Our beauty-obsessed society often confuses beauty with talent.
On April 11th of this year, a cheeky 47-year-old unemployed, single, cat lady who had cared for her dying mother took the stage on Britain’s Got Talent. Initially greeted by snickering and enough rolling of eyes to turn the building over, Susan Boyle blew away every cynical, judgmental, and painfully shallow audience member and judge when she gave an awe-inspiring and flawless voice to “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables.…
Article comments
76 - Jet
A few though I really wasn't into them, but mine are more Scarecrow and Mrs. King-ish.
In mine a college student is kidnapped and ransomed in order to keep his lover from preventing a renagade Russian colonel from pulling the biggest con ever perpetrated on a mideastern country, in order to refinance the return of communism and prestige to Russia... with him in charge of course.
Problem is, the student escapes and keeps the colonel busy chasing him long enough for the lover's agency to trap the colonel.
So impressed with their coordinated actions, the agency makes the lovers partners with the same agent number.
77 - Baritone
I was an actor for a number of years, but I was a pushover. I threw in the towel far too easily. I have a 30 year old son in Germany attempting to make it in the world of opera. My other son is living in NYC working but also sending out his poetry and short stories; so far without success.
When it comes down to it everything is in its own way hard. The problem with attempting to make it in the arts is that you not only have to be an exemplary writer, singer, actor, painter or whatever, you also must be a great salesperson, in a sense, the product being yourself.
If Susan Boyle turned away from this opportunity for whatever reason, it would likely be the end of any chance she will ever have to put together anything resembling a singing career.
Going through something like these talent contests is hardly an ideal road to success. Nevertheless, there are growing numbers of performers who are building careers due at least in part to their exposure on one of those programs. It's certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but it obviously works for some.
B
78 - Baritone
Jet,
BTW - I kinda go in and out here so I missed your return. While it may be none of my business - and if so, that's fine - but I was just wondering how you are doing? You obviously survived the knife. I caught one or two of your comments in which you alluded to your various ailments, but I didn't get a sense from them of how it's going for you.
B
79 - Jet
Jan 23 Triple bypass surgery
Mar 4 Lung infection requiring 900ccs of fluid to be drained from around my left lung.
4 days later a missed blood vessel that was nicked in the draining operation, exploded and bled into my chest and I was rushed unconscious to the emergency room. I died twice there and had to be given CPR. I lost 1 1/2 my normal volume of blood, and they had to do an emergency thoracotomy (sic)-cut me open from left nipple to between my shoulder blades to drain blood that was going into chest instead of circulatory system and brain.
Recovered late March, four days later taken nearly unconscious again, back to hospital with hemoglobin of less than 6.0-I had a double ulcer bleeding into my stomach.
April first, Workman's comp hearing to take away my benefits/checks because heart wasn't part of original injury-I won the case.
I was just informed they're appealing. Workman's comp won't send out check till after appeal sometime next month, which means no money for rent and car payment next month... but they'll send me a make-up check later-if I win again.
...now why would I have an ulcer?
All this can be found in my diary blog by following the links at my URL.
By the way, thanks for asking, with apologies to Diana (sorry but they keep asking)
80 - Jet
Since it got buried way down in the comments list, I want to repeat my apology to Diana for seemingly hijacking her article.
It wasn't intentional...
81 - Baritone
Jet,
Well, I guess I won't go into any detail in telling you about my having torn my rotator cuff in a fall. It would seem that, if you didn't have bad luck, you wouldn't have any at all.
Sounds to me like you've had a cluster fuck of misfortune. I am truly sorry. No one should have to endure all that. I hope you can recover to some level of normalcy.
The workman's comp deal just goes to illustrate first: the ills of our current health system, and second: how no matter how bad things can be for someone, there's always somebody out there waiting in the wings to throw salt in the wounds.
Somehow, I don't think Diana will mind too much. This puppy's about ready to disappear anyhow. In any case it got pretty good play. Most of the stuff I've had published on the Cultural page rarely gets noticed at all. She can thank us politicos for much of the commentary on this thread.
Again, I hope your situation improves. Take care.
B
82 - Jet
I feel your pain Baritone, and backatcha :)
83 - Jet
Speaking of immorality and Susan Boyle (just to veer back onto subject) this from New York Daily News!!!
Lord help us... and her
84 - Baritone
That's a part of the down side I've mentioned above. Such an offer has nothing to do with Boyle. If they would offer her a million, they figure to make 50 times that. It would be a one and done affair in any event. The assholes would be counting their money as they kick Boyle back to Scotland. It's great of course that this offer came from the good old US of A. We have more than our share of butt wipes.
B
85 - Jeannie Danna
I can really relate to your article here on BC! Trying to ignore the sub-conversation of the other comments made, I would like to relate a personal experience if I may; my daughter saw me sitting in front of the computer around two months ago and was totally shocked! Not only was I web surfing at the ripe age of fifty-two but I was on my own Face book page. "That's for young people she exclaimed!." Really? This life belongs to all of us so hats off to Susan Boyle! It is not advancing an agenda to realize your dreams.