With this, it also helps viewers get a good understanding of different political beliefs that they would not believe in. It widens their perspective and opens them up to opportunities that they were once not interested in. Humorous stories often help people to recognize that however bad their situation might be, there is always someone who is worse off. When showing a topic as serious and common as the life of a single parent family, humor is necessary to maintain high ratings and keep the show lighthearted and relatable while still accurately representing their struggles.
In television, humor is used as a way to acquire high ratings and get the viewers to keep watching. While this seems as a positive only for the television producers, it is also a plus for the viewers. Humor in television has changed with the audience that it is being shown too. While having to change the humor, television producers can also change the stereotypes and characteristics of the characters and how they incorporate humor to send a message. With this, humor as well as the portrayal of single parent families has changed throughout the years. In the article, Sitcoms, a reference to old humor states “Sitcoms …show more content…
In the article, “What Do Parents Observe about Parenting from Prime Time Television”, Paula Dail states “… in a study of television's effect on adults, found that one- third of the respondents felt that television helped them to understand their personal problems and make decisions, particularly when they could identify with the situations being presented” (491). This study helps the viewers get an idea of how real viewers feel about humor in television and how it affects the audience it is shown to. When adding humor to serious and relatable type of television shows, it helps the viewers understand their own lives and with the situations they are being presented with. Humor in this manner matters because it helps the viewers get a connection to the family in the television program, with this they keep watching the show while also telling their friends about it. With any situation they are presented with, it helps the viewers get an idea of how to handle these things. Humor also helps in instances where the viewer would be stressful and made wrong choices. Getting a Laugh, states “Humor's stress-reducing benefits are widely recognized” (126, Robinson and Smith-Lovin). This statement shows how many viewers recognize how humor in television shows help them feel more relaxed and at ease when they sit down and spend time watching the television. In