The general conventions of an American sitcom are?
A main character/characters e.g Ross, Rachel, Joey etc in Friends.
A set/sets that are usually the same e.g the apartments and Central Perk.
Some sort of humour anecdotes etc...
What else though?
General conventions of an American sitcom
This is the 'British Sitcoms' section, why all this talk of American sitcoms? There's a whole foreign section on here for this kind of navel-gazing. 
Quote: J Cassidy @ November 20 2009, 2:41 PM GMTThe general conventions of an American sitcom are?
A main character/characters e.g Ross, Rachel, Joey etc in Friends.
A set/sets that are usually the same e.g the apartments and Central Perk.
Some sort of humour anecdotes etc...
What else though?
Aren't those conventions inherent to the sitcom format, rather than specific to America?
Quote: Aaron @ November 20 2009, 2:54 PM GMTAren't those conventions inherent to the sitcom format, rather than specific to America?
I believe you are right Mr Aaron.
Any funny lines are finished by raising the pitch of the voice to denote a joke?
Quote: J Cassidy @ November 20 2009, 2:41 PM GMTThe general conventions of an American sitcom are?
In America, fans organise too many conventions for sitcoms. 
Quote: miss_jaffacake @ November 20 2009, 8:58 PM GMTAny funny lines are finished by raising the pitch of the voice to denote a joke?
Excuse me? Did I miss a meeting? 
Quote: Tim Walker @ November 20 2009, 9:51 PM GMTIn America, fans organise too many conventions for sitcoms.
WHAT!?! in America it's only acceptable to convene around sci-fi themes and shows.
I like it in American sitcoms when a character has a baby and you never see it again. Friends was always doing this.
Quote: chipolata @ December 10 2009, 11:35 AM GMTI like it in American sitcoms when a character has a baby and you never see it again. Friends was always doing this.
Friends babies had reasons to not be there... iirc Ross had a baby with his ex-wife and Pheope acted as a surrogate mother. So you can have a baby around for a bit... but not have to worry about it messing with the status quo.
The better truth about American sitcoms is the way they hide a character when an actress gets pregnant. Like sending Elaine to Italy in Seinfeld or Peggy Bundy going back to Wanker County in Married With Children.