2009 Best Karaoke Host
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29.45% Bucca Fisher (Bucca Karaoke)*
Others with Votes (more than one):
* On the ballot |
Five years, five second place finishes. Until now.
"This feels pretty good," said Bucca Fisher when she learned she would be taking home the Whammy for Best Karaoke Host. "I was starting to feel like the Susan Lucci of the karaoke category."
Fisher is an 18-year veteran of the karaoke scene and owner of Bucca Karaoke. She beat out Shawn Browning of Shotgun Productions for the first time since the award was created in 2003.
"I think it's an open contest now," she predicted.
Fisher, who's out almost every weekend inspiring reluctant and not-so-reluctant songbirds to strut their stuff at a number of Fort Wayne hot spots like Rick O'Shay's, Mid City Grill, Deer Park Lodge and Jag's Bar and Grill, won this category by just 21 votes. The other strong contenders in this race were Jay Clibon of American Idol Karaoke and Jake Carpenter of Mantra Karaoke.
Fisher said her job as a karaoke host is a simple one: "All I do is orchestrate a fun night for people."
But what goes into that orchestration is a little less obvious. A self-described rocker, Fisher leans toward songs from the 80s because, one, that's what she grew up with, and two, she -- like a lot of girls, according to 80s icon Cyndi Lauper -- just wants to have fun.
"So much of today's music is just depressing," she said. "Karaoke is really what you make of it. You can sit in your chair and listen to slow, sappy songs all night, but it's not going to turn out well."
And she should know what she's talking about. During her almost 20 years as a host she's seen it all and run it all, including a 2008 Three Rivers Festival karaoke contest with a $7,500 jackpot. The top prize, coincidentally, went to Tasha DeNae, nominee for both 2009 Best R&B Performer and Performer of the Year.
"That contest was huge. It was really nice putting local people back up on that stage. Everybody likes being in the real limelight," she said.
And if the "real" limelight's in short supply, no worries. Fisher will be doing her best to make people feel like they're star of their own show.
"Karaoke's an emotional outlet. It's for people who can't be in the band, and it's fun for me to give people the chance to feel a part of something," she said. "I guess when it stops being fun I'll stop doing it." (Deborah Kennedy) |
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