Your off hand comment about spits and slurs makes me realize people all consume alcohol very differently. I feel like anytime there is a conversation around alcohol, dose needs to be stated. Obviously it's going to be hard to have deep conversations with someone who has had 12 beers, but someone who has had a drink or two, lowering their inhibitions, will likely open up more.

Everything you mentioned is more fun with alcohol. Alcohol makes humans less shy and more sociable which is one of the main reasons people enjoy it.

I absolutely cannot imagine singing karaoke without alcohol.

Alcohol certainly does not preclude it.

Karoke is an alcohol+non alcohol friendlier gig than sitting at a table for 6 hours not even eating :)

Karaoke without alcohol sounds like a torture.

I sing a lot and my choir friends can do karaoke sober, but they are the only people I know who can sing in public with no social lubricant. Citing karaoke as a sober activity was very odd to me.