Never judge people on their appearance...

[Pax]

She's being featured on the CBS Evening News!!! Way to go Susan!!!!!

[uforgot]

I don't agree with the "I'm sorry I misjudged you". That implies that it was okay to be rude, laugh at her and roll your eyes if she didn't have the voice she did. I was appalled at the way she was treated, and even by them saying that everyone was laughing at her. I don't see how any apology would work.

I also read that she was having meetings with Sony BMG or something like that. Isn't that Simon's company? I read that along with her incredible voice he was also hearing "Kaching".

[NbyNW]

I don't agree with the "I'm sorry I misjudged you". That implies that it was okay to be rude, laugh at her and roll your eyes if she didn't have the voice she did. I was appalled at the way she was treated, and even by them saying that everyone was laughing at her. I don't see how any apology would work.

I think that's exactly why, as popular as these shows are, lots of people also find them off-putting. That impulse to mock and jeer speaks to the worst in all of us.

I prefer to think that, since Susan had seen previous seasons of the show, she knew she might be walking into a snake pit, and entered to see if she had what it took to charm the snakes.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how she does in the rest of the competition.

[shootingstar]

Wow, her delivery was a knockout. And she chose the right song for herself to infuse it strongly with passion.

[salsabike]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews

[smilingcat]

here is another clip where someone has melded a video from Elaine Paige and Susan Boyle and you can see and hear the difference between the two singers.

It is just amazing. I'm very challenged musically but I thought she was good as Elaine Paige singing the same song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbRy05DToiY

And it hasn't been even a week yet since her performance. Interview by BBC Scotland, interview by several other news channels. One person saying "her life will never be the same again" is sure right and I wish it will be for better.

I also loved the comment from the director (or was the producer of) Les Miserable production on West End giving his whole hearted approval of Ms. Boyle's performance.

I can't wait to hear her sing more.

[Cataboo]

I haven't watched the british version of these shows - but I did see one season of american idol (way back in the first year of grad school... when I'd just leave the tv on for noise)...

And given from what I remember of that season, I'd say in general... the judges did treat Susan relatively nicely at the beginning... They obviously thought that they were humoring her... But from an american idol point of view, Simon was actually being fairly nice.

I think anyone who has seen the shows pretty much expects to be ripped to shreds by Simon.

I'm not saying that excuses any of it, but that's the norm on these shows.

[Biciclista]

She looks a lot like my cousin!

[Becky]

She looks a lot like my cousin!

Are those fresh figs?!? Yummy!

[ZenSojourner]

I never watch any reality TV, so the fact that I've seen enough of AI to really hate Simon whatsis name speaks to just how mean and nasty that man is.

A friend sent me that clip yesterday without saying what it was about. As soon as I got a look at her and realized Simon was on the panel of judges, my heart went out to her. The man is just unspeakably cruel every chance he gets. Can't STAND him!

The look he gave her when she walked out on stage was barely veiled contempt. And there was a close up of a girl in the audience who was just making the most ridiculous faces - 12 million people have seen her on YouTube as well, and of the two, guess which one I think is the more unattractive.

The face he made when she stated her age was inexcusable as well. I liked her style, pushing it right back in his face that way, LOL!

I was overjoyed when she started to sing. There's no better way to stick it to Simon than to do well despite his biases.

I wish her the best and hope good things come of this for her.

[OakLeaf]

I've never watched AI, only seen clips like this, but I've seen enough to know that Simon is playing a role. You're supposed to hate him, his behavior is supposed to be inexcusable, he's like the "bad guy" in pro wrestling.

The trouble is that Simon's role validates the behavior of spectators like the ones who were shown on the video. (Not that he's the only - or even the most important - influence in the mass media these days encouraging people to behave like that. But no politics, right? )

Props to Susan Boyles. It is a cool story and I hope she goes far, not just for herself, but as an example to audiences.

We went to hear Julia Fischer perform with the NY Philharmonic last fall, and a friend of ours, who is much more familiar with the music scene than we are, remarked how you need to be "hot" to be a soloist nowadays. It's not just "popular" music. So less than spectacular looks are a real hurdle for an aspiring performer to overcome - probably more so for a woman than a man, but I'm sure it's true for both sexes.


PS Mimi- no fair showing those figs unless you're going to share!

[GLC1968]

I saw her story on my local news tonight. It's become soooo widespread that I wonder if she really had any idea what she was getting herself into. Wanting to sing in front of a big audience was one thing...world wide internet sensation is something else entirely.

People are assuming that 'her life is going to be so much better now". I don't agree. I just hope that she's got the 'pluck' to say no when no is necessary and that she can still have some semblance of a life.

Luckily, I think she does have the strength of character to handle this all with grace and ultimately come out ahead.

[Geonz]

I think that's exactly why, as popular as these shows are, lots of people also find them off-putting. That impulse to mock and jeer speaks to the worst in all of us.

I prefer to think that, since Susan had seen previous seasons of the show, she knew she might be walking into a snake pit, and entered to see if she had what it took to charm the snakes.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how she does in the rest of the competition.

When I saw it (and I think it's interesting that the cycling community found it rather early in its life cycle - are bicyclists spending too much time online ) I thought... she seems to really, actually know what she's doing. She seems to be the one in charge, here. Yes, she's nervous... perhaps she's simply unemployed because there's a recession.
Then I read a little press about her being lousy in school and bullied - though by then she was "getting her 15 minutes of fame" so full Spin Factor had been turned on, I'm sure - and that her mom has recently died, but had encouraged her to try this but she hadn't had the confidence.
I, too, just avoid the whole manipulation and exploitation of people's dreams. Still, it was gratifying to see at least two of 'em apparently knocked off course (that third guy never did seem to lose his analytical "what's the situation and how can I play it" stance).
I realized that being a bit out of the cultural loop (never seen Les Mis, tho' we sang a medley of tunes in chorus), I didn't have the same visceral reaction that people who'd seen & loved Les Mis would... the significance between the song's lyrics and her own self standing there would have taken me, too.
I just really, fervently hope that she's got a good support network so that she doesn't get devoured by the Forces of Celebrity.
What I think was the coolest was how professionally she sang. Once she got going, she didn't show nervousness at all. It's what the word pwned was made for However, I think that was perhaps partly being in her own world... since she seemed surprised when the show's host told her that she'd gotten the biggest yes he'd ever given... and she had been standing right there...

[uforgot]

Well, that's the thing about fine arts. I have a hard time with public speaking (except in the classroom). I hate it and it shows how nervous I am, and I screw up and leave things out, but dancing is my "thing". and I majored in percussion in college. I've loved and done both since I was very young and whenever I dance or play, the nervousness is not there. I'm comfortable presenting myself this way, and I absolutely loved performing. They say it's a way of expressing emotions when you can't in other ways. It's almost as if I'm saying, "this is how I feel and I'm not afraid to show it in this way", and yes a lot of it is the joy of doing it so you may be in another world. Singing is the real Susan Boyle coming to the surface. It's a really good example of beauty on the inside.

[jobob]

Wow, I hadn't gotten around to viewing the clip until just now. Awesome!

I don't think she looked as awful as the buildup led me to think ... but I suppose I was assuming someone really hideous looking. She looks, well, normal to me, a wee bit chunky perhaps but not bad. And I thought she was rather poised.