Kicker: King of karaoke

NICK EICHER, HOST: I doubt you know the name Shigeichi Negishi, who died recently at age 100. But you're no doubt familiar with his invention.

Maybe you've even used it.

The karaoke.

Negishi got the idea back in 1967. Someone overheard him singing to himself and said, “Shigeichi, you’re not very good.” Or words to that effect. He must’ve had the same thought every karaoke singer had: If only they could hear me as I hear me.

And the rest was history.

Do you wonder the literal meaning of karaoke? There’s a not-very-nice theory out there that it means “tone deaf” in Japanese. Not true!

MARY REICHARD, HOST: “Can’t sing?”

Not that, either. It’s literally “empty orchestra” from the Japanese, according to Websters.

Nagishi never patented his karaoke machine. His daughter said his compensation was simply to enjoy people having fun with it.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

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