Did an American really create this? Someone from the land of the free and home of the brave really thinks that I have to be told when to laugh?

There's nothing more irritating than someone telling a joke who keeps snorting an guffawing and going "you're gonna love this" while he speaks.

That is exactly what a laugh track does for me.

Audience manipulation at its most pathetic; it happens not only with canned laughter but also when imbedding a particular man or woman among live audiences. Uncertain of the humor or delivery of the dialogues, producers will shamelessly induce, at least, giggles - hit shows included. Listening closely to the laughter even with 'Cheers' and 'Seinfeld', there will be occasion to recognize the regular presence of someone's guffaws to provoke laughter.

I wonder who decided that we American TV viewers are so lazy that we can't pay enough attention to figure out when to laugh ... One of the saddest in the many sad chapters of pop culture.

Annoying and insulting. I tend to turn the station if a show has stooped to a laugh track. I think I know when I want to laugh at something. do not need any prompting.do not see them as often now, when they do, it is usually a give away that the show is not very good.

I don't need canned laughter, to tell me when or when not to laugh.

like watching tv with the joker and the riddler.

I love laugh tracks and wish more shows had them. They add a richness and an air of unreality that's just great! (This item is rated low because I don't think its a bad idea.)

Canned laughter is supposed prove how funny a comedy show is. But they really aren't needed. For one thing, they've made comedy programs for years in the early twentieth century without them. The laugh track says, Hey, this is where you're supposed to laugh. Well, no laugh track is going to determine what's funny to me. If I think it's funny, I'll laugh on my own; If I don't, then I simply won't laugh. Now, a live studio audience situation is an entirely different story; at least it sounds natural. Actually, I don't care whether a show uses a laugh track or not. However, if the laugh track were suddenly phased out, it would be no skin off my nose.