canned laughter

Idioms  

1. Also, canned music. Prerecorded sound effects that can be played repeatedly, as in That canned laughter doesn't make his jokes any funnier, or Canned music is greatly reducing the number of musical jobs available. O. Henry had the term in his story, Cabbages and Kings (1903): “We'll export canned music to the Latins.” Canned laughter today is often used in broadcasting to simulate the reaction of a nonexistent live audience. [c. 1900]

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

canned laughter

Robinson chuckles as canned laughter from the soundboard fills the room.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2026

Kimmel has replaced his live audience with canned laughter that sparkles forth in all the right spots.

From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2021

"No one believes it, but with Porridge there's no canned laughter at all - what you hear is the real audience reaction. It's like being at the Young Vic."

From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2016

No war movies allowed on the television, no “Hogan’s Heroes” canned laughter.

From New York Times ● Oct. 2, 2015

Some extremely advanced paranoiacs can’t even watch television because they think the canned laughter is about them.

From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel