Filthy Viewing, Dirty Laughter

This chapter sets out to identify the diverse types and functions of laughter occurring in "How Clean is your House" a lifestyle makeover program which ran for five series on UK TV Channel 4 between May 2003 and September 2009. While this ‘before and after’ format is instructive in terms of tips regarding household tasks, it is also very funny. In fact, rather than simply occurring in response to the shocking yet comical situations presented at the start of each episode, much laughter in the series conveys nervousness and embarrassment as well as residents’/culprits’ alignment and dis-alignment with Woodburn and Mackenzie’s’ laughter and/or admonishments. Laughter particles also occur in the speaker’s voice-over therefore highlighting the program’s importance of not being earnest. The chapter explores the diverse types and functions of laughter in six episodes of the series and investigated the attraction of such programmes on audiences around the world.