http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
The embedded version has been disabled...its being hit that many times.
If this doesn't move something, somewhere inside you, then you are either terminally cynical or dead. To see all those self-important, preening assholes in the audience and on the panel sneering and eye-rolling when she came on and then juxtapose it with their looks of utter shock when that lady starts singing - its magnificent and uplifting and just enough to remind us all that we can achieve things, if we don't hamper ourselves in the process.
I wish my Mam could have seen that. She was another homely, large lady who desperately wanted to perform but hadn't got the courage to do so because people would laugh at her. She would have cried tears of joy at that woman.
Regardless of what happens now - thats a real slice of WHAM! TV.
3 comments:
Indeed, I watched the video through and then scrolled back to watch again the mocking audience camera shots and the judges expressions before she started singing.
A magnificent voice.
Complete judging a book by it's cover in our hugely appearence and attractiveness centric culture.
Physical attractiveness is a result of a lucky genetic combination which just happens to suit the passing perception of beauty of the day. Being born attractive is thus an effortless gift (a bit like being fortunate enough to be born with all your arms and legs and no congential diseases).
Yet, In our society we attribute the attractive with a host of positive accolades. They are, of course, because of their genetic fortune, better than people not so blessed. We heap wealth as a society on these genetic lottery winners, potential sexual partners flock to them, and the media classifies their skills as unparrelled by other, no so lucky in attractiveness, also-rans.
How many stunningly beautiful singers have we seen with middling to average voices, indeed, a hilaroius truth is that the ability to sing wasn't actually a criteria for being in the biggest girl group of recent times, the Spice Girls; looks was (as clearly seen by Victoria Beckham).
Envious? Of course, who wouldn't want such adoration, wealth, sex, and career progression simply based on the random luck of genetics, on being fated to be born luckily beautiful.
I'm starkly reminded of watching World Idol, a few years ago and Norways Pop Idol winner Kurt Nilsen sang. The guy has the voice of an angel, his voice is beautiful, he, however, isn't being branded a "hobbit" by a rather unkind judge. He possibly sang "Beautiful Day" better than Bono
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmbcMuEA15g&feature=PlayList&p=1E8BB58F32E04EA8&index=0&playnext=1
Simon Cowell " If this competition was on radio rather than TV you'd walk it. What occurs to me today is that we've allowed a lot of ugly people to become recording artists...."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUdteyGzPaU&feature=PlayList&p=1E8BB58F32E04EA8&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1
Simon Cowell, man of the people yet again. Yet, despite his asshole behavior, give the man his due, he's just telling it how it is.
Beauty and attractiveness rule our media; it sells and we enjoy looking at these genetic jackpot lottery winners.
People like Susan Boyle... It pains me to say it, well, our modern society sucks. If Britain has Talent (and I mean Talent with the capital T rather tha balancing a few balls on your nose talent) she is a great example of it.
She has a fantastic voice, which, truely, and very obvoiusly, deserves to be on stage etc.
Unfortunately, 47 years ago, when a sperm met an egg, the resulting genetic combination failed to give her the preverbial Golden Ticket.
Our society and culture makes me sick at times.
Saw it live on Saturday. It was impressive and I'm pretty sure no one watching the stage or judging new it was coming (though she will have been screened).
The dance act afterwards was spectecular as well. Not as much as a shock start, but still astounding.
I don't think I'm dead, I may be terminally cynical though I don't think that's why I'm unmoved.
Hi, I'm Ben and tonight I'll be playing the cunt in the room.
Shows like this and and X-Factor like to give the impression that ordinary members of the public get to walk off the streets and audition for the judges but the reality is each and every one of them has been thoroughly interviewed, auditioned and vetted by the producers before they even get that far.
Progammes like these split themselves into two distinctive sections and the first is what I like call the 'visit to Bedlam', except now instead of laughing at the insane freaks we laugh at the self-deluded freaks. The producers know this and feed us a steady stream of said freaks for our amusement balanced by just enough talent and heart-warming stories to stop us feeling like total dickheads.
We've been conditioned to this for years, the producers know exactly how to manipulate this reaction from us and they knew exactly what kind of reaction they would get when they sent her on the stage. Like a room full of Pavlovian dogs the audience duly behaved as expected, then came the swerve and hey presto, great TV. Pats on the back all round.
Maybe it's because I possess a black belt in pro-wrestling theory but I know exactly when I'm being manipulated and you have to be really, really good to get a reaction out of me. I know when I'm being fed a self-deluded loser and I know when I'm being swerved and I derive no pleasure from either.
To complain that the pop music industry favours looks over talent is to fundamentally understand the nature of the beast. Pop is not and never has been about musical talent. It is, as the name implies, a popularity contest. Stars sell records because people like them, not because they have talent.
I can't let the genetic lottery comment go without challenging it. Much like the words you speak are just a fraction of what you communicate, your genetics are a small fraction of your attractiveness. Much more important is how you present yourself, how you carry yourself and how confident you are. To possess resources, fame and influence also adds to attractiveness, especially if you're a man.
I could rant on the subject all night but I'll stop there.
Ben
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