Klosterman Response.

Before reading Chuck Klosterman's article on laugh tracks in sitcoms I had never really given the fact much thought.  Now thinking back to all the times I watched shows like Friends or Two and A Half Men, like Klosterman mentioned, I realize that the material really wasn't that funny and yet I was laughing.  The author makes the point that we are only laughing in these instances because we feel like we should. And I completely agree with that.  We all know the feeling of watching a show and laughing just because we either don't know what else to do or because everyone else thinks it is funny.  Klosterman also discusses the TV shows that do not have laugh tracks.  He states, "...comedy without canned laughter is supposed to be smarter, hipper, and less predictable...," which I think a lot of people find out to be true.  I personally prefer shows like The Office or It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia to the predictable comedy sitcoms. 

Klosterman also explains that Americans have three types of laughter. They include a real laugh, a fake real laugh, and a filler laugh.  He explains that in America we tend to laugh in situations where we do not know what or have anything to say.  I find this very amusing, because it is true. Next time you are having a conversation, take note of how they respond to unimportant statements.  Klosterman hits the nail on the head with his idea because everyone does this and you can definitely tell the difference between the three.  I really enjoyed reading this article. I found it entertaining and hilarious.