Thursday, August 19, 1999: Laugh tracks

[NonsenseWords]

[Tom_Radigan]

I remember reading a science fiction story by Harlan Ellison many years ago which explained how laugh tracks for television shows were created and updated over time. The story went along the lines where a scientist manages to free the ghosts of the people whose voices were recorded on said laugh track devices, so that when the laugh track was played during the show, suddenly the narrator's late aunt spoke up and said that they were free and tells her fellow former captives, "Let's tell everyone what we really think of this trash!" and they all blow a razzberry. This of course disrupts the television industry and brings about the downfall of the villainous executive in the story.

[Bocaj Claw]

I think Harlan Ellison was on drugs.

I think laugh tracks ought to be covered under truth-in-advertising laws.

[Muninn]

I remember reading a science fiction story by Harlan Ellison many years ago which explained how laugh tracks for television shows were created and updated over time. The story went along the lines where a scientist manages to free the ghosts of the people whose voices were recorded on said laugh track devices, so that when the laugh track was played during the show, suddenly the narrator's late aunt spoke up and said that they were free and tells her fellow former captives, "Let's tell everyone what we really think of this trash!" and they all blow a razzberry. This of course disrupts the television industry and brings about the downfall of the villainous executive in the story.

Science-fiction is a genre open to really stupid concepts.

[nickspoon]

I remember reading a science fiction story by Harlan Ellison many years ago which explained how laugh tracks for television shows were created and updated over time. The story went along the lines where a scientist manages to free the ghosts of the people whose voices were recorded on said laugh track devices, so that when the laugh track was played during the show, suddenly the narrator's late aunt spoke up and said that they were free and tells her fellow former captives, "Let's tell everyone what we really think of this trash!" and they all blow a razzberry. This of course disrupts the television industry and brings about the downfall of the villainous executive in the story.

Science-fiction is a genre open to really stupid concepts.

From Tom's summary, it sounds like a very interesting concept executed incredibly poorly.