Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Screaming audience aversion

When did women start screaming to indicate their enthusiasm?
Once upon a time there was a thing called "applause" - a clapping of the hands to convey delight or appreciation. Sometimes it came with added whistles.
Then the "whoop" arrived and audiences added whooping vocal sounds to applause.
Now they just scream.
If they are applauding with their hands, it is inaudible beneath the shrill of shrieks and screams.
It is a most terrible sound. It is a descent into inanity.
Is it clear how much I hate this development in the world of entertainment?
Or, how mystified I am about it?

The strident insistence of extended audience screaming has caused me simply to turn off television programs I otherwise may have watched, even enjoyed. Conan O'Brien, the offbeat late night presenter, actively encourages this animalistic nonsense from his audience, cueing the women to keep on and on with the screams as he basks in it its approbation.
On the NBC morning show, there are screamers waiting in the streets. The moment they see a camera light go on, they start with the screaming.
This mindless din accompanies more and more American television. Well, it accompanies anything that includes a live audience. God forbid they start injecting the canned screams to the recorded shows. Daresay it may come.
This phenomenon has acquired nauseating ubiquity. We have produced a whole generation of people who can only express themselves with primal high Cs.
And no one seems to complain, to ask them to try the old hand-clapping routine...

Am I the only person who is despairing of this?
It makes me want to scream!

10 comments:

Kath Lockett said...

Totally agree with you regarding the US audience-screamers, Angry. Even in 'sit-coms' (I use the term generously), the walk-on 'stars' pause and wait for the screams before vomiting up their catchphrases.

However back in the land of the Farmers Union Iced Coffee and Vili's pasty we have what sounds like "BOOOOO! BOOOOOO! Oof Oof Oof" being yelled out. It sounds very negative until you realise that it's actually in homage to Mark Rooooo Riccuito.... Certainly less damaging to the eardrums than screaming though.

Cri de Cœur said...

It gets far worse beyond the land of Farmers Union and Vili's.

Whilst in Prague to watch an Australian electronic ensemble, a far cry from the likes of Mark Riccuitoa. A rotund, red-faced man in the audience decided to hollar 'Aussie' in which his minions responded with 'Oi'. This continued ad nauseam until the artists sheepishly walked on stage and thankfully drowned them out.

Most Czechs gaped like it was the return of the Third Reich whilst the remaining audience members slid further into their seats.

Bring on the Aussie Oi Oi Oi police!

Samela said...

Good observations, both.
And yes, Crie de Coeur, the Aussie Oi Oi Oi has, indeed, turned into cringe material.

River said...

I, too, loathe the screaming audience, most especially at concerts. If going to a concert, how do you know what your stars are singing or sounding like when all you can hear is your own screaming?? So senseless.

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Jack said...

American women with the constant, high-pitched "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!" ruins most live audience TV shows now to point of unwatchable. It's incredibly idiotic and annoying.

I'm sure it's the same reason women do everything: For attention from men.

Even at pro sports games there's always a bitch with a big mouth somewhere near the audio pick-up screaming her stupid head off.

Often it sounds like someone's being killed.

I think The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson doesn't tolerate it, I heard him tell a high-pitched female audience shrieker "no, none of that here."