Friday Night Karaoke – "All I Want For Halloween Is Hocus Pocus Karaoke"

Episode Date: October 29, 2024
Episode Number: 67 (Season 3, Episode 5)
Theme: Hocus Pocus Week / Halloween Karaoke Spectacular
Hosts: Mike Whiston, Joe Ruby, and Host 1
Special Guests: Featured community singers from the Friday Night Karaoke Facebook group

Episode Overview

The Friday Night Karaoke team brings the Halloween spirit to life with a spooky, fun-filled episode that spotlights the best amateur karaoke performances from their Facebook community. Eight standout covers are featured, each celebrating the season’s classic monsters, wickedness, and haunting melodies. Between tracks, the hosts inject their trademark banter, giving shoutouts to performers, discussing Halloween costumes, and riffing on everything from Alice Cooper to the power of home recording.

"This week is hocus pocus week. As you can imagine, it's Halloween songs. So the wonderful members of the Friday night karaoke community put their best, scariest, spookiest foot forward and put out some songs for Halloween to creep us out, to get us..."
— Host 1 (07:42)

Key Segments & Highlights

1. “Monster Mash” by Mark Cross (00:12–02:57)

• Song: "Monster Mash" (Bobby "Boris" Pickett)
• Performance Notes: Mark Cross, in full mad scientist/Einstein costume, complete with props, delivers a committed, fully in-character rendition. The hosts praise his dedication, especially for maintaining his Texas flag backdrop.
• Memorable Banter:
  • "Dude, I am blown away." — Mike Whiston (03:21)
  • "He totally got into the entire character. Totally. That was one of my favorite Halloween covers I’ve ever heard in Friday Night Karaoke."
  • Hosts joke about Mark’s identity without his cowboy hat and riff on Halloween costumes.
  • "If they were to make another... Back to the Future, wouldn’t he just be freaking great as Doc Brown?" — Host 1 (05:55)
• Fun Moment: Lighthearted speculation about bong hits in the background and whether it’s still considered cool (04:21–05:00)

2. “Spooky” by Angel Lark (09:38–12:18)

• Song: "Spooky" (Dusty Springfield)
• Performance Notes: Angel brings nightclub-level vibrato and presence, surprising the hosts with her talent and professionalism.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • "She’s really good. That could have been recorded at a nightclub and I would believe it." — Joe Ruby (12:23)
  • "She has, like, a very unique quality to her voice." — Host 1 (12:33)
  • Hosts compare her voice to Katharine Hepburn and praise her as a potentially professional talent.
• Community Note: Introduction of the karaoke Facebook group and how new talent is discovered (13:22–14:10)

3. “Hey Stupid” by Edmund Thamelli (17:51–21:49)

• Song: "Hey Stupid" (Alice Cooper)
• Performance Notes: Edmund, true to his old school rock style, delivers an energetic, metal-infused performance, complete with skull props and AR tech mishaps.
• Host Reaction:
  • "That's how to sing that song." — Mike Whiston (21:39)
  • The group jokes about prop skulls and even muses if Edmund used AR to disguise a real head (22:12)
• Classic FNK Humor:
  • "The perfect cover. Right. Like, it was a prop for Friday night karaoke."

4. “A Little Wicked” by Dana Lavelli (26:04–28:59)

• Song: "A Little Wicked" (Valerie Broussard)
• Performance Notes: Dana’s self-duet, vocal dynamics, and throne room visuals wow the hosts.
• Memorable Commentary:
  • "Will call you whatever you want if you keep on singing like that. Holy. That was so good." — Mike Whiston (29:16)
  • "It was like a freaking, like, music video. She owned it. Like a freaking boss man, dude." — Joe Ruby (29:35)
  • Hosts praise her acting, singing, and originality, noting they now “hear her version in their head” (30:30)
• FNK Effect: Hosts discuss how community covers can become their “definitive” versions of songs.

5. “Dragula” by Katie Rose (35:09–38:37)

• Song: "Dragula" (Rob Zombie)
• Performance Notes: FNK’s self-proclaimed “Scream Queen” brings powerful, gritty vocals and signature screams. The hosts love the distinct energy of a female rocker taking on Rob Zombie.
• Quotes:
  • "Katie Rose, you just did it." — Mike Whiston (38:45)
  • "She's got a killer rocker voice. I was wondering what it was gonna sound like with a girl singing that. It did not disappoint." — Joe Ruby (38:49)
• Shoutout: Hosts thank the moderator team and highlight the ad-free, supportive spirit of FNK (41:12–42:09)

6. “Sweet Transvestite” by Lauren Greg (43:40–46:55)

• Song: "Sweet Transvestite" (Rocky Horror Picture Show)
• Performance Notes: Lauren transforms the Tim Curry classic into a bubbly, SoCal-inspired pop take, infusing both cheek and clarity.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • "That was Lauren Greg with sweet Transvestite from the Rocky Horror Pictures Show. Let me tell you, you are lucky that I chose Dark Jedi and not Tim Curry..." — Host 1 (47:42)
  • Hosts discuss how she made the song her own with a unique style, bright visuals, and fun characterization.

7. “Come Little Children” by Nana Katajamaki (50:26–52:40)

• Song: "Come Little Children" (Hocus Pocus)
• Performance Notes: Nana uses simple Apple headphones and an AR filter to create a haunting, ethereal cover reminiscent of the film’s magical moment. Her audio quality and use of reverb earn host admiration.
• Quotes:
  • "That recording could have been in the movie. It was flawless." — Joe Ruby (53:25)
  • "She was using old school Apple wire headphones. That whole thing was recorded with her with the two plugs in her ears and holding the little microphone just so it wouldn’t, you know, ruffle against her shirt. That’s how she recorded that entire thing..." — Joe Ruby (54:27)
  • Hosts note: Even without pro equipment, the passion shines.

Notable Banter & Community Spirit

• FNK is a “negativity free, ad free” community (41:27).
• Halloween costumes: E.g., Host 1 dresses as a “dark Jedi” for a party in Japan (07:10).
• Shout outs to the moderators and the importance of keeping the community safe, positive, and fun (41:12).
• FNK in-person meetups: Announcement about an Orlando, FL event in January 2025, linking karaoke with podcast conferences (31:56–34:16).

Quotes & Timestamps

• "That’s how you start the Friday night karaoke FNK Hocus Pocus podcast. Oh, my God." — Mike Whiston (03:10)
• "It’s free to join. Oh, yeah." — Joe Ruby (14:32)
• "There’s actually been a bunch of instances like that in Friday Night Karaoke where the Friday Night Karaoke version is the one that, like, I find myself repeating." — Host 1 (30:39)
• "If you want to join in on the fun… Jump in there, join the group. Post a song… We got hundreds of amazing singers…" — Joe Ruby (13:40)
• "That was creepy as it was totally creepy. By the way, I want to throw a shout out here to like, audio quality… She was using old school apple wire headphones..." — Joe Ruby (54:27)
• "If you believe in yourself, any scream's a metal scream." — Host 1 (23:44)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Monster Mash (Mark Cross): 00:12–02:57, hosts discuss 03:04–07:07
• Spooky (Angel Lark): 09:38–12:18, feedback at 12:23–14:45
• Hey Stupid (Edmund Thamelli): 17:51–21:49, banter at 21:38–23:00
• A Little Wicked (Dana Lavelli): 26:04–28:59, host reaction 29:16–31:24
• Dragula (Katie Rose): 35:09–38:37, commentary 38:45–41:27
• Sweet Transvestite (Lauren Greg): 43:40–46:55, reactions 46:58–49:05
• Come Little Children (Nana Katajamaki): 50:26–52:40, praise and tech talk 53:25–55:25

Closing & Call to Action

• Remind listeners to join the FNK Facebook Group
• Leave reviews and stars on all podcast platforms (58:36)
• Next theme: FNK Duets (57:07)
• Warm, community-first outro festivities, Halloween wishes, and car talk (59:12–end)

Episode Tone

• Enthusiastic, irreverent, community-focused: Hosts are genuinely excited about amateur talent, supportive of singers, and enjoy playful banter, setting a lighthearted, welcoming tone throughout.