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it's NOT embarrassing if you know how to mix up the comments and just ask people to show their appreciation.

I was at a gig last night and the regulars were being pretty obnoxious. Wouldn't applaud others, yet got all miffed if people didn't explode with appreciation for their efforts. Finally when it was my turn to sing, I said on the mic, "You know folks, you don't HAVE to clap or show your appreciation, but it IS nice, and I find it interesting to note that I've applauded EVERYONE for singing, yet some others in here are not." And I scanned a couple of tables that were very guilty of it.

One gal got really offended and said something to her non-singing boyfriend. He kinda shrugged it off, so she came over to my table to get all uppity with me about it, saying I didn't understand the first thing what I talked about. She didn't clap because the others sucked.

I told her, "I clapped for you tonight, and you're having a bad night. You've been flat half the time, and missed lyrics more than once. I used to be a kj, so yes I DO know what I'm talking about."

She took that better than I thought, and asked, "What songs have I been flat on?"

I said, "Son of a Preacher Man, RESPECT... you don't have the vocal SOUL to pull off the attitude of those songs, and it shows on the mic. I think you COULD bring yourself up to it. Lord knows many people CAN'T."

She just looked in shock at me, and I reiterated, "YOU ASKED!"

She's one of the singers that has gotten VERY trapped by the social applause and has thought that due to her looks and her attitude on top of her singing "great" songs, she's just doing sooooo well. Hey, if someone askes me how they're doing, I'll be kind about it and tell them. If someone's got a major tude going, TRUST me, I'll take 'em down a notch!

No Laura, I don't currently have a gig. I am trying to land a couple of places now, but many possible venues have been so tramatized for having CRAP karaoke hosting, or they don't want to pay for good hosts. They'll pay $50 a night, and kjs should be greatful for THAT!

I told one guy, "So you've had five karaoke hosts in here in six months?"
"Yep!"
"Well that explains that! It's not the karaoke to blame, it's the cheap guys you're hiring! You DO get what you pay for! I have $40K originally invested in this business... do you HONESTLY think I can afford to rebuy EQUIPMENT, let alone songs for that measly amount of money?"

So... let's see if I understand why there are some of you who don't think the KJ should ecourage the audience to applaud:

    1.  there are people who are embarassed by applause
    2.  some singer's might be trying out new material and end up doing a poor job, which is not worthy of recognition
    3.  the KJ. by asking the audience to acknowledge a performance is. "begging" the crowd to applause

So... what is a KJ to do about the following:
    1.  those singers who are not embarssed by applause and aren't getting any?
    2.  what about those singers who are trying new material, haven't nailed it yet but would like, nonetheless, that  their effort be recognized?
    3.  what does the KJ use (a crystal ball?) for a gauge to determine when to "beg" the audience to applaud and when to ignore the singer?
    4.  singers who stop applauding the efforts of others because their effort is not being?
    5.  singers whose efforts aren't being recognized and start to go somewhere else, as a result?

If I see one person smiling and enjoying it is worth the effort Whether I get applause or not doesnt matter but if the crowd immediately starts buzzing with energy I know I have done my job. Now I get more satisfaction if a stranger (non singer) walks up shakes my hand and compliments our show. I hate it when the bar is full of drunks and arnt even aware there is somebody singing. As a singer I have been in places and walked out emotionally and physically drained because I got no energy back from the audience. Even if there are people dancing it gives me a lift. There are many ways to show appreciation. One night this gal was singing These boots are made for walking. I went over by the stage and laid down on my back on the floor and grinned at her.

This is one reason I like "dinner type clubs"   Some of the people are not aware of the talent and systems that karaoke offers now. It is rare that a singer doesnt get applause.

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I clap for everyone.  It's just common courtesy!  And many times,  if someone is doing a song I particularly like, I find myself singing along unobtrusively--partly because I'm getting into the song and partly to encourage them if they happen to see me.

At one of the places I like to go--which typically draws an interracial crowd that mostly loves R&B music--people sometimes break into spontaneous applause and cheering when the song starts, before the person even sings a note!  (mostly if it's an "old school" R&B song)  They hear the intro of a song and they go crazy!  I've seen that happen at concerts, but this is the only _karaoke_ place where I've seen it happen!

(Side note:  Unfortunately, this particular place has cut back the amount of time they have karaoke--the bar's decision, not the kjs'.  That sucks!)

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I love being a mom!

If i am out at karaoke, which is very rare, I always clap at the end of every song.

EVERY singer should get applause just because.   It takes guts to get up in front of a group of mostly strangers and pour out your "heart" in song.

We have a group of people that get together at a friends house to sing karaoke on his kick a** system.  We all clap for each other in his basement.

There are many people at karaoke that really don't know what it's all about.   Maybe it has to do with the karaoke places they go.  They "could" be so use to being around "screaming drunk" karaoke with systems and KJs that simply put, suck.     So they never seem to hear real talent.   Or a better class of talent.    Some are just to buzy seeing how fast they can get drunk.  Some are just ignorant and wouldn't acknowledge the Pope.   I'm not Catholic, but i would most certainly show him and his postition respect.   You are not going to change ignorant people.

Do the screaming drunks deserve applause?   You know the ones that are dilberately just screaming the words and not really caring how bad they sound?    Maybe trying to get a reaction.   Should their "bad" behavior be rewarded?

I see people that are with singers that never clap for anyone but their singing buddy.   IGNORANT.     If you are a singer and your group of friends only claps for you, YOU need to tell them to be more respectful of others.  Because i have seen the other singers clap for you.     Respect is not a one way street.

I think it would be more embarrassing if the singer finished & nothing happened.  I will & do encourage applause after each & every singer.  If for anything else to acknowledge them & their effort to sing.  It's not a repetitive same phrase after each, I will change it up  like
Give it up for (name)
Put Your hands together for (name)
Another terrific performance by
and so on.  
Just like ANY emcee you see on a show, they will always acknowledge the performer & be clapping right along if not asking give it up for - but then shows like you see on tv also have big flashing APPLAUSE signs on top of the MC asking to coax the audience.  Not really any difference in the karaoke host asking for the same result for your club supporters that are having fun singing.

Someone once said to me they will applaud a singer because they are good or because they are done.

If someone is doing stupid stuff for attention this would be a time I just acknowledge them & move on to the next singer.

I a group is clapping only for their table, then that's where education comes in & you can do that by doing an enthusiastic GIVE IT UP FOR statement, this will often times break that table out of their shell.  It's all in how you 'work the crowd'.

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On TV they have a sign flashing that is in front of the performer they can't see.    And usually there is a stage person jumping up and down and clapping to make sure the audience gets the message.    He's almost a cheer leader.

I can encourage everyone to get naked but it won't necessarily happen (i wish.)   There are some people that just don't or won't clap for any reason.    Maybe they don't like karaoke or think so what.     I'm here to drink not watch a show.

How much responsibility should be placed on the other singers and their group?   If i was with a group of people that only responded to my songs, i would be embarrassed.

It's just like people that are talking or laughing really loud.   Now they came to the bar to have fun.  That fun includes telling jokes or funny stories and the intent is to make people laugh.    Or just talking loud to be heard over the music.    It shows some singer disrespect but is it intentional?   Annoying yes.   Do they realize they are interrupting the singer and listeners.  You can't really be mad at people for having fun.  It's why they are there.    Should they only talk in between the beginning and end of songs?    

I have asked singers how they feel about loud talking or laughing during their sings.    If they take it personal.    Any laughing during a song will be taken somewhat personal by the singer.    It's natural to think they could be laughing at me.   Then the question becomes why?  Do i suck?  Do i sound off key.  Don't they like me.  Don't they like the song.

My stance from the very begininng was and is to remain neutral toward every singer.   I don't react to a good singer any better or worse than i do to a horrible singer.  I want each to feel that they have done the same caliber job as the last.   What the crowd reaction is, it is.  And singers and the audience knows who is good and who is not.   A host that shows favoritisim is doing a huge disservice to the singers.    When a bad singer gets the same reaction from me as a good singer, they can't harbour any resentment or animosity towards me.    If i'm not making them feel bad, that's good.    When they hand me the microphone i tell them it was good.   If they sucked they would never know it from my reactions.   To me anything (KJ phrasing) that is constantly repeated loses it's effectiveness and becomes boring.  I have heard this from singers i have asked this very question of.

Even singer introductions become boring.   Why do sports announcers try different sayings?    There is only so much that can be said about the singers and their performance without sounding like a mocking bird.

Do you want the crowd to applaud or don't you?  

You won't encourage singing if no one is singing?
You won't encourage applause if no one is applauding?
But then you feel the singer is embarassed if the crowd goes wild - don't you think that a majority of the people that sing are doing it for the attention ie applause, they want their 5 minutes of fame & applause is a part of that?  If a crowd goes wild for a performance, then that says you did a good job & they really enjoyed it - why be embarrassed, I know I wouldn't be.  As a former performer in bands, that's part of the rush of performing is the crowd response.  Karaoke is no different.  
Sure there are people that won't clap for any reason, so you hype the audience that is clapping to compensate.  You as a host can help an audience get in that mood.  
If a bad singer gets up, all the more reason to hype the crowd as they probably won't get an applause as much otherwise.  Good singers won't need the hype up as much as people will tend to notice them more & applaud at the end anyway, but I will still do a give it up for or whatever.  I do that to every singer as well - good or bad.

So how do you intro your singers?  Come up with an absolutely new line everytime?  How about some examples that none of have heard before, since we're here to learn, enlighten.

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YEAH,

I could use a whole bunch of suggestions for new/fresh intros and outros;
"give it up for" is making me nauseas already!

Should this be a whole new thread.  Hmmm?

I agree that there are only so many words that can be used to intro someone.  And with 60 singers every night it sounds even more redundant.  

Don't you think that the bad singers will catch on to what you are doing for them and not everyone else?  

Making a big deal out of a bad singer and holding back for the good ones isn't any better.   The good singers will see that too.

That's why i try to remain neutral and do the same thing (excitement wise) for every singer.   I don't get overly excited for the good ones or the bad ones.   That way there is less chance of making someone mad about it.

At one place where I go, the kj's always encourage applause when they introduce someone, saying things like "Put your hands together and make some noise!"  I was there last night, and when I first got there, there wasn't many people there; ergo, there wasn't much "noise" from the crowd.  So when I was going up there and the kj said that, I would jokingly applaud myself and say, "Yay, me!" as I was walking up there.     Later on, there was a MUCH bigger crowd and they were more into it.

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I love being a mom!

as a kj, I always tried to break the monotonous "Heyyyy, alright, give it up for xxxxxxx"... many times I'd say "How ABOUT that Van Halen song?" or "Right now ol' Elvis is turnin in his grave with envy" or stuff like that. When a really good singer nails a song, I sometimes yell out "RINGER! RINGER!! We got a pro in the house!"

If they don't applaud, I holler out "APPLAUD you bastidges!!!" (in that word... I don't curse mucn on the mic, thank God!)

Or make jokes like "Clap if your horny!"

No actually they wouldn't if the host knows how to do it right & get the same applause from everyone or at least try to.  



There is no holding back, EVERY gets the same applause encouragement after each song.  Some just don't need it as heavily as others.  It's the way the host portrays the encouragement is how the audience will react usually.  Now true there are some occasional nights that no one will clap for anyone no matter how good or bad, then even the best host couldn't help this night.

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I affectionately call those nights "Swimming With Sharks."

??  OK!  Explain that one.

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Of course if your next song is cued up and starting with no pause, there is no time for silly little things such as applause. We must remember, SW has the crowd of robots that are on pitch, sober, polite, and ready to go at all times. They also seem to multiply up to an impossible 60 in a 4 hour show now....

But back on topic...

It cam be as simple as a "Wow..." or a "I'm gonna guess you've done this before". Anything to clue the audience in that the song is over and it is time to recognize the singer. and as someone said in another thread long ago....

"Clap because you enjoyed or clap because it is over. Either way JUST CLAP!"

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60 songs sung and that would be the 60 singers.  Not the amount of individuals in the rotation.


Someone yelled out at one of my singers last night "RINGER RINGER" and i think she was somewhat embarressed by it.  I didn't care for it because first of all it insults the other singers because now they may feel inferior and second this singer "is" a professional.     I attract many very good singers, so i fell a little upset by it.    Like i can't get anyone worth listening to unless i pay them to be there.    I didn't like it.   Just me maybe.    I hope they want to come back now.


I'm hoping it was meant as a compliment.

Knight

Thanks for some I've not heard before.

Using humor is a lot less boring.  When you have to say something 60 times every night.