This is something I've been thinking about for a while, so excuse me if I address this issue slightly behind the ever-shifting focus of international attention. I had of course heard a lot about Susan Boyle - who hasn't? She was heralded as one of the most talented singers in the world, whose plain appearance caused shallow judges and viewers alike to stop and reconsider the idea that youth, beauty, and talent all necessarily come in the same package.
We all get warm fuzzies at the idea of a success story which defies every conventional limitation. Susan has nearly 2,000,000 fans on facebook alone (more than Britney Spears, Lil Wayne, or Eminem!) So why is she now also getting special attention on my page?
I had
seen Susan multiple times. But today, for the first time, I
heard her. And, quite frankly, I don't see what's so special. She is a decent singer, but I wouldn't jump out of my chair to applaud her. Moreover, glancing over her wikipedia entry showed that she has a learning disability and lives in government-type housing. Maybe I'm missing something here, but she really doesn't seem to deserve all the hype. Why do people love Susan so much? Is there something special about her that I can't see, or are we idolizing mediocrity?
Comments (26)
She actually has super powers and saved a million people from death, injustice, poverty and bad fashion.
Not, really. I have no idea.
You said it. Hype. They made a bundle pushing her plain Jane appearance and rode her for every cent they could get. I wouldn't go and see her if she came here and I know many others wouldn't either. I wonder why???
I guess it's the idea that the mediocre person can still achieve great things. Though I heard she is a bit nutsy, and no, she wasn't anything SUPER amazing, give me Julie Andrews over her any day.
I think it was more about the fact that she had a great singing voice in comparison to what people thought (that she had no talent) based on her appearance. She has a great voice, but I think the story is the real appeal of all the hype.
She gives hope to the unremarkable.
She was everybody's favorite underdog candidate. I'm not a good judge of singing, but I thought she was at least impressive and charming. But as someone above said, she gave hope to the unremarkable, and the truth is many of us are running around with hidden talents, we don't even realize...
I think the fact that she had a learning disability and was in government housing is part of the reason she received all of the attention. She was an unusual person with unusual experiences and she was getting a shot at the big time.
Her voice reached tones many people can not get to... especially singing the way she was singing. Not only was her voice fabulous, but it showed SO MANY people that judging someone by their looks is unfair. People love her because she pushed herself against the odds and proved people wrong..
Her eyebrows are hypnotic and force us to sit and listen as she sings.
People like to root for the underdog lately. The person who is just a little off, but has talent. I guess it gives people something like renewed hope that they too could be in the spotlight.
I loved her performance, it was inspiring......but there are many great singers that never get the recognition they deserve.
where have you been? miss your web logs
Oddly I have no idea who she even is. Sorry!!!
@CliveatFive - and really, aren't we all unremarkable?
I never thought she was a very good singer, either.
@ordinarybutloud - That's what the remarkable want you to think. ;)
I dont get any of it..... nothing about her made me falll out of my chair in awe........
@haloed - I think it's the idea that mediocre people can do mediocre things - on TV.
Its because she's fugly. And when she sang, it took everyone by surprise. Remember Clay Aiken? Do you remember how when he first tried out everyone judged him by his appearance, then it was holy shit!! This dorky looking kid can sing!! Same effect, except now its with the British.
Lol @ clay aiken.
Anyways, I think the whole point of her rise to fame was that really, the show she was on was made to bring out the idiots in the world who think their little quirks are something to be shown to everyone. People get a laugh, haha, end of story.
But when one person who looks like their entire life has consisted of mediocrity, you expect mediocrity. And thats exactly the opposite of what she did, and while she may not be the most impressive singer, how many other people do you see every day with a voice like hers? Let alone the skill to sing a song in a different language, completely fitting teh dialect.
That, in my opinion, is why she is so famous.
She is not plain-looking. She is ugly, very ugly.
She has a beautiful voice. I think the hype is over the contrast of that talented voice and her otherwise frumpy and unexceptional appearnce.
And are you saying she is not worthy of attention if she has a learning disability and lives in govt provided housing? That's pretty cold.
the big guys in TV business made us think Susan is fabulous so that it becomes famous all over the world and that they get a whole bunch of cash. i bet it took them a while to choose her. they had to choose someone greater than Mozart, Edith Piaf or Michael Jackson. Because we are so used to those geniuses. nothing really impress us now, but Susan Boyle : YES.
i don't know, and i don't really care about it. :)
and if what i said is true, this world is not spinning in circles.
"...reconsider the idea that youth, beauty, and talent all necessarily come in the same package."
honestly, i think that's the reason right there. most 'talented' and 'famous' individuals are beautiful. (most of the time because they are a product of plastic and makeup, of course) i guess it is shocking to many that a "not so attractive" middle-aged woman has so much talent. i'm assuming that she doesn't really care about keeping up with everyone elses' appearances, and it comes off as something new considering most people care too much about what they look like.
Having a learning disability and living in "government-type housing" are the two examples as to why you maybe she should not "deserve all the hype.
* Being a bit slow on the uptake is no reason to be undeserving and in fact enhances her talent.
* Public housing or "council housing" as it is known in the UK, is far more prevalent in the UK than many other countries and does not of necessity mean that they are swarming with ghetto gangs as in the Projects of the USA. The working class in the UK have no problem with council housing and do not consider it demeaning to live in one. The poor of course have no course.
So the two examples you use to suggest that Susan Boyls is "undeserving are that she is a bit thick and poor. Somewhat shallow of you m'dear, if that is what you meant of course. If not, I apologise for suggesting it.
Welcome to America, where being average is cool.