Karaoke Forums

I have one singer, an older fellow who is pleasant and has supported my show from the beginning. He's a very nice man and I enjoy a quick chat with him now and again when I have time. When I have time. There's the problem. Recently, he's been coming over to my table and talking my ear off while I'm trying to queue singers and sort sound issues or whatever. I find it highly annoying, as I cannot divide my attention that way, no matter how hard I try. He even keeps talking while I'm trying to announce new singers or even starting to sing my own song! I'm unsure as to why he's recently taken to doing this, but do any of you have a kind and EXTREMELY gentle way to let him know this is not OK? I really don't want to hurt his feelings as he really is a dear old man.
Thanks in advance.

I have one of these as well. I wish I had the answer.

It seems as though he doesn't really have anyone to talk to on a regular basis, so the KJ is seen as someone who is friendly. Maybe try and get him to "mingle" a little, and then he'll have someone to talk to who isn't working. It's hard sometimes for people to realize that you're not there just "hanging out" but are actually WORKING.

try telling the guy that some of the singers are complaining about the chatter going on behind them while they're trying to sing. It can be a little distracting to have people talking very close to you when you're trying to concentrate on hearing the music.

I've got more than one of those.. both male and female.

They pull up a chair and sit right next to me.. and rattle on as i'm trying to hear what other patrons are asking me, as i'm making announcements, even as i'm singing.

Just as maddening are the people who walk up to the booth right in the middle of a break.. they can clearly see me talking into the microphone, and they'll ask, "Do you have..."

This one chick used to hang out so much people started asking me if that was my wife.

"No, that's my cousin", i'd reply, "We only have sex in the parking lot when we get really drunk."

All the lonely people.. where do they all belong?

Blackburn Lancashire I believe.

Normally when someone comes up to talk to me at an inopportune moment, I just smile at them and raise my index finger and say "give me just a moment and I'll be right with you" then go back to what I was doing which usually really does only take a few seconds. Most people get what that means, if this person doesn't get such an approach then I think we all know why he's lonely. You can explain it in more detail a time or two if you think he's just dense, but after all that if he still doesn't get it, it may be time to start raising a different finger.

Maybe something like "I have to queue this song, I'll catch you back at the bar [or at your table] in just a minute." That would attempt to graciously them where you want the conversation to be finished at.

This usually works for me as well.

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I've used several of the things posted already. The one finger method, it bothers the other singers, I can't hear them well enough over the music when I'm on stage, It's really hard to work and talk at the same time and I feel like I am neglecting the other singers. Of course letting them know it isn't that I don't want to talk to them, but I'm working right now.

I have the problem of people wanting to talk to me through the windows behind me. I usually can't hear them. They don't realize it's louder on my side of the window. Plus I'm trying to work.

Good luck !

_________________
[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

I think this one might be the suggestion that might work better for you. It is polite yet lets him know that you don't mind talking to him WHEN YOU HAVE TIME.

I'd rather people stand around and talk to me all night than be bored just loading songs and announcing things. I pretty much tune people out for the first moments of a song and when I'm talking on my mic. I think they all realize that I am concentrating on something for a moment, and resume conversation afterward. Works well enough for me.

_________________
Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

Turn to them and say...

Look, I'm working here. I don't go to your job at Waffle House and bother you while you're cleaning bathrooms so can you let me do my job?

Ok... not really. But it IS what I WANT to say... The one finger thing works pretty well, as does just saying, 'I'm really busy tonight, can we catch up at another time?' Most are more than happy to do so...

Just tell them your hearing aid is playing up.

What...

Well, it occurs to me that the most appropriate way is to tell the HONEST truth to him. But, I would start it by saying these 5 words " I love you dearly, but..". I know I would rather be told the truth than to find out later that I have been either misled or plainly lied to. If you value him, be honest with him. If he values himself (which I am sure he does), then he would like the truth more than just simply trying to be coy or just trying to be polite. This doesn't mean you have to be brutal, you could use kind words and still express EXACTLY how you feel and what it is doing to the flow of your show.

Honesty is ALWAYS the answer, if you value someone, then you WILL be honest with them.

Honesty is ALWAYS the answer????? I was honest with JUSTADAD BUT YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WAS THE ANSWER THEN. I guess I should have prefaced my posts with those 5 magical words of yours.... "I LOVE YOU DEARLY BUT".

GIVE ME A BREAK!!!

Yeah Bruce, but YOU don't value anyone!! NOT even yourself!!

Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate them all. The problem with this guy is that yes, he's lonely, but he is quite popular at this venue as well, and most regulars know him and converse easily with him. He has no lack of people to hang out with on a given night. It seems that something has changed, though I don't know what. He usually comes in, says hello, then takes his seat and conversation between us would take place when it was obvious I wasn't busy. He used to seem to know when I was busy and just go converse with the others. Not so lately. It's only been the last few weeks where he's been a pain in the wazoo. While I try as hard as I can to tune it out and get my work done, I just can't seem to do it. It's too distracting and I don't want to seem rude. He is a dear old man and not someone I would want to hurt. And I am unsure on just HOW to be honest with him without hurting his feelings. It's a really tough situation.

The one finger method doesn't work, unfortunately. I used to use it, but now, it's like it's not even there!
I'm just at a loss here.

Conflict resolution 101: Express your needs in terms of yourself....

"I'm sorry but I really need to listen carefully to the singer and twiddle these little knobs accordingly. That's the hardest part of my job."

He might feel a little ashamed of himself for not noticing that you were doing something important (at least important to you) but he'll get over it.

_________________
Okay, who took my pants?