Take Your Victory Lap, Susan Boyle

Chris Matyszczyk: It May Have Been A 2nd Place Finish, But She Still Went Out A Winner

(CBS)  This editorial was written by Chris Matyszczyk, a creative director who advises major corporations on content creation and marketing.

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Susan Boyle has always come second in life.

Second in opportunity. Second, according to those who bullied her in her dismal hometown, in intelligence. And second, one suspects, to the needs of others in her family.

By coming in second in "Britain's Got Talent," however, Boyle got some relief from the frivolous flickers of fame that were burning her very being.

She tossed frumpiness aside, choosing instead to wear the dress of the musical lady she always dreamed of being.

Her eyebrows, still tensely clenched for fear of unwarranted attack from some critic, or perhaps some deranged Englishman, told of her determination to stare down her new surroundings.

They told of her fierce need to quiet every shake and shiver that must have coursed through her body all week.

We had heard that she was breaking down, when it was actually us, or those of us who have heads permanently placed just inside the parts we use for sitting, who were doing the breaking.

Journalists goaded her into reaction. Casual bystanders thought they knew, owned her, or at least had every right to either grab her hem or tear it.

The "Daily Mail" reported that psychiatrists had been counseling her all week.

And then she was supposed to go out and win a talent show that, in her heart, she would have rather have watched in her local pub.

She sang "I Dreamed a Dream" with feeling. Many feelings.

She felt that the opportunity to do what she desperately craved would be forthcoming whether she won in the eyes of the sedentary or not.

She felt that she could sing with defiance and a little delight because this new world into which she had been introduced by the perverse power of the Web allowed her to know about the world beyond her own shores and be known there.

She also felt that even if there were some in Britain who wanted to cut her down to size (a finely-tuned British thing to do), there were those all over the world who felt she was the embodiment of all their secret, and even silly, hopes and dreams.

That those in Britain believed the extremely entertaining dance group, Diversity, was better mattered nothing.

Now Susan Boyle can record and perform. She can enchant America and other places on the globe, where people watched an apparently ordinary human being do something that wasn't merely extraordinary, but that felt extraordinary.

Because she made people feel, she can now herself feel at least some joy in being respected, loved and admired.

No one will dwell on the fact that she came second in some mercifully mundane little British talent show.

Everyone will remember that on some day back in 2009, they watched a video on YouTube and they wept.

[ConnieNYC]

Susan, millions of us are praying for you and waiting for the albums to come, including a double album of Christmas hymns, another of show tunes... We know you have what it takes to tackle the difficult stuff like Cole Porter's wonderful old standards. What a victory lap could be yours at the Grammy Awards! Please get yourself some GOOD representation and cut the cord with BGT as soon as your obligations to them are fulfilled. The judges have given you Judas kisses repeatedly and have been holding you back from all who want to see you in person -- including the Queen, for heaven's sake! Don't ever forget that she wanted to invite you to appear in the Royal Variety Show well before the BGT semi-finals, but Simon & Co. balked. You were prevented from singing on Oprah but millions watched anyway. I look forward to the day down the road when you come to New York City for a round of club appearances or a Broadway revue where your sense of fun wouldn't be squelched. Then we can all get up and shimmy for joy along with you. PS: I cheer you for confronting the foul-mouthed pararazzi who have said such horribly personal and demeaning things to a truly decent woman. The producers failed you in again that instance and in letting you take the heat in the skewed publicity that followed, but we know what you are and you are deservedly loved and admired.

[sharoncalla]

Note for Susan, Look Dear, a Talent show is just a show not a definition of "who you are", People still like your voice, I dare say given a room with you on stage, and Diversity, most would choose you, think dear there were 10 of them, only one of you, maybe some of the call in votes were extended because of that fact. Move on to make a CD of "I Dreamed a Dream", then other songs that fit your voice. If you like to sing, do it in private studios, and don't do stage performances, also, do singing on your terms not anyone else's. Get yourself someone who knows about recording contracts, and ect. then GO! So they say you were "second" big deal your'e on the MAP. I miss your voice already. A big Susan Boyle fan.

[wanttobeheard]

Beautiful article. Articles like this make me believe in media again.
Susan, you have been an inspiration for millions and still are. We played the YouTube video at a high school assembly to encourage our students to reach for their dreams. You are great! You have obtained your dream. You are there. Enjoy your future. Our hearts and prayers are with you and I can't wait to see more from you in the future. Ignore the negative. It isn?t important. We love you!

[Truth4SD]

She looks like a very typical British lady.

[carla_n40]

Great article. Prayers for you Susan Boyle. You brought such joy to us throught your songs and opened our hearts. Don't let the media and manics keep you down. You deserve so much better. You are number one!

[rowsky9]

Finally a thoughtful, refreshing reflection on a singer who brought such joy to the world.........with susan I'd have never watch BGT nor would millions of others............SB is the one everyone's STILL talking about long after the winners walked away with the prize..........what a champion for struggling thru the media hysteria and singing beautifully...........

[mainerose]

Britain may have talent but her inhabitants certainly have no taste or class. Susan---get well soon. Your story has caused a lot of people on this side of the pond to reexamine our dreams and reach a little higher. Shame on the British media for stooping to this level!

[gangesdak]

Susan, pick yourslf up girl. We want you up, and enchant us all. You go girl.

[ghwab1949]

All I know is that she sings like an angel and made my cry. I wish her nothing but good luck and happiness doing whatever she chooses to do.

[redhen17745]

Slight correction to previous post:

Beautifully written, Chris Matyszczyk. You put into words what so many of us are thinking. Susan Boyle is a gem. I hope and pray for her recovery from what surely was a tumultuous month for her. I still believe, and hope, she goes on to great fame because I, for one, hope to hear much more from her. We love you, Susan. You didn't come out in second place in our minds and hearts. You're number ONE, Susan girl, and don't forget it!

[redhen17745]

Beautifully written, Chris Matyszczyk. You put into words what so many of us are thinking. Susan Boyle is a gem. I hope and pray for her recovery from what surely was a tumultuous month for her. I still believe, and hope, she goes on to great fame because I, for one, hope to hear much more from her. We love you, Susan. You didn't come out in second place in our minds and hearts. You're number girl, Susan girl, and don't forget it!

[afterdark75]

The last time an angel emerged from Britain to remind the world that there's still hope and goodness in humanity was in the name of Princess Diana. The ruthless media first praised and hyped her, then backlashed her and finally killed her in the process. Then after she's dead they still want to make money out of her by pretending to cry for her and publish all sorts of nice stories of her for the grieving public to buy. Now another one is coming in the name of Susan Boyle, less pretty of course and with different modus operandi compared to Diana. But still for some reason people were reminded not to lose hope. My biggest fear is the same group of people who harmed Diana is now fixing their eyes on Susan. These people worship the devil's promise of worldly possession and truly powerful. Let the Brits remind themselves not to let the same thing happened twice.

[ijuanitmo]

So who won first place again? Don't remember the name of the dancing group and know I'd never take a second of my time to watch them. Now Susan Boyle -- I'd walk a million miles to hear her just once.

[hower4]

I hope the "PEOPLE" and the "MEDIA", do not destroy Susan Boyle. We all know how we like to build them up, and then tear them down. Just a matter of time.
Posted by erasmus111 at 9:23 AM : Jun 1, 2009
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
'They' (and that includes you.... and me), have already done exactly that. It's time to **** about her.

[erasmus111]

I hope the "PEOPLE" and the "MEDIA", do not destroy Susan Boyle. We all know how we like to build them up, and then tear them down. Just a matter of time.

[ricksabry1]

Susan Boyle is more than a breath of fresh air she is truly fresh air itself. For those who criticize her, my suggestion is that they try in their mediocre lives to do something that has the positive impact found in this lady's singing. For the media, I know that because your basis for judging and criticizing is so fouled by your inability to see and understand goodness that you must destroy what you do not understand. As for Susan's loss to a dance group people realize that if you cast your pearls before swine in our time we throw away the pearl and kiss the pig.
Susan, if you read this, I want you to know that for the first time in many years I felt the thrill of discovery when I heard your voice. Your voice, focus and delivery moved the very essence of my being. Whatever the future holds for you, you should know that you reached out in a way that rocked the world. Your voice resonates in our minds and forces our souls to reach for new heights.
Your are magnificent!
Thank you,
Rick Sabry

[enough-already]

The Queen would show a lot of class by requesting that Susan Boyle perform for her.
I doubt very much that Diversity would object - and it would certainly give Susan a boost!
Posted by TominNY

Can't Susan Boyle AND "Diversity" both perform for the queen? It's seems only reasonable to me. I'll bet no one had heard of Diversity, before the finals, but Susan Boyle had become the "internet sensation" the press loves to write about. Did "Diversity" get as many hits on You Tube as Susan did? I'll bet they didn't get ANY, before they won. Now people are looking them up to see who the heck they are! I was outraged that they won. They're just a bunch of break dancers, for crying out loud. Didn't break dancing go out back in the late 80's? I think the whole thing might be fixed. Simon Cowell own the recording firm that signs them after they win, and Piers Morgan used to be an editor for one of the tabloids. Sounds kind of like a conflict of interest.

[mahdeealoo]

We all know she should have won. But American Idol took a turn too and the underdog won. But wasn't she the "underdog"? I wish Susan well, very well.

[afterdark75]

I don't think Susan want to win BGT. it shows in her face coz seconds before the result there was fear all over her face but once Diversity was pronounced winner there's splash of relief all over her. Diversity also admitted that behind stage Susan was hugging / dancing in true joy with them. For Susan it's friends she wants most as emphasized in her post performance speech. But she keeps receiving hate-calls and snipping from certain individuals trying to harm her. Please send her back home where she'll be surrounded by longtime friends and neighbors. The doctors in Priory or the media in London is not what she need, she need her home, her cat, to visit her parents graves and to attend her daily church mass. The more time she spend in London, the worse they'll make out of her.

[TominNY]

The Queen would show alot of class by requesting that Susan Boyle perform for her.

I doubt very much that Diversity would object - and it would certainly give Susan a boost!