Wow, wow, what a performance

[PepperFritz]

A tape of Susan Boyle singing at age 22 has now emerged:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/5255348/Susan-Boyle-Earliest-singing-footage-unearthed.html

She was a rather attractive young woman then, so I think she was probably joking when she said she'd "never been kissed"....

 

[Joe]

So the idea is that people come along to these shows "off the street" as it were, they are not selected in any way. I can accept that *maybe* Potts was a genuine find, i.e. that he just walked in off the street, that maybe none of the shows researchers knew he could sing beforehand. But after the success of Potts (including the increase in ratings for the X factor show) it is hard to believe that this latest woman just walked in to the "Britain's got talent" show. Chances are she was actively sought and chosen by researchers as a female "version" of Potts.

I just feel really manipulated when I am asked to go along with the herd and get all emotional, or even join the presenters in shedding a few tears, about this "poor" woman who is at first derided by the audience because she says she wants to be like Elaine Paige when her physical appearance does not fit the bill, but who is then lauded and cried over because she has a good voice. That's pretty sick. These shows are pretty sick. The whole point of them is for people to laugh at other people because of their physical appearance and the "fact" that they are not "beautiful" enough to be credible singers. Then when one particularly "plain" and unlikely individual just happens to turn up and show they can sing, everyone gets teary eyed for some strange reason and the show's producers get an extra '0' on the end of their pay checks.

 

[mkrnhr]

Perceval, it is cynical and so true :)
So

'In these times of global economic recession, it gives people joy to see someone like that"

Yes they sell dreams, illusions based upon lies. Could it be a sort of emotional canalization at grand scale?

 

[Erna]

Another thing that's rather disturbing is that one of the incentives of the show is that if you end up amongst the top lot, you'll get to perform in front of the queen, and for some reason it's one of the things that excite the contestants...

I don't understand this thing with the Brits and their Royals. It should infuriate them that someone has a birthright into status / prestige / wealth / royalty / decision making etc. etc ... let alone the fact that the "Windsors" originated from German ancestry! Your highness my ass!

The very concept of a monarchy is another one of the blatant injustices of our time, and yet, as with the Dutch monarchy yesterday also, when they appear in public all the sheeple gather in their thousands for a possible glimpse!

 

[PepperFritz]

Another thing that's rather disturbing is that one of the incentives of the show is that if you end up amongst the top lot, you'll get to perform in front of the queen, and for some reason it's one of the things that excite the contestants...

I think American contestants would probably be equally excited at the prospect of singing for the U.S. president.

I don't understand this thing with the Brits and their Royals. It should infuriate them that someone has a birthright into status / prestige / wealth / royalty / decision making etc. etc ....

You mean like George W. Bush? ;)

It's all a matter of perspective. We Canadians have trouble understanding the degree of adulation/respect/importance given to both British royals and American presidents. We view our Prime Ministers the same way the Brits view their PMs -- as glorified, overpaid, largely incompetent civil servants. They certainly don't have "celebrity" status (Pierre Elliott Trudeau excepted), or given automatic "respect" simply because of their office. Perhaps Americans would be more critical and questioning of their presidents if they had some kind of "royalty" to fawn over. As it is, presidents seem to be the American version of royalty. Or so it seems to me....

 

[Erna]

[quote author=PepperFritz]
We view our Prime Ministers the same way the Brits view their PMs -- as glorified, overpaid, largely incompetent civil servants.
[/quote]

Same here, until the new "Shaka Zulu" came along. Still scratching my head about the Zuma phenomenon.

I apologise for going off topic everyone. Laura did say once that conversation is organic. I'll focus.

 

[Kimber]

Susan Boyle

I don't watch television. The TV/idiot box was evicted from the family room about three years ago. I heard about Susan
Boyle a few months back, people making various comments, newspapers and tabloids at the check out stand.
I watched her performances on U tube very recently. I don't think I've ever heard such a pure, sincere and beautiful voice,
truly a wonderful gift. Her voice and her personal story brought tears to my eyes.I also watched a couple of her interviews:
she appears a genuine sincere person with a great sense of humor. I also read all the criticism, mostly about her looks,
likely originating from shallow people. I wish her the best success and hope that the music industry is kind to her.
I plan to buy her new CD.

 

[Vulcan59]

Re: Susan Boyle

Hi Kimber,
Susan Boyle and others were discussed sometime ago. Check out this thread and I'll merge this with that thread. :)

 

[Kimber]

sorry Vulcan,, I ran on search Susan Boyle on music forum and the entire forum but nothing came up. I am sure it was my
user skills which are faulty. thanks!

 

[eliansito]

So the idea is that people come along to these shows "off the street" as it were, they are not selected in any way. I can accept that *maybe* Potts was a genuine find, i.e. that he just walked in off the street, that maybe none of the shows researchers knew he could sing beforehand. But after the success of Potts (including the increase in ratings for the X factor show) it is hard to believe that this latest woman just walked in to the "Britain's got talent" show. Chances are she was actively sought and chosen by researchers as a female "version" of Potts.

I just feel really manipulated when I am asked to go along with the herd and get all emotional, or even join the presenters in shedding a few tears, about this "poor" woman who is at first derided by the audience because she says she wants to be like Elaine Paige when her physical appearance does not fit the bill, but who is then lauded and cried over because she has a good voice. That's pretty sick. These shows are pretty sick. The whole point of them is for people to laugh at other people because of their physical appearance and the "fact" that they are not "beautiful" enough to be credible singers. Then when one particularly "plain" and unlikely individual just happens to turn up and show they can sing, everyone gets teary eyed for some strange reason and the show's producers get an extra '0' on the end of their pay checks.

Yes totally, regardless of the genuinity of the individuals depicted, the whole stage is a manipulation on a big scale.

It is the same strategy yet perfected as those series and telenovelas, living the life of someone else, identidying ourselves with them and living through their emotions daily, narcotically scaping the reality around us. Drunk with emotions, someone elses emotions.

I read sometime ago that the 3 XXX might have something to do to (rik clay), in the sense of being a trigger or a link to emotions. X X X being the symbol of porn, another fantastic tool for steering energies and emotions.

The trinity, the judges, the crowd it all makes me sick, the hopes of the contestants, their tears and delusions, the fun the ridicule, the money, the massess, the stadiums...always looking for the one last twist to get more emotion ultimate reality shows with one goal only, control.

I stay away from those performances too however incredible they might be.

R

 

[Kimber]

Hi there eliansito,
I agree with Perceval's post also, very much so. As I had posted I will not have a TV in my home. As for the reality TV shows they are indeed the worst sort of manipulation and I find that people do identify on a personal level with said programs, which is sad.

I would not be surprised at all if Susan was not "sought and chosen by researchers as a female version of Potts." (Percival) And if so she is also manipulated. She is very gifted. Did you watch what was available on her via tube or any other site? I did and came to the conclusion that she is sincere and naive', very naive'. I wish her luck because the music business is a nasty one that tends to chew people up and spit them out. Now I will not name all the performers that were used up, not a dime to show for their gift and conveniently die. You state the whole performance makes you sick- I agree -the judges, an audience that performs like a mechanical clapping monkey, by my god the (person's) contestants; their tears, hopes and even delusions are Sick?? You cant really mean that or do you? I'm not stating that pity is is in the order of things here but empathy.

I am willing to even think that I might be the one who is 'played' here, that she has placed herself somewhere in the pecking order consciously but based upon what I have gathered so far, I do not think this is the case. I would like to amend my prior posting; I do not wish her luck, I wish to Susan Boyle Awareness.

Edit - Paragraphs

 

[eliansito]

Yes, totally, I don't mean this individuals make me sick. The whole selection process is designed to find those individuals, why?
Because they are the ones the public is asking for. Why? because they provide the highlights of the program, the biggest amount of emotional charge and discharge and last but not least, the big money.

As for them personally, it is good for them as long as they, as you say, should become aware of how they are being used the sooner the better

It is more likely to happen after they make it, although then it can be the hard way. For most is yes and incredible experience, for most in a delusional way.

In one of the spanish versions of the show, in those early editions where 2 or 3 participants made it, as time goes by, and the media follows up on their stories after the boom, some still continue their musical career, some fall in a downward spiral of fame, scandal and degradation and some just vanish, they show must go on...

R