C&L's Late Night Music Club with Susan Boyle
By nonny mouse Saturday Apr 18, 2009 7:00pmBy now, there can’t be too many people who haven’t heard of Susan Boyle, or heard her sing, the YouTube clip from Britain’s Got Talent 2009 currently at well over 27 million hits and still climbing. She’s been described as ‘ugly’ by just about every news outlet that has covered the show – even those who have championed her while castigating the rest of us for our narrow-mindedness and the public’s mandate that any female performer must be first beautiful and young before any other talent can be recognized.
Tanya Gold, herself a very attractive young woman, described Susan Boyle as “chubby, with a squashed face, unruly teeth and unkempt hair. She wore a gold lace dress, which made her look like a piece of pork sitting on a doily”, then warned her readers that Susan Boyle’s surprise sensation will only be “the freakish exception that makes the rule. By raising this Susan up, we will forgive ourselves for grinding every other Susan into the dust.”
Ironically, I found the YouTube link to Susan Boyle’s performance from a site with another little ad with Farrah Fawcett, then and now, shocked – shocked, I tell you! – that a woman who was once considered the epitome of beauty should dare show her aged face in public, disparaged for not ‘aging gracefully’. Right next to another little link to snide speculations about Michael Douglas’s plastic surgery, with an equally hideous candid photo of an aging actor.
Youth and beauty. According to the advertising world, if you don’t have that double-barrelled prerequisite, the world shuns you, loathes you, derides you. Drives you into lonely, sexless seclusion with only Pebbles the Cat to love you. We the public, they tell us, love deriding the ugly and the fat only slightly more than reveling in the schadenfreude of Celebrities Without Makeup. We demand youthful beauty, but enjoy tearing down both those who never had it, or those desperately doing all they can to preserve it. Or so we are told, again and again and again. Of course, many media outlets would also have had you believe that a black liberal man could never possibly win enough votes from all us bigoted, scared, obstinate Americans, not in a million years. Except… that he did.
Because what the explosion of public adulation surrounding Susan Boyle tells me is something corporate media has yet to understand. There are vastly more Susan Boyles out there than Amanda Holdens and Simon Cowells, or even Tanya Golds. Those of us who aren’t young anymore, or can’t afford the plastic surgery to compete with the cookie-cutter blondes with cannonball tits we’re supposed to either want to be or want to do. The vast majority of us are in love with Susan Boyle, not because she’s some chubby porker with an angel’s voice, but because she’s not a ‘freakish exception’. She’s one of us – those of us sick and tired of being bombarded with lies, sheer unadulterated BS, by MSM trying to convince normal, ordinary people that WE think we’re ugly, WE think we’re unlovable, WE think we can’t possibly compete with an homogeneous ideal of young and the skinny and the beautiful, no matter what other talents we might have. Because here’s the real shocker – actually, deep down in our heart of hearts, WE don’t.
What Susan Boyle did transcends merely proving that ‘ugly’ people are capable of possessing amazing talent. She has galvanized millions – millions – who have not yet been completely brainwashed by corporate media’s pervasive assumption that those who don’t measure up to an artificial projection of youth and beauty must all be sad, lonely, pathetic, unloved people to be pitied. She is a strong, courageous, amazing, cheekily optimistic woman – with or without her beautiful voice. She’s not ‘freakish’ or ‘ugly’ – she’s normal. Like most of the rest of us. Her incredible voice gave her the opportunity to do something most of the rest of us wish we could do as well – thrust a middle finger (or if you’re British, two fingers) up at all those who insist WE can’t possibly consider ourselves beautiful or worth loving, even if we aren’t young, or blonde, or anorexic, or have 90210 cannonball breasts.
And that is why we love Susan Boyle.
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You can also find a YouTube of her singing, "Cry me a River." It's excellent. She is truly humble.
I posted it this morning. She has a beautiful voice. She is charming, unassuming, and very sweet.
I wish her future super stardom.
And, while others don't find her perfect, I think she is perfectly wonderful.
i don't think it's the same person...
i need to see actual video...
playing the audio side-by-side, they don't match...
done 10 years ago when her voice range was a bit higher
they had the guy who recorded her on brit tv this morn
corporate controlled studios and radio kept this voice from the public for over 10 years, because they couldnt market her looks
it is a damn shame
that females have to look like icons of society such as Britney and Lindsay to get a fucking contract now.
It's a matter of public record, her singing that song for a charity.
I wish good things for her, but I'm not sure superstardom is that. Look at Britney et. al. Know what I mean?
(Oh, and that she's never been kissed-- sob. That's very sad. What must that feel like?)
was just about to e-mail a link to you. I agree that she is quite an amazing vocalist.
I emailed the link to her video to you about 3 days ago. :)
from the charity album? I must have missed it.
But when I heard her performance - after, like others, SEEING her first - I almost cried. And I felt shame for "judging a book by it's cover".
She was / is amazing.
She appeared on the British show that was the inspiration for "American Idol." Simon Cowell is involved with both shows.
I'm afraid "American Idol" would never do anything so charming as overlook age and/or beauty in favor of actual talent. "Idol" won't even consider you if you're not between 16-28.
...to the list of the reasons i can't be bothered with that friggin' show.
Title Correction -
I Dreamed a Dream
Unless you were trying to be cute :-)
In addition to her marvelous talent, Susan Boyle was brilliant in her choice of a song, which I do believe added to the charm of her performance. "I Dreamed a Dream" is the song of Fantine, a woman whose dreams have turned to dust because of the harshness of her awful life. In other words, it's the total flip side of that moment in Miss Boyle's life, an otherwise ordinary, isolated life that is soon to turn to gold. Fantine is truly a "Miserable."
It was so nice to see Susan Boyle absolutely charm and blow away the judges, especially Simon Cowell. I just hope no awful man tries to charm her out of any money that may come her way. That would truly be a Fantine ending no one wants to see.
Oh, and I don't think Ms. Boyle is fat, either. She's normal, just not anorexically skinny!
for your beautiful eloquence tonight. Well said!
Susan Boyle is such a rare treasure.
Cheers to you both! Simply awesome.
I have never watched American Idol, and thanks to you just now heard her sing.
I cried like a baby not only because of her beautiful singing, but because of her inner beauty and my joy in her success.
Thanks so much for posting this.
Oh, yeah. Me too. I cried, I smiled, I cried some more. I love happy stories. I watched again, and...
nonny mouse: I have often wondered why every singer we see is gorgeous. I mean, there must be some less-than-gorgeous people with wonderful voices; you know, with warts, or something. Susan proved it true, and I love her pluckiness.
I have seen almost every article refer to her as a spinster. Which made me think of other labels referring to older women. Crones, for example.
When I started to think about what they call older men, elders was the only thing which came to mind.
Talk about differences.
It was actually rather depressing thinking of it.
Yes, there are lots for women, and they're downrigth nasty: hag, shrew, witch, b#tch, crone, etc. And for men, about the worst I can think of is geezer.
for men:
A Rush, A BillO, A Glenn, A Dubya, A Dick, I could go on and on, but you get the point.
The adjective "creepy" is often used quite liberally is describing single men 40 and over.
It might not be as bad as "hag" or the like, but it can still wound the soul.
I suppose it might, but... Generally, I call any guy over 40 and unmarried "lucky" or "smart". And if you're gay "fabulous".
is the one I hear most often.
But maybe that's just me.
(rim shot)
I hadn't read MSM coverage of Boyle, so I hadn't seen any of the stuff you're pointing out. That's truly distasteful. She just looks like what she is, a genuine person with a charming smile and enthusiasm for what she's doing. There's nothing wrong with her.
Her voice is beautiful, and at least as important, it's clear she's practiced well and has great control over it. But the wonder of Susan Boyle isn't that a beatuful boice is hiding in that 47-year old exterior, it's that she signed up for the show, got up on stage, summoned her courage and belted out the song. Britain has, indeed, got talent. Susan Boyle has talent and pluck.
i happened upon this page, out of curiosity...
Susan Boyle's makeover and a new song
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/techn...
the makeover stuff is not my priority here... it's the "new song", supposedly 'a 1999 recording she made of "Cry Me a River."'
i've not listened to all of either clips, but the women singing 'cry' is not the susan boyle in this C&L clip...
correct me if i'm wrong... but it doesn't sound like the same voice to me.
When I heard her sing "Cry Me A River". I thought it sounded more like Jaye P. Morgan??:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRQt5pSVIZM
(Although obviously it's NOT Jaye P. Morgan....but you get the idea.)
but that rendition of Cry Me a River doesn't sound like her at all. It isn't that it is in a different style of singing, it is that it sounds like an entirely different voice.
(and others) have reported that the Cry Me a River recording is Boyle singing...
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/ar...
i suppose 10 years would make a difference...
but it wasn't age that i detected... the whole tone seemed different...
The BBC first reported this recording. It was done for charity.
Someone's voice can change dramatically in 10 years, as well as their style.
I was hoping Susan would be featured. You did a good job with your post. There is more to Susan, she apparently suffered lack of oxygen at birth and consequently suffered some disability, because of this she suffered being made fun of as a child. It takes guts, real guts to have been made fun of most of your life then to climb up on a national stage.
Susan Boyle, in addition to her incredible voice, is a profile in courage.
Susan was Larry King and delivered this without accompaniment. It's the Celine Deon song from Titanic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1hWw1aaqvQ&fe...
The woman has incredible range and emotion in her singing.
I think Tanya Gold makes a lot of good points. I also think Nonny makes a lot of good counter points but the tradegy is that everyone is still talking about Susan's appearance, one way or another.
The point is that she's a beautiful singer. I'm so happy for her that she got this break and the recognition she deserves, but it still depresses me that people have to go on freak-shows like this to get noticed. I fear that Gold is right. Susan will be the exception that allows the rule. She'll be the one they can point to when they say it's not all about looks, the same way Hollywood offers Kathy Bates as evidence that not every actress is a 24yo size 0 junkie.
Something else that no-one has mentioned is it was a wonderful choice of song too. She's a lady who can sing about broken dreams in ways the teenage karaoke queens couldn't begin to understand. She hasn't just got talent, she's got authenticity. And she's beautiful.
She has a beautiful voice , fantastic . As far as being ugly , it's the no class "beautiful " pigs calling her so , they are truly the ugly ones .
Omnia Vanitas
If fashion and glamour are you game you best leave the stage at you peak and give interviews in the dark a la Betty Page.
Opera is most unkind to the aging Prima Donna.
It is show music for snobs. Les Miz is a step below that.
If you want to make music with the least baggage, sing jazz, remain obscure to the majority of the musically ignorant and leave it at that.
She has a pleasant voice and she sings in tune, that puts her ahead of 99% of the pop competition.
But she really could use a makeover. She doesnt have to look like Jessica Alba, but she can go without the frumpy barfly look.
If she wins...and she's incredibly talented and Im not sure why she didnt take a crack at making a living on stage before (its not like she has the self-esteem issues that Paul Potts had), does she really want to perform for the Queen looking like she just got done with the gardening?
Im no McStudly myself, but if Im performing for the President, Ill guarantee, Im not wearing what Im wearing right now.
Personally, I think she plays up the dowdy look. My gran died in the 1970s and she wore clothes that looked very much like Susan's clothes, necklaces and shoes (Susan has done many interviews lately, and I am particularly thinking of the white crochet dress she wore and the open-toed white high heels as well as the dress she wore on BGT). I think Susan is wearing her mom's clothes, because I don't think anyone makes clothing like that anymore.
I'm afraid people in the US are not familiar with the show. I think Susan learned well from Paul Potts and Andrew Johnston that you should play down your looks so that the audience will be surprised when you do well. It has become a contest to surprise the audience by appearing before them almost pathetic, then belting out a performance. Then the judges, who swore last year that they could not be more surprised by anything like the talent they just witnessed, will freshly declare they've never been more surprised by anything like the talent they've just this minute witnessed.
I don't blame the contestants for taking part in this and for maybe exaggerating their dowdiness or their underconfidence or their bullied childhood, but I am a little tired of the "Wowee, we've never seen anything like this before!" pose by the judges. It's been 3 years now, and each year they are newly gobsmacked as if it never happened before.
Anyway, good luck to Susan. If Paul Potts is any indication, she will have a few years of intense worldwide fame and I hope she makes the best of it.
that is a rather shitty comment. I don't know if it could be much more condescending.
She had dreams of going pro from when she was young. I do believe she was trained. But she put them aside to take care of her mother. Her mother died about two years ago now.
She is unemployed. Perhaps that IS her Sunday church-going finest? And perhaps she doesn't follow fashion mags. And perhaps she never had a desire to look as anything other than her.
They will clean up her eyebrows, make up her hair and get her some clothes and then the likes of you will be happy.
was the one she bought for her nephews wedding a year ago. Since she's unemployed and, as I understand it, lives on some government pension, I doubt if she spends much on clothes.
I'm conflicted about the makeover. So many say she shouldn't have a makeover, that it would be a sellout to succeed in popular culture. On the other hand, for the first time in her life she'll be able to afford fashionable clothes and have a good hairdresser. I say she should make herself over exactly as she chooses ... but not because "her people" tell her to.
i want her the way she is
a pure woman from a small scottish villiage
I hope she doesn't get a makeover. She looks fine. As the piece above says, she looks just like one of us, a normal person, someone without the money or inclination to bleach her hair, tweeze her eyebrows into unnatural sparseness, have her face surgically altered, or whatever else is currently fashionable.
She dressed nicely, too, her dress a subdued lace that could have come straight out of the 1930s. As someone who has worked as a fashion historian, I get sick of all the supposedly "nice" and expensive clothes flaunted by celebrities and current designers, clothes that are straight ripoffs of several other eras (mostly the 70s), though much less well made.
And speaking of fashion, in a few years when styles have changed, the Barbie Doll singers we ostensibly prefer will consider the clothes and hairstyles they're wearing now silly-looking.
The insistence on cookie-cutter, Barbie Doll looks wasn't always this bad. At one time, we had popular singers like Cass Elliott, whom I imagine would never be given a chance today because of her looks. Same goes for Janice Joplin. Though I imagine that, were Elliott and Joplin around today, they too would have loads of plastic surgery and processed hair.
did anyone think about joplin's looks when she sang?
or mama cass?
they opened their mouths and they became the most beautiful women in the world
and today...we have beautiful women singing...and its fucking ugly
I say, she'll probably earn a few bucks (pounds) now, and she can pop around to the beauty salon if she chooses.
Now that she is a world-wide sensation, it's just a matter of time (literally seconds) before the world drops the "Cinderella story thing," and starts demanding she adhere to their ideas of how she should look. That's the crappy part of fame: being dissected in the public eye.
...that music is not a visual medium?
If this had been on the radio, I bet 8 out of 10 people would believe it really was Elaine Paige if you told them it was.
I went to Elaine Paige's website and listened to her voice. Ms. Boyle is by far and away better. Boyle may want Paige's success, but leave the voice.
when a woman who would never make it in todays music world was featured
i am glad that i grew up during a time when it was the music...and not the package that sold
my god...what would the world be like without mama cass?
when i saw this clip on youtube, and watched simon's face, i almost cried
and i guarantee that not only will she be kissed before years end...but she will be married
janis joplin was no beauty... but, my gawd, what a show.
No point spoiling it all with marriage. :-) A kiss might be nice though.
This guy sings pretty good even without the dummy!
http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?swf=http%3A/......
That was just fantastic, ed dantes!
WOW!
Thank you so much for this. It blew what was left of my mind.
Fantastic!!!
That guy is good.
Thanks for the link. Thatw as great!!
The Times had a piece on her yesterday. In the piece there was a link to Paul Potts, in some ways a male version of Ms. Boyle -- a bit overweight and hardly a looker. But Paul Potts can knock your socks off with his huge, powerful voice. He sings "Nessun dorma" from Puccinis "Turandot."
But can he sing Led Zeppelin?
Whoever is singing on that charity album has some pretty serious troubles with pitch.
Sounds perfect to me.
I think that Ms. Boyle is wonderful. It really shouldn't matter what a person looks like, and women are judged more harshly than men. BUT....it does, in our silly society.
I work in Cosmetics and it is a never ending surprise to me that women in their 70s and 80s come to me wanting wrinkle cremes that will do something to make them look younger. Many of them have beautiful skin...they are just 70 or 80 years old.
As for the thing on Farrah Fawcett...well, whoever is making comments about her is just a complete ass. The woman has not lived the healthiest life, she is over 60 years old now. She posed for Playboy and did a nude video long after she was 40, and was hailed as "still having IT" back then.
Although she was athletic and trim most of her life, she has had issues with drugs and alcohol, which take a toll. She is also fatally ill, and reports are that she has been sent home to pass.
Looks mean very little in the long run. Look at Mel Gibson. When he was a young man...he WAS very hot. But even then there were rumors that he was a horse's ass.
My guess is that Ms. Boyle's voice, and story will touch far more lives in a positive way, than either Mr. Gibson or Ms. Fawcett ever could. (and all you guys who had her poster...it does not count if she was touching you in your fantasy...sorry. : ) )
The cool thing about Susan Boyle to me is that she lives about 2 miles from the town in Scotland my family left 120 years ago. Who knows, maybe my great-grandfather and hers sang ditties and bought each other rounds at the corner pub.
indeed Susan Boyle on "Cry Me A River".
It's from a charity CD.
And it's about time someone got some air time who isn't trying to sound like anybody else.
She's herself.
And I hope she stays that way.
First, it was really the cheeky attitude more than the frumpy look that made me surprised at her voice--frankly, in my direct experience, most people who have that level of brash confidence really aren't that good.
Second, this is why I like voice acting. Take Ai Orikasa, for example--she's a not-particularly-attractive, completely unremarkable middle-aged woman, yet has played easily a dozen gorgeous, sexy characters... and half of their appeal comes entirely from her dead-sexy, husky stage voice. Or Minami Takayama--another entirely average 40-something woman who's played everything from frail beauties to cute little girls to 12-year-old-boys to insane adult men to surly teenagers, commanding the screen in every case.
Or, for a better-known example, Mark Hamill--sure, he was Luke Skywalker, but after a car accident and some severe typecasting, he didn't have much of a career. Or not--he's an amazingly skilled voice actor and has voiced many dozens of characters and has a thriving career.
Their fans, frankly, could care less what they look like--they've got the talent where it counts, and that's more than enough. Sure, there are a lot of semi-talented new faces being hired for their looks as much as anything to sell idol CDs, but there are still plenty of people with talent, period.
Music, of course, is the same thing--there are countless singers, including plenty of famous ones, who aren't much to look at. "The fat lady sings" is an expression for a reason.
Point being that while she's surprised people in an unusually public contest, it's not like she's the first "unattractive" person to get some fame based on a beautiful talent alone. This leaving aside countless painters, directors, photographers, writers, and masters of other less direct forms of artistry. in the same category
Mark Hamill was awesome as The Joker on Batman:The Animated Series. He played it to the hilt.
Carpetbombing, and then standing up and declaring that you share the same values as Jesus. Butt ugly.
That depends
Sometimes you need something strong if you have an incontinent dawg.
Loved your comments. Just loved them.
Best commentary I've seen yet on this phenomenon.
From the people who make a living wearing makeup and getting botulism injected into their faces we hear that Boyle is ugly. Perhaps she isn't the epitome of attractiveness but we learn that unattractive have value as long as they can play jester to the pretty.
I pondered celebrities views on beauty when watching the American version of Ugly Betty. They put a gorgeous woman on and give her glasses and she's ugly. I suppose anything less would have fit into the category of untouchable.
I dunno. Perhaps I am every bit the cynical, cold hearted bastard I've long been accused of being, but I just don't quite get the Susan Boyle thing. Well, that's not quite true: I do GET it. She's quite good. I can hear that. But is it possible the collective judgment of her performance is somewhat skewed, ora tad inflated by reason of our mere expectations, and how they play into it? I can’t quite shake the nagging feeling that the phenomenon- and it would appear to be a phenomenon- is more about the perception gap- and how significantly large a gap she did bridge-rather than the simple quality of the performance itself. If she were not as plain, ordinary, or frumpy- terms used to describe her via the media- in her appearance, would the reaction have been as overwhelming? Was the positive reaction more about her overall “story”, with everything that entails, including her appearance, or was it about the singing performance itself? I submit it was the former. Perhaps the two cannot be separated, even though sometimes they should. Or perhaps, in the end, I was right from the start: I am a cold hearted bastard. Seems most likely. That said, my impressions have nothing to do with Susan Boyle herself: I hope she tours the world singing, making millions along the way
What strikes me most about the clip is how the crowd kind of erupts in amazement after only just a few mere seconds of her singing, and literally never lets up. Given that, I kind of felt they were not saying: "Wow, she is truly amazing", after being swayed by her performance. Rather, they were acknowledging, in light of their own skewed expectations,: "Wow, amazing; she doesn't suck like we clearly thought she would. How bout that"?
But like many have said, good for her. I do wish her the best. But trust me: people do love the story. And the story is indeed still very fresh and new. I just hope when the story is no longer a story, and all we're left with is Boyle and her talent, people will still find it compelling. Because that story is only a story once.
After watching it, I don't think the crowd's reaction was "Wow, amazing; she doesn't suck like we clearly thought she would. How bout that"? I do think there was a "mea culpa" quality to the reaction. Obviously, the audience prejudged her (most of us seeing it on YouTube had some foreknowledge and cannot say with certainty that we would not have thought the same) and the reaction was in part, perhaps, a recognition of that.
However, that reaction was not, "Wow, she doesn't suck!" It was "Wow! She's actually quite good!" It may be subtle, but I think there is a difference.
the initial impression was one of shock but quickly became a genuine
appreciation of her voice.
The other male judge look like he was going to hurl when she did this hootchi-coo type sway of her hips while they were talking.
His reaction to her singing wasn't all that exagerrated; he just look like he was really just getting into it.
Why is it that the British show gets the Susan Boyle's and her show tunes, and Paul Potts and his operas, while all we get is brittany/whitney wannabes with their catterwauling to the rafters?
while we get Britney / Whitney / Hannah Montana wannabees?
Your answer lies in soap operas. Look at the actors on Emerdale or EastEnders or Coronation Street. Now look at the actor on Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless and whatever other American daytime soap is still around.
See any difference...?
Yup - the British actors all look like Boyle and Potts. The American ones all look like botoxed, bleached, boob-jobbed bimboes.
The public demands it... (damn it!) Know what I mean. America has gotten rather plastic, and it has been spreading to the rest of the world (but America still leads). How many criticisms did I read of John McCain's yellow teeth: like that somehow makes a difference?
Will America every elect a 4' 11", genius, yet butt-ugly president, with a lisp? NOPE.
PS: I love Coronation Street. I always watched it in Canada(CBC). It was a sad day when Hilda Ogden left the street!!
said she was ugly?? Susan is beautiful inside and out.
Now if you want to see ugly, look up Paris, Nicole, Britney and a good number of these reality "stars".
I heard someone on the TV say Anna Nicolle was our "Diana". Yes, I gagged and tunred it off.
I think it's pretty obviously it's largely the "story". That's why people focus on the "don't judge a book by its cover" aspect of it. I don't think it diminishes everything, partly because I think so many people (if not all people) are aware of that angle. She's still a great singer either way, but there's obviously a limited audience for what she does best. Focusing on that's kind of depressing though.
Frankly, I thought it was disturbing that so many people were laughing at her before she sang. When I first saw the video I didn't know what it was about and I just felt bad for her that people were acting like that. It's kind of pathetic to me that this woman has to have some amazing talent in order to be valued by so many.
what if she was only a marginal singer? Would that pack of assholes have had their fun laughing her off the stage and snickering about her less-than-perfect looks? Fuck those standing ovation phonies. Well, the ones that were snickering, anyway. I am sure there were many people who didn't judge her one way or the other by her looks.
I've seen the story of course but have never heard her sing! It isn't exactly a new concept you know; that successful singers are not always beauties. Fanny Brice comes to mind and Kate Smith are just 2 who were much loved for their talent alone.
Not to mention that B-way and opera have lots of great stars both male and female who are not exactly great sex objects; Zero Mostel anyone?
Maybe it's just in the era of Simon et al. that we see the audience wanting it all.
Well, I saw Boyle on "Good Morning America", or some show like that, and the female host opened the interview with Boyle by saying " You look lovely today". I mean, come on now: how utterly patronizing is that? It made me sick. Does the host open all her interviews that way, or just with ones whom she feels need reassurance, people in her mind who must be made to feel like they are beautiful given they have a gift we have deemed a positive commodity? If she were interviewing her for, say, a piece about anything else-if she was a teacher taling about school cuts- would she open the interview by saying: " You look lovely today".?
Newflash: not all plain, normal, non superstar looking people cry themselves to sleep over it. In fact, if you can believe it, some are actually ok with themselves and who they are. Those media whores dont give a rats ass about Boyle or her " talent" save for the fact that she's a hot commodity, and hotcommodities are good for ratings. Period. If she did not possess a skill we have collectively deemed a positive talent, they- nor most people- would not give her a second look on the street to say hello.
when she gets to an older age, like say 40. and id like to see someone say to her then: 'hey, you cow, get your fat pimply ass outta my way. the way you walk youd think you were beautiful. an elephant's more appealing than you, and smells better.' fate should have this in store for Ms. Gold. she is a 'c'.
Move over Susan! New kid in town!
http://perezhilton.com/2009-04-18-hes-no-susa...
I hope she doesn't change a THING! She's just FINE the way she IS! The world is sick and tired of unrealistic, arrogant notions of "beauty" shoved down our throats. I was in the hospital recently and was watching ET (not much of a channel line-up in hospitals) and ALREADY the "fixer-uppers" had two computer make-over models of Susan and wanted viewers to call in & vote on which one they like better. SHAME ON THEM! How DARE they denigrate that talented woman in such a manner. They should be bowing down & kissing her feet...AND her ARSE! She has more talent, integrity, humor, kindness, and grace than any performer I EVER remember seeing.
This is a great piece. You TELL 'em, nonnymouse.
Middle-Aged Women ROCK!
Carol Tucker, MA
Court Reform-NOW
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/equaljustice...
Waddya bet Susan Boyle has a bright future
Working for Disney
Singing the voices of animated characters
Who are svelte, doe-eyed, sweet young things?
My delight is in knowing that all those who would criticize Farrah Fawcett or Michael Douglas or Susan Boyle will, if they are lucky, continue to age, and that age will have its way with them and teach them humility. Whether they come to understand that ugliness has a beauty of its own, or whether they spend their waning days hiding from age from beneath the surgeon's knife, time wounds all self righteous heels...
This post says she was described as "ugly" by many news sources, but you don't give links to this, substantiating your claim.
I'm curious which news outlets would risk reputation by calling somebody ugly.
Even I cried when I watched this video. She went out there and blew everyone's fucking doors off. It was amazing. She showed more talent in the first three words she sung than a combination of EVERY pop singer that is active today.
Another lesson we can learn from African-Americans: their church vocalists are often aged or aging, frequently overweight, hidden in choir robes which are darned near as ugly as burqas.
They are fabulous singers and stylists who are respected in their communities.--and outside, by gospel fans.
Ernestine Anderson has not been a thin-as-a-stick Q-tip at any point in her life; indeed, healthy nourishment and abstinence from drugs contribute to quality voice. Black jazz vocalists also are not required to look like Barbie.
Joplin caught hell for her looks from fellow musicians, who want sexual availability as a perk.
Music lovers "out there", we need to unite and tell the MCPs to give us the good music and we will determine the marketability, not Seventh Avenue and the rag trade.
Some years ago now, my sister informed me that my nephew had placed third in state in high school vocal competition. That's nice, I thought. Then when I was over visiting, I watched her video of his performance. I was blown sideways by the golden voice of that chubby, freckled kid I'd known since his birth. He is now studying in a conservatory, and wants to sing on Broadway.
I doubt anyone would ever think to look at him that that high-spirited goofball could sing like an angel. I think the Susan Boyle phenom is more about general expectations than about the Beauty complex. If my nephew had been up on that stage, people would have been having the same thoughts.
Thanks.
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I sure hope "they" don't try to make her over with lipo, plastic surgery, and botox.
For the most part, most of them sing. And most of them are pretty good at it. They still like to have a song when they have a gathering.
They take turns. I'm not trying to take anything away from this woman.
She does have a nice voice. I hope she does get a sponsor.
She should get one. She should get the opportunity to make a fortune from her gift. I'm all for it.
I find it great that she turned all those people upside down with their preconceived notions about her because of her physical appearance.
That woman has more talent than most if not all of them combined.
Not to mention the courage it took to get up there and belt it out.
You gotta luv it.
Good for you Susan.
Hell mend them.
Ganite folks. Be well.
Susan, you keep doing what you do. When you're done. Laugh in their faces.
There's a split second, as she's waiting while the music intro opens, and she's looking down on these three judges who've just rolled their eyes and winced at her, and her mouth represses a knowing grin - just that one split second - where SHE was laughing at THEM...
... Because she knew she was about to rock their world.
Susan Boyle is comfortable with herself, as she is. I, too, hope she doesn't go for the whole make-over thing, trying to please other people's image prerequisites. And while there will be plenty vying for the I Kissed Susan First award, I doubt she'll get married - why should she? But if she does find true love and happiness with a bloke, I hope it isn't someone who could only see how lovely this woman is until AFTER she opened her mouth and beauty fell out.
I don't get all the hoopla over this woman. She's a good singer but she's not a great singer.
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