A few years ago, you had to go to an actual “Karaoke Bar” to get up on stage and drunkenly embarrass yourself.  Back then, karaoke was a rare treat, a bacchanalian pursuit for special occasions only.  That ain’t the case anymore.  Nowadays, every corner pub, sports bar, discotheque, and strip club has at least one “karaoke night” every week.  I’ve had to abandon more than one of my favorite drinking spots after a soused college girl or two mistakenly decided that badly sung renditions of Tammy Wynette oldies had any place in contemporary society. 

Personally, I blame “American Idol” for this phenomenon.  Once they started putting hicks and freaks on TV, singing along to watered-down classics, I guess your average joe figured he might as well get into the act, too.  But apparently he had to get drunk at my favorite bar first.  That’s why I’m hoping today’s deal takes off like a rocket.  More people singing karaoke at home on their Emerson MM212 Plug 'N' Sing Karaoke System means fewer of them singing in public.
Then I’ll have the spotlight all to myself!