John Doyle in the Globe and Mail today cynically and sardonically asks “Have we been expertly manipulated” over the Susan Boyle phenomenal performance in “Britain’s Got Talent.” The You Tube video of Boyle's performance has had over 34 million hits since she sang on April 16, 2009. Doyle says that is more people than watched the televised Academy Awards this year.
According to Doyle viewing this video is a “heartwarming experience” and we seem somehow “vindicated” when we view it. What is wrong according to Doyle, the Susan Boyle event reveals “our collective hypocrisy about realty TV, beauty and talent.” He rightly says “If American Idol…actually featured a lot of people who looked like Boyle, then hardly anybody would watch.”
He notes “The attention given to Boyle is the exception that proves the rule – we are relentlessly superficial. It isn’t the fault of television. It’s a collective weakness, as we get the popular culture we deserve.” He laments that Boyle may be the vanguard for the next phase of reality TV lead by “middle- aged ordinary looking people.” The Jerry Springer Talent Show on television perhaps? Would that surprise anyone? I don’t think so.
What is happening on a world-wide scale given this catalytic moment in what was supposed to be merely entertainment? Doyle posits that the Boyle phenomenon is quite possibly being “foisted upon us.”e laments that Boyle may be a vangH He suggests that “… we’re not facing up to the collective hypocrisy that Boyle reveals to us. We are congratulating ourselves for cheering her on…” He challenges us to consider if we are “deluding ourselves about our honesty and fairness.”
Well I think Doyle is very right but not entirely right. The main stream media hype on the Boyle story is superficial and perhaps we are being hypocritical. But the internet participants who initially found the Boyle story from friends on Facebook, Twitter and were encouraging others to go to YouTube to see the phenomenon was not superficial, nor hypocritical. It was community based, heartfelt and human – no hype and hubris from the media machine that followed.
Boyle is a Cinderella story in real life and has been accessed and enjoyed “virtually” around the globe. It was another collective triumph of the power and influence of the internet as a creator of connected human community. That video link invited us to enjoy but also to revisit and reflect on our humanity, our sense of decency and our respect for people.
I know it made me reconsider an ill-considered recent blog post that I subsequently deleted because while it attempted political satire, it could be easily construed as cruel. That cruelty was pointed out by some anonymous comments that I in fact posted. Upon reflection I came to the realization of how easy it was to unfairly prejudge Susan Boyle. I deleted the post.
Hi Ken - interesting piece! I am not sure about the "collective hypocrisy" Doyle accuses us of but I think we all saw an underdog turn the tables on what the uber-beautifull and connected thought would be good fun....cheap baiting of an "ordinary" person that was 'out-of-their depth' (dowdy looking person - quietly eating a sandwhich during auditions - "never been kissed" - getting 'set up' by the the panel of judges and ‘Ant’ and ‘Dec’, the two presenters, etc)
ReplyDeleteWhenever the underdog triumphs, without even realising it, our humanity and sense of decency gets buoyed once again. The Internet accelerated that reaction.
Frank
Yoda..yoda..wherefore art thou Yoda?
ReplyDeleteThe Susan Boyle clip is a novel, a movie and a lesson in 7 minutes. It is a real life moral fable akin to the bedtime story that parents have told to their children for eons and I believe this is the collective cultural entry point by which this piece of culture has entered the collective human conscience created by the internet.
ReplyDeleteBut I have also noticed something else. Because Susan was created by "us", I also see an interesting possesiveness over her. I see numerous comments on Youtube urging her not to appear on Oprah or CNN or Good Morning America. To not give into the mainstream media and all their exploitive and superficial vapidness.
I see comments mocking the mainstream media for silly interviews and frankly stupid questions that they ask Susan and I see comments cheering her for her short, smiling but ultimately dismissive answers to these moronic enquries that ultimately allows the viewer to gain true insight into strength and depth of character.
And while digital youth have long dismissed the mainstream media as ancient and irrelevant, I think the rest of the planet is now realizing this more and more too as they see a sweet middle aged lady engage the global digital village as politely, warmly and effortlessly as she would engage anyone in her own village of Blackburn, Scotland.
And I cannot help but detect fear in the faces of the talking heads who see their own doom in the face of this innocent lady.
Kevin
As "plain" as this women is, I cant help but laugh over all the attention. Her voice comes from her vocal chords, not her face. It is clearly a marketing set up. You cannot buy this kind of word of mouth promotion. I predict a long career of voice over work here. She is a good singer, but not great. Tick Tock...the 15 minutes are almost up.
ReplyDeleteBloody hell!! From today's Journal:
ReplyDelete"No surprise here: Susan Boyle movie may be in the works - Demi Moore reportedly wants the role of woman who became overnight sensation"