the expectation of laughter has been quashed by whatever obscenity is at hand 
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT the) (NN expectation)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN laughter)))) (VP (VBZ has) (VP (VBN been) (VP (VBN quashed) (PP (IN by) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT whatever) (NN obscenity)) (S (VP (VBZ is) (PP (IN at) (NP (NN hand))))))))))))
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT ) (NN )) (PP (IN ) (NP (NN )))) (VP (VBZ ) (VP (VBN ) (VP (VBN ) (PP (IN ) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT ) (NN )) (S (VP (VBZ ) (PP (IN ) (NP (NN ))))))))))))