Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Tuesday, April 14. 2009

Who is Susan Boyle?

Maybe the Brits aren't dead yet. From the Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover Department: Susan sings.


One unkind question though: Why do Brit women in their 40s tend to look like Monty Python guys in drag?

Posted by Bird Dog in Music at 10:41 | Comments (20) | Trackbacks (0)

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Tut-tut, Bird Dog. The lady is her own natural self. We're too used to seeing American young women who have been nipped, tucked, botoxed and lifted to death. Sure, the lady could maybe get a chin lift, if she finds enough money to do it. But mostly, she's just a natural charmer with a great voice and an ingratiating style. More power to her. I hope she makes it in the dangerous world of public entertainment.

Marianne
#1 Marianne Matthews on 2009-04-14 11:09 (Reply)
So right Marianne! She's just wonderful. What constitutes beauty for Stevie Wonder? How did Ray Charles see it? This isn't meant to be judgemental at all, but simply a comment that what we heard cannot be diminished or altered by mere looks. She is inspiring when little else is.
#1.1 Thalpy on 2009-04-14 13:57 (Reply)
I know my question was superficial and obnoxious. Still, I did wonder...
#2 Bird Dog on 2009-04-14 11:22 (Reply)
I agree, American women have taken vanity/beauty to the point of absurdity. I once asked a co-worker," Jennifer if you had 50k to spend on cosmetic surgery what would you have done?" Thinking she would say her boobs, her answer was,"Everything."
#3 ron on 2009-04-14 11:35 (Reply)
Dear BD. You asked the question my beloved asks several times a week--why are the Brits (not all) so -----?
#4 apple pie on 2009-04-14 11:51 (Reply)
"Why do Brit women in their 40s tend to look like Monty Python guys in drag?"

Because Monty Python modeled their guys in drag after Brit women in their 40s, and they did a good job of it.
#5 terrence on 2009-04-14 13:26 (Reply)
Totally refreshing.......I did watch it 3 times, Simon could use a slap, but we don't smack women!
#6 bartdp on 2009-04-14 14:02 (Reply)
Well done, another Paul Potts!

For reference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DelJrP3P7tA
#7 Jim on 2009-04-14 14:59 (Reply)
Look up pictures of the Picts!
#8 apple pie on 2009-04-14 16:54 (Reply)
"Why do Brit women in their 40s tend to look like Monty Python guys in drag?"

They sent all the good looking people off to settle the colonies.
#9 Jim on 2009-04-14 18:21 (Reply)
I never judge a book by it's cover. I never ever judge another human being by what they look like, what they wear, or what color there skin is. Bully for Susan Boyle.
#10 jappy on 2009-04-14 18:45 (Reply)
Unlike the judges who made no pretense at hiding the fact they'd judged Susan Boyle by her looks before she even opened her mouth. What a total lack of class those judges displayed.
`
#10.1 Meta on 2009-04-14 20:51 (Reply)
Agreed. But they admitted to it later, I think.
#10.1.1 Luther McLeod on 2009-04-14 21:06 (Reply)
To what? Being pluperfect prigs. You'd think they'd have learned they don't sit in judgement of anything but voice. Paul Potts proved that, and it seems they didn't learn their lesson then as they were even more condescending with him. It was so embarrassing I just cringed. What gods they feel themselves.
`
#10.1.1.1 Meta on 2009-04-14 21:31 (Reply)
Agreed to being small minded self serving idiots I think. I don't keep up on the latest... so Paul Potts I'll have to go look at. Hard not to feel as a god when someone is paying you millions a year to act as such. No excuse of course. Though really... Paul Potts... so close to Pol Pot I wonder how he picked the stage name.
#10.1.1.1.1 Luther McLeod on 2009-04-14 21:51 (Reply)
Her voice is unique and is an object lesson in how rare true genius is. It's amazing she's been so long neglected.

The most interesting thing to my mind--after I got over the sheer shock--was how the audience recognized her genius immediately. They didn't have to think about it, they knew it from the first note.

Genius is like pornography, I guess: you can't define it, but you know it when you see/hear it.

And it's much more rare than we realize.
#11 ahem on 2009-04-14 22:54 (Reply)
Woops--I am ashamed of myself. My cynicism has grown so much in the past few years--it seems sometimes to overcome the truly beautiful in this life. One of the great things about Maggie's Farm is that along with the dark, the politic, there are reminders of truly beautiful. I feel badly that my first act was to respond to the reference about the appearance of certain UK tribes people. My cynicism was out of place. I have watched the video several times and it reminds me of what hope was; what our people used to be and believe in--the success of good.
#12 apple pie on 2009-04-15 00:14 (Reply)
It's funny that you posted this. My wife showed me this performance earlier this evening unrelated to MF.

Actually, if you watched the faces of the audience, you would see dread, fear and bewilderment on their faces. No one really knew what was going to happen.

But the audience quickly put their misgivings aside and embraced her.

Yes, the judges were smug and self-righteous. After all, one of them is Simon.

The bottom lines is I was impressed that she had the self confidence to perform, knowing that the judges and much of the audience clearly did not embrace her at first. When she finished she immediately began to walk off the stage, which says to me she really did not know how good her voice really was.
#13 Barrett on 2009-04-15 00:31 (Reply)
I absolutely adore this whole Susan mania, but I must defend Simon.
I am no groupie, but I thoroughly enjoy his candor.
Simon is honest and Simon doesn't mince words. Is it cruel to tell people who are truly awful that they are awful or is it honest when it's in a competition where you're asking to be judged? He is lavish with praise when he feels it is due.
And his face while this woman is singing is priceless, because he's clearly so very, very happy.
So chalk another up to this amazing, extraordinary ordinary woman. She got the jaded, cynical Cowell mask to slip and he didn't even care.
#13.1 Alex on 2009-04-15 23:21 (Reply)
Call me a sook if you want to but this video made me cry...
#14 Jean Anderson on 2009-04-19 03:33 (Reply)

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