Friday Night Karaoke Podcast: "A Very Merry Friday Night Karaoke Christmas"
Episode Date: December 23, 2025
Hosts: Mike Whiston & Joe Rubin
Episode Summary
Overview
This festive episode of Friday Night Karaoke brings listeners a joyful, ad-free celebration of Christmas music performed by amateur artists from their thriving online karaoke community. Mike and Joe play and discuss a curated selection of holiday-themed performances submitted for the "A Very Merry Karaoke Christmas" theme, blending music appreciation with their signature playful banter, community spirit, and a few karaoke party tips.
Key Discussion Points & Featured Performances
1. Kicking Off the Christmas Spirit – “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
- Performers: Community ensemble (Bonnie, Rochelle, et al)
- Timestamps: [00:13]–[02:18]
- Highlights:
- Classic Andy Williams hit opens the episode, setting a joyful tone.
- Hosts joke about food, drinks, and traditions as their favorite part of the season.
- Quote:
“That’s the most wonderful song to start the Friday night karaoke podcast with.” – Mike [02:26]
2. Community Update & Podcast Vibe
- Timestamps: [03:48]–[05:11]
- Mike and Joe discuss the size (47,000+ members) and organic, inclusive nature of the Facebook group.
- Lighthearted self-deprecation about their humble setup (dogs barking, no fancy studio), reinforcing community authenticity.
3. Karen Pavcov – “Santa Baby” (Eartha Kitt)
- Timestamps: [06:36]–[09:48]
- Karen, a long-standing moderator, brings jazzy “postmodern jukebox” flair to the sultry classic.
- Quote:
“She’s got a killer voice, dude. She always crushes it with the crooning.” – Joe [09:55]
- Hosts humorously deconstruct the materialism in the song’s lyrics.
4. Angel Lark – “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”
- Timestamps: [13:15]–[16:21]
- Angel nails the dramatic spirit, acting out the character with both vocal expressiveness and costume.
- Quote:
“She acts out the entire song. She gets fully immersed into every song.” – Joe [16:34]
- Extended riff about Dr. Seuss, theatrical reading, and playful jokes about Darth Vader and creative origins.
5. Mark Cross – “Christmas Cookies” (George Strait)
- Timestamps: [20:26]–[23:43]
- Mark helps Mike discover and enjoy an upbeat country Christmas tune.
- Quote:
“Mark Cross is single-handedly making me interested in the country genre and cookies!” – Mike [23:51]
- The hosts reflect on giving genres a real chance, comparing country music’s unpopularity to broccoli.
6. Upcoming Karaoke Meetups & Community Events
- Timestamps: [26:02]–[28:50]
- Info on upcoming appearances at South by Southwest (Austin, March) and a big karaoke party at Oh Shucks in Orlando (Jan 16).
- Quote:
“We will be coming in like a wrecking ball in January next month in Orlando.” – Mike [26:31]
7. Daniel Cretes – “Santa’s Gone Wild” (Original Song)
- Timestamps: [31:57]–[35:13]
- Daniel debuts a humorous, well-crafted country/folk original about a runaway inflatable Santa.
- Quote:
“That was freaking awesome. Let’s make this famous.” – Joe [35:13]
- Hosts urge Daniel to release it on streaming platforms.
8. AI & Karaoke Recording Chat
- Timestamps: [36:12]–[39:04]
- Banter about AI-generated content and how technology is transforming karaoke and performance (“Is it real or AI?”).
9. Heather Gagnari – “The Chimney Song” (Bob Rivers)
- Timestamps: [41:50]–[43:52]
- Heather demonstrates comedic voice acting skills, capturing a cartoonish, Shirley Temple-esque character.
- Quote:
“If there was no video, you didn’t tell me who it was, I’d never have guessed that was Heather.” – Joe [44:12]
- Mike praises the group’s willingness to get playful and experiment, not just chase perfect vocals.
10. Karaoke Party Tips & Traditions
- Timestamps: [53:20]–[54:51]
- Tips on picking crowd-pleasing songs.
- Quote:
“The single biggest mistake people make at karaoke is picking a song nobody’s ever heard of.” – Mike [54:32]
- Discussion of karaoke’s “everybody sings along” moments.
11. Patrick Holstein – “Dominic the Donkey” (Lou Monte)
- Timestamps: [49:30]–[52:07]
- Light-hearted, nostalgic take on an Italian-American holiday novelty song.
- Crowd participation and singalong potential highlighted.
- Quote:
“There are certain karaoke songs, once you start singing them, you're no longer singing alone. Everyone jams.” – Mike [53:01]
12. Joe Rubin – “Let It Snow” (Dean Martin)
- Timestamps: [56:11]–[58:38]
- Joe’s smooth crooner vocals wrap up the official playlist with this wintry classic.
- Quote:
“You got that Dean Martin sound... you just, you rock that. You had the presence, you had everything.” – Mike [58:46]
- Encouragement for all community members to record and participate more.
Episode Endnotes
Theme Announcements & Community Engagement
- [61:13] Announcement of “FNK Countdown” as the upcoming theme: high-energy party songs for New Year's.
- Weekly mini-competition with playlist selection and Amazon e-gift cards—not a contest but a call for creativity!
- Mike encourages listeners to join the Facebook group and participate.
Final Holiday Wishes
- [64:13] Both hosts wish all listeners Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and invite feedback.
- Quote:
“To all a good night.” – Joe [64:13]
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “We’re just regular people like you... no big fancy studio.” – Joe [04:27]
- “She always crushes it with the crooning. That postmodern jukebox sound.” – Joe on Karen [09:55]
- “She gets fully immersed into every song, acts it out with her face.” – Joe on Angel [16:34]
- “Mark Cross is single-handedly making me interested in the country genre... and cookies!” – Mike [23:51]
- “She needs to do cartoon voices. Straight out of a cartoon!” – Mike on Heather [41:32]
- “The single biggest mistake people make at karaoke is picking a song nobody’s ever heard of.” – Mike [54:32]
- “You got that Dean Martin sound. You brought it home!” – Mike on Joe [58:46]
Structure of Featured Songs
| Song & Artist | Performer | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------|----------------------|------------| | It’s the Most Wonderful... (Williams) | Bonnie, Rochelle, et al | [00:13] | | Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt) | Karen Pavcov | [06:36] | | You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch | Angel Lark | [13:15] | | Christmas Cookies (George Strait) | Mark Cross | [20:26] | | Santa’s Gone Wild (Original) | Daniel Cretes | [31:57] | | The Chimney Song (Bob Rivers) | Heather Gagnari | [41:50] | | Dominic the Donkey (Lou Monte) | Patrick Holstein | [49:30] | | Let It Snow (Dean Martin) | Joe Rubin | [56:11] |
Tone & Style
- The hosts keep the conversation lighthearted, approachable, and positive, championing the joy and inclusivity of karaoke. Their playful ribbing, celebration of all genres, and frequent asides about group activities (and karaoke tips) reinforce a vibrant, welcoming community.
For listeners or singers wanting to join in, the Friday Night Karaoke Facebook group promises a friendly, creative space—where all musical expressions are valued and shared for love of the song, not for perfection.