Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The "unglamourous, unfashionable, unmarried, unkissed Miss Boyle"

She is the latest sensation on "Britain's Got Talent" -- the British version of American Idol (with smart aleck Simon Cowell as one of the judges). She has been watched more than 20 million times on YouTube. She is a far cry from the beautifully made-up faces and washboard flat stomachs of the American Idol contestants. And she sings like a dream! Read about her here and watch and hear her sing on YouTube. (Watch for the judges' faces as she takes off!!)

5 comments:

Rahul Siddharthan said...

Something similar happened last year with cellphone salesman Paul Potts who wowed Cowell & co with his Puccini performance. But, as some people have pointed out, the reaction to Boyle -- both before and after her performance -- was much more condescending and, probably, sexist.

Rahul Basu said...

Rahul: The NYT article I linked to about Boyle also has a link to the Potts performance of Nessun Dorma. Anyway, I liked NYT's Sarah Lyall's slightly bitchy (about the judges) write up on this.

Rahul Siddharthan said...

And, closer to home, there's this.

Rahul Basu said...

Amazing; and the judges are a hundred times more decent and gracious.

AmOK said...

I think many lauded her as a freak. Almost a circus. An unusual collection of attributes not normally expected. The making of a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I felt bad. Her attitude and singing voice were great and she gave it her all. I liked that.