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How talented Susan Boyle exposes our shallow side
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
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The reaction to ‘nearly 47-year-old’ Susan Boyle's appearance on Britain's Got Talent has become a global phenomenon.
And now Boyle-mania is spreading across the world with the single, unemployed Scot wowing Demi Moore, appearing on the Larry King Show and being impersonated by Jay Leno.
The question is, of course, why? Why do we find the idea of a ‘frumpy' middle-aged woman singing (beautifully, I'll admit) a not very popular song (Go on, admit it, you couldn't whistle a bar from I Dreamed a Dream if your life depended on it) from the so-so musical Les Mis?
There are, of course, very base reasons. The sentimental ‘never been kissed' angle, her cat Pebbles, the viewing drama of seeing the sneery smiles of Cowell, Morgan and Holden changing to disbelief, shock and, in the end, admiration, all make for compulsive viewing.
Yet there is something somewhat more worrying about our reaction. It was the sheer — to use a perhaps all too apt word — nakedness of Boyle's performance that was the shock to our system. She just stood there and sang her song — and that was it. Punk-like would be stretching a point but ...
There were no makeovers, no shying away from the fact this wasn’t a ‘babe' doing yet another ‘Whitney by numbers' R&B ‘classic'.
Indeed, quite the reverse. Frizzle haired, doubled-chinned, bad teeth, wearing a dress that screamed ‘frump'. Even the fact that's she’s from West Lothian was apparently a sign of her chronic patheticness. And yet, is Boyle really that grotesque? Take a look around Belfast’s Royal Avenue, your own housing estate or high street. You’ll see lots of Susan Boyles. Boyle is only a ‘grotesque freak’ by the Botoxed, implanted, plucked, infantilised, sexualised standards of our media. By normal standards, she is just what she is. Brief though ‘pure' Boyle mania may be, but her performance reminded us that in a good world, in a just world, it would be talent, not looks, that wins out. It also reminded us just how far we'd fallen. The shock was a condemnation of all of us. Like Cowell et al, we expected to enjoy a little sneerfest at the termerity of this saddo and yet she defeated our expectations.
And what were those expectations? That any singer hopeful of stardom has to look like Beyonce or, at least, ‘pretty-girl-next-door-who-scrubs-up-surprisingly-well' like Duffy or Lily Allen. That any — female — singer who could not least make a passing waft at ‘sexiness' centring on male fantansies of same naturally deserves to thrown on the great scrapheap of public indifference — if not downright revulsion. Also, there’s this idea that ‘ugly' people have no right to take up valuable thought-time. They do so at their peril. To quote Amanda Holden — the face of Botoxed primetime — "I am so thrilled because I know that everybody was against you." Against you?
Think that's too strong? Look at the frantic antics of Madonna (who's older than Boyle), Mariah Carey and Kylie (who's had cancer, for goodness sake) to stay forever in their early 20s (or, at a push, late 20s). They're not doing it for the sheer hell of it. They're fighting like cornered tigers because they know their careers — regardless of their enormous talent as ‘artists' — depend upon being ‘sexy'. That's just the bottom (in a tiny gold hotpants kind of way) line.
Our top female stars? Girls Aloud. The Saturdays. Sugababes. Amy Winehouse? She’s given a bye-ball because we love the gritty drama of divadom and (whisper it quietly) because she could be very sexy indeed — she just gone a little AWOL on that front.
Boyle's few minutes in the limelight remind us that there has to be a better way. But she's also our ‘Get Out of Jail Free' card — a wee assurance that we're not so bad, so shallow. Still, don't hold your breath, Boyle may win Britain's Got Talent but the sex kittens will win the war.
Because that's just the way it is ...
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89 Comments
What completely irrelevant rubbish. Not only do I want Susan to sing for the Queen, I hope it inspires HRH to perform a duet.
Posted by Ray Wells | 25.05.09, 19:01 GMT
I remember seeing Susan Boyle for the 1st time and feeling absolutely excited for her, but I felt such sadness at the reaction of the judges as well as the audience, so sad that some people are so quick to judge and compare, sad that they do not think before they possibly 'hurt' another persons feeling based on thier own limited perception of "Beauty". Show more Heart and Less Skin is something I've taught my family. One can buy pretty stuff, but you have to live it as well.
Bravo, Susan !
Posted by Kathleea | 25.05.09, 05:14 GMT
She is utterly unremarkable - she has an above average voice but hardly a great voice. Neither is she the ugliest woman in the world. This is all a naked PR stunt helped by brazenly manipulative video intro. You have all fallen for it...AGAIN!!
Posted by Bry | 05.05.09, 15:51 GMT
I have read many of the posts on this blog, and while I agree with these perspectives, Susan Boyle's performance took me a little deeper. While the audience, show hosts and judges initially responded to her appearance and nervous, quirky manner with less than open honesty, Susan never lost her resolve. She has lived a life of service to her family and her community. She is strong as a result of the life she has lived.
When she sang the first words of "I Dreamed a Dream", she released a force that shamed those who thought negatively of her appearance and her manner. As the song continued, her amazing voice allowed the audience to realize their folly in that moment, and carried it directly into each listener's own personal life. Our tears came as that same voice granted God's absolution and forgiveness to each and every person - 'as we forgive those that trespass against us'.
Then I went and looked up the lyrics, and I have been crying ever since.
Posted by Morgan | 28.04.09, 18:44 GMT
"But she's also our ‘Get Out of Jail Free' card — a wee assurance that we're not so bad, so shallow."
Your statement is entirely correct for all the "Ken and Barbie" talking heads in the media who have risen up the ranks with their super-model looks and a sprinkling of intelligence.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of us, who do not look like movie stars secretly hate beautiful people, especially those bereft of talent, who get promoted ahead of us and always seem to find their way to the front of the line, all the while staring at themselves in the nearest mirror.
Susan, for once, turned this all upside down. Good on her!
Posted by SpottyBush | 27.04.09, 02:32 GMT
Dear Susan
I am proud to be Scottish and I am so proud of you.
I live in Canada I am living in Florida at the moment
The Canadians and Americans all think you are a wonderful talented lady.
You sang beautifully and brought most of the viewers to tears, with your singing.
Glad you have had your hair done and your eyebrows thinned down. You look ten years younger already.
I cannot wit to hear what your next song will be and look forward to your next performance.
Do not pay too muxh attention to the critics regarding your appearance. You will look just fine on your next appearance
Good Luck
Cheers
All the Best
A proud Scot
Posted by Nan | 25.04.09, 14:43 GMT
Maybe some people will find commons ense and live as they were intended to be. Susan has a beautiful voice and nothing else matters. She reduced many to tears of pure joy. Age is just a number.
Posted by Maureen Oakley | 25.04.09, 00:24 GMT
Dear girl, I think you've missed the boat. I agree with much of what you've said, in that we are a shallow society, in a shallow world. But so many of us, unlike you, in your fancy journalism career (and I mean no disrespect, bully to you, really), anyway, so many of us have not seen our dreams through. I'm only 33, no kids, thin, attractive, intelligent...but not living my dream. Susan gives us all hope. It's not that we thought she was somewhat silly, so we were surprised that she did well, it's that we thought she was like us, so we were thrilled when she did do well. There are too many of us that have talents and dreams and are CAPABLE, but we just don't have the confidence. What could this world be if we did?
Posted by Rebecca | 23.04.09, 05:57 GMT
"She just stood there and sang her song- and that was it." Yes!
And that was enough to reduce this US male to tears! What beauty, what talent, what a bright shining star. The sex kittens may win the war...but Susan Boyle has won the peace!
Posted by charles birx | 22.04.09, 17:18 GMT
Bravo for saying it like it is. It's okay to be beautiful without talent, but it's surely not okay to have talent without beauty.
Posted by Danamarie | 22.04.09, 04:55 GMT
Well, more sneering and begrudgery at Susans fantastic performance. What a voice, what a talent. Susan will be a star for years to come and snippy begrudging girls like you may just get to like it. The lady is not for turning.
Susan has talent and a voice of an angel. People are fed up to the eye balls with these glamour pusses with there botox and false images. Susan represents me and 95% of the population and we love her and you had better get used to it lady.
Susan Boyle is the real deal and you had better believe it
Posted by John | 22.04.09, 00:14 GMT
Shame on you - Talk about shallow - above you talk about it and promptly fall into the trap of being shallow. Susan has a beautiful voice and we should be privileged to hear her. If we all keep on about her looks she may never sing for us again and we will all be the losers. (and above like many websites will also suffer). I have no room to shout when it comes down to looks and I say to you all - look at yourselves (with natural looks not under the knife jobs) everybody has flaws - I challenge anybody to say they are flawless - Who is perfect - nobody
Posted by madmeg | 21.04.09, 23:41 GMT
Talk about shallow - there are so many people who are shallow, (especially in the media) they all would like to leech off the success of Susan but beware, if people cannot just accept she has a voice like an angel and leave it at that we could all be in danger of her never singing again and I would not blame her. REMEMBER IT WILL BE ALL OF US THAT SUFFERS IN THE END. As for looks we should all take a good look at ourselves before we judge. (All people who have natural looks not people who have been under the knife). I know when I look in the mirror I have no room to talk and if truth is known not many people can safely say they are flawless
Posted by madmeg | 21.04.09, 23:22 GMT
Why on earth can we not appreciate who Susan Boyl is without having to make an issue of her, how she lives her life, how she sings, how she looks, and what the media thinks a star should be?
Posted by Connie Mcghee | 21.04.09, 23:22 GMT
Wow - Now THAT is one boyled down, very clever and profoundly accurate synopsis. I just watched Susan for about the twentieth time and fianlly did NOT cry!
Thank You Gail
Posted by Adrian Butler | 21.04.09, 22:28 GMT
I agree with much that you say, except for your conclusion. You're assuming that women will keep giving away their power to adolescent men forever Interestingly, I find that what is, quite often becomes what was. I think Susan Boyle has provided us all with a wake-up call. She looks like 90% of women her age all over the Western World. There's nothing freaky or strange about her. She just doesn't fit the "glamour" template. The incredible world-wide response to her is not just collective guilt - it's genuine appreciation for her voice, her spunk, her wit and her personality, looks and her talent. People in the entertainment and advertising industry ignore this that at their peril.
The song she sang may not have been mainstream, but I can now sing the whole song and I'm humming it as I go about the day.
I suggest you entertain the possibility that Susan Boyle just might shake the glamour mandate and become a real star. I'm already standing in line for her first CD.
Posted by Ellen Brennan | 21.04.09, 20:31 GMT
Susan Boyle is quite simply a blessing- and for all the right reasons. If this makes us look beyond the appearance into the soul of this lady, we will gather even more joy. THINK about it! She selflessly looks after her elderly mother till she passes away, an act of love and devotion if ever I saw one. She then thinks she has something to offer- Somehow, she gets her backside down to wherever the talent show was and I can't think for a minute that she drove herself so, clutching her sandwiches, she is driven or uses public transport. She arrives, registers and waits. She finally gets on stage and must have felt the antipathy towards her including wolf whistles by some moron. But her courage and self belief give her a monumental victory as she sings the first notes of I Dreamed the dream- Cowell and co and the audience were vanquished at a stroke- Fabulous. What can one say except God bless her and I hope she not only dreams the dream but lives it to the full. She is a national Treasure
Posted by Merve Gaskin | 21.04.09, 20:28 GMT
I do hope you are wrong about our for-ever inability to see past looks. Admittedly, viewing the Youtube quotes has been disheartening. Boys, clearly - despite their ages - who are probably themselves plain as mud-fences, sit in judgement of all women, comparing us all to air-brushed, botoxed 20 year olds, who would never give them the time of day. Susan Boyle is plain, 47, good hearted and talented. She would disappear on the street, as do I. I am 65. I'm not a bad-looking 65 year old woman, but I am 65. When I was young I was beautiful, they tell me. I was also shallow, self-centered and had not a thought in my mind about how to use my life for anything but my own gratification. I might have been better off had I looked like Susan Boyle. I know I like myself better after 30 years of public service, grey hair, wrinkles and all. I hope Susan's message is not so much about looking beyond plainness as expecting something more than "beauty" from each other and ourselves.
Posted by Barbara Leigh-Kaplan | 21.04.09, 20:24 GMT
First of all I don't find someone who is open hearted sings in her church choir, nursed her mother till she died chronically pathetic.
Was I the only one who didn't' find her unattractive or sneered but just thought she was so darn funny and friendly. I wish I had a friend like that.
I can say with honesty that I didn't think anything of it and just waited to hear her sing not knowing whether it was going to be good or bad. With that in mind, when she opened her mouth and sang I couldn't help but marvel at the tremendous voice she had and how she sang that song. I think she has millions and millions of viewings because if you've heard her once you just have to hear her again. If it was sheer surprise that would have been the end of it but her voice and that song touches your soul.
I'm a musician so maybe we think differently. I for one can proudly say I had no prejudices or stereotypes and I'm willing to bet that many out there didn't either. God Bless Susan Boyle we love you.
Posted by keenan | 21.04.09, 20:23 GMT
Possibly. I think Boyle already won without the looks. Depends on if you prefer quality and substance to aesthetics, plastic and superficial fluff. Botox, Este Lauder makeup and Chanel #5 on a trash bag? Its still a bag of trash, right? I'm just saying Susan didn't need any of it to be fabulous!
Posted by Fan of Boyle | 21.04.09, 20:19 GMT
89 Comments