Where does laughter come from on TV shows?

[Pretty in Pink :)]

I thought that some shows were put on in front of audiences (b/c of the laughter), but are there like buttons that people push to make laughter?

[Not Stephen Colbert]

some shows have a live audience, but a lot of them are just sound effects

[Boredom Kills]

Sometimes it's buttons that are pushed and some are done with audiences watching the show, it depends.

[nymphadora7]

it depends on the show.
some of them have a laugh box, and others are filmed in front of audiences.

you can usually tell the difference, because the laugh box sounds generic and forced, while the people laughing you can tell it sounds different each time. and the actors usually have to pause for them to finish laughing. that 70's show is filmed in front of an audience, for instance, while friends has a laugh box.

[nymphadora7]

it depends on the show.
some of them have a laugh box, and others are filmed in front of audiences.

you can usually tell the difference, because the laugh box sounds generic and forced, while the people laughing you can tell it sounds different each time. and the actors usually have to pause for them to finish laughing. that 70's show is filmed in front of an audience, for instance, while friends has a laugh box.

[Britni]

The humor.

[Dougland]

that's one of the actors doing a really good ventriloquism act, if you look closely at his cheeks, the puff up a little when the laughter happens

[Shark bait]

English programs = spectators

American Programs = Tape recorder