har har har dee har har

NBC ran a promo the other night that spoke directly to me. They chose to promote an aspect of their new Thursday night comedy lineup that sets their shows apart from most. "My Name Is Earl," "The Office," "Scrubs" and "30 Rock" all lack a laugh track. The promo showed two guys adding a ridiculous amount of laughter to a non-existent sitcom. I like my comedy dry, just like my BBQ ribs.

The TV columnist for the Associated Press wrote about a possible backlash against TV networks that choose to cater only to the 18 to 49 year old demo. As the baby boomers turn 50, they feel overlooked by the channels they used to watch. David Bauder points out that there are enough boomers still alive to warrant a re-examination by the networks and their advertisers. I think smart comedy without an insulting laugh track is a step in the right direction.