Chuck Klosterman, Out With a New Essay Collection, Talks Seriously About Laugh Tracks
Well, I’ve never been good at fake laughing. But the filler laugh I can’t control. It’s not a response to anything except dead air. This probably goes back to radio. People know if they turn the radio on and there’s not music and not talking than something bad has happened. I think that’s how Americans feel about conversation, particularly in New York. When I’m with my family in North Dakota, it’s not weird to have long stretches where no one is talking. Most people I meet in New York will not let that happen.
