The Patronizing of Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle is an internet sensation who was discovered on a British talent show. Do people love her because of her voice? Or do they love the fact that she is ugly?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Susan
• Boyle
• singing

[westchesterny]

It's like that tv show, Ugly Betty. The whole point of everything is how great it is to be ugly. An inversion of beauty as good.  The theme is everywhere.

[ramzpaul]

cool... does that mean I am now pretty?

[teajer]

ye maybe they are just using her. So what, she gets to be in the spotlight for once in her life. I'm sure she knows what's going on but at this point in her life she's just happy to have this moment. Most pop stars are considered jokes by the general public anyways.

[ramzpaul]

Yeah it sort of reminds me of when Timmy was the singing sensation in South Park.

[tstout8]

Dude... The only place you have taste is in your mouth. Go back to high school and retake music class, and get your ears checked!

[ramzpaul]

I never claimed she was a bad singer. My point is that her singing ability is not why she is being praised. She is being patronized.

[chrisvet1]

Reminds a few of us of Mrs. Doubtfire. Think she's quite the character, and will be a huge star (already is.)

I think she's very likeable.

[dossery100]

@ramzpaul What a silly prat you are. Time has shown that Susan has one of the greatest female voices imaginable. You were so'ooo wrong, but have you got the courage to admit it?. I do hope so, but I'm not holding my breath! I expect you were one of the 15 minutes of fame merchants, but hey, it's almost three years now, and think it likely that she's doing just a little bit better than you ,or I ,are.

[thespacialone]

@westchesterny /watch?v=qGX0_0VL06U

[NorthStar20121]

"Britain's Got Talent"

[westchesterny]

I didn't mean to suggest it was a good thing. Good is bad/ love is hate/ slavery is freedom---it's a fine line between rooting for an underdog and elevating the lowest thing (ugly/ stupid/ character-less/ non-nice/ etc--- in order to invert values, which is the real goal of so many shows. Everything is like Jerry Springer. It's sad. There used to be elevating things to do, to watch. All college is about that. Books aren't Shakespeare, but about how oppressed people are, and so on.

[brawnzen]

very insightful. I completely agree, it's a paradoxical thing. True paradox is a most-sought-after media vehicle, and hard to find, much like a kid genius. But its good for hella ratings, people love an underdog, or unlikely hero. Take the Red Sox winning the world series; people were nuts. Imagine if Detroit made it to the super bowl, everyone would be talking about it. It's a universal theme, to want to be unique and shatter the status quo. Never really happens, but everyone loves to dream.

[westchesterny]

And P.S., not to worry. I'm a girl. I also think Susan Boyle sings just fine. Still, they play it up like more of the Ugly Betty syndrome, like I said. Bad is good. Fat is healthy. Stupid is smart. Love is hate. If you listen carefully, you can hear George Orwell screaming, "I told you so."

[westchesterny]

Yeah, lol. You're more than pretty. You're super-cute, ramzpaul. With and without the facial hair. And funny, too.

[johnv78]

Elaine Page and Paul Potts want to sing a duet with her.Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber want's to cast her in one of his musicals,I respect their opinions more than yours.You are the patronizer.