Stereotypical American Audience

[Royston]

This was something I was discussing with friends last night, and was prompted by the clip Sisyphus posted recently in GD.

 

I realize this is hardly a new observation, and could possibly be regarded as a stereotype, but this isn't a 'I've noticed Americans do this', but 'what in American culture prompted this behaviour.' That is, a large number of individuals in an audience, on American chat shows, quiz shows, comedy programmes, feel it necessary to shout 'wooooo, yeah' over, well, pretty much anything.

 

I remember this trend spread to the UK in the early 80's (maybe before), I specifically remember my Dad commenting on an audience 'woo-ing' on a game show, this was over 20 years ago, and blamed the influence of American TV, and more specifically American culture, as clapping was generally all you heard from an audience.

 

When I was in the States, I remember my ex and I chuckling to ourselves whilst watching two lions in an enclosure. Some guy introduced a ball for the lions to play with, and all we could hear was 'yeah, dude...she's got a ball, she's totally got the ball, like yeah, wooooo.'

 

I guess, I'd like to know where this huge excitement for the utterly mundane to the times when it is actually warranted came from, or if anyone can pinpoint what it is about American culture that would provoke 'woo-ing' at pretty much anything. I'm not in anyway trying to generalize, or implying 'everyone in America does this', because I'm sure that's not the case. It is however, a definite and obvious trend, that's noticable in audiences in a whole variety of events...and yes it has spread over the pond. Thoughts ?

 

Incidentally, my friend told me that Bill Hicks covered this phenomenom when a woman was 'woo-ing' at almost everything he said, so I'll try and dig up some quotes if I can find any.

[swansont]

I blame Arsenio Hall.

[ParanoiA]

Incidentally, my friend told me that Bill Hicks covered this phenomenom when a woman was 'woo-ing' at almost everything he said, so I'll try and dig up some quotes if I can find any.

 

My man Bill Hicks. Damn I miss that guy!

 

But yes, it is quite annoying. I also blame Arsenio Hall, as that's where I first heard it. It started out as an introduction - woo! woo! woo!, over and over again. Then as the audience got more comfortable feeding back, getting the interaction, it seemed to grow.

 

I'm thinking it's about excitement and getting the viewer at home to feel like they're watching something awesome. It also feels more "live", or at least it does to me. Married With Children was the first comedy that I noticed it on. It seemed to help direct the intent of the dialoge.

 

Not that I like it. I've always hated "laugh tracks" or any audience tracking at all really. It's too contrived. And it's always comedies.

 

Dramas don't have "crying tracks". When our hero dies at the end, I don't hear a studio audience chiming in with sobs and sniffles. Because it's completely stupid and out of place. Why that doesn't seem to matter with sit-coms, I'll never know.

[Pangloss]

It's not just men -- there's a high-pitched screem that women have taken to using on shows like Oprah and The View and Dr. Phil. I think it's just part of a nonsensical feedback loop between Hollywood and the lowest-common-denominator part of the public. I mean what other industry makes an almost academic study and practice out of the "pre-show audience prep"?

 

"Oh, and, um, if some of you ladies in the back row could scream like you're being raped, Dr. Phil would really appreciate that. Thanks!"

[Royston]

Thanks all for the responses, I didn't realize it was such a recent phenomenon. My first thoughts, was that 'woo-ing' (actually woop is the right term) was just an onomatopoeia for excitement...and some facets of American culture meant this was transposed beyond times of excitement, to a whole manner of situations.

 

A good example is a motivation technique I watched being used for sales reps. This particular example, was where the weekly meeting, once finished, employees and managers would get off their chairs and walk round in a circle wooping, and shouting 'yeah, come on, let's do this, woooo !' I can't remember what they were selling, I'm sure it was something like vacuum cleaners, or something equally mundane, which made me think why wooping is used in so many situations. Such as a lion playing with a ball

 

EDIT: Bill Hicks is what stand-up should be like IMO.

[DrDNA]

On many shows, there are flashing digital signs that instruct the audience to clap, cheer, etc.

It is orchistrated to a very large extent.

 

I believe that the craziest example is the Jerry Springer Show...... ding ding ding (boxing ring bell)...... men and women immediately begin to fight. It is reminiscent of the operant conditioning behaviour of B F Skinner's pigeons. But I doubt that he would be very proud.

[ParanoiA]

A good example is a motivation technique I watched being used for sales reps. This particular example, was where the weekly meeting, once finished, employees and managers would get off their chairs and walk round in a circle wooping, and shouting 'yeah, come on, let's do this, woooo !' I can't remember what they were selling, I'm sure it was something like vacuum cleaners, or something equally mundane, which made me think why wooping is used in so many situations. Such as a lion playing with a ball

 

EDIT: Bill Hicks is what stand-up should be like IMO.

 

Geez how pathetic. I would jump off a building if I had to sell that much of myself to make a living. I sooooo don't miss that kind of work. I took a sales job once in my life. Once. I've never felt clean since. And I sucked at it too. Thankfully.

 

Bill Hicks should have been president...

[CDarwin]

I realize this is hardly a new observation, and could possibly be regarded as a stereotype, but this isn't a 'I've noticed Americans do this', but 'what in American culture prompted this behaviour.' That is, a large number of individuals in an audience, on American chat shows, quiz shows, comedy programmes, feel it necessary to shout 'wooooo, yeah' over, well, pretty much anything.

It's our democratic spirit. Everyone gets to join in with an inane comment in America, no matter what his creed, color, or class. That's what we fought a revolution over.

[DrDNA]

It's our democratic spirit. Everyone gets to join in with an inane comment in America, no matter what his creed, color, or class.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of a pack mentality. I doubt most of those people (but not me ) would ever act in such a way if they were not in a group situation. To a large extent, it may be similar to country line dancing. It makes people feel good to go along with the crowd.

 

The negative ones (Jerry Springer, even Dr Phil sometimes- especially towards men- for example) remind me of a public stoneing.

While the "postive" ones (games shows, Arsenio, Tyra, etc) seem to be much like pep rallies.

[CDarwin]

I was thinking more along the lines of a pack mentality.

 

Right. Democracy.

[Royston]

Right. Democracy.

 

That's out of context. As Pangloss already said, it's 'the lowest common denominator' of behaviour, it has nothing to do with democracy. Following the herd due to a 'passed on' behaviour that was spawned directly from the States, proves that point.

 

If democracy had anything to do with it, then why was the influence of 'wooping' not inherited from Europe, or any other democratic region before America was founded...and remember I'm specifically asking why getting excited over, well, nothing is a trait that has passed, and developed from the States ?

[DrDNA]

Right. Democracy.

 

 

You mean it has been around since the Romans?

 

"oopway, oopway,...."

[CDarwin]

That's out of context. As Pangloss already said, it's 'the lowest common denominator' of behaviour, it has nothing to do with democracy. Following the herd due to a 'passed on' behaviour that was spawned directly from the States, proves that point.

 

If democracy had anything to do with it, then why was the influence of 'wooping' not inherited from Europe, or any other democratic region before America was founded...and remember I'm specifically asking why getting excited over, well, nothing is a trait that has passed, and developed from the States ?

 

Joke, joke. Geez.

 

Seriously, I don't think you can really pin what you're talking about down to any single thing. Why do Canadians say "aboot?"

[Royston]

Joke, joke. Geez.

 

Seriously, I don't think you can really pin what you're talking about down to any single thing. Why do Canadians say "aboot?"

 

Heh, well I feel daft, though that was a late night (had a few ciders) post. Anyhooo, thanks all for the responses. Sadly, I now feel the urge to watch some trashy U.S broadcast, to further my research

[iNow]

The points about group think, pep rallies, and modern day stonings have resonance with me. I am very curious that our friends across the pond are surprised by this, as I never knew it was an America-centric phenomonon.

[Royston]

The points about group think, pep rallies, and modern day stonings have resonance with me. I am very curious that our friends across the pond are surprised by this, as I never knew it was an America-centric phenomonon.

 

Well the America-centric phenomonon is specifically the over exuberence when it's just not called for. It's understandable at sporting events, or rock concerts, but it's found it's way into much more low key events, and even into meetings (albeit I only gave one example.) Also the 'woop' is just synonymous with this behaviour, it doesn't matter what sound is made.

 

It's generally only on trashy programmes in the UK that you get this, where the average IQ of the audience is around 25...and they're usually programmes that have stemmed from America, e.g the UK's answer to Oprah et.c It's odd, because if practically anything is worth 'wooping' at, then practically nothing is worth 'wooping' at...if that makes sense. Not much more to add really, I was really interested if there was something specific about American culture that could be the cause of this. Pangloss's response seemed the most likely, along with the other influences already mentioned.

[iNow]

It's generally only on trashy programmes in the UK that you get this, where the average IQ of the audience is around 25...

So, it's probably just more frequent in the US.

 

 

 

"Oh, and, um, if some of you ladies in the back row could scream like you're being raped, Dr. Phil would really appreciate that. Thanks!"

 

I'm not sure what's worse. The fact that this exact comment has probably been made in a pre-show prep somewhere, or that the audience merrily abides by and fails to challenge said directions.