I went to the Greg Gutfeld show a couple of years ago

The laughter is real but it’s directed by the warm up comedian, whose directions you’re asked to follow

I assume Bill Maher’s audience gets the same direction from a comedian standing in the aisle. Those directions probably… https://t.co/OSIsRQwJI6

— Catherine Johnson (@smarterparrot) August 20, 2025

All TV shows with a studio audience work this way. I’ve been to a couple of live filmings and that’s just how it’s done.