind of lost context when sitcoms started popping out like poppy seeds, but still sometimes it works really well

like in seinfeld, for example - even though the jokes dont need that support, its greatly appreciated

The Chavez song, ftw.

I have always wondered why no one ever used one of these in a film. It would be awful, of course, as laugh tracks always are, but if it's acceptable for tv, why not for movies? At least then, you ARE watching it with an audience. Why has no producer ever tried to salvage a terrible comedy film by throwing a laugh track on it?