MEDIA GET INTO THE ACT OF SINGING BADLY FOR A GOOD CAUSE Karaoke in the Capital Announces Media Performers
Washington, DC - In what will unlikely become a prelude to a new network television spin-off series, “Karaoke in the Capital” (KaraokeintheCapital.com) is nonetheless taking shape as “American Karaoke Idol” if you were to listen to some Washington, DC’s media members who are scheduled perform at the October 21st event at Washington DC’s Rock and Roll Hotel. Doors open at 7pm and tickets are on sale at the event website.
Hosted by the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) Mid-Atlantic Chapter, with part of the proceeds benefiting Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (mhopus.org), Karaoke in the Capital is billed as one night where Democrats, Republicans and the media who cover them can unite, get along, and work together for a good cause. They may not harmonize, but there are high hopes for harmony at the event.
While bickering, partisanship and controversy usually begin in the halls of Congress or somewhere along the campaign trail, the media seem poised to be the first to inject competition into the Karaoke in the Capital event.
Christina Bellantoni, senior reporter at Talking Points Memo who covers the White House, fired the shot heard around the newsrooms when she openly called out Washington Times reporters and columnists Stephanie Green and Elizabeth Glover.
“Yo, Green and Glover, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you perform, but Beyonce has one of the best karaoke song of all time!” said Bellantonti.
“No worries,” responded Green, “before Beyonce there was the Material Girl.”
“We’ll leave it at that,” added Glover.
“I guess there’s just as much competition in the news business as there is in politics,” said AAPC Mid-Atlantic Chapter President and Democratic media consultant Bud Jackson. Some “awards for fun” will be presented at the end of the evening, Jackson added, including: Best Media Karaoke Performance, Best in Show, Funniest Performance, Best-Worst Karaoke, Keep Your Day Job, Best Duet and You Sing & Dogs Cry.
But CBS’s Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer, who will also perform at the event, offered some fair and balanced analysis of what to expect. “If you appreciate good music this is probably not the party for you,” said Schieffer.
Reactions from other media participants seem to bolster Schieffer’s analysis.
“Every member of my family is in the music business except for me,” said Roll Call reporter and “Shop Talk” columnist Shira Toeplitz. “You’re about to see why.”
"I am frighteningly talented,” said Hotline’s Quinn McCord, “with the emphasis on 'frightening.'"
David Corn who blogs for Politics Daily and is the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones magazine confessed that some of his past singing may have had ill effects. ““In college I was in a band with a lead guitarist who ended up in a psychiatric hospital.”
“As a former band geek, I’m stoked to belt one out for such a worthwhile cause,” added Politico reporter Chris Frates. “And when you hear me sing, you’ll know why I played sax.”
One reporter contacted for this story was surprised that she would be singing at all. “Singing?” asked Chicago Sun-Times Washington Bureau chief and Politics Daily “FLOTUS” columnist Lynn Sweet. “I thought this was an oral reading of my Politics Daily posts.”
"It will be great to hear Democrats and Republicans on the same page and singing in harmony for a change -- or so we hope," said Melinda Henneberger, editor-in-chief of Politics Daily who is expected to sing a song with Politics Daily publicist and public relations consultant, Susan Bennett.
“We are thrilled and thankful for our friends in the media who are willing to make bad music for a good cause,” said Jackson. “As we get closer to the event, I expect we’ll have even more journalists on our program along with some Members of Congress and political professionals.”
The AAPC’s Karaoke in the Capital is sponsored by Politics Daily, National Association of Realtors, Politics Magazine, Campaign Grid, Diaz Communications, Edmonds Associates, Jackson Group Media, Turner Strategies, Lobbyists.info, Revolvis.com, Aristotle, DgFastChannel, Sandler, Reiff & Young, National Newspaper Services, and the Rock and Roll Hotel.
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