eli5: Why were laugh tracks so widely used on sitcoms in the past? Did people not know when they were supposed to laugh?

Question

I’m rewatching some older sitcoms and the laugh track is so odd to me. I remember thinking nothing of it growing up, but now that I’ve been watching sitcoms without it, it feels completely pointless. Who thought it was a good idea and why?

In: 21

Answer 1

One of my favorite videos of Friends is just Ross being Ross, but without the laugh track. It is disturbing.