When a laughing audience member competes with the show

[GavestonPS]

Who said anything about 'correcting' her? It's her laugh, she's in control.

You didn't. I knew you wouldn't. I just chose a colorful way of applauding her enthusiasm.

[defygravity24]

The worst is when someone involved with the production is in the audience and laughs loudly at all the jokes that fall flat. It's just awkward for everyone.

[henrikegerman]

Gaveston, I agree, that ship has sailed, and I wasn't suggesting anything could be done about perfunctory standing ovations (or about absurd over enthusiasm during a performance, for that matter); although I am happy to here that standing ovations have at least some degree of relatively meaningful exceptionalism outside the Great White Way (does anyone use that expression anymore? hopefully not).

[artscallion]

"...the Great White Way (does anyone use that expression anymore? hopefully not)."


Why hopefully not? It was called this because, at the dawning of electricity, it was one of the first streets in the country to have street lights. That along with all the new white bulb covered marquees, made the it stand out as the great white way.

[morosco]

Speaking of laughing here's something on Antiques Roadshow that I found fascinating. It's Charley Douglass' "Laff Box". It is the device that provided the laugh track for hundreds of classic television shows (Bewitched, The Munsters, he Beverly Hillbillies, The Andy Griffith Show, The Brady Bunch, My Three Sons, etc. etc. etc. and later shows like Soap, Too Close For Comfort, Cheers, etc.).
Charley Douglass' Laff Box

[GavestonPS]

Henrik, they still speak of "The Great White Way" at the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies. But then, they are 70 to 80 years old. They are still excited about electricity!