Seinfeld without a laugh track?

[Cactus Jack]

You think it could work in today's world as a single camera sitcom? I cnat picture it without the laugh track,but it could still work I think.

[HugeTVFan]

It would definitely be weird. Kramer's wild sliding entrances without "hahahah" but rather silence? Weird.

[MonarC]

That would be insane. :lol:

[Schmoopie]

I don't think it would be as funny, personally. A couple of summers ago, I went to a screening of the Audrey Hepburn movie "Roman Holiday". I had never seen it on the big screen before; only on VHS and DVD. I was amazed at how much hearing the audience laugh contributed to the movie. I found things that were funny that I hadn't even noticed before!

Andrea

[Anti-Dentyte]

I agree that Seinfeld without the laugh track just wouldn't be the same. It would still be funny, but the laugh track is part of its "essence", so something would be lost.

[Schmoopie]

The thing I like is that it wasn't an actual laugh track. It was a real audience reacting to what they were seeing. It gets on my nerves when shows use fake laugh tracks! Then again, that's probably the way they did it back in the 50's and 60's, wasn't it?

Andrea

[DSfan]

Ya I know!!

It's really funny because on some shows they have a sort of rotation of maybe 7-8 different "laugh" tracks that don't really even sound like people laughing but some sort of high pitched hyena at times. I find Saved by the Bell has the fakest of laugh tracks.

I think laugh tracks are good because it keeps you in a sort of light/happy mood instead of watching sitcoms without a laugh track and being confused thinking it isn't a comedy. When there is no laugh track, I find it makes the jokes seem way cheesier on shows like Back to You (that's cheesy to begin with, but you get the point) because it seems like nobody is laughing at it.

[catlover79]

Having a live audience react to the inane goings-on just added to the show. Without those reactions, it wouldn't have been the same. I AM glad that the audience stopped cheering every time Kramer slid through Jerry's door...that got irritating.

[Schmoopie]

I AM glad that the audience stopped cheering every time Kramer slid through Jerry's door...that got irritating.
I read that the producers were getting mad because the cheering was going on so long that they told the audience to stop doing it. But in watching the episodes beginning to end, I've noticed that the cheers for Kramer didn't start until Season 3.

Andrea

[catlover79]

^ Interesting...too bad the Happy Days audience was never told to shut up. :eek: :mad: :rolleyes: :rofl:

[Anti-Dentyte]

I agree. That's what so great about Seinfeld's "laugh track" is that it isn't a laugh track. It was a real audience behind the scenes genuinely laughing when there was a funny moment. The laughter was always very real on the show, and as you watch the show you are a part of that audience too. You have a real sensation of participating somehow.

[catlover79]

I agree. That's what so great about Seinfeld's "laugh track" is that it isn't a laugh track. It was a real audience behind the scenes genuinely laughing when there was a funny moment. The laughter was always very real on the show, and as you watch the show you are a part of that audience too. You have a real sensation of participating somehow.
That's very true - same with the audience for the Bob Newhart Show, Mary Tyler Moore, WKRP, Barney Miller (the first couple of years when they recorded in front of an audience), etc.

[Schmoopie]

I agree. That's what so great about Seinfeld's "laugh track" is that it isn't a laugh track. It was a real audience behind the scenes genuinely laughing when there was a funny moment. The laughter was always very real on the show, and as you watch the show you are a part of that audience too. You have a real sensation of participating somehow.

Jerry Seinfeld said that there were usually only about 200 people in each audience but if he would have been able to see the millions of people who were actually watching "Seinfeld" every week, he might not have wanted to end the show. Awww! That's sweet!

Andrea

[catlover79]

Jerry Seinfeld said that there were usually only about 200 people in each audience but if he would have been able to see the millions of people who were actually watching "Seinfeld" every week, he might not have wanted to end the show. Awww! That's sweet!

Andrea
That is sweet. :D

[DSfan]

That led me to think about if this show had gone on for another 20 years let's say lol and you can imagine Kramer trying to do his crazy entrances and falling down with a cane because of old age!

[Schmoopie]

That led me to think about if this show had gone on for another 20 years let's say lol and you can imagine Kramer trying to do his crazy entrances and falling down with a cane because of old age!
:rofl: :brent :rofl: :brent :rofl: :brent
You mean when he looks like this?:grrbald:
:rofl: :brent :rofl: :brent

Andrea

[catlover79]

That led me to think about if this show had gone on for another 20 years let's say lol and you can imagine Kramer trying to do his crazy entrances and falling down with a cane because of old age!
:rofl: :brent Or he could crash through the door on a moto-scooter!

[Schmoopie]

OMG, I was watching Season 3 and they had some promos for Seinfeld that aired during the Olympics. They were funny clips of Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer talking about Olympic sports. They weren't from specific episodes. Actually they were made to LOOK like clips from episodes.

My point is (sorry for my rambling) they were all filmed without the studio audience (hence, no laugh track). Talk about weird! Seriously, like we've been discussing, the promos weren't as funny without the laugh track. Something was definitely wrong!

Apparently they aren't on Youtube (darn!) but I found transcripts for them on a Google page:

Moment #1 (aired night 7/22 and night 7/23)
Jerry and George in the Cafe.
Jerry: Pass the cream, George.
[The guy with the torch runs comes in.]
George: Hey, look.
Torch Guy: Hi, maybe you can help me, I'm lost. Do either of you know
the way to Barcelona from here?
Jerry: Well, I'd take the West Side Highway to the Cross Bronx.
George: Hold, Hold. What are you nuts, at this time of the day. Listen
to me. Take the FDR to the Major Deagan.
Jerry: What are you talking about, the FDR is under construction.
George: He's running.

Moment #2 (aired night 7/25)
Jerry and George in the Cafe. The guy with the torch runs in, grabs a
bag, pays for it and leaves quickly.
Jerry: Hey, look.
George: You supposed to tip on a take out order?
Jerry: Not when you're carrying the torch.

Moment #3 (aired night 7/25)
Set in Jerry's apartment. Jerry is talking to Elaine on the phone.
Jerry: Yeah Elaine the guy's on his way over to fix the oven. I think
it's the pilot light.
[Knock at the door.]
Jerry: Hold on, there he is now.
[Torch runner runs in, opens the oven door and lights the pilot, and leaves.]
Jerry: So I set it to 375 and I baste every 15 minutes. Uh huh. Thanks.

Moment #4 (aired morning 7/27)
[This is the only one I haven't seen. Mark Shneyder sent me this write up.]
The phone in Jerry's apartment rings while he's unlocking his door
and it's a guy from a radio station leaving him a message telling him
that he, Jerry, just missed a trip to Barcelona. When Jerry finally
walks in,the radio guy already hung up. Jerry picks up the receiver
and goes "Hello Hello Hello ....".

Moment #5
Jerry and George in the Cafe.
Jerry: How come only athletes get nicknames like Karl "The Mailman" Malone?
George: Writers should have nicknames.
Jerry: Yeah, like Carl "The Truth" Sandberg.
George: Leo "Prime Time" Tolstoy.
Jerry: Judith "In Your Face" Krantz.
George: Tom "The Refrigerator" Clancy.
Jerry: Eugene "The Real Deal" O'Neill.

Moment #6 (approx. 9:30 PM EDT 7/28)
Jerry and George in the Cafe.
Jerry: Do you know yachting was an Olympic sport?
George: I never watch that stuff.
Jerry: How come?
George: It's too easy to cheat.
Jerry: How do you cheat in yachting?
George: It's simple, you stick a small motor under the hull. They
never check.
Jerry: Don't you think they'd be a little suspicious when one boat
wins by 16 hours, with no wind? Hmm?

Moment #7 (approx. 11:15 PM EDT 7/28)
Jerry and George in the Cafe.
George: Hey the judo finals are today. I love that, especially when
they break the bricks.
Jerry: That's Karate.
George: You sure, maybe its Jujitsu.
Jerry: No, Jujitsu is strictly self defense.
George: What about Akita.
Jerry: That's a dog. You mean Akido.
George: Okay then what's Tae Kwan Do.
Jerry: That's a judo, but with the spicy prawns.

Moment #8
Jerry and George in the Cafe.
George: Unbelievable.
Jerry: What's that?
George: This Olympic diver is a 13 year old girl.
Jerry: Hmm.
George: When I was 13, I used to run through the sprinkler with an inner tube.
Jerry: Well, girls mature faster than boys.

Moment #9 (aired night 7/27)
Jerry and George in the Cafe.
Jerry: Hey you want to watch the Olympic diving? It's on in 20 minutes.
George: Nah, no action.
Jerry: What are you talking about? Remember in '88, Louganis hit his head on
the board and then won the gold medal.
George: Yeah, what are the odds of that happening again?
Jerry: No, that's a dive now. The highest degree of difficulty. The
Louganis, half-gainer, no-brainer.

Moment #10
Jerry and George in the Cafe.
George: Hey, modern Pentathlon's today. That's 5 events right?
Jerry: Right.
George: Wonder what the Ancient Pentathlon is?
Jerry: Well, there was the eat run and wretch.
George: The Caligula head toss.
Jerry: The 400 meter Emperor stab.
George: Poke the eye of the Cyclops.
Jerry: Poke the eye of the Cyclops, and the run till your dead.

Moment #11 (approx. 10:30 PM EDT 7/29)
Jerry and George in the Cafe.
George: Why don't they have Olympic dog racing?
Jerry: Well, it doesn't involve humans. It's cruel to the animals. It's
surrounded by liquor and gambling. It's the total antithesis of
the Olympic spirit.
George: Sure, professional dogs. I'm talking amateur.

Moment #12 (approx. 10:30 PM EDT 7/29)
George and Kramer in the Cafe.
George: Target shooting, that's a dull one.
Kramer: They ought to have all the competitors meet in the center of town
in the Olympic village and just shoot it out like the OK Corral.
George: So there'd be no silver or bronze.
Kramer: No, no. It'd be a total elimination.

Moment #13 (aired night 7/27)
In the Cafe, Jerry and George watch Kramer show off his Olympic gymnastics
talent and grace.
Kramer: You grab the rings, and then you pull yourself up until your arms are
completely parallel. And then...
[Kramer has his arms extended and starts to shake and shiver.]
Kramer: It's called the iron cross. It's the most graceful thing I've ever
seen. And then you dismount.
[Kramer falls backward, kicking Jerry and George's table. He falls onto a
stool along the counter.]
Kramer: Well, a cup of coffee please.

Moment #14 (approx. 8:15 PM EDT 7/29)
Jerry, George and Kramer are being interviewed right off the set of the
show.
Interviewer (John): Great show today guys. Jerry, I don't think I've
ever seen you funnier. You know that may have been a personal
best.
Jerry: Thanks John, it felt good out there. I tell you I couldn't have
done it without these guys. There's no "I" in funny.
Kramer: There's a lot of words with no "i". Texas.. rug..
John: Kramer, how'd you feel out there?
Kramer: Banana.. hydrant..
John: George, are you looking forward to sweeps week?
George: Oh no no no no no, we're gonna take it one show at a time.
Kramer: Cat.. Flower..
John: Well that's the story from here. Now back to the studio and Bob.
Kramer: Horseshoe.. Bob.

Moment #15 (approx. 12:30 AM EDT 7/29)
Jerry interviewing a gymnast, with the Olympic rings and the NBC logo
in the background.
Jerry: I'm here with 8 year old Kathy Kwan, star of the gymnastic
team. You must be looking forward to the games, Kathy.
Kathy: Yes, those games are very special to me. As I will retire
when they're over.
Jerry: Retire? You're kidding.
Kathy: I'm not 6 anymore. Besides you have to give those
youngsters a chance to make their mark.
Jerry: What are your plans for the future?
Kathy: I like to spend more time with my parents and watch them
grow up.

At that, Jerry rolled his eyes (like you've all seen him do on the
show) and turned the other way.

Moment #16 (aired end of night 7/27)
Robert Stack of Unsolved Mysteries is in Jerry's apartment. He's using his
usual Unsolved Mysteries tone of voice. The Unsolved Mysteries theme is
playing in the background.
Robert: July 1989, Jerry Seinfeld and three friends embark on a neurotic
journey through New York City, obsessing over life's tiniest
details. One day they mysteriously disappear. Never seen again.
If you have any information concerning the whereabouts ...

[Jerry enters from the left, off camera.]
Jerry: Hey, hey Bob. [Music dies out] Here I am right after you,
Wednesdays on NBC.
Robert: Another mystery solved. [Music picks up again.] Did you call me Bob?

Moment #17
Jerry sitting by his computer in his apartment.
Jerry: Do you know the correct pronunciation of Barcelona is actually
Barthelona? That's because, many years ago, the King of Spain
spoke with a lisp and the members of the court, trying to curry
favor with the King, adopted his unusual speech pattern. Absolutely
true. Just a piece of Olympic trivia for you. I'm Jerry Theinfeld.

Moment #18
Jerry sitting by his computer in his apartment.
Jerry: Do you know why the marathon is 26.2 miles? Because in Ancient
Greece, a man named Phadipadeis ran from Sparta to Marathon 26.2
miles. He delivered a message collapsed and died. Had he run to
the town of Sprint, a mere 100 meters away, Phadipadeis would be
alive today. I'm Jerry Seinfeld.

Moment #19
Actually a promo for Blossom. The characters Blossom and Joey are sitting
on a sofa watching TV.
Joey: Hey look at that, Seinfeld's coming back early.
Blossom: We're coming back early, too.
Joey: We're going to be on Seinfeld?
Blossom: Yes Joey. Kramer's our new father, Dad's dating Elaine and George
is gonna live over the garage with Tony.
Joey: Woo, I better go clean my room.
Blossom: He's an idiot.

Obviously the last one is a promo for Blossom. I wish I could have seen that, but I don't think it's included on the DVD sets.

"Moment # 13" is hysterical, with Kramer falling and landing in the seat, but without the laugh track it definitely loses something!



Andrea