I have noticed that there is a very distinctive laugh in the laugh track used on Seinfeld. The laugh usually occurs at least once per episode (except maybe for the first few episodes). It is some guy who has really loud "HA"s. What is up with this guy? Why do they use his laugh in just about every episode? Is there a story behind this signature laugh? Does anybody know what I'm talking about? You don't have to be a complete Seinfeld freak to notice this...but then maybe nobody pays as much attention to the laugh track as me.
A very distinctive laugh in the laugh track
Jan 16, 2002, 7:42 PM ET23 posts by 13 posters
❓ Question
Fans discuss the distinctive loud "HA" laugh heard repeatedly in the show's laugh track, debating whether it's a sampled laugh from a specific person or reused audio.
23 posts
"Dane" wrote in message news:[email]...
they sampled Desi Arnaz
Are you being serious or is that a joke? I've never heard of that person.
"Ozmodiar" wrote in message news:Ykt18.2897$[email]...
(except
"HA"s.
to
Wow, really? Perhaps it was just the name that threw you; he played "Ricky Ricardo" on the classic 1950's sitcom, "I Love Lucy". He had a very distinctive laugh--kind of a slow, high-pitched, throat-tone guffaw, like Kermit the Frog being poked with a sharp stick: "Hunhh.... hunhh... hunhh..."
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Arnaz,+Desi
Haven't noticed this myself, but did you consider maybe it is the *same* laugh track used multiple times? I mean, why go to the trouble of dubbing in fresh laugh tracks for every episode?
"Dane" wrote in message news:[email]...
(except
"HA"s.
I've noticed this, too. It sounds like the same distinct laugh heard in several episodes of Taxi. I have several episodes of Taxi on tape, and I can attest to it. I suspect it's a producer, or a really avid audience member. ; -)
"S.C. Harrison" wrote in message news:eLG18.2213$[email]...
in
to
I just remembered where I heard that for TV audiences (many years ago) they would look for good laughers to put in the audience and space them out, to sort of lead the audience. I don't know if this practice is being done anymore, but it might explain why sound of them sound the same.
East
ken8692 wrote:
Some shows also used paid "laughers". I recall reading a magazine article about this a number of years ago: people with infectious laughter would be paid to sit at various spots in the audience to help get a good studio laugh.
As for Seinfeld: I remember hearing that they'd often use laughter from the first take with whatever take they ended up using--obviously, there would be far less laughter after several repeats of the same material.
Then there must be paid screamers too. Talk shows must do the same thing with people who go nuts with clapping, screaming and going "Wooooo!" Regis, the View, Tonight, Letterman, if the guest was Eric Estrada or Hitler, the audience screams like it's the rapture.
John Twernbold wrote:
Naw, they're not professionals--the producers just get the audience all liquored-up before the show... :-)
Seriously though, you've pointed out my biggest pet peeve with American audiences: the rising "woooOOOO!" after anything perceived to be sexual. I used to watch the UK version of "Whose Line Is It Anyway" with its conservative British audience, but the US version hosted by Drew Carey is just too annoying because of the idiots that make up the audience. I call it the "Married With Children" audience response.
Laugh tracks can be like other sound effects and are layered. What this means, is that perhaps they have put together a standard set of laugh tracks in their library for the show to use and on top of that layer they have the "HA" one you noticed.
East
"S.C. Harrison" wrote:
"hate the coarse HA"
Dane wrote:
You sound like Jerry. "What's the deal with laugh tracks? How do they get these people to laugh at nothing? If it's so funny, why don't they just show us what they're laughing at? I mean do they just pump the room full of nitrous oxide and start telling knock knock jokes? I'll be here all week, be sure to try the lobster."
bjb
I will try to post an MP3 sample of this...I think you will all recognize it if I do that.
"Dane" wrote in message news:[email]...
(except
"HA"s.
"Dane" wrote in message news:[email]...
(except
"HA"s.
It's sort of like Elmer Fudd sitting on a juicer.....
^^^^^^ "Art is often hailed as the grandest expression of human spirit, but we know now ... that the grandest expression of human spirit is whatever it takes for a man or woman to rush back into a burning building to save more people."
I know the laugh you mean. I've heard it used on other shows too. I won't say which ones though.
"Art Vandelay" wrote in message news:[email]...
know
for a
On Fri, 18 Jan 2002 23:35:55 +0800, "Tim Reece" wrote:
It was a great sounding laugh too, kind of lilting and feminine--none of
those big coarse "ha's." You know those?
Hate the big coarse "ha." Hate those.
You read my mind!
East
"The News Guy(Mike)" wrote:
"Tim Reece" wrote in message news:...
Three's Company had a bizzare laugh track. There is one guy that really stands out.
bjb
It is also interesting to note that laugh tracks are taken from old shows from many years ago. Many of those people are dead. Kind of diminishes the humour evertime I hear laugh tracks and think of that.
I think I read somewhere that for Seinfeld they recorded some of their laughs from their live shows and re-used them, which would support the Seinfeld Laugh Track Library idea. Even if they didn't, there are sound production companies which sell sound effects and laugh tracks.
Mike, You can take comfort to know that where everything has gone to digital by now, its very possible the old analog laugh track recordings weren't converted cause they didn't sound so clean with digital audio now. I suspect what we are hearing in Seinfeld now was recorded during the years of the production of the show, even if it wasn't recorded from their own audiences for the tapings.
East
"The News Guy(Mike)" wrote:
Please don't post binary attachments to non-binary newsgroups! There's a whole laundry list of reasons why this is a bad bad thing, but I'll spare you the boring details. Instead of posting the actual binary file, upload it to a website and just post the link. Or post it in a binaries newsgroup (try alt.binaries.tv.us-sitcoms) and just mention it in here.
As for the MP3 itself: yeah, there's definitely one distinctive male laugh. It could be recycled laughter, or it could be the same guy in multiple shows (perhaps a crew member or producer?). But like you say, now that I've heard him I'll always be aware of it and distracted by it. Damn you! ;-)
Hahaha, I know it is quite distracting. It's funny though, because it's kind of effective too...every joke that this guy laughs at seems a little bit funnier to me.
As far as the binary attachment, I'm sorry- I wasn't aware. I will keep it in mind in the future.
"John Twernbold" wrote in message news:Kuv28.268448$[email]...
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laugh.
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