Another non political post - but I suppose everyone who watches TV is now aware of the triumph of Scotland's Susan Boyle in the 'Britain's got talent' show last week. I didn't watch the show (and no I'm not just saying that for snobby effect) but once her success was reported on, I watched the clip on 'You Tube'.
Neither the show nor her choice of material is really my cup of tea, but it was hard to avoid a glow of delight to see a middle aged woman who, by her own admission is no oil painting and dresses in a somewhat frumpy manner, wipe that cynical leer off the face of Simon Cowell by suddenly turning from ugly duckling to swan as soon as she opened her mouth.
By any bookies odds she must have looked a non starter, a middle aged, rather plain, spinster from a Scottish village who lived alone except for her cat, suddenly producing such a wonderful singing voice. It was gratifying to see the ever supercilious Cowell reduced to embarrassed confusion, along with Piers Morgan and for the audience to react in the way that they did, suddenly realising that there was real talent up there on the stage.
Ms Boyle herself was a breath of fresh air. She must have been aware that her age and appearance was making her the subject of cruel cynical sneers and laughter before she opened her mouth. It was a real triumph of the human spirit to overcome that in front of such a large audience - most people would have been riddled with nerves in any case - and to produce the performance she did.
AS she said afterwards 'I wasn't bothered about my hair do and my frock - after all its not a beauty contest is it?" No it shouldn't be but in an entertainment business which lauds the superficial and cosmetic over real talent, Susan Boyle has raised a standard for those who have to rely on natural talent and not the art of the cosmetician.
I don't know how far she will go in her belatedly discovered show biz career but she has my warmest wishes for success.
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