Susan Boyle... what is it about the Brits media?

Susan Boyle
The woman with a golden voice


Like over 100 million YouTube viewers worldwide, I also watched the 48-year old Susan Boyle's amazing singing performance some weeks ago. Her unkempt appearance and age caused the audience to looked down on her till she opened her mouth and gave that awesome rendition of "I dreamed a dream" from the play Les Misrables. Susan was sensational and her simple woman- on- the street look was most endearing. I kept replaying the performance and marvelled at the gift of the voice and my heart really went out to her.

After taking the "world" by storm, Susan became fair game for the British media. She was hounded everywhere she went, to the salon, to the pub. They commented on her every move, even trying to dictate how her appearance should be. How do you expect the poor woman from West Lothian in Scotland to react in these "abnormal" circumstances of media frenzy? Her irritability was understandable and the media attacked her relentlessly , accusing her of uttering a derogatory word in front of reporters, not wanting to sign autographs for a group of Chinese tourists and they even went to the extent of asking people not to vote for her.

The bad publicity could have caused Susan to lose in the final of the competition, Britain's Got Talent on Saturday 30 May. She came in second and did not achieve her dream of performing before the queen of England, Queen Elizabeth. The treatment she received from the British media especially the famously bad tabloids was horrendous. They first loved her then they turned against her. I think, to them the "package' was still important, that is talent, beauty, youth,brain and poise which Susan has only 40% of. In America, Susan was warmly received and treated with respect and adoration by Oprah and CNN Larry King. I wonder why the British media chose, instead, to make money by capitalising on Susan's lack of media savviness