I’m not a singer nor do I play one on TV… but I enjoy watching and listening to others sing.
I usually find Karaoke to be a major hoot with the gawdawful singers,bless their hearts… and they are good for lots of laughs.
Hey, they get my vote just for having the nerve to get up there!
BUT… more often than not, there will be singers who totally blow me away with their voice… who SHOULD be recording…
so…
Why do so many people make fun of this form of entertainment?
Because more often than not, you’re going to hear the drunken people who think they can sing but cannot.
No offense was meant by the above post!
Personally, I think it’s a lot of fun, but only after I’ve had several drinks. It usually helps if the people listening have also had a few.
I have sung one Karaoke song in my life…last week at a party. I had been gearing up all week (I absolutely can’t sing) to do “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” for my wife. Sortof a surprise. Amazingly, I enjoyed it (the drinks helped, probably). Not much vocal range necessary for that one.
Anyway, my wife is Korean and for her Karaoke is old hat. She still enjoys it quite a bit, but for a really interesting experience, go to a Korean club, hop on a “Dance Dance Revolution” machine set on a really challenging mode, THEN sing Karaoke while trying to keep up with the steps.
I don’t know how they do it. I’d fall on my ass.
I’ve noticed two main groups of karaoke bashers
Are turned off by the mentioned bad singers. Personally, I think these people are either music snobs who can’t bear to see perfectly good song butchered or just don’t want the soundtrack of their night out to be amatur singers.
People (and I’m going to go out on a limb and say mostly guys) rationalizing why they’re not up on stage singing.
Me? I go to a local bar that has karaoke regularly enough that the waitress has my drink ready as soon as I sit down 
After getting dragged to my first one kicking and screaming, I’ve been an addict for about five years now.
For the same reason they disapprove of the pulling out of fingernails, the application of electric cattle prods to genitalia, the rack, beating the soles of the feet with bamboo canes, etc, etc.
They’ve never seen Duets…
(i thought that movie would be terrible until i actually saw it and became hooked.)
I didn’t like Karaoke until I came to work in Korea. Its called “No Rae Bang” here which translates literally to “Singing Room”.
Its different here because you don’t have to get up on stage in front of a bunch of strangers, you get your own little room with a big TV and the karaoke machine and you just sing with your friends. Pick whatever songs you want etc, realx on couches, play the tambourine.
Alot of fun when you’re drunk and I find it an incredibly relaxing/fun time out especially since its “private” and you don’t have to face the proposition of a bunch of strangers mocking you.
I tend to agree, Mr. A. Nemo. If I’m going to be mocked, I prefer to be mocked by friends.
I think that there are several factors at work.
[ul]
[li]The drunk factor - The obnoxious drunks singing horrendously off key are very offputting. [/li][li]The snob factor - Those who have to sneer at any entertainment of the hoi polloi. This is very closely related to …[/li][li]The too cool to have fun factor - Some people are so concerned about their image that they are deathly afraid of anything that is not conisiderd cool or could potentially make them look foolish, no matter how much fun they might have doing it[/li][li]The pile-on factor - Once somthing has become the subject of derision people tend to join in the mocking. [/li][/ul]
My own take on Karaoke is that it’s mostly harmless entertainment. I’ve seen the obnoxious off-pitch drunks but I’ve also seen the people who’s voices are equal to the best professional and better than many. And it’s a lot of fun for a lot of people.
I love it when someone with amazing voice gets up. Last week I heard someone sing a Mariah Carey song and she was BETTER than Mariah Carey. I literally had shivers up my spine.
I love it when drunk people get up and sing. At my locak karaoke bar, we call them the “screamers” and they’re always a hit.
I love it when just ordinary people give it a go and everyone in the crowd gets into it.
I don’t love it when I go karaokeing with people who REFUSE to get up and sing, and sit there rolling their eyes at everyone.
BTW What’s the most dodgiest song you guys have sung?
I would have to say singing ‘Star Trekking’ with 2 of my friends was pretty emabrassing! 
Especially when 2 of us were laughing uncontrollably for half of it, while the third sung it putting on the voices and all. OH GOD what a laugh that was! Hehe
Heh, I am probably a screamer, don’t have a note in my head, but man do I have fun with it. That is the whole thing, folks are having fun and not taking it too seriously (of course, it depends on the crowd, but usually everyone is in the spirit of it).
I tried singing “It’s the End of the World As We KNow It” which isn’t difficult vocally, but if you screw up it can throw you off for the next several verses.
Sand “Tiny Dancer” last week, off-key and everything, but I sold it! and that is what people appreciate.
I’ve been singing karaoke regularly since May, and enjoy it. I’m told I have a good voice, but there are some songs that I’ve butchered horribly.
What I think puts a LOT of people off (I know it put me off initially) is the seemingly endless stream of lousy country music that’s sung at most karaoke places. Before the bar I sing at changed KJs, over 80% of the songs were country. There were some regulars whose renditions of those songs were nothing less than dreadful.
The new KJs brought more rock and pop songs, and the crowd is quite a bit bigger as a result.
I’m sure people don’t like karaoke because they feel it’s a bit narcissistic, as well. There’s something to be said for that view, although it’s not always true.
Just my 2 cents, and worth about as much.
I have to say, if it wasn’t for karaoke, I wouldn’t be where I am now.
Way back in the dark ages (ca. 1989) I stopped in at the local Elks lodge for an adult beverage. To my surprise, they had karaoke.
Having a naturally low voice, after much goading by friends I got up and sang “Sixteen Tons” - the old Tennessee Ernie Ford version. The applause when I finished was more than surprising - I firmly believed I could not sing!
I am now in a classic rock band playing bass and keyboards, yes, and singing. My vocal range is good, not great, but just under 3 octaves.
And I still attend karaokes whenever I can.
I must agree with most of these posts…
Many good points.
Mr. A. Nemo — Would love to have more info on “The Singing Rooms” AKA No Rae Bang…
Sounds like it might be an interesting little business to look into… I might even try singing then !!!
I took a friend to a Karaoke club the other night, ( he had never been to one )
and before the evening was over he was planning on setting up a raised stage with Karaoke equipment in his basement…
Cool
Dear dopers, please help me find the strength and courage to get up and sing a solo of ‘Bad Moon Rising’ by Creedence next time.
Last two times I’ve put my name down, I’ve dragged up a friend with me at the last second coz I’m a chicken for solos. :o
I have done it a couple of times in Singapore, either with friends or with the colleagues. It’s fun. My favourite songs to sing are My way (yeah, I know, but I do it reasonably sober), Tears in heaven and Queen’s Crazy little thing called love.
For me, I’d rather piss glass than go to a karaoke bar… and here is mainly why:
1.) Karaoke DJ’s have zero, nill, NOT AN OUNCE, of comprehension to the term “volume control”. I do not want a bar environment with gentle water sounds tinkling a soothing rhythm as I drink me suds but I also do not any attempt at conversation completely obliviated by “Feelings”, or the DJ attempting to coerce people into singing at 5000 decibles.
Likewise, there is a great bar here in town that I really love. Fantastic decor, great staff, amazing drinks/prices, really a cool place to hang. On Saturday nights they have great live jazz/blues bands but the volume issue is so extreme that you cannot talk to friends over drinks while the band is playing. Not even in the furthest most remote section of the bar away from the small stage. I won’t go on Saturdays.
2.) I have yet to be in a karaoke bar where I am allowed to sit back, relax, and enjoy myself watching/listening to the events. There is a constant “conversion” process being applied by friends, patrons, DJ, etc., that sincerely the Jehovah Witnesses should study to increase their own conversion rates. Look, go sing - have a ball. I might be impressed that you have a great voice, I might get a good hoot because you are funny, whatever… I’ll enjoy myself (assuming the volume isn’t absurd) completely without ever once getting up and singing myself.
3.) Karaoke Elitists - I get so irritated by the assumption that if you don’t like karaoke you must be too “hi brow” or whatever. Let’s see, I don’t care for WWF, Tractor Pulls, or Hog Racing either but does that make me hi brow?? I am not a fan of opera - am I low brow now?
MeanJoe