Netflix App Adds 'Fast Laughs' Tab With Comedy Clips Streaming in a TikTok-Like Feed (variety.com) 15
Netflix today launched Fast Laughs, a new feature for its mobile apps that presents a string of comedy clips from its stand-up specials, TV series and movies. From a report: Netflix's Fast Laughs displays full-screen vertical video in an auto-playing feed, borrowing a page from apps likes TikTok, and lets users share their favorite bits with friends and social media. The company says the section will provide up to 100 curated clips per day. The main goal, obviously, is to nail up yet another entry point for Netflix subs to find new content to binge on.
Fast Laughs lets you add specific titles to your Netflix watch list or click to start watching a program immediately. But Netflix also built Fast Laughs as a destination unto itself to watch entertaining moments on-the-go, calling to mind a key idea of now-defunct startup Quibi. You can just lean back and watch the jokes fly in a scrolling montage. The length of each video segment will vary, as short as around 15 seconds and up to 45 seconds or even longer.
Fast Laughs lets you add specific titles to your Netflix watch list or click to start watching a program immediately. But Netflix also built Fast Laughs as a destination unto itself to watch entertaining moments on-the-go, calling to mind a key idea of now-defunct startup Quibi. You can just lean back and watch the jokes fly in a scrolling montage. The length of each video segment will vary, as short as around 15 seconds and up to 45 seconds or even longer.
Re:why (Score:4, Interesting)
The Holy Grail for most tech companies is not to fulfill your desires, but to shape them in ways that are profitable to them.
In behavioral psychology it is well known that shortening the time between a behavior and a reward increases the reinforcing power of that reward. Which also means that you need *less* reward to cement a behavior as a habit. Steering you toward a three hour long staging of a Shakespeare might be sufficiently rewarding to keep you subscribed, but then you're likely going to be done watching for that session. Steering you toward very short content shapes your behavior just as powerfully if the content is only mildly entertaining. The end result is the information diet equivalent of Cheet-Os -- no amount of Cheet-Os is ever satisfying, but yet somehow you keep reaching for more.
Now Netflix as a subscription service isn't necessarily interested in promoting that style of consumption, but they may be responding to user brains reprogrammed by engagement-drive, advertising-supported digital media like YouTube. Don't get me wrong, if you're selective there's great content on YouTube, but it's also possible to fall into a pattern where you endlessly consume brief but not very satisfying content.
Re: (Score:2)
Why?
For money, duh.
Not funny (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
I agree. This seems like dumbed down entertainment for an ever-shortening attention span.
Re: (Score:2)
It called to mind an older caricature.
Going back maybe 50~70 years (longer if you tweak the scenario) we've had that concept of a boobtube-watching slackjaw guffawing uproariously, perhaps spilling crisps or cheetoes about, disturbing annoyed bystanders/family in the bar or lobby or home, who look on in distaste, the fellow perhaps belching from nearby beers or just because it fits the loud, unappealing scene.
Take a moment to recall what is on the TV in this trope. The parody calls for him (or her, but prob
Re: (Score:2)
Am I the only person who thinks that, in most cases, single jokes without context aren't funny? For me, a big part of what makes comedy specials funny is getting into the groove and the pace of the comedian.
Consider it the difference between a song on the radio and a full album. Some stand on their own, while others get greater meaning in context.
I find Iliza Shlesinger's "Elder Millennial" special enjoyable, but on more than one occasion I've shown a friend the "Baby Leg" segment, which is funny as a standalone bit. We can go to the classics and I couldn't tell you which set of George Carlin's contained the "Modern Man" bit, but just by itself, it aged fantastically. By contrast, watching a Gabriel Iglesias c
Re: (Score:2)
So, one would hope that there's a modicum of curation involved.
It's Netflix, so I think you're hoping in vain there.
Re: (Score:2)
It varies. There are some bits that stand alone, but not many.
What's that sound? (Score:2)
I think it may be Netflix disappearing up its own arsehole.
Old People (Score:2)
ITT people that don't understand the kids these days with their tiktoks.
People like to share short clips of the shows they're watching and comment on them and this makes it easy and convenient. Seems like a good move by Netflix
more more more mnore eyeballs (Score:2)
What a great way to reduce people's attention spans.
They should just call it the ADHD Channel or maybe the Impatient Normie Channel.