A Fool and his Words are Soon Parted

News: No Booze in Vietnamese Karaoke Bars? February 17, 2006

The headline got my attention, but the AP story gives even more interesting tidbits in the details:

HANOI, Vietnam – Karaoke bars in Vietnam will no longer be allowed to sell or have alcohol on their premises as part of the country’s continued campaign against so-called ‘social evils,’ a government official said Friday.

…”The decree will definitely help reduce negative activities in karaoke bars and discotheques,” he said.

…authorities have discovered 600 people using the drug ecstasy and 60 women offering striptease dances to customers at karaoke bars and discos over the past nine months.

Perhaps karaoke is more entertaining in Vietnam, but the term “ecstacy” is rarely used in the same sentence with “karaoke” here in the U.S. Between the ‘social evils’ listed, I would be more likely to ban karaoke in bars than to ban alcohol in a karaoke establishment.

On the striptease issue, is this really a problem? Are you likely to hear “Sir, I have never heard someone sing sappy Barry Manilow songs the way you do. May I take off my clothes?”

Perhaps we’ll see a new crop of Nude Karaoke Lounges, where you can karaoke all you want, but you have to do so in the buff. (Unfortunately, the same individuals who are unable to accurately perceive that they should not sing in public probably don’t realize that nobody wants to look at them naked either.) As far as sins go (speaking as a Southern Baptist), I’ve heard some karaoke that may exceed public nudity in terms of offending my sensibilities.

A more serious question is whether or not any of the karaoke singers are dressing up like religious icons? If they do, then they might consider banning cheese danish too.