Why do people applaud themselves?

Clapping yes but not for yourself. It's not a sign of being miserable Notanan but
rather modest and polite.

The first time I saw it was at a concert by Russian performers - they all stood and clapped when we clapped at the end. I thought it was lovely ! I see it a lot now and I like it - it's just everyone showing appreciation for each other.

I see the whooping, screaming and jumping more as exhibitionism as opposed to someone expressing themselves by clapping in appreciation. A bit too OTT for me.

I was brought up to believe that only monkeys clapped themselves but nowadays most people join in applauding themselves.

We went to a Michael Buble concert recently and four very drunk youngish (old enough to know better!) women sat in front of us and started yip yipping as soon as they sat down before the concert had even started. During the show they carried on yip yip yipping and with their conversations, making no attempt to lower their voices. Eventually I asked them politely to be a bit quieter and got a two finger salute for my trouble.

From the conversation they went regularly to shows and concerts but they ruined my special treat. Then just to cap it off MB congratulated the audience for being so “lively” as he expected the British to be dull and boring! Won’t be wasting our hard earned cash on him again! Will stick with the other MB who is a true professional.

DH and I went to bog standard schools.

A friend who has had a 'privileged' education and upbringing explained that he, along with his peers, had been encouraged to think of himself as being capable and entitled to have success.

He suggested that we should try to have that same attitude.

I feel embarrassed for performers when they get nothing back from a (usually British) audience!

I once saw an overseas performer who at the end said "Britain, you've been the "nicest" audience, I don't mean that in a good way"

Clapping yes but not for yourself. It's not a sign of being miserable Notanan but rather modest and polite.

It's a game show not church!
You're supposed to want to win and get excited when you do!

Must be awful to perform to blank faces and tumbleweed. I'ld rather get whoops and signs of enjoyment from the audience if I was on stage.

If you dont wanna get involved why go? Stay home and listen to a CD in stillness and silence

The blank faced mannequins are the rude audence members in my opinion and also according to many performers

notanan2
It's a game show not church!
You're supposed to want to win and get excited when you do!

I can't speak for anyone else here, but I don't object in the slightest to contestants getting excited and clapping when they win, or do it spontaneously at any point where it seems justified.

However, I do find it both odd and uncomfortable when, for instance, having just finished one of their 'goes' in the middle of the game, the host having said 'well done' (even if they didn't), they then join in when audience claps them for their effort.

I don't feel like that when they all clap with the audience at the end of a round, because they can be clapping their fellow contestants at that point.

I am picturing Pointless here. Quite often, I notice that the contestants in question look quite reluctant / awkward doing this (but only a tiny number don't do it), so I go along with the theory that they are not doing it through choice.

If a game show makes you "uncomfortable" because someone clapped at the wrong time (in your opinion), well I find that odd

What should they do instead? Bow? Or just stand there awkwardly with the camera zoomed in on them?

I've often thought this. You applaud others, but not yourself. It makes me wonder if they've been advised to do so on Pointless - as my brother was on that I must ask him.

notanan

Well, I'm clearly not the only one who feels like that, so it can't be that odd

You ask what I think they should do instead.
If they feel uncomfortable clapping just because that is what they are being directed to do, then I would rather see them do what we traditionally did, and not clap.
Is standing there awkwardly clapping with the camera zoomed in on them any better than standing there awkwardly not clapping with the camera zoomed in on them? They should do what feels right to them!

Well, I'm clearly not the only one who feels like that, so it can't be that odd

And what a fun club you're part of congrats!

They should do what feels right to them!
They are

Maybe I didn't explain myself very well, notanan.

My last two posts mentioned contestants who look like they are only clapping because they are being directed to do it, those whose demeanour suggests that they are not doing it through choice.

Can't we express our own opinions on a topic like this without being nasty to each other?

Or maybe they're enjoying themselves and clapping is a generic expression of glee.

What a dull show and experience it would be if contestants only duty clapped at pre approved times!

I've just texted little bro' to ask about his Pointless experience and he said they were neither encouraged or otherwise to applaud themselves. I guess it's just a sign of the times.

notanan2 - obviously very bizarre to go to a music event and expect to be able to hear the music that you’ve traveled miles for, possibly paid for an overnight stay, then have to listen to ear splitting shrill women screeching rather than the music you expected. Why not hire a venue then all just screech away without the bother of an entertainer.

Now that you’ve enlightened me I’ll know not to bother again.

Perhaps Alexander Armstrong hasn’t succumbed to the mass hysteria hype!

The point of live performances arent to hear every note in clear definition, the point is to have a connection between the artist and audience and enjoy the atmosphere (if there is one, clearly not if the audience was populated by this thread!)

Performers often take a financial loss on tours but they do it for the love of getting thr feedback from the fans. If a performer goes home at night and tells their partner they had a great gig, the audience was amazing, they are talking about the ones that clearly showed they were enjoying themselves: theyre the ones that create the atmosphere for the performer and the rest of the audience, not the misery guts behind them!

lovebeigecardigans
I've just texted little bro' to ask about his Pointless experience and he said they were neither encouraged or otherwise to applaud themselves.

That's really interesting to know - and clearly blows my theory out of the water

Perhaps they're morphing into sea lions?

They're told to do it, every moment of these programmes is strictly organised. If you get the chance look for Family Feud on Youtube, the US version of Family Fortunes, they have do the oddest things!

That’s because their arms were too full of cabbages grammaretto, ?