For as long as I can remember I have practically never laughed at TV shows or movies though I find them amusing. I have sometimes laughed (chuckled/smirked) at insane Family Guy humour though. I sometimes laugh at real life stuff and occasionally at jokes (e.g. “mommy mommy I keep running around in circles! - Shut up or I’ll nail your other foot down”)
BTW when I was about 16 I would constantly chuckle a lot (“huh huh”) in a monotone way for no apparent reason. But after I was imitated on two occasions I kept my mouth shut and became more reserved.
Any similar stories?
Are you watching these shows/movies on your own? People only really laugh out loud when in company, because laughing is a social thing. Like signifying you ‘get’ the joke. For example you’d laugh out loud far more at a live stand up show, with friends and a larger audience in presence too, than you would if you were watching a stand up DVD on your own.
Neverender:
Yeah I go to comedy movies with company and they laugh quite a bit.
I very, very rarely laugh out loud at television programs when I’m by myself. When a good comedian is on I’ll smile.
But when friends are around I laugh out loud. Neverender is right, laughing is a social experience.
So I’d say you’re the same as us, except for some reason you’re missing the social queue to laugh when your friends do. You’re always acting like the rest of us do when we’re alone.
John -thanks to cut-price leather recliners from now -bankrupt store I have no problems in lolling while watching tv movies -or tv in general -being serious I do find the same as you [cept sometimes Frasier will do it for me];):smack:
This is the primary reason, I believe that comedy movies are much funnier to see in a crowded theater, than renting them and watching them at home.
Sometimes, I’ll admit, I laugh out loud when I’m by myself. It has to be really funny and/or the joke has to be just right. I guess I’m weird like that. I honestly thought this thread would be about people who are like me, who laugh when they are by themselves. 
I’ve heard this said about a lot of stand-up comics - they don’t laugh. If they find something funny, they’ll say, “That’s funny.” They’re engaged more on an intellectual level with the humor, than on a purely emotional level.
Huh. Perhaps I am the strange one here, then. I probably laugh more when I’m alone because I’m more conscious of it when I’m around others. Then again, my current SO points out that I laugh at everything, even when it’s inappropriate (like during an argument :smack:). Anyone else have similar experience?
It seems to be my quirk. Something is funny, I laugh. Something makes me nervous, I laugh. Something makes me uncomfortable, I laugh. I will also, if I’m about to cry or am really flustered, will laugh out of frustration.
A lot of women do that as well. The phenomenon is documented in a Seinfeld episode.
I think a lot of TV/movies just aren’t as funny as they think they are. Only particular things will tickle { my / your / one’s } funny bone and maybe in your (OP’s) case most of the humor on TV isn’t doing it for you. I’ve sat through comedies with people who were very amused and not giggled, but just yesterday I was in fits of laughter watching Arrested Development with some friends, and that’s an example of something that I happen to find funny.
I have occasionally laughed out loud at something on TV when alone (even if it’s just “heh!”). In fact, I could watch a certain scene from the old Bosom Buddies show (Tom Hanks fleeing the tattoo parlor) even now for what would be the 25th time or so and still make some out-loud laugh sound.
My problem is jokes. I have literally never laughed at a joke anyone has told me. I cringe when they say “I gotta tell you this joke I heard” since I know for a fact that I will not laugh at it, probably not even smile (I get it, I just don’t think it’s funny). In contrast, a relevant observational off-the-cuff humorous comment made in the moment can have me giggling, chuckling, chortling and occasionally nearly wetting my pants from laughing. I’ll even laugh out loud about it later when I am alone. Not what you asked about, but I had to tell you about this joke problem.
This is the reason I like shows that are filmed live, or at least have laugh tracks. It really does help me laugh more, and then I enjoy the experience much more.
That said, my answer to the OP is that it depends on whether I’m in a laughing mood. And the stuff has to be really funny, and the timing has to be perfect. It helps if I’ve already laughed at something else.
That last part makes me wonder what would happen if you had a laugh track at the beginning to get people to laugh, and then took it away. Would people still laugh? Then again, I didn’t laugh at the jokes in the operating room on MASH…
Yep. See my previous post…
While I don’t laugh during arguments, I do have a tendency to laugh at inappropriate things. I can’t help but laugh at “too soon” jokes…
I am reminded of this video.
I laugh out loud at stuff all the time (alone or with others). I don’t have any problem with it.
I laugh when I’m alone, I laugh when I’m with others.
I even laugh alone when I remember certain things, and other times I just smile…
I rarely laugh when I’m alone, but I will laugh at TV or the Movies when I’m with people.
I’m more likely to laugh in a group, but if something is funny enough I will LOL by myself. When I watch old episodes of Arrested Development I sometimes have to back up the DVR because I was laughing so hard at some throwaway line I missed the next few lines. It happens with Big Bang Theory too, although not as often.