A fork of Rural Dictionary
insane asylum, mental institution
"Sally ought to be put away in a laughing academy." (From the 1940 Hal Roach comedy Turnabout based on a short story by Thorne Smith.)
Slang for a psychiatric care facility. Often thought to be taken from the HBO show The Sopranos, but earlier references exist, including usage in Season 2 Episode 2 of Twin Peaks back in 1990.
Dale Cooper: Agent Earle? But he's retired! Albert Rosenfield: Yeah, I know. To a nice, comfortable chair complete with wrist and ankle restraints at the local laughing academy in D.C.
mental institution/nuthouse/insane asylum, this was lovingly "lifted" from its use by the TV character Tony Soprano in HBO's "The Sopranos" see also "Rubber Ramada"
"Yea, my boys'll have a LOT of respect for me once they've found out I've been in the LAUGHING ACADEMY.... Hell, no!"