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How Susan Boyle's Rival Won Me Over
It was like hearing a young Michael Jackson, with a dash of Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson.
And, as with Susan, it was all so very British.
We don’t do conventional-looking singing stars where I come from.They’re all a bit “unlikely,” and I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Not for us the size 0, perfect-teethed, poster boys and girls—the Britneys, Mileys, Justins, and so on.
Brits have always been prone to the more unconventional look. From rubber-lipped Mick Jagger and his ludicrously large head, to big-nosed Rod Stewart, bespectacled Elton John, and the aforementioned Amy and her giant beehive, our rockers and pop icons usually defy the normal laws of show-business aesthetics.
And when it comes to our talent shows, the “unlikely” factor is even more emphatic.
First we had Paul Potts, the chubby opera singer with the wonky teeth, dodgy suit, and voice like Pavarotti.
Then came Susan Boyle, the lassie from the Scottish village, who by her own admission may not win any beauty pageants, but whose soul and spirit have touched the planet.
And now we have Shaheen, who looks like any other normal, unexceptional schoolboy, but whose raw talent is quite extraordinary.
The common theme between them is that they have all become YouTube stars, with their short, often grainy, audition clips being seen everywhere from Poland to Dubai, Shanghai to Melbourne, Kansas to Paris.
And collectively they are showing the world that Britain really has got talent, we just don’t do it like anyone else.
So eat your hearts out, all you beautiful Hollywood people, because the “unlikely” Brits are on the rampage.
Piers Morgan worked as a gossip columnist for the Sun before going on to edit the News of the World and then the Daily Mirror, where he stayed until 2004 when he was sacked following his decision to publish photos of British soldiers apparently abusing Iraqi prisoners of war. Since then, he shot to fame as a judge on the top-rated show America's Got Talent and was the first winner of Celebrity Apprentice. His new book, God Bless America: Misadventures of a Big Mouth Brit has just been published. You can find more on Piers Morgan and Susan Boyle at Piers’ Web site: www.officialpiersmorgan.com.
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Nicole LaPorte is a West Coast reporter for The Daily Beast. A former film reporter for Variety, she has also written for The New Yorker, the Los Angeles Times Magazine, The New York Times, The New York Observer, and W.
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Michael Moore is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker and author. He directed and produced Roger & Me, Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, and Sicko. He has also written seven books, most recently, Mike’s Election Guide 2008.
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Piers Morgan worked as a gossip columnist for the Sun before going on to edit the News of the World and then the Daily Mirror, where he stayed until 2004 when he was sacked following his decision to publish photos of British soldiers apparently abusing Iraqi prisoners of war. Since then, he shot to fame as a judge on the top-rated show America's Got Talent and was the first winner of Celebrity Apprentice. His new book, God Bless America: Misadventures of a Big Mouth Brit has just been published.
Susan Boyle Is Crying–and My Heart Bleeds
Piers Morgan worked as a gossip columnist for the Sun before going on to edit the News of the World and then the Daily Mirror, where he stayed until 2004 when he was sacked following his decision to publish photos of British soldiers apparently abusing Iraqi prisoners of war. Since then, he shot to fame as a judge on the top-rated show America's Got Talent and was the first winner of Celebrity Apprentice. His new book, God Bless America: Misadventures of a Big Mouth Brit has just been published.
How Susan Boyle Won My Heart
Piers Morgan worked as a gossip columnist for the Sun before going on to edit the News of the World and then the Daily Mirror, where he stayed until 2004 when he was sacked following his decision to publish photos of British soldiers apparently abusing Iraqi prisoners of war. Since then, he shot to fame as a judge on the top-rated show America's Got Talent and was the first winner of Celebrity Apprentice. His new book, God Bless America: Misadventures of a Big Mouth Brit has just been published.
january13a
Piers,
He was very cute and very good, in a young Michael Jackson sort of way, but compared to Susan Boyle, especially the latest song released from her, from that charity event long ago.... no comparison in my book. She's just unbelievable and he's just very good.
writerblock
Piers: If you are looking for an explanation as why all the comments to your column are supporting Susan Boyle over her youthful rival may I suggest you read Tina Brown's post on April 20 regarding "invisible women"? Tina hit the nail on the head in this piece and you would be wise to consider its wisdom when evaluating the relative talents of Susan and that kid, at least if you are questioning the viability of their commercial appeal. Every woman (Hillary supporters and nonsupporters alike) I know will be cheering on Susan to win the competition for the reasons stated in Tina's post. The kid has his whole life ahead of him. Susan's has the voice of an angel and it is her turn. Britian does indeed have talent but put your money on Susan. Trust me.
ldcreo
He's not even close to the level of Susan Boyle. He's good, for a kid, but there are no qualifiers on how great she is. Also, I noticed the microphone hiding his mouth almost all of the time. Seems a little odd to me.
gustav
Why do I feel the request by Simon to change the song was more than just a little manipulative and planned.
harlowe
I agree, he's not even close to the level of Susan Boyle. In fact, it's really a dime a dozen as far as singing goes. Most kids forced into the entertainment industry seem to sing just like this.
Boring.
Spasticula
He's a talented kid. I watched his video just one time. Compared to maybe 30 times with Susan Boyle.
The diference is that someone who has a whole life of experience behind her can do more with a song, than a 12 year old who can only have technique. His song is well sung but his performance is just more "souled up" plastic.
tmelnick
This show is about manipulating consumer demand. Any comment on the show by a principle of the show has been calculated to feed demand. If everyone has seen the winner on YouTube, why tune in to the actual show. Trump up a competition, and the viewers flock around. My concern is why The Daily Beast participates in this charade.
johnjohnson68510
I didn't hear the heart in the kid like I heard in the woman. Is it even close? I think this my be drummed up, and the Beast is feeding.
LovelyVelocity
As talented as he Shaheen is, isn't discovering a young talent more expected than discovered an older one? On the expectations front (low to none), and on the emotive / resonance spectrum (high to off the charts), Susan Boyle's my pick.
jong345
Yeah, I think this kid was okay.. Not amazing.. I can understand how you're caught up in enthusiasm, Pierce, but we here around the world couldn't really care less about this kid. The audience seems prepped and ready to clap for anything, but with Susan Boyle it felt more real, less prompted, and maybe it just came across much better on television.
Bulldoglover100
No Comparison at all. 2 very different sounds and while one makes me weep the other makes me think of a child singing though I am sure you feel that this "pitting" on the internet will increase your shows numbers.
A Susan Boyle comes along once in a lifetime while I know of many good child singers. Sorry.
ardeth
I have a theory that the backstory of a contestant has a lot to do with whether he/she wins or loses, and Susan Boyle has a great one (mentally slightly slow due to oxygen deprivation at birth, a middle-aged, unattractive virgin with a cat who took care of her mother until she died). Talented as he is, the kid Shaheen is too young to have much of a backstory, so the audience tends to support Susan, especially the vicarious livers, i.e., middle-aged females who maybe haven't succeeded in life to the extent they anticipated. Same thing for American Idol. Danny Gokey lost his wife to heart disease, Lil Rounds is the working poor with a litter of kids, etc. These people may be talented enough to win without the sympathy vote, but compelling backstory definitely helps.
joymars
I watched it twice and I couldn't tell if it was NOT a lip-sinc. There are MANY cameras on that show, able to shoot from many different angles, but when that kid was singing the only camera that was selected was the one that was straight in front, allowing the microphone to completely obscure his mouth.
That program is heavily edited post-show and then broadcast weeks later, so the decision to go with only that camera was a calculated post-show production decision.
I wonder why?...
As an American, I have not been familiar with this show, but from what I can gather so far, it is HIGHLY manipulated.
ventnornj
I completely agree about the high degree of manipulation. The shows are edited very cleverly, but very heavily. On another site someone said that this is the beginning of seven-minute movies on YouTube by independents. I agree. What you're seeing with Susan Boyle (and I do love her, nonetheless), is a very sophisticated packaged production, with every second closely choreographed after the fact in the editing room.
Spasticula
Yes, I preferred TV when they used editing and production tricks in tried and true ways, ...to bore me!
harumph!
kirkles
Wait! Average looking people can be talented, too? That's Crazy!
AgathaX
Ditto. No comparison. He's a cute talented kid, who did a remarkable job of going on to perform after having been stopped by Simon early in his initial number. And there is nothing wrong with that. He has everything to be proud of. He's just not Susan. He hasn't spent 48 years practicing with an instrument that is made of pure gold.
The problem is that Susan was too good and her tour-de-force has sapped the show of its drama. The only drama remaining is whether Susan wins, as she ought, or she doesn't, and the show loses all credibility.
So Piers and company are left trying to salvage the show and keep up the spirits of the remaining contestants. No small task. Moreover they have to keep Susan happy because she's the contract Simon wants when this is over. Even if Shaheen is arguably as good as Susan (this is a hypothetical, hang in there), it doesn't matter. Look at his number of hits on YouTube. Who is going to sell? Look at the number of comments encouraging Susan to get an album out, versus the number encouraging Shaheen to get an album out. There is no comparison.
So, good try Piers. Do what you must. Susan, please put Virginia on your tour. Ideally Hampton Roads, but I'll travel if I must.
GlamGail
While this may not be PC, the fact is that this boy's voice, while talelnted now, is going to crack and change in just a year or two. And how unfair it would be if that were not taken into voting consideration now because no one knows how he will sound after he hits puberty. (I did caution that this wasn't PC). There are only a handful of child singers, actors, entertainers around the world who successfully make the transition from child sensation to adult star. True, Shaheen's talent might hold but his voice might not. It is not going to be as it is now and no one can say if his voice will then be for the better or worse. I say to go with the quality and soul of Susan Boyle rather than a flash in the pan youngster who looks like he fell into a jar of hair gel.
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