What if Susan Boyle Couldn't Sing?

Like millions of viewers, I was thrilled and moved when 47-year-old Susan Boyle wowed the judges and audience on Britain's Got Talent with her superb singing. As everyone knows by now, the unmarried, "never been kissed" woman from a small village was greeted by both the audience and the talent show's judges with derision when she first took the stage. Looking matronly in her somewhat frumpy dress and unkempt hair, her appearance initially elicited smug, condescending and even cruel smirks, smiles and chuckles. What could this "un-cool," plain-spoken woman have to offer? What right did she have to share the stage with all those young, pretty, talented people?

Then Susan opened her mouth and sang. And her voice was so powerful, so achingly beautiful, so full of yearning, that even the usually heartless Simon Cowell was blown away. As were the other judges, and the audience, all of whom gave Susan a standing ovation. And now, online and elsewhere, Susan's voice, and the story of her triumph on that stage, are known throughout the world.

There's even news of a record contract, and the odds-makers who track these things believe she's the current favorite to win the competition. More tellingly, everyone is talking and blogging about her "inner beauty," and how Susan reminds us that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, etc.

I'm happy for her. She appears to be a solid, decent person for whom, God knows, some good luck is long overdue.

But I can't help wondering, what would have been the reaction if Susan Boyle couldn't sing?

What would the judges and the audience have thought, and said, had her voice been a creaky rasp, or an out-of-tune shriek? Would she still possess that "inner beauty?" Would we still acknowledge that the derisive treatment she received before performing was callous, insensitive and cruel?

The unspoken message of this whole episode is that, since Susan Boyle has a wonderful talent, we were wrong to judge her based on her looks and demeanor. Meaning what? That if she couldn't sing so well, we were correct to judge her on that basis? That demeaning someone whose looks don't match our impossible, media-reinforced standards of beauty is perfectly okay, unless some mitigating circumstance makes us re-think our opinion?

Personally, I'm gratified that her voice inspires so many, and reminds us of our tendency to judge and criticize based on shallow externals of beauty. What I mean is, I'm glad for her.

But I have no doubt that, had she performed poorly, Simon Cowell would be rolling his eyes still. And the audience would have hooted and booed with the relish of Roman spectators at the Colosseum. And that Susan Boyle's appearance on the show would still be on YouTube, but as an object of derision and ridicule.

So let's not be too quick to congratulate ourselves for taking her so fully to our hearts. We should've done that anyway, as we should all those we encounter who fall outside the standards of youth and beauty as promulgated by fashion magazines, gossip sites, and hit TV shows.

We should've done that anyway, before Susan Boyle sang a single note.

Comments

[DariaC]

02:33 PM on 04/30/2009

She had me before she sang. She was startlingl­y sincere. Most singers have a schtict of some kind. She was so plainspoke­n it didn't occur to me that she might not deliver. For me, I knew that in her heart she would perform her best, and that was enough for me hands down.
When she also said she was from a small town, I expected that her looks would tell me nothing anyway. She look incredibly practical and yet she'd clearly made an effort in my view.

[maxmcgloin]

01:35 PM on 04/19/2009

I don't know what the the big deal is, seems to me compared to a lot of English women she would be a 7. ;)

[oconor]

05:17 AM on 04/19/2009

One more comment, and then I'm off to bed.

"The unspoken message of this whole episode is that, since Susan Boyle has a wonderful talent, we were wrong to judge her based on her looks and demeanor. Meaning what? That if she couldn't sing so well, we were correct to judge her on that basis?"

That is what's called 'false dichotomy' and it is root problem with your article, and the source of its cynicism.

The answer is no. No, we wouldn't be right to judge her on that basis.

[John Martin 1]

12:39 AM on 04/19/2009

Wow, right on!

[MarlaBollak]

11:30 PM on 04/18/2009

Excellent point. I also wonder how much of a phenomenon Susan Boyle would be if she were prettier. Sure, she has a magnificen­t voice. I think, though, that it's the juxtaposit­ion of her looks, way of being, and voice that make her such a compelling character. This, combined with the derision and her fortitude are what bring me to tears, not her singing. This is the stuff that heroic figures are made of.

[LittleChickMotel]

10:04 PM on 04/18/2009

YES!

The audience's treatment of her before vs. after says everything­. The fact that they love her now rings hollow, since they've already shown how two-faced they are.

Their feelings for her would turn on a dime if she ever lost that beautiful voice. I hope she's smart enough to take these new "friends" with a grain of salt.

[sandsprite]

08:12 PM on 04/18/2009

I read through so many posts on Susan Boyle, but your blog was the one that made me stop and actually set up an account so that I could respond.

Well said.....a­nd I believe you are echoing a thought that so many of us share.


It's been quite a while since I've wept like a toddler, but Susan, her extraordin­ary talent, and the world's take on interprett­ing all of that......­well let's just say my box of kleenex are very close by.

Never judge a book by its cover....i­ndeed.


Best of luck to you Susan!!!!

[KatWilder]

01:41 PM on 04/18/2009

Oops, I meant "While" ...

[LovesMusicLikesToSing]

01:38 PM on 04/18/2009

Very nice article, wonderfull­y written. Hopefully, the message won't be lost on the many, many audience members (inside the studio as well as out) who were guilty of ridiculing her when she first took the stage.

[GayleTX]

01:15 PM on 04/18/2009

Amen to that. Would that we could all be a little more respectful of others without thinking about their looks or their abilities or lack thereof but just because they are people much like ourselves. Why do we need a reason to be polite and decent to others? It sometimes seems that it is the young people who are the biggest culprits but, really, we older folks aren't any better -- just look at the political landscape to see proof of that.

[KatWilder]

01:07 PM on 04/18/2009

Well I appreciate the sentiments behind this post — yes, we should question why we're responding the way we are to Ms. Boyle — I have to ask this (which I do on my blog, too,
Kat Wilder's My So-Called Midlife: where is the collective hand-wring­ing when we make assumption­s about beautiful people? Because we do, believing them to be smarter, happier, sexier, etc. than many of them are.

[Mariel]

12:19 PM on 04/18/2009

You might be intrigued by the response of the "Christian­" world to Susan Boyle. In general, they think her song is prophetic. That she represents the despised faithful, who still hope that God will come for them.
Some of them go so far as to say this is God's Swan Song for western civilizati­on, sung by a formerly ridiculed down home girl.

Mariel

[Joy Clines]

12:08 AM on 04/19/2009

I was curious about this comment and was absolutely stunned to find blogs and comments about this topic in many places, including a WordPress blog set up in Susan's name by fundamenta­list American Christians­.

Where do they get these ideas?

[RoadCrossingChicken]

05:29 PM on 04/19/2009

Good grief! That is just nuts. It is as idiotic as people blaming Katrina on people's sin.

[overstatingtheobvious]

11:52 AM on 04/18/2009

Thank you Dennis for your article. Reading other articles, blogs and comments and talking to people about her performanc­e, one get the impression­, the entire world cried, and continues to cry. This is one phenomenon that cannot be neatly tied up in a single blog post/packa­ge, red ribboned and forgotten about. Susan Boyle - and the world's reaction to her - are complex, multifacet­ed phenomena, with extraordin­ary depth. It's not so easy to figure it all out. Like others, I must have watched the clip and listened dozens and dozens of times, asking myself the same question so many people are asking: what is it about her, and her song, that causes me to sob at such a deep level. For me, the lyrics themselves - which I personally had never read prior to hearing her sing - provide some answers.

[PhilipB]

12:59 PM on 04/18/2009

I appreciate­d your thoughtful comment

[littleblackcat]

02:05 PM on 04/18/2009

Especially the last line; "Life has killed the dream I dreamed."

[sunseer]

10:43 AM on 04/18/2009

Thank you, Dennis. Your observatio­ns are on the mark! Maybe this type of insite will cause us all to think better of others the first time we meet them. " Imagine all the People"

[Fergie1]

09:57 AM on 04/18/2009

Thank you Dennis, exactly what I think and feel as well.

I'm delighted for Susan Boyle and wish her every success and happiness. Her magnificie­nt voice combined with emotional expression are an inspiratio­n.

I think the whole pervasive attitude of age, looks, marital status is so insulting to humanity. Get over all of that and enjoy everyone's gift. Mentioning these tags diminish the person and I'm sure that's not the intention. If it is the adulation is shallow.