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The Joker

In the Joker movies, Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, a man with several mental illnesses, one of which causes him to laugh uncontrollably at inappropriate times. The condition isn't specifically named on screen, but it's likely based on a real disorder called pseudobulbar affect.


Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a neurological condition characterized by sudden, uncontrollable episodes of laughing or crying that are often inappropriate or disproportionate to the situation. 


Symptoms include the following:

  • Sudden, involuntary outbursts of laughter or crying

  • Episodes that can last from seconds to minutes

  • Crying or laughing that may be inappropriate or exaggerated

  • Embarrassment or distress caused by the episodes

  • Difficulty controlling emotions 


She would laugh like that when she was overly nervous or stressed. It was terrifying.

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