Funny or Die’s ‘Undercover Karaoke’ Tapped for TV
----------------------------------------------------------------------
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2010/10/15/funny-or-dies-undercover-karaoke-tapped-for-tv/

Funny or Die’s Undercover Karaoke is like MTV’s Punk’d, except everyday Joe plumbers are the ones that get fooled, pop icons don’t cry, and everyone leaves the scene with warm fuzzy feelings.

Jewel stars in the web series’ premiere (and so far only) installment. The episode’s been viewed more than 3.3 million times, was conceived by comedy writer Eric Appel, and goes a little something like this:

A team of makeup artists did Jewel up to look like middle management at a national agribusiness corporation. All brunetted out, she throws back a few beers at a local karaoke bar with “colleagues” who “peer pressure” her to take the microphone. She sings Save Your Soul and totally nails it. Real Jewel (sans glasses, wig, fake nose, and plump suit) takes the stage a few minutes later to sing another number.

It’s a cute, family friendly take on hidden camera shows with innate star power that the whole family can enjoy. And that’s probably why TBS picked it up.

The basic cable television channel ordered a pilot of Undercover Karaoke, which Funny or Die will produce. The AP reports Funny or Die co-founders Will Ferrell and Adam McKay will contribute.

TBS orders 'Undercover Karaoke' pilot: Who should sing?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/10/13/tbs-orders-undercover-karaoke-pilot-who-should-sing/

What does Steve Perry sing at the end of a night of karaoke? It would seem narcissistic of the former Journey frontman to belt out “Don’t Stop Believin’”, but why should he be forced to give up finishing off the evening on an epic note with the single greatest karaoke anthem of all time just because he happens to be the one who wrote it? It doesn’t seem fair.

Well, issues like this — which must plague others as much as they do me, right? — might finally be resolved. TBS has ordered a half-hour pilot based on “Undercover Karaoke,” the Funny or Die video that featured Jewel dressing down as a shy dormouse who just happened to be able to really nail “Who Will Save Your Soul” to an understandably impressed bar audience. As anyone whose spent an embarrassingly long amount of time in a karaoke booth can attest, “songs that are good for karaoke” can be a decidedly different category from “songs that are good.” We can only hope that the show knows the distinction and will go for some of those good drunk-and-it’s-2 a.m. standbys. Jewel’s a good start, but will we see Alanis Morissette in a wig doing “You Oughta Know” or Pat Benatar in sunglasses asking an unsuspecting audience to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”?

Quick, somebody call Bonnie Tyler. We need her now tonight — and we need her more than ever. Maybe we can even get Neil Diamond to do “Sweet Caroline,” or even better, Will Ferrell dressed as Neil Diamond dressed as a bar patron singing “Sweet Caroline.” And Mr. Perry will finally be able to get on that midnight train going anywhere. What do you think, PopWatchers? What karaoke room classics should go undercover?
Submitted by David on 17-10-2010

Meet karaoke hosts and singers in the Where2sing.com forums . . .

Where2sing.com