[lit-ideas] Re: Laugh Tracks

Laughter tracks are important because, for example, I would not be occupying my 
current padded cell if the psych. had accepted my laughter outbursts in public 
were all track-prompted. But I digress.


--- On Mon, 25/8/08, Robert Paul <rpaul@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

>'There is nothing like a
> dame,' is far superior 
> to any Mozart aria.

This cannot be right. Perhaps it is a joke - without a laughter-track it is 
hard to tell.

> I love 'Deal or No Deal.' It is a continuing series
> of lessons in the 
> psychology of decision making, and statistical illiteracy.

The main genius of 'Deal or No Deal' was deciding that was a better title than 
'Guess What's In The Box'. There is a certain rationality to estimating whether 
the banker's offer is good given what has been drawn from the boxes, but what 
other lessons are there? Where I first watched it (with someone else), we were 
completely puzzled by the game and what the rules were, given the intense 
consideration contestants gave to which box to open, and the passion of 
on-lookers. It was only by the second episode it gradually dawned on us they 
were just having to guess [and not critically guess a la Critical Rationalism, 
merely 'take a punt'].

Without laughter-track and in the context of alleged 'dumbing-down', this is a 
precis of a true incident that happened on English local news tv many moons 
ago. They had a game of 'Guess What's In The Box' where if you guessed it you 
won it: to guess it, you could follow previous contestant's questions and the 
answers (which had always to be in 'yes or no' form)and then ask three 'yes or 
no' questions of your own. The voice of the following Phone Contestant was the 
English equivalent of slaw-jawed yokel.

TV Presenter: Good evening, and you are next to play 'Guess What's In The Box'! 
I take it you know the rules of the game - only questions that permit a 'yes or 
no' answer are allowed.

PC: Yes.

TVP: First question please.

PC: Have I three daughters or two sons?

TVP: Remember, only questions that allow of 'yes or no' answers are allowed.

PC: Have I three daughters?

TVP: Now, the object of the game is to 'Guess What's In The Box'. So the 
question should be something that helps you decide what is in the box. Yes?

PC: Yes.

TVP: Next question please.

PC: Am I employed or not employed?

TVP: Again it has to be a 'yes or no' answer and should be something that helps 
you guess what is it in the box. Yes?

PC: Yes.

TVP: Ok, so please start again.

PC: What is in the box?

TVP: That doesn't give a 'yes or no' answer. The kind of question you might 
want to ask is 'Is what's in the box yellow?' or 'Is what's in the box round?'. 
Do you understand?

PC: Yes.

TVP: Ok. Well, we'll take it you've only asked one question so far. What are 
your next two questions?

PC: Is it yellow?

TVP: No.

PC: Is it round?

TVP (corpsing): No.
 

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