karaoke ["kar-E-'O-kE]
a music entertainment system providing prerecorded accompaniment to popular songs that a performer sings live, usually by following the words on a video screen
Synonyms include: singing your heart out like no one's business
Why is karaoke so fun?! Is it because it brings the most dormant of hidden desires for fame to explode in perfect harmony (well, sort of)? Is it the chance to sing into a microphone, with music to back you up and an audience to applaud you? How great is this concept! I realize that throwing a free concert (for yourself) in the shower or the car is a liberating experience because, well, we all know how full-out we perform when no one’s looking or listening. But singing in front of everyone in a karaoke place or even on the magic mic at a party is even more fun because (for me anyhow), the nervousness of having an audience adds to the fun of belting out notes you know you can’t possibly hit.
On Wednesday, after a quick stop at this tiny bar on Sunset Blvd called Tiki Ti, a few of us spent the evening at a karaoke place on Vermont. Riann, who seems to find a song to sing no matter what the moment, was SUPER EXCITED to gp and it showed. The first song on the cue list? Freakin’ “Maria, Maria” by Carlos Santan – freakin’ Joe. He was all up on the Spanish parts too. Hahaha! Then Riann broke out with “Glory of Love” because she’s been waiting to sing that in karaoke for months now…literally. After Joe’s energetic version of Metallica’s “Battery,” a holiday performance of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” by Riann with Carlo on tambourine and of course a group effort on “Sweet Caroline,” Cile and I decided to call it a night, but not before Riann requested that we all sing one more song together, with feeling…Brian McKnight’s “One Last Cry.” The way we sang it, you’d think there was a support group for the broken-hearted in that room.

Sooo, WHO WANTS TO GO AGAIN?!!! Except you, Riann. I already know you wanna go again. Hahaha!