Cell phones are the new karaoke. You have only to watch one overly loud performance of a cell phone conversation and you will see the similarities immediately. The same noisy and overly emotive manner is inherent in both performances.

On the cell phones, you can sometimes listen to a charming rendition of an old French favorite, “Regarde Moi” (look at me). In both performances the actor wants all around him to “look at me.”

It’s too bad we don’t have scores of judges like Simon Cowell, from “American Idol,” to give them a caustic review and a suggestion that they not quit their day jobs. In public venues, you continually see variations of this karaoke performance. Whatever happened to private telephone conversations and consideration for others around you?

In frustrated response, we can but resort to what the judges on “American Idol” do. Make a grimace and then start laughing at the performer. Perhaps if enough of us laugh at the noisy and offensive performers, they might be embarrassed enough to turn down their volume and keep their phone chats to a more people-friendly level.

If that doesn’t work, maybe we have to do what another reality program has taught us—vote them off the island.

Joseph Xavier Martin

Williamsville