Response To Chuck Klosterman

The essay "Ha ha," he said. "Ha ha." was probably my favorite essay that i have been assigned to read in english class, ever.  This is the first essay that i've read that really connected to me and most of my generation because I love to watch television.  I also enjoyed his style of writing which was sophisticated but he made it easy to understand.  Klosterman brought up a lot of very good points some of which I subconsciously knew and others which i didnt but thought were very interesting.  His story of how germans think we are retarded hit home with me because it made me realize how often i laugh, even when i dont think something is funny.  Sometimes i will give a little fake laugh just hoping that this person will stop talking without hurting their feelings.  Another point that he made that I found funny was how people often over laugh at jokes that aren't that funny to let other people in the room know that they got the joke.  To the best of my awareness i dont do this very often but I can definitely think of some friends that do.  Klosterman explains how he thinks people like tv shows like its always sunny in philadelphia (non canned laughter) more then shows like two and a half men (canned laughter) because as an audience we think they are taking us more seriously, but i disagree.  I think we just like shows like that because they are more funny.  I have always wondered why television programs used canned laughter but I have never thought they were less funny because of it.