Underdog Susan Boyle Victorious
Last week, American Idol-esqe U.K. TV show, Britain's Got Talent (the sister show to America's Got Talent), uncovered the most unassuming singing sensation. BGT judge Simon Cowell, known for his acerbic AI criticisms, was rendered speechless.
Watching Boyle gave me hope, not sure for what, but just a sense of hope.
Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent 2009!! Incredible Voice!! @ Yahoo! Video
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Comments [74]
Count me among the pleased
Count me among the pleased for Susan Boyle group, but there are 2 things about the story that piss me off. A lot.
First are the references to her age. She's 47. The undertone to some of the stories (in some cases it's blatant overtone) is that 47 is "old" or at best "oldish." Seriously? Since when?
And then, there's the implication that the rude greeting she received was wrong because she actually had talent. NO; it was wrong because rudeness is wrong. This is why I hate most reality TV. Too much of it considers laughing at other people as entertainment.
"When you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it, you surely will." ~ Pollyanna
Rusty, while I agree
Rusty, while I agree generally with your pissed-off sentiment I'm going to play devil's advocate for a moment.
First of all, regarding her age--although 40+ is the new 30, I think that's really only for a certain socio-economic bracket that can afford the proper healthcare and nutrition and self-pampering. For the working-class late 40s is late 40s and it shows. The fact that Susan Boyle's voice doesn't sound as worn as her body looks IS a bit of a surprise--there's no getting around that. Also, while many vocalists with proper care and training can sing well into their later years, one can usually notice a drop-off in lung capacity and pureness of tone as the years progress. Based solely on her age Susan Boyle should be vocally past HER prime--since few have heard her sing prior to this we may never know if she is or not.
As for the audience reception, I agree that IDOL and other talent shows have purposely fed us atrocious auditions as 'entertainment,' thus cultivating a pack-mentality and setting us up to be cynical and cruel--as if we need any help in that department.
Mysticsmb, I accept your
Mysticsmb, I accept your argument about the age of her voice. I was addressing more general idea that 40+ is "old."
Even if I take into account the "lack of proper healthcare and nutrition and self-pampering" for certain socio-economic brackets, I have a hard time accepting 40 or even 50 as "old." Because if that's old, then what is 60, 70, or 80? My folks are in their 70's and I still don't think of them as "old."
"When you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it, you surely will." ~ Pollyanna
I'm in my 40's and whether or
I'm in my 40's and whether or not I feel 'old' depends on the day. Are my knees hurting today? My back? Did I just get reminded again that I need bifocals? It's all relative.
Rusty, your puzzling about
Rusty, your puzzling about what is old led me to look up the average life expectancy at birth for the US and United Kingdom. It's 78 years of age (2008 estimates, CIA Fact Book). I better get cracking on my bucket list.
Still searching for the right brainy quote.
Seeing this made me so happy
Seeing this made me so happy .Nobody there believed this lady could do anything because of her looks .I hope she makes it all the way to the top and wins it All and gets to sing for the Queen.
Me too DeeDee me too..... ya
Me too DeeDee me too.....
ya know, she almost looks like one of my great great aunts...not to be mean....but they were such pistols and home grown, ya know?
Rover,Please tell me how you
Rover,Please tell me how you and your mom are ,when we were at OC(miss it very much)I could always send a note to you in your inbox but now on any other site i see you on I can't.Please sand me a note and tell me how you are.
DeeDee.
DeeDee, you can register in
DeeDee, you can register in the Forum section of this site and PM anyone else who is registered--I *think* Rover is.
Mysticsmb,Thank you DeeDee
Mysticsmb,Thank you
DeeDee
This coverage of Susan was
This coverage of Susan was really fun to watch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDOciOOVIgg&feature=player_embedded
You ARE a groupie! ;)
You ARE a groupie!
(it's true) I LOVE HER
(it's true)
I LOVE HER
Watching this performance
Watching this performance each time makes me all teary eyed!
Simon was innnnnnnn love - I've never seen his eyes and a total wash over him.
She does give hope....that it's never too late to live a dream...to make a dream happen! It's never too late! Extremely inspirational!
Hate to say it, but I think
Hate to say it, but I think the only thing Simon's in love with is $ signs.
He's a huge dog lover too.
He's a huge dog lover too.
Probably 'cause he is one!
Probably 'cause he is one!
He makes me laugh out loud,
He makes me laugh out loud, especially on American Idol when after Paula Abdul has mumbled some incoherent nonsense he comes out with something along the lines of "that was the worst rendition of that song I have ever heard in my life". He goes a bit too far sometimes but on the whole I think he is brilliant.
Well I think he's also very
Well I think he's also very much in love with talent...
Amazing to think this mouth
Amazing to think this mouth with a voice that has so much passion/sensuality/feeling has never been kissed.
I WISH SUSAN HER DREAMS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI2DxkrgpgQ
Wow, that was a whole
Wow, that was a whole different side of her--wasn't prepared for her to be able to do bluesy as well.
FG, are you officially a groupie now??
Thanks for the link!
Me either, Mystic, she's got
Me either, Mystic, she's got a good range huh? I was feelin' it.
Damn, her version of 'Cry me
Damn, her version of 'Cry me a River", had me on my knees.... beautiful.
Thanks F/G.....
WOW i watched that and was on
WOW i watched that and was on the verge of tears myself!
People can be so incredibly
People can be so incredibly judgmental. It's beautiful to see something like this happen for her..... God has blessed her with an awesome gift, I'm glad that she's able to share it with us.
Read where Simon's company is
Read where Simon's company is already in talks with her....looking forward to hearing more!
Twitter Time @kdhales
perhaps it's a bit mean, but
perhaps it's a bit mean, but i get a sick thrill off the idea that nearly everyone who's seen this clip wants to hit that girl who rolls her eyes at the beginning....
Yeah, but that girl
Yeah, but that girl represents what the sentiment in the room was. The producers must be THRILLED they got a shot that so perfectly encapsulated the nearly universal disdain.
what i find nauseating is
what i find nauseating is that there was disdain. a person's appearance has absolutely nothing to do with their level of talent. and what's even worse is that the smug, supposedly professional judges made all those comments about being surprised. it was disgusting. what makes her less likely to have a beautiful voice than the plastic-looking masses of airheads who try out for shows like that?
Ohhh, you GO Susan! RIGHT ON
Ohhh, you GO Susan!
RIGHT ON
You guys are so cute on
You guys are so cute on commenting this video.
-Do not follow me, I'M LOST-
Where's our resident vocal
Where's our resident vocal expert Erin to comment? Did she get lost on her last census mission? Do we need to send out an APB?
She is amazing!! Like
She is amazing!! Like everyone else I keep watching it!!
Lake
So inspiring! ... her whole
So inspiring! ... her whole life is changed in minutes!! I just hope they don't get Trinny & Susannah to give her an extreme makeover ... Leave her be!
I hope she gets a date though
I can't get enough of this
I can't get enough of this clip. I might just start using it as existential coffee in the morning.
Julia, it IS highly
Julia, it IS highly addictive--I hesitate to say how many times I watched it yesterday...Was hoping to wean myself off it today and here Grace goes and posts it!
Okay, I just watched it
Okay, I just watched it again, and my favorite moment is towards the end of the song, Simon sitting there with his face in his hands, wearing an expression one would typically expect to find on the face of a thirteen year old girl gazing adoringly at a TigerBeat pin-up boy toy.
Seeing that look on his face makes me seriously want to check outside my window for flying pigs. It was pretty adorable, though.
Yeah, Simon's expression does
Yeah, Simon's expression does make one wonder if hell has frozen over.
My favorite moment is actually the distant shot of her from the back where you see her lone middle-aged frumpy figure set against the stage lights--the Power of One, baby, the power of ONE.
Simon is fantastic!!
Simon is fantastic!!
Oh god I know, I was going to
Oh god I know, I was going to post it yesterday but we were all too busy fighting.
Its a new day,
tweet tweet @gracemoon
I missed a cat fight? I want
I missed a cat fight? I want a replay!
Miiiiaaaaoooowwwwww
Miiiiaaaaoooowwwwww
Was that fighting? Then, I
Was that fighting? Then, I don't think we're very good at fighting!
Twitter Time @kdhales
TFF, I kept watching it
TFF, I kept watching it in-between the fighting, and almost re-posted the link with a corny comment like 'beauty can bring us all together.'
Yeah, but it was fun
Yeah, but it was fun fighting.
Still searching for the right brainy quote.
Grace, thanks for posting
Grace, thanks for posting this upfront. I posted an off-topic link a couple of days ago because I was so thrilled by this performance and wanted to share it. Apparently everyone else is sharing it because one of the youtube clips is up to over 12 MILLION views.
As I said when I posted previously, how inspiring to see this cynical world we're living in so moved by this woman's story and voice.
We love an underdog - she'll
We love an underdog - she'll win the show for sure and get to perform in front of the Queen!!
I bet the Queen is glued to
I bet the Queen is glued to that show! The Royal's love those variety performances!
I wonder if the Queen, who's
I wonder if the Queen, who's always been dissed for HER frumpiness, feels an odd kinship with this woman?
Totally - she never really
Totally - she never really had a choice, but to age naturally ...