Never Judge A Book By It's Cover....

[Canuikstan]

Personally, i think everyone is making a much larger deal about this then is warranted.

Seriously.. it's AMAZING that this woman can sing because she isn't attractive? So only pretty people can sing? Last time i checked vocal chords, lungs and tongues were all internal organs that aren't visible and are the three major requirements for singing.

Eyebrows, Hairstyles, and some extra cushion don't really come into play.
You don't see people saying how amazing Keith Richards is at singing, and look at him. Of course, dumpy frumpy balding men have been an acceptable stage presence for decades.. look at Pavarotti.

[Sarah Magdalene]

Personally, i think everyone is making a much larger deal about this then is warranted.

Seriously.. it's AMAZING that this woman can sing because she isn't attractive? So only pretty people can sing? Last time i checked vocal chords, lungs and tongues were all internal organs that aren't visible and are the three major requirements for singing.

Eyebrows, Hairstyles, and some extra cushion don't really come into play.
You don't see people saying how amazing Keith Richards is at singing, and look at him. Of course, dumpy frumpy balding men have been an acceptable stage presence for decades.. look at Pavarotti.

Exactly my thinking on the subject. After I had been accepted into a opera company in my area, I saw that beautiful singers come in many different varieties. Wide, skinny, tall, short, young, old, etc.

[hobie16]

When all is said and done Ms. Boyle will have the last laugh.

[Syndrome]

Her attractiveness or lack thereof doesn't come into play at all for me. I'd think her voice was amazing even if I heard it without ever seeing what she looks like.

[drcorey]

How about, never judge a crook by his brother?

[DisneyMom]

Personally, i think everyone is making a much larger deal about this then is warranted.

Seriously.. it's AMAZING that this woman can sing because she isn't attractive? So only pretty people can sing? Last time i checked vocal chords, lungs and tongues were all internal organs that aren't visible and are the three major requirements for singing.

Eyebrows, Hairstyles, and some extra cushion don't really come into play.
You don't see people saying how amazing Keith Richards is at singing, and look at him. Of course, dumpy frumpy balding men have been an acceptable stage presence for decades.. look at Pavarotti.

Absolutely True, but every once in a while it is a pleasure to say HA! to the doubters.... :D:

[BRWombat]

In an ideal world, we would always assume the best out of everybody, but the world's not ideal and we make assumptions based on appearances (which, btw, is a very useful tool is social settings, so long as you don't put too much stock in your assumptions or cling to them irrationally).

To me, though, it wasn't the appearance as much as the demeanor. Ms. Boyle had zero stage presence and, frankly, not a very dynamic personality, so it was an easy assumption that she didn't have much performing experience. But it was a 180-degree turnaround when she begin to sing. And it wasn't just the quality of her voice -- she performed the heck out of the song.

Contrast her with the zillions of bubble-headed idiots who get air time in the early weeks of American Idol, who have "looks," decent stage presence and charisma -- and zero talent. I'll take Susan Boyle over them any day.

[KidAtHeart]

Personally, i think everyone is making a much larger deal about this then is warranted.

Seriously.. it's AMAZING that this woman can sing because she isn't attractive? So only pretty people can sing? Last time i checked vocal chords, lungs and tongues were all internal organs that aren't visible and are the three major requirements for singing.

Eyebrows, Hairstyles, and some extra cushion don't really come into play.
You don't see people saying how amazing Keith Richards is at singing, and look at him. Of course, dumpy frumpy balding men have been an acceptable stage presence for decades.. look at Pavarotti.

I know, for me, what's amazing isn't her ability to sing. What gets me is how -shocked- people were that she is able to. What does it say about society when we are willing to laugh at someone simply because their appearance doesn't mesh with what we expect it to, when we expect the worst because of it. As you said, her appearance has nothing to do with her abilities.

[Rob562]

I don't really watch or pay attention to any of the talent shows on TV (and obviously not ones from the UK), but here's the first performance of the man who would eventually go on to win it all that season, an "average-looking" cell phone salesman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

(And if you're interested in what he can do with the full-length version of "Nessun Dorma":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDa03_EHdJU)

-Rob

[felinefan]

Unfortunately, I'm forced to go online at the library, which has a slow connection and to hear anything I'd need headphones. But I'll take your word for it that the lady may have what they used to call "a great face for radio", but an angelic voice. Goes to show that whenever the word assume is in play, you need to divide it up into thirds like so: ass/u/me. And people who ass/u/me about what anyone can do based on appearance, etc., well, we all know what that means.