Laugh Tracks
Tree
tracks. I consider them to be the main reason I don't watch TV. Since
when was "Hello" a laugh line? I once saw Woody Allen's "What's Up
Tiger Lilly" at a theater in Pacific Heights. The audience just flat
didn't get it. Even with a laugh track to lead them it wouldn't have
worked.
If you've ever been in a play, the laughs never come where you expect
them. So how can some clown in a dub room make a decision that stays
with a show forever? Consider that the audiences used for those tracks
are all dead just like their creator. Anyone working on a "Laughs of
the Living Dead" script?
leansto...@democrat.com
banal.
hech...@aol.com
What's even worse than laugh tracks is extraneous noise in supposedly
fact-based documentary shows. History Channel is one of the worst
offenders. Discovery and A&E are no better. I was offended this week
by Animal Planet's program on pet rescue. The background music was so
bad it made the dialog difficult to understand. PBS is just about as
bad, with "Nova" and various historical programs spoiled by irrelevant
and annoying music. It's part of the pervasive lowering of standards
and pandering to a dumbed-down audience. I frequently mute the sound
and read the captions.
Laugh tracks have been around for many years, and it's the reason I
can't watch programs such as "Seinfeld." Even radio had laugh tracks,
but I didn't consider it to be a problem when I was listening to Jack
Benny. I wondered at the time whether there really was a live audience
in the studio, and if so were they being cued to laugh at certain
lines.
John T
>
>
> Laugh tracks have been around for many years, and it's the reason I
> can't watch programs such as "Seinfeld." Even radio had laugh tracks,
> but I didn't consider it to be a problem when I was listening to Jack
> Benny. I wondered at the time whether there really was a live audience
> in the studio, and if so were they being cued to laugh at certain
> lines.
>
You're joking, right? Jack Benny performed in front of a *live*
audience. Radio and TV, I think he never did a show that didn't have a
live audience to play to. No "laugh track" there. Just funny writing and
funny performances.
Jack Benny, Red Skelton, Garry Moore, Steve Allen . . all done for live
audiences. Ed Sullivan, The Hollywood Palace, Carol Burnett, Tennessee
Ernie Ford, Dean Martin . . all live audiences. Smothers Brothers . . etc.
Even many sitcoms have been/are performed and filmed/taped before live
audiences, so the laughs and applause are real, if sometimes cued.
I think the worst use of laugh tracks was when Hannah-Barberra put a
laugh track on The Flintstones. Yikes, what heights of silliness.
JT
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norm...@pacbell.net
>
>You're joking, right? Jack Benny performed in front of a *live*
>audience. Radio and TV, I think he never did a show that didn't have a
>live audience to play to. No "laugh track" there. Just funny writing and
>funny performances.
I think you're wrong about the TV shows. They appear conventionally filmed
on a soundstage with laugh tracks added. The occasional shots of the
"audience" are very unconvincing.
You are right about the radio shows.
Norm L.
hech...@aol.com
You're right about Benny. He had the best writers, and impeccable
timing, and great supporting cast. He had no need for a laugh track,
but I think some of the lesser comedian shows and radio sitcoms used
audience enhancements.
A most unfortunate example of laugh track was MASH. It killed my
interest in that show. When it came to All in the Family, however, I
thought the live-audience was more natural sounding and spontaneous and
somewhat tolerable.
Nowadays I abhor the laugh track on NPR's Wait-Wait-Don't-Tell-Me and I
strongly suspect it's being used by Garrison Keillor.
Also, I rarely watch ESPN because of the artificial and obnoxious noise
level.
leansto...@democrat.com
Prairie Home Companion? Probably a laugh track, but only because I
don't "get" the show.
Somewhat off track (heh heh), but those phone calls to Car Talk must
have some sort of editing. They never seem to have a problem with the
caller. None of this "long time listener first time caller" stuff, or
"can you hear me."
David Eduardo
<leansto...@democrat.com> wrote in message
news:1125464540.2...@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
This is because the screener carfully tells the person how to skip that
stuff, and how to get right to the point. In fact, many shows tell the
callers that if they do say any of that stuff, they will be cut off. Since
the audience learns by example, no one does it.
Limbaugh allows it, and some shows have special first timer lines. It all
has to do with the way the show is produced.
>
leansto...@democrat.com
given a heads up moments before going on the air so they are not
goofing off waiting to get on. [I've called KGO twice and don't recall
getting much guidence.]
I do know that the audio that gets probably gets bleeped over the air
is not bleeped over the phone. Next time I catch a bleep on KGO I'm
going to check the archive audio to see if it is the delayed feed or
studio feed.
Alan
>I don't think there is a laugh track on "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me".
>Prairie Home Companion? Probably a laugh track, but only because I
>don't "get" the show.
PHC - done live in front of a live audience. The laughter seemed
to come from the audience the time I was in the audience.
Alan
Lee Amon
<leansto...@democrat.com> wrote in message
news:1125464540.2...@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>I don't think there is a laugh track on "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me".
> Prairie Home Companion? Probably a laugh track, but only because I
> don't "get" the show.
>
Wait wait is recorded in front of a live audience at the Bank 1 Auditorium
in Dearborn MI.
It is recorded (usually) on Thursday night, so I am sure that there is a lot
of editing before we hear anything.
I would also bet that we don't hear some of the funniest stuff
Lee Amon
Ooops - that's Dearborn IL
--
"Lee Amon" <Lee...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:8YcRe.772$ZL4...@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com...
Jo Ann Malina
> OK, but Car Talk seems to be just a bit too good. Perhaps the caller is
> given a heads up moments before going on the air so they are not
> goofing off waiting to get on. [I've called KGO twice and don't recall
> getting much guidence.]
You call Car Talk whenever you like and leave a message. If they find
it interesting, the producers call you back, and maybe you get included
in the show. The web site doesn't say when it is taped. I don't think
anyone hears it live. They are not particularly coy about this -- I've
heard Tom and Ray talk about it on the show.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/faq
> I do know that the audio that gets probably gets bleeped over the air
> is not bleeped over the phone. Next time I catch a bleep on KGO I'm
> going to check the archive audio to see if it is the delayed feed or
> studio feed.
--
Jo Ann Malina, make spamthis best to find my address
Space isn't remote at all. It's only an hour's drive away if your car
could go straight upwards. -- Fred Hoyle
J
remember hearing it in Boston when WBUR would air the "live" version
Sunday night and then the edited network feed the following Saturday
morning. The Sunday show was always far more enjoyable. Some of the
most memorable moments on Car Talk were in the first few years when
they had to really deal with bad phone lines, stupid callers, and
things they new nothing about. Real radio. These days it is all heavily
edited for maximum "enjoyment".
To gripe for a moment, Car Talk isn't edited as much as "Wait Wait
Don't Tell Me" (aka Wait Wait Don't Smell Me" and "Wait Wait Don't
Listen") which is NPR over-produced to something that is frankly
stilted and unlistenable. Listen to their live shows, and feel how
unnatural the audience sounds. Yes, I realize that running a live show
to make a timeslot is a challenge and it is easier to record 2 hours
and edit down to one, but the results with the latter are always less
rewarding. (Another NPR show, "Says You", is recorded live than edited,
but with a much smarter person behind the mouse and the result is far
less jarring)
Yes Garrison is live and there is no laugh track. I was privlidged
enough to sit at the board for one of his shows (thanks Scott Revard!)
Note that this is NOT an NPR show. Its on PRI, a different network
alltogether. NPR turned down Prarie Home Companion for sindication
thinking noone would listen to a Lutheran from Minnisota chatter on
about life in the midwest..
At NPR its all about control control control. Thats one of the things
that keeps KGO so compelling. You never know whats going to happen. On
NPR, you know that they're in control, and you are hearing exactly what
they want you to hear. On KGO, you never know when the next caller will
suddenly blurt out a reference to jailing Stephen King!
Patty Winter
J <b...@mallp.com> wrote:
>
>To gripe for a moment, Car Talk isn't edited as much as "Wait Wait
>Don't Tell Me" (aka Wait Wait Don't Smell Me" and "Wait Wait Don't
>Listen") which is NPR over-produced to something that is frankly
>stilted and unlistenable. Listen to their live shows, and feel how
>unnatural the audience sounds. Yes, I realize that running a live show
>to make a timeslot is a challenge and it is easier to record 2 hours
>and edit down to one, but the results with the latter are always less
>rewarding.
I can't speak to what WWDTM is like in person, but it's currently my
favorite NPR program after ME, ATC, and TotN. It's hilarious.
Patty
leansto...@democrat.com
it was kind of dumb. However, now I'm totally addicted.
Phil Keller
and vetted and prerecorded.
Mike Ward
> This is because the screener carfully tells the person how to skip that
> stuff, and how to get right to the point. In fact, many shows tell the
> callers that if they do say any of that stuff, they will be cut off. Since
> the audience learns by example, no one does it.
I heard an interesting call on the Cox/Jones syndicated Clark Howard
consumer advice show, which originates at WSB/750 in Atlanta (I heard
it on local WEOL/930 in Elyria, OH).
A woman was asking Clark about getting help with messed up travel
plans, and started mentioning that she was near Atlanta. She quickly
backtracked and said - "ohhh, I'm sorry, I'm not supposed to say that,
I'm really sorry" on the air...she sounded quite worried that someone
would yell at her for saying she was in the Atlanta area. :D
Bob Flaminio
> A most unfortunate example of laugh track was MASH. It killed my
> interest in that show.
You need to check out the DVDs sometime. You can play the audio without
the laugh track. It's amazingly better.
--
Bob
David Kaye
> A most unfortunate example of laugh track was MASH. It killed my
> interest in that show.
MASH had an interesting philosophy about the laugh track. They never
used it when the scene was set in the operating room. Go back and
watch. Whenever Hawkeye jokes about something in the OR, there's no
laughter.
Jim Kurck
"Lee Amon" <Lee...@pacbell.net> wrote:
> Wait wait is recorded in front of a live audience at the Bank 1 Auditorium
> in Dearborn MI.
But isn't the live audience a recent development? I had the distinct
impression, back last year, that the panelists were phoning it in from
widely disparate locations.
In fact, it impressed me how well the producers of the show created the
illusion that we were eavesdropping on the panelists as they sat around
a sort of Algonquin round table, exchanging witty banter. Only on radio,
I thought, could such a show exist.
Was I deluded? Say not so! Or rather, don't tell me!
Jim
thought today's show (9/3/05) was especially good
--
Jim Kurck The Sporadic Organization jku...@sporadic.org
David Kaye
> But isn't the live audience a recent development? I had the distinct
> impression, back last year, that the panelists were phoning it in from
> widely disparate locations.
Back in the 1930s and 40s, Fred Allen was the bee's knees in variety
show hosts. Think of him as the Conan O'Brien of his era. Fred Allen's
show actually had a laugh track to augment its live audience. I guess
they had recorded 78s of people laughing. Fred once remarked, "Do you
realize how many members of my audience are DEAD?"
Bob Flaminio
Indeed, they even went so far as to make one episode entirely within the
OR, so that the entire episode would have no laugh track.
As I posted previously, you can watch the DVDs without the laugh track,
and it improves the shows immensely, IMHO.
--
Bob
Tree
In The Family" which gave us Archie Bunker. That was a Norman Lear
show. He did "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" and "Sanford and Son" and a
long list of others.
David Kaye
> The first of the modern "taped before a live audience" shows was "All
> In The Family" which gave us Archie Bunker.
Well, not really. The first sitcom to be taped rather than filmed on
35mm film was "All in the Family"; that much is right. But, plenty of
shows were filmed before live audiences both before and after "Family".
"Mary Tyler Moore", "The Dick Van Dyke Show", going all the way back
to "I Love Lucy" -- all had live audiences.