Everyone must go to Youtube and type in Susan Boyle--Britain’s Got Talent. Watch Episode 1 from Saturday, April 11th.

Now, after you’ve done that, answer these questions:

Did you think she would sing well?
Why do you think everyone laughed at her?

I was moved by her singing sure, but even more moved by the disturbing realization that if you’re classically unattractive people still expect you to fail, be untalented, and embarrass yourself. The way this story is being marketed (and it looks like it’s going to be a good story--I’m hoping for a movie) you would think she triumphed in proving everyone wrong. But what does it say when “ugly” people (I’m using the term in the way some of the comments on Youtube use it) are triumphant by achieving nothing more than an awareness that they have value?

I feel like I want to write a paper on this.

Frederick Douglas and the “good Negro” comes to mind here. For Susan Boyle she can rise above her “station” as it were, but people will keep talking about her appearance, her age, and her lack of sexual history. She will be a success in spite of those things, but never disconnected from them. I freely admit to wanting to pluck her eyebrows wicked bad, and what does that say about me? When did I become so sensitive to eyebrows?

On the one hand I understand; anytime someone states they are going to sing a song from a musical you have to be careful. Musical numbers are either fantastic or go very, very wrong. But the sheer animosity of that crowd in the Youtube clip; if she had been any less talented or not on her game they would have laughed her off that stage. As it stands, I will be interested to see if people truly love her or if they start to treat her as a really talented circus animal. Maybe that’s my own cynicism sneaking through.

But the hostile crowd is the thing no one talks about right? The judges freely admit to having prejudged her before she sang and are delighted to be proven wrong, but no one seems bothered by the voracity with which they prejudged. The news people are all atwitter that Ms. Boyle made even Simon Cowell smile, but state her age and lack of dating history as if that makes her ability to sing even more impressive. Since when did sexual prowess have anything to do with musical talent? Are we surprised because someone who so obviously has lived a quiet life is now pursuing the spotlight or are we surprised that someone could live such a quiet life and not be ashamed of it? In many ways Susan Boyle represents the limn come into the center. She is everything we’re told not to be, and she is that unapologetically. Funny how the headlines comment on her limnality more than her singing ability--or, actually, use her singing ability as a way to pull her into the fold. She’s old, she’s ugly, and she’s never been kissed, but boy can she sing.

And I’ll say this for Simon Cowell: he’s an ass, but he’s always been a fair ass. He makes fun of everyone, and has always appeared to be impressed by genuine talent. Funny how the asshole, once again, is the most honest among us. Shakespeare’s fool anyone?

So those are my thoughts on Susan Boyle; she is a phenomenal singer and I hope she wins the competition. I at least hope she gets a record deal because that is a woman that loves to sing. In the meantime I look forward to news headlines--let’s see how often they talk about her singing by itself versus how often it’s connected to her appearance.