When Susan Boyle, 47, appeared on a British television talent show, she was wearing a nondescript dress, looked frumpy, had bad teeth and, as it turned out had never been kissed let alone married.
But when she opened her mouth to sing “I Dreamed a Dream” she blew the audience away, stunned the judges and a day or so later had generated 80 million views on You Tube.
What in the world is going on here?
Is Boyle the genuine article, a naturally gifted singer who has been hiding her light under a bushel in a church choir in a little village in Scotland? Or is she a con and are we being manipulated?
John Doyle, the Globeand Mail’s TV critic, thinks we have been conned: “There is something far too slick and staged about the clip of Boyle on Britain’s Got Talent. Simon Cowell [a judge on the show] is one of the great Svengalis of popular music. The idea that Cowell was completely taken aback by Boyle’s voice is simply too far-fetched… She is a phenomenon, but it’s perfectly possible that she is a phenomenon foisted upon us.”
Doyle’s view becomes more plausible when you consider that Simon Cowell could well take Susan Boyle under his wing and make big buckS with her.
Or you may think Susan Boyle is the genuine article.
In which case do you believe the experts should do a make-over on her clothes etc. or should they leave her alone?
Do you think we are being conned?
Are we being conned?
I don’t think it matters. Because in the final analysis it’s the singing that is going to win us over…or not. And when we close our eyes, we can still hear the music and what Boyle looks like won’t make a difference.
We also have to remember that these shows have a filtering process: until the point at which Boyle appeared, she was already seen — and heard — countless times by screening staff of the show. So what if the management of the show got together beforehand and plotted amongst themselves: “hey, we’ve got a diamond in the rough here. Let’s get her on the show just as she is — frumpiness and all — and let’s make the audience think she is just off the pickle boat.”
So what if we were “conned” into thinking that it was all spontaneous? It’s television where drama and rags-to-riches stories sell.
We’re conned only to the extent that Boyle can or can’t deliver the goods with her voice.
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I do agree with Tony. I’ve read that Ms Boyle was upstaged in the wow factor by a 12 year old boy on the very next show. It was on the BBC website, but I haven’t seen a video of him.
Did she lip-sync?
If not, I just like her voice. I wouldn’t be happy to be conned, but she sings like an angel. I’ve never been so attracted to a voice.
I don’t care what she looks like, but somebody really ought to offer her a better wig. That one is looking so ratty, I’m surprised she’s not being followed around by a pack of terriers.
Is the voice for real? It ought to be — she’s spent her entire life training it. And yes, she used it well. Those notes were as pure as I’ve ever heard, and I was much impressed.
Are we being conned? Only if we allow ourselves to be. Cowell seems to have a reputation for taking fast advantage of a situation. I noticed during the video that he kept looking at others out of the corners of his eyes, judging their reactions. But the concept of being conned means you give up something you value without getting anything of value in return…buying a pig in a poke. If you buy her albums because you like her voice, and you enjoy listening to those albums, where’s the con?
Cynical about her look, cynical about her talent. Cynical, cynical, cynical.
You should TRUST NOTHING on TV. My sister is in the editing business – it’s all a mirage. Even so-called “reality” shows. They have so much power on what we see and perceive.
You’re conned on a daily basis. Obama cons (shock and horror!), Harper cons, film makers con, Doug Henning conned and anything promoting “Idol” loving is a con.
We live to be deceived.
A box of Kleenex for Exposrip anybody?
Exposrip, get off the cross we need the wood. You can look at all the peripheries and moan and groan all you want. The core event was that an angel sang. She sang about her dream. Her dream became live right in front of our eyes. For many of us our eyes were misty. Many of us were on the edge of our seat hoping she wouldn’t miss a note and she didn’t. “By God she got it”
“You can only con another con”. The sting, my favorite movie.
Her 100 million or so hits on “You Tube” are enough of success.
She should quit Simon Cowell, because if she stays she has a solid contract in his favor.
Handled properly by another Agent she could make millions.
Unfortunately the lady looks like puddy in Simons’ hands and all he sees is the jingle in the cash register.
Um, Jim, that’s my point.
I took it for what it was. She was indeed wonderful. I was commenting on the reaction to it. And responding to Neil’s question about being conned. It’s irrelevant because we’re always being conned but in this case something good came out of it.
I thought that much was clear. But alas I failed.
As I wrote on my own blog:
Quick word on Susan Boyle (just google her); the Scottish singer from “Britain’s got talent” that has taken the world by storm. I read what some in the press have written over in the UK and I must profess the English can be quite the menacing bunch. Not sporting of them to call her the “hairy angel.” It brings to light the following quote:
“Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.” Confucius
Well Exposrip/The Commentator, that is what happens when one has too many aliases.
Ha!
By the way, forget the kleenex. I’ll settle for one toilet paper square. That’s my bit for Earth day.
You know what is sad about this whole situation are the comments about her person. I’ve seen two other occasions where degradation entered the picture. Once was Hollywood was casting for a woman to play the lead role in “Throw mama from the train” The requirement was that the actress should have a face and voice that would suggest that she had already been thrown from a train in real life. I sat and pondered, what would a director post on the casting call that would be descriptive of the roll sans denigration. To this day I am still at a loss as to what one should post. The best I could do in my mind’s eye was A) Wanted, a 60 year old woman. She must be very ugly. B) No, you must be very very ugly. C) Ahem, you must look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. In my pondering I was wondering what was going on in the head of potential actresses such as “Am I ugly?”
On looking at the mirror “Do I frighten me?”. The role may demand a little more ugly. “Where does that old boyfriend of mine live who used to punch me out” The lady who got the part was a very endearing person. The second occasion was when a dwarf couple, who were expecting a child, learned that the mother was carrying a dwarf. Would you believe that the doctor had the gall to ask her if she wanted to abort the child. What an insult. He, in his ignorance, presumed that a dwarf was less than. I am happy that Susan Boyle after 47 years is still chipper and jocular. She is the epitomy of the old saying “laugh, and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone.”
Jim, sadly, that’s how it is.
Hollywood is all superficial and doctors are sometimes too quick to give up on life.
ehh.. attractive
now I’ll stay tuned..
Looking at Susan is the easiest and happiest endeavor because there is no guile, no botox no false eyelashes, no falsity no typical boring barbie doll. The reason she gets our attention is that she is real and that many of us look just as beautiful and have dreams. Why is the world so worldly. Cannot they see true beauty any more. We are bored with the as usual stuff we are stuffed with.
Get rid of your pride, maybe we all need a makeover to realize why Susan is such a phenomenon! Remember this is a wake up call=there is talent beyond the bleached hair!
If you want to give a love vote for Susan and live outside the BGT boundaries, then reply here. We have figured out our own vote and want you to vote for her.