Wednesday, May 12, 2004
STEWART IN A CAN? Anyone catch Wednesday night's Daily Show with Jon Stewart?
Watching--and listening--to the show, CONTRAPOSITIVE was just about certain that a phony, sitcom-style laugh track had been layered into the audio--which usually carries the sounds of an authentic-seeming audience.
What's that about?
One strking thing about the shift to canned laughter--at least to my ear--was the degree to which the fake crowd responses undermined the impact of Stewart's barbs. Reminds you how important an audience's reaction can be to the success of a joke.
