Everybody and his brother has been obsessing over the performance by Susan Boyle on "Britan's Got Talent" [here]. It's a wonderful, heartwarming story of a plain person who demonstrates a wonderful talent that astounds the audience and judges, a triumph of determination over cynicism. But we should note that it isn't the first time this show has told that story. Two years ago Paul Potts, another plain person, astonished the audience and charmed the judges with his amazing vocal abilities. First time is a wonderful occurrence, the second might well be a carefully crafted marketing campaign. Perhaps there really is a bit of cynicism on display.
Here's Paul Potts' audition from 2007. Notice the similarities to Susan Boyle's performance. Paul is now a moderately successful recording artist and, based on her interview yesterday morning with FOX News, Susan has similar ambitions.
