“I Don’t Think They’re Happy”: Man’s Karaoke Attempt in South African Court Ruffles Feathers

• A young man attempted karaoke in a South African courthouse, sparking mixed reactions online
• The TikTok user's karaoke song of choice was one for the kids, but it didn't fit the setting, nor did it get a reaction from the people seated in the waiting room
• Social media users debate the appropriateness of filming in a government building during a serious setting

A young man attempted to have a short karaoke session inside a South African courthouse with unwilling participants. His antics left many social media users laughing and shaking their heads in disagreement.

TikTok user @caramel_monkey8 uploaded the clip to his account on 16 April 2026, one of many videos in which he attempts to sing with a crowd of strangers in a public setting. In the recent clip, the budding content creator sang If You're Happy and You Know It and waited to see if the people seated in a waiting area would clap, as per the following line of the song. The unamused group barely took note of @caramel_monkey8, with some hiding their faces.

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Take a look at the TikTok video here.

Karaoke moment divides South Africans

Several local members of the online community gathered in the comment section to express their thoughts on the controversial act, with some debating whether the young man had the right to film inside the government building.

@lesedi.mosadi stated under the post:

"It's disrespectful to use unwilling participants for content."

@gary51799 laughed and wrote:

"People are stressing there, and bro is singing If You're Happy and You Know It."

After hearing @caramel_monkey8 repeat the line, @katlegopvt shared:

"I would have left after the first one."

@saya_pj wondered and asked in the comment section:

"Was this a magistrate's court? Did you successfully apply for permission to film and publish footage from a court building with the magistrate? And did you ask if any of the people sitting outside this court are victims or witnesses waiting to testify in a criminal matter?"

An amused @kyronturnbull added:

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"Evidently, no one is happy? Ai, the court is such a grim place. No one wants to be there."

@ayakes_ said to @caramel_monkey8:

"I don't think they're happy, gang."

4 Other stories about karaoke moments

• In another article, Briefly News reported that a Zulu man hilariously used a karaoke mic at a KFC drive-thru. His antics had social media users laughing and taking notes about being charming.
• Grammy-winning singer and business mogul Rihanna was roasted over her karaoke performance at the Girls Love Karaoke event last year. The mother-of-three sang two of her hit songs.
• A TikTok video of churchgoers singing their way to service went viral on social media. People enjoyed the unity, joy, inclusivity, and cultural integration in the spontaneous singing moment.
• A hospital patient was excited to use a Bluetooth karaoke mic on the nurses, entertaining people online, who showered the local man with sweet messages.

Source: Briefly News