tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post2215639805449807151..comments2024-03-18T04:36:26.547-04:00Comments on Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress: Thoughts about Susan BoylePaul Levinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07609987407926836519noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-70070827063719633342009-04-19T11:39:00.000-04:002009-04-19T11:39:00.000-04:00Paul: it was a wonderful fairy-tale performance. ...Paul: it was a wonderful fairy-tale performance. another glaring example that "judging a book by its cover" will blind us to some beautiful realities.<br /><br />it wasn't too long ago that an overweight, dentally challenged, shy cellphone salesman by the name of Paul Potts walked onstage and announced to Simon Cowell & Co. that he wanted to sing opera. Paul could be Susan Boyle's musical brother ....<br /><br />take a listen on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NAjameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623726119900092665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-2576266321916751862009-04-19T06:06:00.000-04:002009-04-19T06:06:00.000-04:00Anon is right.
Susan Boyle is Head Baltar.Anon is right.<br /><br />Susan Boyle is Head Baltar.Kevinhttp://texturbation.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-46696569940071031072009-04-18T21:27:00.000-04:002009-04-18T21:27:00.000-04:00There is a lot of chatter going on analyzing why S...There is a lot of chatter going on analyzing why Susan is such a phenomenon. Don’t they know angels walk amongst us? True, such are rarely revealed on such a huge stage. I prefer it a lesson on how the Lord sees His children. Imperfect but for the unmistakable stamp He has place on each one. With that special gift we are made complete. I’ve watched that video at least one million times of the 50 million, and counting. Susan is perfect, and she is an angel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-31897348620941704662009-04-18T13:02:00.000-04:002009-04-18T13:02:00.000-04:00Good points, all - Adele about the perfect choice ...Good points, all - Adele about the perfect choice of song, Chuck about her being a working class hero (especially significant in the UK), and Kevin about the masterful editing.<br /><br />Of course, the question with editing always is: does the editing bring out the truth that's already there, or does it point us in a different direction. The vid feels to me as if it's sharpening sharpening reality not creating illusion, but that's exactly what it's supposed to do, too... (I'm talking about the reaction shots here, as was Kevin, not Susan Boyle's talent.)Paul Levinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07609987407926836519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-16734846502683329722009-04-18T12:00:00.000-04:002009-04-18T12:00:00.000-04:00The girl can sing, no doubt.
But to mind the real...The girl can sing, no doubt.<br /><br />But to mind the real heroes here were the BGT editors. Masterfully cut.<br /><br />I suspect that the many people who welled up owe the editors an equal amounts of blame.Kevinhttp://texturbation.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-6159948378587732532009-04-18T11:31:00.000-04:002009-04-18T11:31:00.000-04:00Dear Paul: Agree with all you said. A few addition...Dear Paul: Agree with all you said. A few additional observations. I think that the appearance variable has a dimension that goes beyond the matter of attractiveness. There was a subtle (well, for Brits, maybe NOT so subtle!) class variable in there, as well. Scotland, the dowdy look, the accent, the mannerisms of the "working class", the dress... Read More, the thumbs-up to off-stage to start the recording: it had everyone ready for Susan to be the "pretender" from the "working class" that had delusions of grandeur.<br /><br />Except. That she WAS grand. And not just her voice (we all know that). Her grandeur was in her cheery palaver with the judges, her willingness to "take the Mickey" as the Brits have it, her ability to ignore the ironic wolf-whistles and pervasive pre-judgment in the audience. And not. be. annnoyed. Grace under fire: she had it in boatloads. <br /><br />And I want to imagine that it was even a bit contagious: note when she strides--no: MARCHES--off the stage upon completion the judge named Amanda, wide-eyed that anyone would just LEAVE after such a peformance, sits forward with a very working-class "Oi!" (for readers not familiar, kind of a "hey, what are you doing?" expression). Piers gulping back emotion as he watched, Simon hardly knowing what to do with himself; the crowd spontaneously rising to their feet: it wasn't about her voice. And it wasn't merely about collectively recognizing and repudiating the stereotyping cynicism which had them sneering at her a moment earlier: it was, I think, about her utter lack of prideful triumph. WHY did she walk off that stage without a blink? Because she's stupid? Hell no. Because she doesn't understand the rituals of live performance? Again, no. Was she distracted by what she had just experienced. In part, yes. But above all, she had done what she had come to do. She had no presumptions of acclaim or pretense, and was probably distracted by what she had just experienced. No hubris=a real hero.Chuck Gannonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2289595359432630118.post-71437790474722672622009-04-18T07:14:00.000-04:002009-04-18T07:14:00.000-04:00I couldn't agree more. I've gone to the YouTube si...I couldn't agree more. I've gone to the YouTube site more than once and listened to Susan sing. Not once have I watched it where I didn't tear up just a little. She is a true inspiration to follow your dreams no matter your station in life. She couldn't have picked a more fitting song to sing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17765458764192796911noreply@blogger.com