Yes, we have karaoke here in the Lounge. It’s over there in the corner – no, over there, kinda behind that juke box. See that layer of dust on it? Of course you don’t; we keep this place in good shape. But that accumulating dust that you don’t see is a result months and months of disuse. For some reason our patrons don’t seem to dig on it. But we keep it up for the occasional visiting Japanese businessman or giggly girls’ night out crowd.

But I’m not here to talk about the fictitious karaoke machine in the bar inside my mind. (I have a feeling that this entry may be becoming very confusing for anyone who lives outside of my head. But we soldier on!) I’m here to talk about at least one trend that suggests there is a decline in the popularity of karaoke.

I’ve only ever once participated in the karaoke experience. It was back in 1992. I was too young to drink in the US but luckily found myself in Germany where the beer flowed freely into my late ‘teens mouth. And thus, I wound up in a ski lodge in the Alps. Good Bavarian beer was helping me forget how sore my legs were from a day of skiing and it seemed only natural to climb up on stage to belt out a B52s song. I didn’t know who they were but I was quite convinced at the time that they were the awesomenest band in the world.

If you’re not seeing the moral of this story it’s that karaoke is evil.

So it was with not a little pleasure that I read this report from Britain that says the number of pubs offering karaoke is declining. They speculate on the cost and such things but I embrace the idea that customers are simply not using the bulky karaoke machines. Let us declare now to be the death of the karaoke. It’s time to just say no to karaoke.

This time tomorrow the Lounge will be karaoke free, I promise!

You can have your Arbor Days and your Summer Equinoxes. The annual event that really gets us worked up here in the Lounge is National Bowling Week. And it’s going on right now.

This year National Bowling Week goes from August 29 to September 5. For 2009 the US bowlers are trying to do something special. They are going for a world record of most games bowled in one day. That day is September 5. In some places they are even offering a free game to the public in order to encourage participants, check out GoBowling.com for info. Can we do it? The current record is just over half a million; I have a feeling that we can improve on that!

Oh, and before I forget, the Lounge’s sponsor, BowlingConcepts.com, is offering 10% off everything on the site all week long.

Who knew, right? Okay, probably everybody else so I should explain a few things. I’m a relatively new fan of Two and a Half Men. I’m not sure why but there it is. So I have a whole lot of reruns to watch. I’ve set my DVR to catch ‘em and one by one I’m getting the back story on what got our three heroes to where they are today – or will be in about a few weeks when the new season begins.

Anyway, I HAVE been watching Criminal Minds so I know Paget Brewster from that show. Like all the characters on this crime drama about FBI profilers she spends most of her time on camera worried, running and occasionally brooding. Not the best environ to demonstrate one’s comic abilities.

But in the Two and a Half Men episode A Lung Full of Alan (Season 2, Episode 12) she has that chance. Unfortunately, I can’t find the clip to post here. But, in her final scene of that episode with Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer she rips off the pretty lady mask to reveal the frightening – and hilarious – psycho beneath. I don’t want to say more because if I do I’d have to say “SPOILERS” and I hate that.

OK, before I saw this clip I had no idea who Jared Polis was. I’m still not entirely sure but I have to nominate him for the coolest member of the House of Representatives nevertheless.

The clip is from the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert’s fake news commentary show on Comedy Central. Occasionally Colbert interviews members of Congress and does his very best to get them to look silly. He very often succeeds.

But at the end of this clip, @5:15, Colbert manages to raise Polis’s (D-CO) score quite a few notches on the Cool-O-Meter. (You don’t have one of these? You really must get one!) He talks the congressman – actually it doesn’t appear to have taken all that much convincing – into doing a beer bong. The only thing that would have made this public act of partying cooler would have been if they’d chugged a beer from Avery, one of the nation’s best breweries and it operates right there in Polis’s district.

Actually, on second thought, Coors probably was the right choice. It would be awfully hard to slam a beer as big as those Avery brews.

Usually we keep the TV over the bar tuned in to the game or a Shamwow infomercial. But there are a few shows that we try not to miss here in the Lounge and increasingly Diners, Drive-ins and Dives is one of them.

Now, don’t go thinking that we’re getting endorsement money or anything like that – we aren’t. We just like the show. The food always looks good and Guy Fieri, the host, is pretty damn entertaining. He’s not like the other hosts on food shows. This is a guy that likes to eat, likes to eat with other people and, though he probably doesn’t mind cooking from time to time, really just seems to enjoy being handed a plate of deep-fried goodness and having a good conversation.

Our kind of people.

Haven’t seen the show yet? Check out this clip where he visits Farnham’s Famous Clams in Massachusetts. Now, tell me you don’t want to go eat there right now!

Sad news today. The Lounge may be a little haven from the world for us but occasionally we have to stop and take note of what’s going on outside. Today it’s the passing of Les Paul.

Although he will likely be remembered longest and best for the guitar of his namesake, Les Paul contributed a lot more than his name to pop music. His early innovation with recording technology made many techniques still used today possible. Over dubbing and multitrack recordings can be traced back to his work with reel to reel recorders in the 1940’s and 1950’s. His work landed him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 which was preceded by his induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

But it’s undeniable that his legacy will be that guitar.

So let’s all take a moment, raise our glasses and drink a toast to the great Les Paul. Rest in peace, friend.

Our boy Charlie Sheen has been named the highest paid actor on TV. He’s pulling in $825,000 per episode of Two and a Half Men. This isn’t all for acting; he makes some of that from his ownership rights in the sitcom. Wow, is all we can say. One thing’s for sure, if Charlie ever stops by the lounge drinks are on him!

Just kidding. There’s no charge here at the Lounge. It’s a freaking blog!

Anyway, we’re happy for Charlie here in the Lounge. He saw the potential in his little sitcom when others dismissed it as sophomoric sexism. So much so that he signed up, not only as the lead star, but for partial ownership. Way to go, Charlie!

Since you’re hanging here in the Lounge we know a few things about you. For example, we know that you are a person of incredible taste, refined interests and someone with a love of some of the more sophisticated games of relaxation like darts, pool and bowling. Odds are that you’re incredibly good looking and great in bed too, but that doesn’t really come into it here.

As a person of these qualities, especially your love of sophisticated games of relaxation, we know that you would enjoy similar sites like this one that highlight these games. For this entry – and I know that you’re way ahead of me on this point – I’d like to direct your attention to AmericanStyleDarts.com.

Now, this is not the most advanced of websites. It’s pretty barebones and it’s homemade construction leaves strange little blank spaces in some spots. But the information you can find there is incredible. You are probably aware of American style darts, a game with different rules and different equipment. This website is a great store of knowledge about the game, especially rules and equipment maintenance. (They also sell the equipment.)

But the great part about the site is the blog. Even though it’s only updated every few months or so, the posts are so detailed and so full of information that it’s worth the wait. I’m adding it to our list of cool sites over there on the right but you should go and check it out now.

Have you heard Madeleine Peyroux yet? No? You really should.

First, let’s talk about her voice. There is a lyric from her song “Bare Bones” when she sings “warm whisky.” That seems perfect. Her voice is somehow full and delicate at the same time. A smile of wisdom from heavy experience lives in her phrasing in a way that reminds me of Billie Holiday. Her distinctive voice sounds just as good whether she’s singing in English or French.

Her music has a light touch throughout. It doesn’t demand attention but its artistry pulls you in nevertheless. Once there you find thoughtful, unselfish lyrics. Peyroux is no love song songbird. Even her songs about romance are about adults and life and baggage.

Anyway, that’s enough of that. Let’s lower the lights and give Madeleine the stage. Enjoy!

Now I don’t want you to go getting any ideas. Just because I’m calling Ms. Peyroux the singer of the week don’t go thinking that we’re going to feature a weekly singer. That kind of commitment is way too much stress and the lounge is a place for hanging out and relaxing – even for me. So, this week we happen to have a singer and it is Ms. Peyroux. Next week we might have another; we might not.