Boyle Fears Career May Go Bust

(CBS)  Susan Boyle wants to leave the London mental health clinic she's in and go home to Scotland, and is concerned her career may be over almost before it's started, her brother said on The Early Show Tuesday.

The dowdy Boyle, 48, became an overnight singing sensation when she auditioned for the reality show "Britain's Got Talent." But she finishing second, behind a male dance group, in the "BGT" finals on Saturday and, reports CBS News correspondent Richard Roth,was admitted to the Priory Hospital on Sunday.

Various British tabloids, Roth observes, are claiming "with varying degrees of credibility" that Boyle's hospitalization came after she broke down after talking to an imaginary friend, or after she fainted, worried about her cat, or after she collapsed, convulsed in tears.

The British press has found Boyle certainly does have talent -- selling papers, Roth notes.

But Boyle's brother, Gerry Boyle, told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith his sister "seems to be coming back to her old ways. And she's fine. She's anxious to come home, and she's starting to be a bit more like herself, I'm pleased to say -- eager to come home to Scotland from London, and just, you know -- she seems to be on the way back. Which is marvelous."

Gerry revealed Boyle's "biggest worry, after Saturday night, is ... where does her career go from here? Will she be still accepted? She didn't win the competition. Will people still want to hear her sing? And will there be a career for her as we stand here today?"

Asked directly whether his sister had suffered some sort of mental collapse, Gerry responded, "Anxieties were high. I think, you know, seven weeks of, not pressure, but certainly media-intensified attention, you know, someone who's used to the media would find that difficult. And I think eventually exhaustion, worrying about the outcome of the competition, and anxiety just took (their) toll."

What Susan needs most now, he said, is to "return from London to Edinburgh ... (to) come home to Blackburn, be at home for a couple of days. You know, be reunited with the now world-famous Pebbles cat, and have a good cup of Scottish tea, and then, you know, have a couple of days just to come back to normality, and then perhaps hear from the people who want to work with her, see if there's any offers on the table, just establish where does her career go from here? But in the immediate few days, just have a couple of days off, Susan, and rewind and gather your thoughts and you'll be fine."

Gerry said neither he nor his sister think she was exploited by the media, as some critics have suggested. "It's marvelous to have all this attention," he said, "to have all these warm feelings coming from across the country, across America, from, let's face it -- Susan seven weeks ago was simply a little lady from Scotland, and you know, she's very grateful that the opportunities are now opening up for her. ... hopefully, in the next few days, but I wouldn't say the media exploited her. I think the media, as we look back, Susan will realize the media give her an opportunity."

Still, clinical psychologist Dr. James Oliver remarked to CBS News that, "Producers will pick the flakiest, most exotic eccentric, strange people -- some of whom are a bit depressed, some of whom lack identity and are very weird, and they will be put on the reality TV shows because, I'm sorry to say, (people) want to watch them."

Some reports say Susan suffered oxygen deprivation at birth and is learning disabled.

The "BGT" final round Saturday night was the most-watched program in Britain in five years. Critics now are saying its producers should have been watching more closely for signs their star was in trouble, Roth points out.

[mahdeealoo]

Susan,

You cut an album, I'll buy it, along with millions of others. We love your voice and want to hear more!

God Bless You.

[guest173]

Susan shouldn't worry much. sometimes just being on those shows really gets a career started, like Jennifer Hudson, Carrie underwood, I think and some others...

[rrozsa]

Overnight, she went from anonymity to worldwide notoriety.

Posted by sharonj430-2009 at 1:11 PM : Jun 2, 2009

===========================

Since when is singing considered notorious? I think you meant "famous". Notoriety is always used with a negative connotation. Just sayin'....

[estai777]

Still, clinical psychologist Dr. James Oliver remarked to CBS News that, "Producers will pick the flakiest, most exotic eccentric, strange people -- some of whom are a bit depressed, some of whom lack identity and are very weird, and they will be put on the reality TV shows because, I'm sorry to say, (people) want to watch them."

What an insensitve and unprofessional psychologist to say something like that in light of what has happened to Ms Boyle. She is none of those things. She is a normal person, a sensitive artist type, with a great, albeit unrefined, talent that was thrown to the wolves overnight.

[pat957]

I AGREE,
I THINK SHE'LL BE FINE.
SHE'S JUST NEW TO THIS ATTENTION.
I THINK SHE'S GOT PLENTY OF SPUNK TO PUT PEOPLE THAT BOTHER HER IN THEIR PLACE.
YOU GO SUSAN!!!!
GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP ON SINGING!!!!

[jd2408]

I just wonder if this is really Susan's dream or someones dream for her. I agree with BC Kelly's post that Susan's performance was very different from her first and I believe she seemed to be on the brink right then. She was living that song and it was sad to see and hear her. I believe Susan's problems go beyond a learning disability. Maybe if they set up a recording studio close to her home where she can go home to her cat and feel secure she might be ok.

I have a strange feeling that if I bought a Susan Boyle CD I would feel guilty. As if I was a part of bringing her down. I would hate that.

[victoria5653]

I think Susan Boyle is represents what we are and what we want to be all at the same time. Sometimes we feel like the image we get from Susan, we feel frumpy and awkward, like we don't fit in, and maybe even feel made fun of from time to time. But she also represents what we WANT to be. I'd love to posess even HALF the amount of talent that Susan has.

I think that she was brought up in a small town, with a caring family, was very sheltered, and had no idea that people could be so cruel.

You'll be fine Susan. I want to be the first one to buy your album. I love you.

[andie52]

"In the run-up to last weekend?s final, tabloids were reporting arguments and temper tantrums.

?That was the first major sign of a problem,? Spurr says. ?And if that was the first major sign that we all saw, then there must have been minor signs that the production company saw. Something like that doesn?t just come out of the blue.

Either the people looking out for her were not qualified to determine that this was a serious sign, or they didn?t have anybody looking out for her. If they did have a system in place, then it was a massively flawed system.

It was obvious that she was vulnerable from the first performance.?

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6409751.ece

[jenniferfry5]

MartyPA: Get over yourself.
I stand by my comments about Susan Boyle.

[o2bewealthy]

I hope that Susan finds the strength and courage to continue on her path to become a professional performer and recording star. Her voice is beautiful and I know I am not alone when I say I'd rather hear Susan sing, than many of today's pop artists.