The NYTimes has a story today about the “My Way” killings. Karaoke singers attempting the Frank Sinatra classic have been victims of violence and, in some cases, have been murdered. And there’s more:
Karaoke-related killings are not limited to the Philippines. In the past two years alone, a Malaysian man was fatally stabbed for hogging the microphone at a bar and a Thai man killed eight of his neighbors in a rage after they sang John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Karaoke-related assaults have also occurred in the United States, including at a Seattle bar where a woman punched a man for singing Coldplay’s “Yellow” after criticizing his version.
Amazingly, no singers were killed after last night’s Super Bowl halftime show.
Even more amazingly, the karaoke-inspired violence doesn’t apparently involve any songs by Whitney Houston. This surprises me because the song that makes me want to start firing indiscriminately into the karaoke crowd when I hear it is “Greatest Love Of All.” The problem isn’t the song (though I’m no fan of it, either), but the singers who clearly cannot handle the material and yet are determined to try. Very emotionally, very earnestly. And very, very, loudly.
Here’s a list of the worst karaoke songs ever according to one snarky blogger. It’s pretty good. (Her Whitney song of death is “I Will Always Love You.”) Please take a second and list your nominees below.
"The truth is something [Warren] probably prefers not to confront. Harvard doesn’t come calling just because you’re a smart lawyer and a terrific teacher — not with Warren’s modest, Oklahoma upbringing and non-Ivy League education. She is not your typical Harvard professor. At a certain point, when the law school was under pressure to promote diversity, she represented a three-fer: a great lawyer with a national profile, a woman, and a minority, at least by virtue of family lore. "
-- Joan Vennochi
