History Main / PointAndLaughShow

* ''Series/AreYouSmarterThanAFifthGrader'' Generally, the answer's no, but [[FridgeLogic considering how many people are going to remember gradeschool trivia (assuming the subject was even taught in their school)]], it's definitely to be expected. But then, the contestants [[GenreSavvy know what they're getting into]]. The idea of the show is "come for the point-and-laugh, stay for a not-Jeopardy-hard trivia show that avoids pop culture and news questions (and, yes, has the odd contestant that you can point and laugh at)." The lifelines also push the point-and-laugh concept, since they all involve the contestant being saved from walking home empty-handed by copying or peeking at a fifth-grader's answer.

[[caption-width-right:350:A typical episode of People Who Look Like Things]]

* ''Series/RuPaulsDragRace'', or at least the US version, devolved into this trope once the producers realized HamToHamCombat between agitated {{drag queen}}s was ratings gold. But in the earlier seasons, you would often see queens get into screaming matches with each other in one episode, then get along fine the next. This is because the queens would often meet up in the hotel lobby after filming for the day and talk through their conflicts like adults. The producers didn't like that, and now the queens are sequestered in their hotel rooms most of the time they're not filming. And when the queens ''are'' let out of their rooms outside filming--for meals and their days off--they are expressly forbidden from discussing the show, specifically to save all drama and potential fights for the camera. It kind of undermines the whole "community" message the show aims for.

* With a heavy dose of ValuesDissonance: [[BedlamHouse Bethlem Royal Hospital in the 18th Century]].

* ''Series/RuPaulsDragRace'', or at least the US version, devolved into this trope once the producers realized HamToHamCombat between agitated {{drag queen}}s was ratings gold. But in the earlier seasons, you would often see queens get into screaming matches with each other in one episode, then get along fine the next. This is because the queens would often meet up in the hotel lobby after filming for the day and talk through their conflicts like adults. The producers didn't like that, and now the queens are sequestered in their hotel rooms most of the time they're not filming. And when the queens [i]are[/i] let out of their rooms outside filming--for meals and their days off--they are expressly forbidden from discussing the show, specifically to save all drama and potential fights for the camera. It kind of undermines the whole "community" message the show aims for.

* Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Freak Strike", where the genetic freaks demand that talk shows display freaks who are actually true, genetic freaks, and not "[[AcceptableTargets just stupid trailer-trash from the South]]".

* The Spanish court room show ''Series/CasoCerrado'' with Ana Maria Polo often falls into this, though a difference is made between people with "alternative lifestyles" and people that the show considers AcceptableTargets (like people who are outright bad, neglectful, abusive, or criminal).

'''Joker:''' ''[Cackling] I LOVE THIS SHOW!''

* "Fame Or Shame" in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' is essentially ''Series/AmericasGotTalent'' with an extra helping of this trope. In the main game, Tracey goes and auditions by dancing like a whore, is encouraged on by the host Lazlo, and makes a huge fool of herself. However, [[OverprotectiveDad Michael]] and [[SociopathicHero Trevor]] are there to... er... save the day?

A partially or wholly unscripted show with real people, where the idea is to point, laugh, and say, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historian%27s_fallacy "Damn, those people are stupid/crazy/losers/trashy/jerks!"]] Everybody in the cast is either a moron, a {{Jerkass}}, insane, ratchet, trailer-trash, or [[LowerClassLout all of the above]]. The audience sees these people humiliate themselves in public, and is comforted that [[ExpectationLowerer no matter how messed up their own lives may be, at least they have more sense than these fools]].

These are almost always GuiltyPleasures, appeal to the LowestCommonDenominator, and usually use BigotVsBigot. Compare SadistShow and ImmoralRealityShow, as well as TheFreakshow. See also TheFreelanceShameSquad, when bystanders laugh at a character's misfortunes InUniverse.

* ''Series/TheChair''

* Although ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' and ''Series/WheelOfFortune'' are not strictly part of this genre, there is a large sub-fandom who enjoys the show because they can feel superior to the losers who punt the easiest questions. Creator/DaveBarry pointed out that while he knew the lights and noise distract you, he was sure he'd never mess up as badly...until he appeared on ''Wheel of Fortune'' himself, and found himself a deer in the (literal) headlights.
** There is also a sub-fandom who aren't really a fandom, so much as a {{Hatedom}} for particularly smart and smug contestants who always win. Ken Jennings, who had the biggest winning streak in ''Jeopardy!'' history, got the biggest Hatedom of them all.
** The recurring ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' skit "Celebrity Jeopardy!" is essentially a fictional version of this.
** The shows both also have mechanisms to delay contestants from immediately giving correct responses; the audience has a chance to answer first. Jeopardy disallows buzz-ins that occur before the verbal reading of the clue (which is slower that visual reading. Contestants who know the Wheel puzzle's early can earn more money by continuing to spin and spin to rack up more money from the remaining consonants; only Lose A Turn and Bankrupt spaces deter this.

These are almost always GuiltyPleasures, appeal to the LowestCommonDenominator, and usually use BigotVsBigot. Compare SadistShow and ImmoralRealityShow, as well as FreakShow. See also TheFreelanceShameSquad, when bystanders laugh at a character's misfortunes InUniverse.

* ''Series/TheRealWorld'' is the Trope Maker for this sub-genre of the Point and Laugh Show. Cram Bigot Vs. Bigot into cramped space until they're ready to kill each other, and you're good to go. Curiously, in its early seasons ''The Real World'' was a much tamer and more optimistic show, based around placing several people of vastly differing cultural backgrounds into a space together and observing what sorts of conflicts emerge, with an underlying message of mutual respect and tolerance. MTV's NetworkDecay probably contributed to the show's SeasonalRot.

** ''Series/FamilyFeud'', especially the Steve Harvey era, would fall into this pseudo-category, as well. Many people on the show tend to say stupid or embarrassing things, and Steve doesn't hesitate to mock them for it. It's notable that the show has taken a strong turn towards questions with rather lowbrow and raunchy connotations while frequently picking religiously-affiliated contestants (preachers, youth ministers, etc.), presumably to set up awkward situations for cheap laughs and buzz on social media.

* ''Series/TheSteveWilkosShow'' is a tad saner, replacing the sideshow freaks with drug addicts, deadbeat parents, and domestic abusers. It still fits well within this, of course. It's also a "point and watch while an [[BaldOfAwesome intimidating bald guy]] tears jerks a new one show". This, unfortunately, cannot be said for the studio audience, who apparently find people at the moment where their lives are either destroyed or changed irreparably ''[[SarcasmMode so hilarious]]'' that you can [[OnceAnEpisode almost reliably predict]] when they're going to uproariously laugh at and heckle the victims of anything from marital cheating to heinous crimes (such as rape, the murder of a loved one, child molestation...) and/or their family members breaking down, or cheer on a vicious fight.

* Subverted by Sally Jesse Raphael. While she did delve into some of the usual daytime talk show fodder, her SubcultureOfTheWeek episodes actually treated the guests in a respectful manner. For example, episodes that featured {{drag queen}}s and transgender/intersex people actually had them talk about their lives, rather than the usual "Your girlfriend has a secret..." or "Is this a man or a woman?" storylines that other shows used. For this reason, Sally developed an LGBTFanbase that many of these shows lacked.

* ''Series/DoctorPhil'' will frequently bring in guests who have no serious problems, just to gawk and criticize their lifestyle, like men who have many piercings and body modifications, or plural marriages.

* Semi-averted with [[Series/TheOprahWinfreyShow Oprah Winfrey]], who also rounds up freaks and somehow manages to seem more classy than her rivals.

* ''Series/TheSteveWilkosShow'' is a tad saner, replacing the sideshow freaks with drug addicts, deadbeat parents, and domestic abusers. It still fits well within this, of course. It's also a "point and watch while an [[BaldOfAwesome intimidating bald guy]] tears jerks a new one show".

* Also in the "not-quite entrapment" genre of true crime shows is ''Series/ToCatchAPredator'', except here, we point and laugh at (and be morally outraged by) ''paedophiles''.
-->'''Charlie Brooker:''' Despite the subject matter, I'm have little doubt that the whole thing is surreptitiously played for laughs.