To think not doing karaoke and dancing doesn't necessarily make you a "boring bastard?"

[CtrlAltDelicious]

Grrr.

It's my work do tonight. I LOVE a good night out chatting, laughing and drinking but I'm just not a dancer or singer. The thought of awkwardly shuffling around on a dance floor or hearing my own voice bellowing out a mic fills me with dread. I love seeing other people singing and dancing but it's just not something I do.

Woman at work overheard me saying this to another colleague and said I'm "not allowed to be a boring bastard" and she's going to drag me up whether I like it or not. I'm actually really pissed off as I know she will try and I'll have to refuse to the point of it being really awkward. Why don't people understand that not everybody likes this kind of thing????

[Collaborate]

I believe in law you're entitled to previously assault someone who tries to drag you on to either a dance floor or a karaoke stage.

YADNBU. No way.

[MamaLazarou]

Ugh. Enforced jollity.

YANBU

[Tryharder]

Am 100% with you on this. I love watching others do karaoke but I am awkward and far too self conscious.

Some people are great at karaoke, doesn't matter if they can sing or not- are really able to ham it up.

If the worst comes to the worst, can't you go up with a big group and stand at the back?

[TheMoonOnAStick15]

Oh god spare us from people who drag others up to 'perform' be it dancing, singing or anything else .

If they think I'm anti social before being dragged anywhere they should see me after it.

Practice withering looks and karate chops.
Yaddnbu.

[Shodan]

I love dancing, but loathe, loathe, loathe karaoke. I hate singing at them and bad singing is like nails on a blackboard to me.

A friend recently starting burbling about getting a group together to go to one of those karaoke pod things. I politely said it wasn't my cup of tea, but she persisted. I explained why (not about the bad singing, but the bit about me singing) and she let it drop.

However, another friend wouldn't let it go and badgered me to tell him the reason why I hate singing at karaoke so much. So I told him- I used to be very good at singing, to the extent that I won awards etc. Then I entered a competition and dried completely. Now The Fear overtakes all efforts, so I don't put myself through the anxiety, thankyouverymuch.

He laughed at me! told me I was being stupid, that the whole point was that people sang badly etc. I couldn't explain that it made me feel awful, knowing I used to be able to do this so well, and now couldn't do it at all. He ridiculed me a bit more. I swore.

Anyway. Upshot is, no karaoke. And people who try to insist should be killed, very slowly, with a microphone lead, whilst listening to someone murder Celine Dion's music on repeat.

IMO.

[WayneRooneysHair]

If someone asks me to dance or sing karaoke I give them the death stare.

[Shodan]

If you want to follow TheMoon's advice and employ some karate chops, I can teach you some very effective ones.

[Hassled]

I'm with you - am way too self-conscious for that shit. Although in my youth I once karaoked a cracking rendition of "I can see clearly now the rain has gone", but that was down to drinking Diamond White and 20 years later it still makes me want to curl up and die.

You need a pre-emptive strike - corner the colleague early and do the "silly me, what am I like, can't possibly" thing but with real menace. Make it clear before there's the chance of public awkwardness.

[CtrlAltDelicious]

Good! IANBU. I will honestly pay one of you empathisers £20 to be my bodyguard tonight....

[DoreenLethal]

Woman at work overheard me saying this to another colleague and said I'm "not allowed to be a boring bastard" and she's going to drag me up whether I like it or not.

Fuck off.

Is what I would have said to her.

[TheMoonOnAStick15]

We could form a ring of unsociable 'boring bastard' fire around you Cntrl. I do great line in withering looks ( my mum taught me all I know )

[Wideopenspace]

Organised "fun" is boring. Making other people feel bad for not joining in is bastardish behaviour.

Ergo the woman is the boring bastard, OP, not you.

[honeyroar]

I can't bear it either (don't mind dancing but less so nowadays as I've put weight on and feel self concious).

Organised fun! I hate it. My sister in law frequently has parties and you always have to have a costume, theme or hat, and have to dance all the time. I hate them, much as I love her, I hate her parties!

[UrethraFranklin1]

I'd kick her in the krankies if she tried to drag me up. A work night out is even worse, maybe with friends if drunk enough but not a chance with colleagues.

[PourquoiTuGachesTaVie]

I really want to do karaoke one day fuck knows why, but I'm not one for bunjee jumping or sky diving so singing really badly in front of a room full of people will have to do. Problem is, getting really drunk seems to be a prerequisite and I don't drink so it's going to take me some guts to ever get up and do it!

[Debinaboat]

My idea of hell!
Don't dance , won't sing . Don't do fancy dress .
And don't dare try to persuade me otherwise .( yeah you ,mil)
Sometimes people try , and it's as if they think I'm playing hard to get or something ,like I want to be persuaded , I don't .

[ApocalypseNowt]

I fully admit to being a sad act that loves a bit of organised fun. However I'm not the sort to force others to join in. More goes on the karaoke for me.

Maybe i could come to and be your 'karaoke proxy'.

[BuildYourOwnSnowman]

I hate it too

Stuck in a tiny room with all my colleagues singing (badly). I felt like I was looking in from the outside at a farcical scene that shows quite how decadent and superficial the West has become.

I don't sing, I don't dance and I'm teetotal. This makes me weird apparently.

[YouTheCat]

If drunk, I will totally embarrass myself on a karaoke. But I don't drink much these days.

No way would I partake sober.

People who force people to do things they are not comfortable with are utter twats.

[Jollyphonics]

YANBU. I did plenty of dancing and karaoke in my 20s and 30s, when I was young and confident. Now I'm 47 I don't want to do it, so I refuse to go to nights out that involve this. I don't care if people say I'm boring.

[Moomintroll85]

Yanbu. The only thing worse than karaoke is people who pester people who don't want to do karaoke to sing. Your colleague sounds like a twat. Good luck!

[SwedishEdith]

Woman at work overheard me saying this to another colleague and said I'm "not allowed to be a boring bastard" and she's going to drag me up whether I like it or not.

The dragger-uppers are usually the boring bastards though. Why do people do this? If there are any dragger-uppers reading, can they explain why they do this?

[Littlegreyauditor]

No. Down with that sort of thing.

I was once beset by one of those hyper, chirping asswipes that try to force everyone to sing. She tried to drag me to the microphone. I politely declined. She attempted a species of arm lock, which I evaded (pretty well, I'm a retired martial arts instructor), and then she announced "I'm going to make you have fun".

I may have leant in very close to her face and growled suggested she could try. It seems she thinks I'm "hostile" now. I can live with that because she leaves me alone, and I don't have to hurt her.
Win-win


I loathe enforced jollity and all who peddle it.

[1Morewineplease]

My idea of hell on earth!!!!!