from www.sinninginla.com
A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
Journey
Karaoke is a word that that can’t be spoken, read, whispered, or even thought about without a reaction. Sometimes, it paralyzes with fear. The thought of going in front of people with nothing but a backing track and a microphone leaves confidences shattered and tears away egos. In others, it can turn mild-mannered employees from cubicle-dwellers to guitar-bashing rock stars in bandannas.
Add to that explosive mix another volatile group who inspire reactions all their own: porn stars. What you have is Porn Star Karaoke, making weekly firestorms at Sardo’s, in Burbank.
“A lot of them don’t sing,” said Seymour Satin, who owns the place. “Some do. It was more of a big party, then it went to networking, and right now it’s a bit of both. They see friends they haven’t seen in a while.”
The networking aspect has certainly paid off for more than one starlet, and some have signed their first deals with Playboy and other adult studios right at one of the many booths.
“If you look at the red carpet events,” said Satin, “they have to get dressed up. They can come in here wearing jeans and very little makeup. It’s more of a laid-back night. It has been a long journey in establishing a great relationship between the two of us. In the beginning, we didn’t know what we were getting into. We were struggling against our number one competitor, Dimples. Then in 2003, six to eight stars showed up and and said they were looking for a place to sing. One of the creators was the GM of K-SEX Radio.
We put out the word, and since then, we’ve never been under a hundred, except on holidays.
The place was packed on the night we sponsored, and as such we brought along our Sinning in LA panties. We also took some Liberator Ticklers and some Clone-A-Willy toys from Empire Labs. Soon, patrons were trying on the underwear, biting them in their teeth, and dabbling in all sorts of sins. Even the porn stars were surprised by the capabilities of our penis-cloning prizes.
“I like to come out here and party with my friends, and I get really down and dirty,” said Nicki Hunter, who hosts the night.
“You’re going to have fun,” echoed Satin. “Each night is different. You never know who is going to show up. Nicki is great. She’s perfect. She’s fun, makes people know she is a porn star, but also makes sure that everyone has fun. Zoe Britton is helping out tonight too.”
Zoe was glowing and enthusiastic, throwing panties to the crowd and acting as a temporary ringmaster to the crazy happenings while Nicki drove up from a job in San Diego. Luckily, she made it before the night closed down. We also met Tanya Tate, Giggles, Roy Karch, Dana DeArmond, Joanna Angel and Roxanne Bliss.
“You know, I can get up there and screw on stage without a problem, but singing up there just bares your soul,” said Rebecca Love, who has started a spin-off night in Las Vegas.
But are there any secrets to a good performance?
“You have to pick a song that everyone is going to help you sing,” said Satin. “Neil Diamond, Journey, songs from Grease, those are all good. Sometimes you even have people who know they are tone-deaf, but they kill it.”
You better get your name in early, because we don’t allow the same song more than once in the night.
There’s a great song collection, so you’re sure to find something you feel would light up the crowd. Not only that, but you’ll find a great place to relax and have fun while you wait your turn.
“We have a place that makes you feel like home,” said Satin. “We have a fantastic staff. I pride myself on getting girls with personalities who make you feel comfortable. If someone who treats you nicely here, you’re going to come back for that.”
They’ve even had some big-name celebrities stop by.
“That doesn’t affect me so much,” said Satin. “My main goal is to make sure that everyone has fun, no matter who they are.”
“People don’t know what goes on here unless they’ve been here. What goes on inside our doors is a mystery until you come in. People have fun, they get to mingle with people they’ve seen on screen. If you want to see movie stars, you go to Jerry’s Deli. If you want to see porn stars, you come to Sardo’s. It’s an industry that has a bad reputation, which isn’t deserved.”
We will echo that sentiment, as all of the actresses we met with were very affable and made for very enjoyable company.
And what did Seymour sing?
I’ve never sung one song. But I promise whenever I close the doors here, I will sing the last song.
Sardo’s Grill & Lounge
259 N. Pass Ave.
Burbank, CA 91505
www.sardosbar.com
See the video:
www.sinninginla.com/articles/porn-stars-and-singing-match-made-burbank-sardos