History Main / ContagiousLaughter

* On the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short "Robin Hood Daffy", WesternAnimation/PorkyPig as Friar Tuck laughs at WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck's clumsy attempts at being RobinHood. Daffy walks up to confront him, but soon starts laughing as well. They spend several seconds laughing together...until Porky climbs into Daffy's arms and slaps him on the back.

* On the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short "Robin Hood Daffy", WesternAnimation/PorkyPig as Friar Tuck laughs at WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck's clumsy attempts at being RobinHood. Daffy walks up to confront him, but soon starts laughing as well.

** And then Barbossa [[MoodWhiplash breaks up the laughter]], and [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments everyone instantly resumes their positions in the standoff.]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS4eo-f8aOg See the scene here.]]

* ''Film/MaryPoppins'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1dkTrNH92Y I love to laugh! Long and loud and clear! It's getting worse every year! The more I laugh, the more I'm filled with glee! The more the glee, the more I'm a merrier me!]]

* In ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'', Hajime Saito does this in his fight against Usui after deducing that the later [[spoiler:BecomingTheMask has become complacent regarding his vendetta against Shishio]]. Of course, after laughing together like madmen, [[HaHaHaNo Usui tells him to shut up]], stating that it's not even funny.
* In ''Anime/YuYuHakusho'' when [[spoiler: Yusuke dies and comes back to life a second time]] Yusuke mentions his heart has stopped beating. Kurama and Hiei start laughing at him. He starts to laugh at himself too, even though he has no idea why they're laughing at him.

TruthInTelevision (particularly in instances of {{Corpsing}}), but useful in fiction for [[TensionCuttingLaughter getting a group some release from tension.]] Also, when [[HumiliationConga a proud character is humiliated]], this lets [[TheFreelanceShameSquad the crowd join together against him]].

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* In ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'', Hajime Saito does this in his fight against Usui after deducing that the later [[spoiler:BecomingTheMask has become complacent regarding his vendetta against Shishio]]. Of course, after laughing together like madmen, [[HaHaHaNo Usui tells him to shut up]], stating that it's not even funny.
* In ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'', once the father starts to laugh, the children are able to join in.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'', the main characters on the Black Pearl get involved in a MexicanStandoff (Barbosa, Gibbs, Jack, Will, and Elizabeth). After several ''very'' tense seconds of everyone aiming their guns at everyone else, Barbossa starts laughing, and eventually he can't hold his gun up. Everyone joins in, and lowers their guns too.
** And then Barbossa [[MoodWhiplash breaks up the laughter]], and [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments everyone instantly resumes their positions in the standoff.]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS4eo-f8aOg See the scene here.]]
* ''Film/{{Se7en}}'', despite being a ''very'' dark film has a moment where the main characters all think about the absurdity of the "vibrating" home (it's right on top of a subway,) and all break into fits of giggling despite trying to hold it in.
* In ''Film/EvilDead2'', laughter spreads through inanimate objects in the room until Ash is unable to resist joining in.
* In a cross with TensionCuttingLaughter, ''Film/InAndOut'' has a bunch of old ladies doing a bunch of confessions. "My husband has three testicles!" leads to awkward silence... but once one starts to laugh, everyone joins her.
* In ''Film/ManForAllSeasons'', Henry VIII and his court are visiting Thomas More by boat, and when stepping onto the riverbank, the king lands directly in the mud and is covered in it. Since he can be tyrannical and has an awful temper, the court collectively holds their breath, waiting for the king's reaction. Suddenly he starts to laugh hysterically, and the whole of the court joins in, still terrified of the king.

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* In ''Series/{{Mash}}'', when Blake talks of what kidders they are, Burns tries to join Hawkeye and Trapper John's laughter.

* ''Series/AreYouAfraidOfTheDark.'' The episode "The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner," is about a comic book villain who enters our world and his power is a laugh that causes anyone who hears to turn into a giggling idiot.

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
** Bart mentions that due to TV he has a very poor memory and can't remember even 8 seconds in the past. The rest of the family laugh at him. "No, really, I can't! It's a serious problem." They continue to laugh. After a moment he starts to laugh too; then while still laughing he anxiously asks "What are we all laughing about?"
** In another episode Burns enjoys an EvilLaugh over his latest plan, and Homer (who the Evil Plan will directly affect) joins in the laughing. Then Burns stops but Homer keeps going for a while.
** This also happened between Homer, Patty and Selma, much to the two sisters' immense chagrin.
-->'''Patty:''' Cut him a check and get him the hell outta here!

-->'''[[EvilSoundsDeep Voice]]:''' [[EvilLaugh Bwhahahahahaha...]]
-->'''Leela:''' What's that!?
-->'''Zoidberg:''' I don't know, but it's contagious! Heh heh heh!

* In the special ''[[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Goofy's Success Story]]'', Goofy became an accidental star by laughing in a theater. The onstage gag wasn't funny to anyone else, but his laugh got them going.
* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/RubyGloom,'' Iris tells a joke so she can break the record for "Best Joke." Ruby is the only one who gets it and starts to laugh. Pretty soon, anyone who hears it, including a squirrel and the moon, start to laugh as well. Poe then congratulates Ruby for breaking the record for "Most Contagious Laugh."

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* ''MaryPoppins'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1dkTrNH92Y I love to laugh! Long and loud and clear! It's getting worse every year! The more I laugh, the more I'm filled with glee! The more the glee, the more I'm a merrier me!]]

* This Scottish grandma also has some side-splitting videos, including [[https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=715932705426313&id=199098633470668&refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&_rdr this video of her reading a book about donkeys to her grandson.]] [/folder]]

[[/folder]]

** And then Barbossa [[MoodWhiplash breaks up the laughter]], and [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments everyone instantly resumes their positions in the standoff.]] See the scene [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS4eo-f8aOg here]].

** And then Barbossa [[MoodWhiplash breaks up the laughter]], and [[CrowningMomentOfFunny everyone instantly resumes their positions in the standoff.]] See the scene [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS4eo-f8aOg here]].

* In ''Film/ManOfAllSeasons'', Henry VIII and his court are visiting Thomas More by boat, and when stepping onto the riverbank, the king lands directly in the mud and is covered in it. Since he can be tyrannical and has an awful temper, the court collectively holds their breath, waiting for the king's reaction. Suddenly he starts to laugh hysterically, and the whole of the court joins in, still terrified of the king.

TruthInTelevision, but useful in fiction for getting a group some release from tension. Also, when [[HumiliationConga a proud character is humiliated]], this lets [[TheFreelanceShameSquad the crowd join together against him]].

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:{{Comic Books}}]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:WebComics]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:RealLife]]

** In the speakeasy, when the man saying he had seen a rabbit feigns that he has {{Harvey}} next to them, all the rest laugh together.

TruthInTelevision, but useful in fiction for getting a group some release from tension. Also, when [[HumiliationConga a proud character is humiliated]], this lets the crowd join together against him.

Drives the EverybodyLaughsEnding. When a villain doesn't recieve this, it results in a LaughWithMe moment.

* Texan mom Candace Payne became an InstantWebHit with [[http://www.reelseo.com/chewbacca-mask-video-facebook-live/ a video of herself]] trying on a [[Franchise/StarWars Chewbacca]] mask and breaking into hilarious laughter of joy. The video got over ''140 million views'' (and counting!) in just four days.

[[AC:Real Life]]

* In ''SpaceStationSiliconValley'', hyenas use this as an attack.

* ''TheSimpsons'': Bart mentions that due to TV he has a very poor memory and can't remember even 8 seconds in the past. The rest of the family laugh at him. "No, really, I can't! It's a serious problem." They continue to laugh. After a moment he starts to laugh too; then while still laughing he anxiously asks "What are we all laughing about?"

* In one episode of ''Series/RubyGloom,'' Iris tells a joke so she can break the record for "Best Joke." Ruby is the only one who gets it and starts to laugh. Pretty soon, anyone who hears it, including a squirrel and the moon, start to laugh as well. Poe then congratulates Ruby for breaking the record for "Most Contagious Laugh."

* A memorable segment of ''{{Coupling}}'' had Jeff describe the concept of 'The Giggle Loop' - the compulsion to laugh in inappropriate situations that only intensifies the more you think about how inappropriate it would be. Later on, they all [[TheFunInFuneral go to a funeral...]]

* In a cross with TensionBreakingLaughter, ''Film/InAndOut'' has a bunch of old ladies doing a bunch of confessions. "My husband has three testicles!" leads to awkward silence... but once one starts to laugh, everyone joins her.

* MaryPoppins: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1dkTrNH92Y I love to laugh! Long and loud and clear! It's getting worse every year! The more I laugh, the more I'm filled with glee! The more the glee, the more I'm a merrier me!]]