I wasn't sure that I would post anything about the whole Susan Boyle phenomenon. I mean, I haven't posted in eons and why should that be the thing to inspire me to break my silence?
I first saw about this story on one of the local news programs. The dowdy little woman with Martin Scorcese eyebrows belting out a difficult song with gusto and style. I watched the youtube clip and saw the look of shock and awe on the judges' faces, the standing ovations, the teary-eyed audience members. And I was moved too.
But why was I moved? Why was the audience? Because we can't imagine that unattractive people can do anything well. And really that's what it all boils down to: we have come so brainwashed into thinking that only people with perfect bodies and perfect hair and perfect faces can do anything worthwhile and the unattractive are just there to be laughed at.
5 comments:
I dunno if that's really fair. She didn't exactly have a soothing or melodious speaking voice, either. She wasn't... what's the word... ingratiating? She didn't come off as deeply wanting or needing you to like her, whether through her appearance or through her demeanour. It's not because she's unattractive - that is, it's not ONLY because she's unattractive, but also because she wasn't trying really hard to be, like most American Idol contestants. The contrast made us pay closer attention to the performance as a whole, and under that scrutiny it showed up extra well. The appropriate choice of music helped, too!
I second that, Tom. There have been some pretty weird/unattractive winners or runners-up to these sort of things, but most of them didn't come across as so odd. Okay, maybe Clay Aiken. But he had youth on his side. There was that really fat black dude in one of the first American Idols who won (Reuben?). But he had an endearing personality so it wasn't so strange for him to get so far.
This lady was like the crazy lady who lives on the edge of town with a hundred cats. You just don't expect that kind of lady to bring down the house.
But Clay Atkins and Reuben were both polished. They weren't conventionally good looking, but were well put together. Being put together can compensate for usual features (just ask Sarah Jessica Parker!).
Susan Boyle LOOKED like one of those people who's going to go out there and make a total fool of herself a la William Hung. She has no sense of fashion, she's awkward, and her attempted humour was misplaced and bizzare. That's what the judges seem to be thinking as they're talking to her; that's what the audience is thinking as they're watching her.
Exactly! Not polished looks like not trying, and not trying lowers expectations. I think we're all on the same page, here, except Keira and I don't feel bad about it. If she'd come out there with the dress and attitude of a diva, we'd have expected the same as of anyone else - even though she's 'ugly'.
Mind, I've heard rumblings the whole thing was a set-up anyway.
It seemed a little fake, yes. Like, two seconds in and suddenly everyone was basically weeping and giving her a standing ovation . . . geez! She was good, but not THAT good.
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