How do you measure popularity? These days most people measure popularity by social media followers and likes. But that’s not always an authentic measure. There are companies that will sell large blocks of fake followers to those who want to look more popular than they really are.

And this isn’t a new thing. Back in 300 B.C., a performer named Philemon hired audience members to laugh loudly at his jokes. The paid laughers were so effective that Philemon routinely beat out his competitors in local comedy competitions.

Shakespeare did the same thing in the 1600s, paying audience members to respond with laughter, cheers and clapping to his plays.

In the 1800s, theater managers in Paris paid select audience members to clap, laugh or weep at the appropriate points in the show. And in 1950, th…