http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Commodore%20Skahill/Colin%20McEnroe%20Show%20010512.mp3
Why do we watch television comedies?
Of course, because we want to be amused. But I think we also watch because their ensembles beckon to us. They're a group of friends or co-workers, a little more diverse and a little more entertaining than our own circle of friends of co-workers. There's almost invariably a mix. There's the down-to-earth, more-or-less sane, anchoring personality. There's the lyrical, pleasantly crazy character in touch with a different reality. There's the deeply cynical laughably exploitive personality. There's the reliable buddy. There's the one who's not terribly bright.
We love these people because they're the stock characters from our lives. We've known them. Maybe dealing with them in person wasn't as much fun. They're a nice place to visit even if we don't always enjoy living there. Today, we'll explore aspects of TV comedy, with a special focus on the laugh track, which everybody claims to hate but ...well, you'll see.
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