Karaoke

I love karaoke. I hadn't realized this love until this year when it blossomed into a full blown relationship. It really is an unbelievable phenomenon. Prior to my love affair with karaoke I though of it as slightly trashy, a little bit shameful perhaps. When I first walked into Ruloff's this year on Monday night and saw Bob, the dj, and his little dog "Fluffy" I knew I was in it for the long haul. Yes karaoke is silly, singing lyrics read off of a tiny tv, "performing" in front of countless drunkards, but it seems that EVERYONE loves to do it! There are the Ithaca locals who perform favorites every single Monday night. No Monday is complete without a performance of Prince's "Seven" with two regulars I have named "Baldy" and "Mohawk". They harmonize perfectly, their voices are angellic, they are clearly above karaoke caliber. Then there are the wannabies. Those that get up on stage and speak to the audience as if they are an actual performer. As if people actually came to see them sing "Like a Virgin". There are the boys that sing something like Aerosmith or Def Leapard. There are the people that can't stop laughing, there are the people with choreographed dance moves, those who dedicate songs, recruiters, grad students, soloists, groups of 10. I am telling you karaoke is like a drug. One second someone is a mute who has never had a real conversation in her life, the next she is up on stage tearing it up, head banging and removing articles of clothing. There is something magical about karaoke that brings everyone together, that makes everyone smile. So now even though some people may not understand the phenomenon that is karaoke, I am confident its because they've never really tried it. Three cheers for Karaoke!