Though the Midwest is often chided for picking up on fads rather than starting them, Bloomingdale is making its mark with sing-in-the-shower karaoke.
”That`s a first,” said Neal Friedman, executive director of the Karaoke International Sing-Along Association (KISA), thus christening as original the plans of Lewis Michaelson, general manager of Eddie Bulls restaurant.
”It`s a natural,” said Michaelson of the karaoke-in-the-shower idea.
”It isn`t chauvinistic like those bikini contests they have at some places. Both men and women in bathing suits will compete for prizes by singing in the shower.”
And, not just any shower. An antique claw footed tub complete with freestanding shower curtain decks a corner of the lounge area of this new, one-of-a-kind eatery.
The sing-in-the-shower ploy is the latest brainstorming product of Michaelson and owners Sam Gianforte and Kevin Michaelson.
”I was trying to get this guy to sing,” said Lewis Michaelson. ”He said that he only sang in the shower, so I thought, `Okay, we`ll get a shower. Then no one will be able to use that excuse.` ”
The bar also added extra liability insurance in case a singer would slip in the shower, Gianforte said.
A full house gathered on a recent Friday night to watch Alison Demore, in the shower with water drenching her, kick off the new venture by singing a just-for-fun version of ”Rainy Days and Mondays.”
But Demore, who appears on many cable access channels on the ”Motor Sports Unlimited” show, is a professional performer. Will the less experienced take the leap into the shower?
Eddie Bulls is betting that ”wet” karaoke will bring out at least enough participants to fill those last few parking spaces in the back.
