Karaoke Violence...

Karaoke is famous for being bad. Notorious, actually. Most people suck, it's true, and should not consider auditioning for American Idol. (Do not make me mention William Hung. Dangnabit.)

But the fact remains, karaoke draws passionate people. It's a place for the hero worship of music industry celebrities and the trying on of myriad personalities, faces and personas we'd never have a chance to experience in real life. For most of us, it's just a one-song thing, a flirtation with a lifestyle other than our own. But karaoke engenders real passion that can lead to confusion, violence and death.

In London, a guy who was high on LSD and Ecstasy bashed a woman to death with an iron baseball bat, put her in the trunk of his car, and drove the car off a bridge into a river. Sound familiar? It's the plot of the video, Stan, the Eminem song that samples a Dido song and details the actions of a crazed Eminem fan. The incident transpired after the victim-to-be had listened to the murderer-to-be perform the song at a karaoke bar. (The murderer was sentenced to life in prison.)

What's the lesson? Well, first of all, maybe LSD and Ecstasy aren't a great combination. But perhaps it's also good to keep in mind how passionate people can get about their music even when they're sober; you never know who you're dealing with on the other end of the microphone.

[The...More...You...Know...]

Comments

[AbbaGav]

It also seems to verify the assumption that Karaoke was never intended for rap. Too hard to find a way to be way off key.

[Madonna]

I think this story says more about society's passion for hatred and violence than music, personally. I mean, I've heard some absolutely rotten singing in my life, but nobody sees me trying to hunt down Shania Twain for it.

I don't think LSD or Ecstacy alone are exactly smart. Together? Terrible combination.

[James]

Some people blame the drugs, some blame Eminem for writing the song, but when are people going to wake up and realize who is really to blame?

That's right: it's all that jerk Dido's fault!

[grandmuffti]

Ummmn...Muffti has heard (from some of his bad frieneds!) that E and LSD together makes a pretty wonderful combination; typically the seratonin reuptake blocking of the first nicely compliments that trippiness of the other. He believes it's called 'candy flipping'. Who knows what went wrong with this guy...perhaps his E was a bit too speedy.