Julian Hanich discusses collective viewing as a heightening factor for laughter as a response to watching a comedy. In doing so, Hanich outlines ten different types of laughter that may occur during a collective viewing experience, taking into account the relationship between a film and an audience, as well as between audience-members. While it is not the same context as how Hanich applies his framework, bloopers can embody many of Hanich’s types of laughter. And, in a way, the actors almost become audience-members as their laughter occurs from the actors themselves and not from their characters.
In the “Pivot” scene blooper from Friends there are five laughing instances: from David Schwimmer (Ross), Matthew Perry (Chandler), Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), the laugh track, and potentially us (the audience). As Ross, Chandler, and Rachel try to move Ross’ new couch up the stairs, Ross repeatedly shouts “Pivot!” which Chandler responds to by saying “Shut up!” in a mocking tone. This is when Schwimmer begins laughing at the comical situation, as well as at the characters Ross and Chandler. Perry and Aniston then join in laughing.
Schwimmer’s laughter can be described as Hanich’s amusement laughter. “Laughing about the comic and ridiculous,” which is described as “fall[ing] into laughter — we are overwhelmed by it” (193). In other words, Schwimmer is taken over by the comicalness and the ridiculousness of the scene. In fact, when Schwimmer breaks character, he repeats “PIVOTTT” once more, emphasizing the source of his amusement and embracing the funniness of Ross in the scene. Considering the idea that someone’s laughter “momentarily displaces the film as the dominating focus of attention and assumes the role of the intentional object of some viewers’ amusement” (203), Perry’s laughter can best be described as laughter-laughter, or “laughing about another’s laughter.” It is Schwimmer’s initial laughter that prompts Perry’s reaction and shifts his attention from the scene to Schwimmer. However, Aniston—who chuckles and tries to restart the scene, but succumbs to her own laughter as Scwimmer and Perry don’t attempt to control theirs—fits Hanich’s contagion laughter. This type of laughter may also be reflected in the audience’s response, as the presence of a laugh-track contributes to the amount of laughter in the video which then may overwhelm the viewer into their own laughter. All in all, the presence of laughter in the “Pivot” scene blooper aligns with various types of laughter as described by Hanich and can even draw out laughter from the audience and those not present at the filming of this scene.