While I don't disagree with you about the fake guffaws, there is one other point to be made about this. If you're hosting a show and someone makes a joke that is painfully unfunny, I suppose you could just let it pass. But it would almost certainly lead to an awkward silence while the bad bon mot just hangs there, leading to a very uncomfortable moment on air. 

Better a quick - if phony- laugh than a long pause that emphasizes it. But yeah, it is an issue. 

By the way, you won't be tortured by Amanda Galbraith's giggling for a while. She was on The Roundtable on Thursday for the last time, noting she was expecting her baby on Friday. She'll be off on mat leave for several months, although there's no word on who will be taking her place on her hour-long Friday panel show. 

I agree. There's been a notable dumbing down of the show, which has not helped it, even though Oakley and his sidekick producer Michael Downey, are both actually quite intelligent. 

It's a shame because the afternoon program used to actually have some news value. I'm not sure whose idea the endless kibbitzing is, but it's an unfortunate choice. Especially when the closest competitor, CFRB's The Rush, has been in endless "guest host" mode for months. You'd think they might want to take advantage of that. But I guess that wouldn't be funny. 

I can't listen to Oakley for more than a couple of minutes.  He has a weird affectation whereby he snickers while he speaks, even on a serious subject.  It's like he is a bit embarrassed at his own opinions.  Also he has that annoying habit of saying "aaaah" between words.
And, of course he uses the most elaborate words where simple and directs ones would do.
For instance he'll say, "The constabulary apprehended a perpetrator" instead of "police made an arrest."