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It's sad because I had previously considered him to be arguably one of the best KJ's around. He's personable, knowledgeable with regards to the music he plays and can always throw out interesting bits of info about a song. He has pretty good equipment too. I try to emulate some of these same qualities in my own show.
I ticked him off a while back when I asked him to simply change the reverb he was using from cathedral to medium hall. I have the same mixer and its literally one turn of the dial. He took umbrage and so I relented figuring I'd struck a nerve. I wasn't implying he didn't know what he was doing but thought medium hall would be a better effect for the song I was singing. Personally, I don't mind obliging singers so long as their requests are reasonable. When they're not, I'll usually make it appear I've adjusted it the way they want it. They're almost always none the wiser.
A couple of weeks ago I popped in for his show. Before singing I conversed with him and complimented him on his KJ skill and some of his gear. Profanity is common there and there's really no general rules to that effect. By the end of the night, I was feeling a bit angst driven and decided to sing Aenima by Tool. If you know the song, you know it has replete use of the F word but like I said, so did some of the other songs previous singers were singing.
As I'm singing, my wife notices him looking to the audience and sticking his finger in his throat as if he wanted to vomit. Obviously, he didn't like the song. I've sung the song before and while I'm no Maynard Keenan, I sing it pretty well and I did notice a few people in the audience who liked it. I guess he thought he was being funny until he noticed my wife looking right at him at which point he immediately ceased.
I'm thick-skinned and my feelings weren't really hurt. I wasn't singing for public approval. To me, the issue is he broke the cardinal rule for KJ's that you never disparage the singer no matter how bad they sound or how much you dislike the song. I'm sure someone in the audience felt less inclined to participate as a result.

Is it ever appropriate to disparage someone who's singing when they're not drunk or unruly? Opinions are welcome.

Yes, definitely reason to lose respect for this KJ. Tacky, disrespectful, immature, and certainly VERY unprofessional. I do know that at times I've given away my feelings about something by facial expression but usually just a "shocked" expression - if someone sings a song I'm not familiar with and find it is full of F bombs or something similar. He certainly had no reason to disparage your performance by doing something so immature. The little devil on my left shoulder would probably prompt me to visit his show again, put up that song, and before I started singing I would ask if he's going to pretend to induce vomiting again while I'm singing it.

I absolutely agree with you. I would have similar feelings. I'm really not a fan of this song either, to be honest. But I would never let myself down to the point, where I stick a finger in my throat. That's just not acceptable... I totally understand where you coming from.

You being thicked skinned is irrelevant to his actions. This KJ was dead wrong. What a great promoter this one is, pretending to gag over his customers. I guess you don't have to go back there anymore.

Childish of him.

Even with the WORST singers or those that quit the song half-way through, or get lost in the middle, I always give ENCOURAGEMENT and tell them "SING IT!!" and then a "HOW BOUT HIM/HER GETTING UP THERE AND TRYING THAT FOR US??!!".

Always one to turn a negative into a positive.

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

I agree with everyone else. It was totally uncalled for.

Maybe he feels threatened by you because you have your own show.

I have to say if I even saw a KJ do that to someone not only would I not sing I'd probably never go back. Whose to say he wouldn't do it to me or one of my friends also. Some people can't take that kind of belittling. Even if he was joking that is a joke at the singer expense and in very bad taste.

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I don't know how you were so nice about the whole thing. I would have at least had to say something sarcastic, like "I thought your extra acting skills came in handy my last song, buddy..." I don't know. Whatever came to mind. As said before, how tacky and unprofessional. Sorry you had to experience this. I'm like Karen, I think I'd have to go back just to aggravate him, but sometimes things can be better left alone.

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It's called Karaoke Therapy...

That KJ's an xss. I have a couple of singers who many in the crowd make disparging remarks about all the time. One in particular. I will pull them aside if I think the singer can hear it. I don't put up with that BS. No singer is worth more than the next in my book. Singers make the show ... good or bad.

Granted, the one in particular, has a bad habit ... She can't sing, that's not a secret, - she has more of a talk style - and she'll put up songs the other female singers sing (before them), for some really odd reason. She's not a vengeful type, she's rather shy and meek. I find her behavior rather comical, and explain to those that take offense that that's just part of her personality. She's out for awhile ... prego!

In my opinion, one of the inherent traits of a good KJ is their impartiality. I cringe (inside sometimes) if I know a singer is about to kill a good crowd buzz, but that's the breaks and to be considered fair, one must allow for that.

I don't dictate what people sing, either. I have a singer that sings a lot of Tool, and then there's the Tenacious D ... I also have a disc of parodies that can get a little raunchy. I'm fortunate to have a very tolerable venue and crowd.

I agree with everyone else. The KJ was wrong. I think that it's wrong for a KJ to comment negatively on anyone's performance but to give a gag-out is beyond the pale.

What he should have done instead is not allow you to sing it. In my room "Aenima" is an "After 1am guys" song - not because of it's language but because of it's length.

Not only was the KJ ( I won't dignify him by calling him a Karaoke Host) completely unprofessional, but none too bright either. If I were asinger at that show, I would be wondering what he's doing behind MY back..... Very dumb.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I'd go back and do a horrible rendition of Paradise by the Dashboard, American Pie, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, or (since this isn't Canada) some Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald. Put on the brakes for his show. And take a glance every now and then at him.

Or when a friend of mine had beef, he ended his show's "Thank you all, if you enjoyed the show, I'm So and so productions, if you didn't I'm (insert other KJ) karaoke" OUCH went some of the crowd while laughing.

He may have done damage to himself by letting his audiance know what he is capable of.
You aint going to like this...
I am going to get a shephards crook.
Dont think I would ever use it.

I TRY to keep my facial expressions as emotionless as possible when someone is killing a song. I would rather show no reaction than a bad one.

People can put in all the hip hop they want and I will play it without making a fuss unless The owners don't want it to be played then I'm sorry please find a different song as I can't play hip hop here. This happens rarely.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

That is another reason why we run FOH. While a singer is performing we are totally inconspicuous and the singer has the spotlight. My audience would be booing the KJ..

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First time I have agreed with Angel 100 percent.

This guy is a jerk. If he wants to make fun of someone, the worst place to do it is at the booth while facing the audience. Dumb move.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Totally unacceptable ..only compounded by the fact that he got caught !

Wow. How unprofessional. One of my most important rules is to remain professional at all times... as i think a KJ should. That's ridiculous, and quite frankly asinine.

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Interesting...I picked up a new show a couple of weeks ago specifically because the (often drunk) KJ made disparaging remarks after singers he didn't like.

I'm surprised the singer didn't wait for this guy to load out and give him a piece of his "opinion" ... across the chops!

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