Jane Hamsher nails it:Teabaggers Get a Load of What a True Populist Phenomenon Looks Like

[malaise]

Susan Boyle: Teabaggers Get a Load of What a True Populist Phenomenon Looks Like
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/susan-boyle-teabaggers-ge_b_187813.html

You know in reality she was the star on TV yesterday.
<snip>
The teabagger demonstrations were rather small relative to the hype and free media time lavished on them by Fox News -- across the country there were an estimated 260,000 people in attendance, with the largest event around 7,000. By way of comparison, many demonstrations for immigration reform in the spring of 2006 had more than 300,000 people at a single event.

That probably wouldn't have been a problem for the teabaggers -- right-wing robber barons with professional PR outfits had a long reach into the media, and on an otherwise quiet day, there would have been significant coverage. But as Chris Cillizza notes, nobody factored in the Susan Boyle effect -- a genuine populist phenomenon.

The Scottish singer was in heavy rotation all day long on cable news, which couldn't have been less interested in cutting away to the teabaggers. Her incredibly moving performance was all anyone could talk about, and rightfully so. I must've watched the video 5 or 6 times myself. How can you not? Despite the petty, mean putdowns by the narcissistic judges (or perhaps because of them), it's impossible not to tear up as you watch her walk on to the stage and take her best shot at the unlikely dream she never gave up on. It's up to 12 million views now on YouTube, and not showing any signs of slowing down.

So bottom line -- nobody cares, Karl. For all your money and machinations, Susan Boyle left you sputtering in the dust, too. What she's got, right wing astrofurf operatives like Eric Odom, Brendan Steinhauser and Phil Kerpen abjectly failed to compete with.
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Many DUers have missed this part.

Some interesting articles on Susan Boyle on Huffpo
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-blankenship/two-reasons-susan-boyle-m_b_187901.html

[Telly Savalas]

1. I can't keep up anymore.

For years I read DUers speaking with derision about the "sheeple" watching American Idol. Now a contestant on the UK's version of American Idol has become a populist hero?

[biopowertoday]

2. don't sweat it. It's just the YOU ARE UNDER THE BUS VS

COME OUT FROM UNDER THE BUS pretzel logic here on DU most of the time.

[AllieB]

13. You seem to be very critical of DU most of the time.

I am critical at times as well, but I find most posters to be very reasonable, especially compared to the RW or mixed sites. So my question is, if you're so unhappy here, why do you stick around?

[biopowertoday]

15. I am happy most of the time. But

the constant back and forth--the one day I like you the next day you are under the bus is aggravating.

[Missy Vixen]

3. We're not watching her because she's a "populist hero"

I've watched one episode of "American Idol". Let's just say that I detest Simon Cowell.

If Susan Boyle can get up in front of 11 million people and the derision of Cowell and his co-judges and live her dream, maybe I can live mine, too. Maybe others can achieve theirs. We all don't want to be professional singers. We have our own aspirations. We're watching her because how many of all of us have decided that whatever dream we had was either unattainable or too high in personal cost?

How many people have heard her story and wondered what it was that finally made her realize it was now or never?

Is there something more worthy of our time and focus?

[and-justice-for-all]

I only saw the YouTube clip...AI sucks.

[malaise]

8. I think we're watching her for a variety of reasons

and the most important one is that we made the choice to watch her over and over again. There is no way that 14,730,096 views of A UTube is something normal. She is a metaphor for the salt of the earth. We cheer her on because she could have done like many others years ago - throw her parents in a home and live her dream. But she stayed with them and took care of them until they died - and this was her first performance since her mother's death and she dedicated it to her mother. And she can sing. Let me play it again. :D

[tbyg52]

5. Yes!

I don't watch it normally, but the expressions on the faces of the audience and judges were priceless. Next time they'll think twice before prejudging.

[and-justice-for-all]

6. They were indeed priceless...nt

[Occam Bandage]

10. Same. After all the haughty references to "American Idle" as

something the unwashed morons watch to keep them stupid, I'm surprised to see people here so appreciative. Perhaps the fact that she is British has erased the stigma?

[malaise]

14. It's her age and her life story

I don't watch either show but I'm rooting for Susan Boyle.

[malaise]

11. See if reading this helps

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/letty-cottin-pogrebin/why-susan-boyle-makes-us_b_187790.html

Maybe middle aged women 'get it'.

[Beam Me Up]

18. This thread sums it up for me:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5467358&mesg_id=5467358

[Pacifist Patriot]

19. Never seen the show other than this clip from the UK version.

And it hasn't inspired me to tune in in the future either. Still love the idea of a 47 year old woman having the courage to get up there and go for it. I know I wouldn't. And I LOVE the idea of our culture's obsession with youth and beauty being knocked on it's ass. Doesn't matter whether it came from a stupid television show I'd never choose to watch or a more artistically high-brow venue.

[malaise]

21. Here's a great read

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/16/britains-got-talent-susan-boyle

[hlthe2b]

20. I hate Am. Idol. I hate reality shows. I was overwhelmed by Boyle

and I can be cynical about these things. If you haven't watched it, then you really can have no opinion. But, do yourself a favor and watch.

[and-justice-for-all]

4. Good for her, for her voice and for knocking the baggers off the endless

24hr news cycle.

[malaise]

7. And that matters

I have never watched American Idol but I love what Susan Boyle represents. Fugg the judges.

[and-justice-for-all]

9. Those judges were shell shocked...pretty funny, nt

[pacalo]

12. What a good point!

[depakid]

16. That's a great take- and I'll go Hamsher one further

People WANT Susan Boyle to succeed because deep down inside everyove has their own unfulfilled (and unlikely) dreams that for one reason or another, they don't believe could ever happen....

Hence the insightful choice of songs- and her confident and sassy attitude on stage. This was her one big show- she knew she was good- really good- and for those brief moments, she WAS the star singer she'd always dreamed of being.

I hope she gets together with some very talented professionals and cuts an album to release before Christmas season. I'll not only buy one for myself- but give a couple to friends and family who like that sort of music (and would be even more thrilled with the story behind it).

[malaise]

17. Yep

This is way more than a singing performance or close to 15 million people (14,730,096) would not have watched it.