Sharp-Eyed Viewers Catch Fox's 'MasterChef' Faking a Huge Crowd

vienna · 06-23-11, 06:24 PM

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/sharpeyed-v...ge-crowd--3229

I couldn't resist posting this; I am not a big fan of "reality" programming and really enjoy when they get caught in their fakery. The fact that it comes from the "fair and balanced" and "accurate" Fox Television makes it all the more funny. Perhaps they meant this to be an episode of their primetime show "Lie To Me"?...

kraznyi_oktjabr · 06-23-11, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vienna

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/sharpeyed-v...ge-crowd--3229

I couldn't resist posting this; I am not a big fan of "reality" programming and really enjoy when they get caught in their fakery. The fact that it comes from the "fair and balanced" and "accurate" Fox Television makes it all the more funny. Perhaps they meant this to be an episode of their primetime show "Lie To Me"?...

magic452 · 06-23-11, 08:18 PM

The crowd is just about as real as all the reality shows themselves are.

Fake crowds for fake shows.

Magic

Sailor Steve · 06-23-11, 08:38 PM

Nothing new, just visual rather than audible. Sitcoms used to be shot in front of a live audience. Then when people didn't laugh at the appropriate places they began to "sweeten" the soundtrack after the fact. It finally got to a point where you would see scenes that were obviously filmed outdoors but the laugh track would still be there. Fakery is a tried-and-true fallback for "improving" television.

vienna · 06-24-11, 05:21 PM

The laugh track has been used not just to sweeten but to replace audience reactions. The sitcom "Barney Miller" started out being taped before a live audience, but the actors, the majority of whom were stage actors (some from Broadway) strangely felt uncomfortable performing in front of the audience. After the series started, the audience was eliminated, the actors performed on a closed set in an otherwise empty studio, and a laugh track machine was used to provide the reactions.

Appraisal of 1953 "Laff Box" on "Antiques Roadshow":

http://video.pbs.org/video/1754622115/

Demonstration of a "Laff Box":

History of the "Laugh Track"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laugh_track

The more time goes on, the more it seems reality is relative...

06-24-11, 05:25 PM

I tried adding extra visuals with the Wife once.
She added a laugh track.

TarJak · 06-24-11, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by privateer

I tried adding extra visuals with the Wife once.
She added a laugh track.

After what I saw in Houston a couple of years ago I'm not surprised.

vienna · 06-24-11, 05:48 PM

"My girlfriend always laughs during sex—no matter what she's reading."

(Steve Jobs)

06-24-11, 05:50 PM

The laugh track didn't bother me as much as her asking me to
'Talk with an accent like Jim or Grant!'

06-23-11, 06:24 PM	#1
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Sharp-Eyed Viewers Catch Fox's 'MasterChef' Faking a Huge Crowd http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/sharpeyed-v...ge-crowd--3229 I couldn't resist posting this; I am not a big fan of "reality" programming and really enjoy when they get caught in their fakery. The fact that it comes from the "fair and balanced" and "accurate" Fox Television makes it all the more funny. Perhaps they meant this to be an episode of their primetime show "Lie To Me"?...

06-23-11, 08:18 PM	#3
magic452 Sea Lord Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Reno Nevada USA Posts: 1,860 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	The crowd is just about as real as all the reality shows themselves are. Fake crowds for fake shows. Magic __________________ Reported lost 11 Feb. 1942 Signature by depthtok33l

06-23-11, 08:38 PM	#4
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Nothing new, just visual rather than audible. Sitcoms used to be shot in front of a live audience. Then when people didn't laugh at the appropriate places they began to "sweeten" the soundtrack after the fact. It finally got to a point where you would see scenes that were obviously filmed outdoors but the laugh track would still be there. Fakery is a tried-and-true fallback for "improving" television. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

06-24-11, 05:21 PM	#5
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	The laugh track has been used not just to sweeten but to replace audience reactions. The sitcom "Barney Miller" started out being taped before a live audience, but the actors, the majority of whom were stage actors (some from Broadway) strangely felt uncomfortable performing in front of the audience. After the series started, the audience was eliminated, the actors performed on a closed set in an otherwise empty studio, and a laugh track machine was used to provide the reactions. Appraisal of 1953 "Laff Box" on "Antiques Roadshow": http://video.pbs.org/video/1754622115/ Demonstration of a "Laff Box": History of the "Laugh Track" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laugh_track The more time goes on, the more it seems reality is relative...

06-24-11, 05:25 PM	#6
Madox58 Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I tried adding extra visuals with the Wife once. She added a laugh track.

06-24-11, 05:48 PM	#8
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	"My girlfriend always laughs during sex—no matter what she's reading." (Steve Jobs)

06-24-11, 05:50 PM	#9
Madox58 Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	The laugh track didn't bother me as much as her asking me to 'Talk with an accent like Jim or Grant!'