Comedy Science & Measurement
Shock Laugh
An involuntary, startled vocal release triggered when a joke shatters a social taboo without crossing into cruelty.
Short entry for now — we deepen these as they get taught on stage.
Use it
Take one of your own lines into the LOL Engine and force this move onto it. Then bring the survivor to the Gym and say it out loud — a concept you have never performed is trivia, not technique.
Nearby in Comedy Science & Measurement
Laugh
Comedy Science & MeasurementAn involuntary acoustic burst of expelled breath signaling an audience member's sudden resolution of tension or cognitive surprise.
Chuckle
Comedy Science & MeasurementA low-amplitude, closed-mouth vocal reaction indicating mild intellectual amusement rather than a full physical surrender to the punchline.
Smile
Comedy Science & MeasurementA silent facial expression of amusement that builds audience rapport but fails to register on an audio recording.
Groan-Laugh
Comedy Science & MeasurementA reluctant vocal burst triggered when a punchline is simultaneously recognized as clever and unforgivably corny or dark.
Applause Break
Comedy Science & MeasurementA sustained burst of clapping that interrupts the set when a joke generates deep ideological agreement alongside humor.
Recognition Laugh
Comedy Science & MeasurementAn immediate vocal reaction produced when a punchline reveals a universal, embarrassing truth the crowd secretly shares.
Delayed Laugh
Comedy Science & MeasurementA slow-building crowd reaction occurring when a punchline requires a two-second cognitive detour before the brain connects the dots.
Rolling Laugh
Comedy Science & MeasurementA self-sustaining wave of laughter that compounds through a crowd without requiring the comic to deliver another line.
Callback Laugh
Comedy Science & MeasurementA burst of amusement triggered by referencing an earlier bit, rewarding the crowd for paying attention all night.
Laughs Per Minute
Comedy Science & MeasurementA baseline industry metric calculating joke density by dividing the total count of distinct audience laughs by set time.
Seconds Between Laughs
Comedy Science & MeasurementThe exact span of setup time an audience must endure before receiving their next hit of comedic relief.
Time to First Laugh
Comedy Science & MeasurementThe critical opening seconds elapsed before a performer secures their initial crowd approval and establishes comedic authority onstage.