Link Tank: Why Late Night Talk Shows Need Laugh Tracks
Why late night shows need laugh tracks, the science behind sourdough bread, Cinco de Mayo, plus more news in today's Link Tank!
The coronavirus quarantine is proving one thing right: the laugh track is essential to late night comedy talk shows.
“Stephen Colbert had meant that as a joke when he addressed the comment to the camera in a mostly-empty studio, during the brief period when late night TV taped in their normal venues but without live audiences, before the quarantine ax fell completely. The comment, delivered as a sort of punchline after a skit about the closure of Broadway, earned chuckles from those within earshot.”
If cilantro or grapefruit taste weird to you, it’s not the food, it’s your genetic makeup.
“It’s close to summer, which means one thing in my house: fresh guacamole. It’s great because it’s easy. All you need is avocado, onion, salt, lime, and, of course, cilantro fresh from the garden. Now for some of you, that last ingredient might be a dealbreaker. You might be one of the many people for whom Cilantro is the worst herb on the planet.”
It’s Cinco de Mayo! Learn all about the history behind this Mexican holiday.
“Cinco de Mayo, or May 5, is recognized around the country as a time to celebrate Mexico’s cultural heritage. Like a lot of days earmarked to commemorate a specific idea or event, its origins can be a little murky. Who started it, and why?”
With plenty of time to spare in isolation, many people turn to baking sourdough bread. But how exactly does the science work?
“Tracy Wilk, a chef at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, has found her skillset surprisingly in demand during this pandemic. Wilk’s a baker, and during the ongoing period of self-isolation in many areas of the United States, people have turned to baking for physical and mental sustenance.”
Looking to buy a phone for your child? These are the best options out there on the market.
“I’m one of PCMag’s phone experts, and also a parent, so I’ve thought a lot about this. Mobile phones are useful, powerful, and helpful. They’re also expensive, distracting, and a potential gateway to a lot of nasty things on the internet. So should you get your kid a phone? And if so, which one?”
Hafþór Björnsson, who plays The Mountain in Game of Thrones, has just set a world record for brute strength.
“One look at Hafþór Björnsson and there’s no doubt he’s strong. After all, he wasn’t cast as the Mountain on Game of Thrones for his eye-gouging ability. The question then is, just how strong is he? The answer: Stronger than anyone else in the world. In at least one aspect.”
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