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PJX
Joined: Jun 20 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 408
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What's wrong with it having a laughter track hawk? It's the kind of writing that just wouldn't work without one. This DOESN'T mean that it's only for stupid people who need telling when to laugh, it's just an oldschool style sitcom. I like to watch it if i'm awake, it comes on on channel 4 at about 02:30!
There's too much snobbery about comedy these days. Mostly coming from people who watched extras and have completely dissapeared up their own arse.
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SoldierHawk
Moderator
Title: Warrior-Poet
Joined: Jan 15 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 6112
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^ Oh, well you couldn't just ERASE the laugh track now, no--there would just be awkward silence. But I think the humor would work just fine, if not better, if they just made the jokes and moved on.
I apologize if I was sounding snobby about it--that wasn't my intent. I just, for whatever reason, really, REALLY hate laugh tracks. Always have. In the same way I hate people who go to a movie and insist on laughing at a small reference or obscure joke REALLY loudly, just so everyone knows how clever they are.*
* That's not insulting people who laugh at movies. I'm sure you've encountered these kinds of people in your local theatre, and I bet you don't like 'em either.
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William Shakespeare wrote: |
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. |
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PJX
Joined: Jun 20 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 408
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Oh no, i wasn't calling you a snob. I was thinking of certain people i know who refuse to watch anything with canned laughter as they think they're made for idiots.
Yes i hate those people in cinemas who do that, i also hate the people who repeat the funny line thats just been said in a kind of half laugh way..and i hate it when i'm walking out of a movie that i really enjoyed and the man or woman infront of me turns to their partner and says what a load of shit..i could go on all day so i'll stop
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SoldierHawk
Moderator
Title: Warrior-Poet
Joined: Jan 15 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 6112
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PJX
Joined: Jun 20 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 408
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SoldierHawk wrote: |
^ Yep, that pretty much sums up why I hate laugh tracks--to me, its like that idiot in the theatre, with the anti-bonus of sounding even LESS human.  |
Andy Kaufman said ''It's dead people laughing'' but i kinda like the thought of that! I may be a little twisted
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username
Title: owner of a lonely heart
Joined: Jul 06 2007
Location: phoenix, az usa
Posts: 16131
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PJX wrote: |
SoldierHawk wrote: |
^ Yep, that pretty much sums up why I hate laugh tracks--to me, its like that idiot in the theatre, with the anti-bonus of sounding even LESS human.  |
Andy Kaufman said ''It's dead people laughing'' but i kinda like the thought of that! I may be a little twisted  |
chuck palahniuk comments on those laugh tracks in one of his books.
and basically, its true, they are all dead people. same recordings they been using for ages.
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Klimbatize wrote: |
I'll eat a turkey sandwich while blowing my load |
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PJX
Joined: Jun 20 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 408
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My Top 3 American sitcoms with laughter tracks:
Seinfeld
Frasier
Friends
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SoldierHawk
Moderator
Title: Warrior-Poet
Joined: Jan 15 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 6112
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^ I agree on Fraiser, absolutely. Never really liked Seinfeld or Friends.
Frasier though...genius. That show is the perfect mix of comedy and drama. And a perfect mix of so many KINDS of comedy. God I love that show. And I really, really love David Hyde Pierce. Forget Frasier the character--Niles ftw!
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William Shakespeare wrote: |
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. |
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PJX
Joined: Jun 20 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 408
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I think Seinfeld is wonderful, and gotta lotta love for Friends.
I love Frasier himself but i agree on Niles, infact i was talking to someone yesturday about how brilliant he is. I've always had a thing for Daphne, thts me saying tht, not me quoting Niles.
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JoshWoodzy
Joined: May 22 2008
Location: Goshen, VA
Posts: 6544
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I can't fucking stand Friends. I just can't. Frasier was OK, but it got annoying as balls sometimes, especially when they make jokes about chardonnay and opera and you hear the nervous laughter of the audience because you know they don't get it. Seinfeld is just timeless.
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SoldierHawk
Moderator
Title: Warrior-Poet
Joined: Jan 15 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 6112
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joshwoodzy wrote: |
Frasier was OK, but it got annoying as balls sometimes, especially when they make jokes about chardonnay and opera and you hear the nervous laughter of the audience because you know they don't get it. |
Ah...that's a big part of what made the show for me. Well, that's a lie--the CHARACTERS (and the acting) really made the show for me, but, as a bit of an intellectual snob myself (although hopefully not an irritating one, most of the time) I just loved it. Not only because the jokes were funny as hell in and of themselves, but because I knew that there were like five other people watching the show who actually know the plot of, and specific aria reference, to La Traviata. Its very similar to Big Bang Theory in that way, actually--the characters and writing are great (although more shallow than Frasier I think), but half the fun is catching all their comic/gaming references, or listening to the nerdy arguments that not very many people pick up on. (The one about whether Wolverine had bone claws before Weapon X got to him was a classic.)
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William Shakespeare wrote: |
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. |
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