This term was born in the prison system as a way to say "pass the time laughing or playing around" - derogatory to have "rec caught" on you..being laughed at - not laughing with
Joe and I would catch rec all day in San Quentin. Easiest time I ever did. Guys would try to catch rec on me, and I'd smack em with a two-piece McNugget and watch em leak all over the unit.