Alright Britons . . . .

[Rufus T. Firefly]

It's a terrific Cinderella story (or maybe Ugly Duckling, or some other fable). You can't help but hope that she ends up with the world at her feet.

But she's not a great singer -- good yes, more than solidly competent certainly, but not great. In fact, her overuse of vibrato was really irritating.

[MOBIUS]

Who? I vaguely heard her name, but I avoid those shows like the total plague - vacuous moronic 'entertainment' for vacuous moronic people...

Oh look, Sloww watches it and it's not even from his country!

[MOBIUS]

And Zkrib, you worry me...

[Wezil]

Who are the Britons?

[MOBIUS]

They're the Welsh! All others are Germanic or Danish imposters!

[chequita guevara]

It's a terrific Cinderella story (or maybe Ugly Duckling, or some other fable). You can't help but hope that she ends up with the world at her feet.

But she's not a great singer -- good yes, more than solidly competent certainly, but not great. In fact, her overuse of vibrato was really irritating.

No, but she's strong and smart. With a good coach and some real training, maybe she could get great.

[SlowwHand]

You're a little girl, MOBIUS.

[Asher]

It's a terrific Cinderella story (or maybe Ugly Duckling, or some other fable). You can't help but hope that she ends up with the world at her feet.

But she's not a great singer -- good yes, more than solidly competent certainly, but not great. In fact, her overuse of vibrato was really irritating.

I concur. The judges (also producers!) knew what they were doing with their melodramatic reactions.

She's a good singer, but not great. She's the kind of singer I hear all the time if I go see musicals in Toronto or the like. Not a big deal.

She's ****ing hideous though, which for some reason SHOCKS PEOPLE because they seem to think physical appearance is tied to singing ability.

This whole thing is mass manipulation and people are so stupid.

[Wezil]

She's ****ing hideous though, which for some reason SHOCKS PEOPLE because they seem to think physical appearance is tied to singing ability.

This whole thing is mass manipulation and people are so stupid.

I blame MTV for this.

[SlowwHand]

Give her a break. Amy Winehouse comes to find.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

No, but she's strong and smart. With a good coach and some real training, maybe she could get great.

Agreed, absolutely. Hard to know how that would profit a homely 47-year-old, but let's hope she rides this pony as far as she can.

[Zkribbler]

And Zkrib, you worry me...

If Connie Talbot does not send tears running down your cheeks, then you have no heart.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I blame MTV for this.

I don't see why. I'm a big, big fan of the female voice, and most of the music I listen to was recorded between 1930 and 1980 (i.e., B.MTV.). I can't think of a singer in my collection who isn't/wasn't attractive; Edith Piaf and Ella Fitzgerald come closest, and they were both more attractive and significantly more talented than Ms. Boyle seems to be. Blame showbiz in general, but I don't think MTV's the culprit.

[SlowwHand]

Janis Joplin was no looker.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Janis Joplin was no looker.

Joplin was merely ordinary-looking, not actually homely (as Boyle is). Joplin also wasn't much of a singer. Rock 'n' roll goddess, yes -- and I'm second to no one in my admiration for "Piece of My Heart" -- but not a great singer in any conventional sense. And that worked with her looks; a woman who looked like Joplin (or Ma Rainey, or Courtney Love) can make it belting out blues and rock when she could never get anywhere with pretty, Carole-King-esque ballads.