# Live Studio Audiences vs. Laughtracks - how authentic are they?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-studio-audiences-vs-laughtracks-how-authentic-are-they/768024>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 9, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-studio-audiences-vs-laughtracks-how-authentic-are-they/768024 "2016-10-09T02:16:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-studio-audiences-vs-laughtracks-how-authentic-are-they/768024/21 "2016-10-10T22:09:11Z")

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> [@ioioio](#):
>
> There’s a “high” about being in a live audience. For one thing, you feel a responsibility for the success of the show and a loyalty to the host. Audience members feed off each other, and extreme laughter and applause feel natural. Everybody is thrilled to be there and wants to have a good time. It gets a little crazy.

This was my experience being in the audience for a taping of _The Nanny_ many years ago. We were pretty excited. Plus it was good script and was well acted. They did about 4 takes of everything. It helped that the actors came up to the seats and talked with audience between takes. It kept us interested.

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**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/live-studio-audiences-vs-laughtracks-how-authentic-are-they/768024/22 "2016-10-10T22:12:52Z")

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> [@Typo\_Negative](#):
>
> This was my experience being in the audience for a taping of _The Nanny_ many years ago. We were pretty excited. Plus it was good script and was well acted. They did about 4 takes of everything. It helped that the actors came up to the seats and talked with audience between takes. It kept us interested.

Besides doing it for free, this is why they prefer to have tourists/ticket holders (tickets are free, btw). They actually want to be there and the novelty hasn’t worn off yet. After a year or two, it is tough to summon up the energy to laugh at what is mostly dreck, even for money.

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