Sad News on Susan Boyle – Britain’s Got Talent Runner Up

Less than a day after finishing second behind the dance group Diversity at the Britain’s Got Talent finale, Susan Boyle was voluntarily admitted to the Priory Clinic in London to be treated for exhaustion.  The clinic is famed for treating celebrities such as Kate Moss for a variety of problems, including addiction and other mental health issues.

Given the harsh media storm that has greeted Miss Boyle, it shouldn’t probably be any surprise.  I’m very sure I wouldn’t want people standing outside my front door sticking a microphone in my face every time I went out.

For more details, see the story from the Today Show here.

BTW, stats from YouTube show that her original performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables was viewed 220 million times – 5th biggest video in the site’s history!  Pretty damn impressive.

Susan Boyle awes judges; comes in second on Britain’s Got Talent

Following a week in which she was widely criticized, Susan Boyle came back with a bang on the finale of Britain’s Got Talent.  She performed the song that made her a YouTube sensation, “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miz, this time in a full-length shimmering gown in front of a beautiful stage setting.  The judges, who even gave her a standing ovation, didn’t have enough nice things to say:

From Piers Morgan:  “I’m not supposed to favor anyone, I should be impartial, but you know what, forget it. That was the greatest performance I’ve seen in Britain’s Got Talent history. You should win this competition. I loved it!”

From Amanda Holden: “I have never heard such powerful, confident vocals.  And can I just say, Simon had a tear in his eye and I’ve never seen that before.”

From Simon Cowell: “Win or lose, you had the guts to come back here tonight, face your critics, and you beat them.  And that’s what’s important. You can walk away from this with your head held high, Susan. I absolutely adore you.”

However, the populace of the UK apparently felt differently, voting Susan’s performance to second place behind a dance troupe called “Diversity”.

I’ve never understood British humor; maybe I don’t get this either.

What do you think?  Here is Susan Boyle’s performance.  Here is Diversity‘s.  Which do you like better?  I know it’s kind of hard to compare singing and dancing, but apparently that’s how the contest works.  My personal opinion?  Susan was robbed!

Here’s hoping Susan Boyle is able to launch a huge career, like some of the 2nd place American Idols have done!

Susan Boyle advances to “Britain’s Got Talent” Finals

Have you seen the clips of Susan Boyle on last night’s “Britain’s Got Talent” finals yet?  (If not, click here.)  Just as fabulous as the first time, this episode shows her singing “Memory” from “Cats” (one of my favorites).  She now advances to the final round, which she is expected to win handily.  I haven’t heard any of her competition, but I think part of the attraction is that she just looks like a regular person.  The articles I read said she is “refusing” to change her appearance.  I don’t know whether that’s accurate, or whether no one has asked her to change anything.  Either way, good for her.  It’s about time we saw people on TV who are not airbrushed, starved, and caked with make-up.

Best of luck to Susan in next week’s finals!

Farrah Fawcett Cancer Documentary

Did you watch the video Farrah Fawcett made, following her as she underwent cancer treatment?  I hadn’t intended to watch it, but was in the room while others in my family were watching, and I have to admit I kinda got hooked in.

Janet Oke books as Hallmark Movies and Orphan Trains

Finished the last two movies in the boxed set last night.  They were excellent!  Continuing on with the story, and trying not to give too much away, Missy ends up moving back home, finding a home near Marty & Clark’s.  She adopts Belinda, a young girl who arrives on an orphan train.

Now, I have to stop at this point to ask if you have ever heard of an orphan train.  I learned of these at a class I took on foster parenting.  In the 19th century, they had more orphans in the large cities along the East Coast than they could deal with, so they put the children on a train and shipped them west.  The train would stop at various frontier cities, the kids would be taken off of the train, usually into a church, where interested townspeople would look them over and choose one (or not).  The town’s legal authority, usually the sheriff (who by the way, had NO training or experience with child welfare) would sign the child over to the adult, giving the adult total power over the child.  The kids who weren’t picked were put back on the train to go to the next stop and try again.  HOW BARBARIC!!!

Anyways, back off of my soapbox, Missy and Belinda don’t exactly hit it off at first, but they do work it out.  Meanwhile, Missy meets the town sheriff, who is the new love interest in her life.  Belinda ends up deciding she wants to be a doctor.  She struggles with everyone’s attitude (in that time period) that women should be barefoot and pregnant.

I don’t want to give away too much because I want you to watch them for yourself, and I highly recommend you do so!

Hallmark Movies based on Janet Oke’s books

Last night, we started watching the first six of the Janet Oke movies I told you about a few weeks ago.  We got through the first four before we gave up and went to bed.  What a great series!  Although they are just a little bit “preachy”, they are, for the most part, touching stories that tell about the life of pioneers who settled the west.

The Love Comes Softly series starts with Marty and Clark, who moved west with their spouses, but both of them become widowed due to life in the tough environment.  They get married simply out of convenience, but end up developing feelings for each other.  Clark’s daughter, Missy, marries Willie after he helps her save the family farm when Clark injures himself.  Willie and Missy move even further west to start a cattle ranch, and run into tragedies of their own.

Today was a busy one, but I hope to get to see the last two in the boxed set tomorrow.  I can’t imagine they will be anything but excellent.  There was enough action in the movies to make them interesting even to my three very active boys, and enough tenderness to keep me riveted throughout.  I highly recommend them!

Saturday Survey: Should British Singer Have a Makeover?

One of the controversies that has come up this week since Susan Boyle’s amazing audition for “Britain’s Got Talent” is whether or not she should have a makeover before vying for the title.  Show insiders are saying they don’t want to do a makeover because they want her to just perform, without the added pressure of worrying about her looks.  Others are saying she can’t win without being more photogenic.  Your thoughts?

Should Susan Boyle have a makeover?
( polls)

More on British Singer Susan Boyle

For those of you who are following the hubbub surrounding Susan Boyle, the frumpy woman with the most beautiful voice you will ever here, the Today Show did a nice piece on her this morning.

Healing Autism

Did anybody see The Bonnie Hunt Show yesterday (4/16/09)?  I was at a doctor’s appointment and forgot to set the TiVo before I left.  Jenny McCarthy was supposed to be on, discussing a cure for autism that apparently worked wonders for her son.  Although none of my kids are “officially” autistic, my middle son is awfully darn close.  I just wondered what she had to say – whether it made any sense or not.

If you’ve had a chance to visit my other blog (doggies.com), you know that Bonnie is my absolute most favorite talk show host!  Not only is she a hoot, but she also demonstrates a real caring for those around her.  On her web site, she has an area where you can adopt shelter animals (she features them on the show every Wednesday) and another spot where you can donate canned goods to assist Los Angeles-area free pantries.

If you have the time, check out her site, or even better, watch her show and see what you think.  I’m sure you’ll agree she does a great job.  And let me know if you saw Jenny McCarthy yesterday- I’m dying to know what she said.