My fault, I am just now reading the thread...
As for "just karaoke"...on the one hand, I don't think people should take it too seriously because it is mainly just for fun. But OTOH that did sound a little like the kind of snobbery some people have about karaoke. Many people, musicians or not, seem to have a particular disdain for karaoke. Sure there are some bad singers but they are just having fun. I don't see why some people hate it so much. My husband claims to but he does put up with it.