Tuesday night at Smith’s Bar on West 44th and 8th ave is a fascinating slice of New York. But it’s more than just New York, it’s America. But of course, it’s more than just America: It’s the Whole Wide World.

Sabrina, the karaoke mistress has been rocking the mic and turntables at Smiths for nearly 4 years now, and has seen a little bit of everything. The locals, the tourists, the greenhorns who came to New York to make it on Broadway, or at Juliard, the drunken bums who stroll in off the street, heck, sometimes the occassional methadone-junkie from the Times Square of old.

8th avenue in the 40’s is a fascinating creature in the urban jungle. Evidenced by the DVD and Peep-Show shops, it still clings to the seediness of the Times Square of Travis Bickle and Ratso Rizzo directly to it’s East. (Now home to Disney and MTV)

Evidenced by the Irish Pubs and grills up and down the avenue, it still remembers the Hell’s Kitchen history of The Westies, the Irish gang that laid claim to the down and dirty ‘hood throughout the late 20th century.

Smith’s, who has been around since 1954 and I’m sure saw more than it’s share of The Kitchen’s stories its heyday still serves up greasy Irish Pub fare to go with it’s $5 pints and liquor bar, graciously keeping the boozy karaoke madness on one side of the establishment, and the dining quarters on the other.

On one random Tuesday night when Karaoke is really popping, I encountered a pack of Australians on an Ameircan walkabout who after enough Jagerbombs, treated us all to a horribly off-key rendition of Land Down Under.

A corporate automotive business team from L.A. decided to make Smith’s their location for a night in New York, and a very pretty blonde named Yvette finally worked up the gusto to treat us to her very personalized version of Shania Twain’s Feel Like a Woman.

The Smiths regulars are a jolly, friendly bunch who’ve turned their love of singing to pre-recorded music into friendships outside the karaoke joint. My own karaoke buddies Sarah and Drew, a preciously cute couple who work on various Broadway shows treated us to Nina Simone’s Feelin’ Good.

And I headed out right after some old timer I’ve seen once or twice before brought the real spirit of the night home with none other than Billy Joel’s ballad to Gotham: New York State of Mind (A Smith’s staple.) Thank God the drunk with stains on his jeans couldn’t read the number-code for Freebird in the song-book.

Though Sabrina could focus a little more on hosting the karaoke, and less time flirting with patrons and asking people to pose for pictures, if you want a slice of everything that Times Square once meant and what New York will always mean to the world; (a place to SHINE!0 then Smith’s is your destination to sing your heart out to the Greatest City in the World.