A drag queen and a karaoke machine walk into a bar...

A little over a year ago some friends and I went to the Royal Majesty Drag Show at Holiday Inn by the Bay. The event was a fundraiser for the GLBTQ and Ally programs at USM. While it was a mostly student-driven affair, there were a handful of non-student queens-about-town included in the show.

One of whom was Bunny Wonderland, who we met briefly during intermission.

Small town Maine being what it is, it shouldn't have been a shock when, a year later, my friend would show up on her first day at a new job and discover that, in addition to being a drag queen phenom, Bunny Wonderland was also her coworker.

As it turns out, Bunny Wonderland isn't resting on his - er, her - Royal Majesty laurels. She's hosting Kamikazee Karaoke every Sunday at Styxx in Portland.

My friend asked if I'd be up for going this weekend to check it out and to support her fellow colleague. My response: "Yes. Absolutely yes."

To confirm, Styxx is a gay bar. But they don't flog straight people at the door. (Though if you're into that sort of thing, a posting on Craigslist might help you find someone willing to accommodate.)

Kamikaze Karaoke runs from 8-11 pm every Sunday, hosted by Bunny Wonderland (who's a natural in the spotlight and quite the entertainer).

And we've all been to karaoke nights - in Portland and elsewhere (for what it's worth, Bentley's in Arundel on a Thursday night is quite a riot). We've seen a handful of talented folks mixed in with a whole lot more…um…"less-talented."

But that's what karaoke is. No one expects the next Whitney.

Heck, I even got up there once. Just once. I held the mic at arm's length to minimize the damage.

But of all the karaoke joints in all the world, Styxx's talent on Sunday was the most impressive.

We were ready to poke some good-natured fun at the courageous karaokers. But one person after another sang and sang well. We applauded and "woohooed."

We remarked with surprise how "that chick rocked it" and "that young guy does a mean Elton."

And it became wildly clear that there was no way I could slip into the spotlight for a quick karaoke rendition of "Build Me Up Buttercup."

I'd stand out like a sore thumb.

Luckily Victoria skillfully represented our table with the 80s classic "Flashdance." (During which, Bunny Wonderland did an excellent Jennifer-Beals-inspired in-place run.)

If you fancy you've got talent, Bunny Wonderland's Karaoke Idol begins February 8th. It runs for 10 weeks - every Sunday.

So loosen up those vocal chords, pick a song that showcases your range and follow Bunny into Karaoke wonderland.

For more details on the bar read Amy Martin's review of Styxx in the Bar Guide