Susan Boyle Gets the Golden Buzzer

America's Got Talent: The Champions premiered on Monday. This spin-off show brought 50 of the top performers worldwide from the franchise's history, with Simon Cowell (left) insisting: “It's like the Olympics: the best of the best. You're not just taking on America – you're taking on the world!” 

And who made an appearance but this somebody from Scotland by the name of Susan Boyle (right)  – and she proved that she's still the one to beat as she got the Golden Buzzer as the first through to the finals. 

She sang a ballad-style version of The Rolling Stones classic Wild Horses:

“I can't think of any other contestant who has defined this show better than you. You're the one”, Cowell told Boyle after her strong performance. 

The internationally acclaimed singer returned to where it all began, nearly a decade after finishing in second place on Season 3 of "Britain's Got Talent" in 2009. 

Despite not winning it all, she credited the show with helping her "fulfil the dream I've had since I was 5", and in the process she sold over 20 million records and became a household name. 

This time around, Boyle has a chip on her shoulder: "I have something to prove". 

Susan Boyle is back in the limelight! 

In the FA Cup third-round away tie between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday, the latter beat the Reds 2-1. 

With this defeat, the Reds’ focus is now on the EPL title push and producing another strong Champions League campaign in the second half of the season. 

Anyway, the FA Cup is not a priority for Jurgen Klopp.

An Unlikely Superstar

I came across this YouTube video on Susan Boyle (left) and I wanna share it with everybody. 

It is a narrative that has struck a meaningful chord with me. And I’m sure it’ll do the same for countless others too. 

Susan Boyle is a straightforward and simple woman. She comes complete with foibles, flaws and failings. Still, her one talent shines brightly through. 

Like a shaft of light penetrating the dull and drab to let slip a "glow of happiness" and reveal a voice that is sheer magic.   

Yup, when she sings, I shush. I’m elated, enchanted and enamored. 

She said she’s nobody special. I don't know about that but for someone ordinary, she has blossomed into somebody out-of-the-ordinary. 

This is the story of an unlikely superstar who hails from wee Blackburn, a town in West Lothian in bonnie Scotland!

Susan Boyle is an extraordinary story of an extraordinary singer.

On Monday, I was back at Rumah Puspanita in Jalan Hose, Kuala Lumpur. Of course, it was the NAWEM Toastmasters Club meeting that drew me there. 

I had two reasons. 

The first was the curry mee: 

Lovingly prepared by NAWEM Toastmaster, Celina Joseph, it is enticingly mouth-watering. And tastefully titillating. 

The second was a speaking opportunity. I delivered my CC #6 Vocal Variety speech – it was titled An Aspirin Called Loudness. 

‘Twas a good meeting!

Dogs Steal Glasgow Show

Image credit: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/-R3jnz8Hwbt/20th+Commonwealth+Games+Opening+Ceremony/Fv2ENdJErmS/Ian+Thorpe

Squash queen Nicol David (above pic, front left) was the flag bearer for the Asian countries at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. She was given the honor of leading out the eight Asian countries during the said event – besides Malaysia, the others in the Asian contingent under the Commonwealth Games Federation are India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Singapore and Brunei.

 

But she wasn’t the star. And it wasn't Susan Boyle, the Queen or Rod Stewart's metallic suit either. Rather the four-legged types were the ones which stole the show that Wednesday.

I was referring to the Scottish Highland terriers – all forty-one of them – which graced the said event. They all wore tartan dog coats with the name of each participating country team on them. They were brought in to introduce each of the 71 participating nations in the athletes' parade. Some of them even had to work a double shift.

 

And these dogs were accompanied by a Scots man or woman in tweeds. Check out the photos below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image credit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/malaysia/10995961/Commonwealth-Games-Scottie-dogs-disrespectful-to-Muslims.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image credit: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/commonwealth-games-2014-highland-terriers-stole-the-show-at-the-opening-ceremony-9627273.html

 

Social media went wild for the tartan coat-sporting Scottie dogs, with many claiming them to be the highlight of Celtic Park.

 

Regrettably, they had earned the ire of some people from one country! Yup, you guessed it – Malaysia!

 

UK’s Daily Telegraph (July 28, 2014) reported that PAS deputy president, Mat Sabu had demanded an apology and said the dogs were 'disrespectful' to Muslims, especially as it happened during Ramadan.

 

Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali also called for an apology. "I think it is unbecoming. The hosts have not been sensitive enough – especially in a so-called knowledgeable and civilized society like Britain," he said. "It is shameful and has offended not only Malaysia as a Muslim country, but Muslims around the world."

 

However, a Glasgow C-Games 2014 spokesperson said there has been no complaints about the dogs from any of the countries taking part. Shame on these blinkered Malaysians!

Psy's Follow-up

Psy's follow-up to his global hit Gangnam Style – i.e. ‘Gentleman’ – has already clocked up more than 211 million views on YouTube, and even South Korea's president Park Geun-Hye showered him with praise.

Just days after its release, the music video has become the fastest video to hit the 100 million views mark, beating the previous record set by Susan Boyle's ‘I Dreamed A Dream’.

‘Gentleman’ also smashed the record for the most views in a single day after it notched up 20 million hits in its first 24 hours.

And his signature horse-riding dance from Gangnam Style is replaced with a pelvic thrust apparently known as the arrogant dance. Sorry, I am not a fan of his and so I will not be showing the said video here.

Interestingly, KBS, a major South Korean radio and television network, has banned the rapper's new video, claiming it could provoke anti-social behaviour. In the four-minute promo, the entertainer is shown jaywalking and kicking a cone that says 'no parking'. The state broadcaster said the scenes set a bad example to younger viewers and fell short of its standards.

Yesterday, I was at the Taman Indrahana Toastmasters meeting where I delivered my CC #3 speech titled “The Frog Prince”. The particular speech was based on a MAD cartoon (see below) that I chanced upon. To cap a good evening, I was also voted Best Speaker. I would give this meeting a score of an 8 over 10.

Susan Boyle Inspires

The other day, I downloaded three music videos. One of them featured Susan Boyle. I think if there is anybody out there who can inspire me, it’s got to be her!

I had featured her in my previous posts on February 27 & 28, 2010 and it also included the song “I Dreamed A Dream”. But I am going to include the song again but this time, she performed it for the show's audition held on April 11, 2009:

As we all know, she became an overnight star and that song was watched more than 120 million times worldwide on YouTube.

The fairy tale did not end there. The Scottish singing sensation fulfilled her dream of singing with her musical idol Elaine Paige – they performed a live duet on an ITV television show I Dreamed A Dream: The Susan Boyle Story that was broadcasted on December 13, 2009. Yup, it was that song again: “I Know Him So Well”

I think it was Elaine Paige herself who said that Susan Boyle is “a role model for everyone who has a dream". [According to British newspapers, she had said unkind things as well but I have no interest to repeat them here].

My point is, that, we all have dreams.  I do too.

Dreams are realizable. We must commit to them first. We must show faith. We must believe. Then only they become possible.

I Know Him So Well

I spent the morning in silent introspection. One of those mornings lah! Then a quote from Aldous Huxley flashed through my mind. “After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music”.

Of course, where else but to check out YouTube! And as I was browsing, I came across this song, listened to it and immediately liked it. I even downloaded three versions of the same song here!

And Plato also came to mind. “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything”.  Well said!

Singing Susan

Okay, after yesterday’s posting about Susan Boyle – I thought I should showcase her singing talent.

I know more than 6 million people have already heard her sing, but it is worth to listen again. The Scottish singer became a YouTube sensation after her 2009 appearance on "Britain's Got Talent," on which she sang "I Dreamed a Dream": It was great singing, by the way.



In fact, just to set the record straight, the most famous insults directed at Susan Boyle were made by a woman, Brit music manager Sharon Osbourne.

She had in a US radio interview put down Susan Boyle by saying that she looked like “a hairy arsehole”. Plus other vicious vituperation – see the following video clip:

Ugly duckling or not – Susan Boyle’s got talent!

And in the EPL, Arsenal whipped Stoke 3-1. But it was the latter which had taken the lead in the 8th minute when Danny Pugh headed in from Rory Delap's long throw-in but Nicklas Bendtner levelled with a fine header back across goal (32). And just when we thought we had to settle for a draw, Cesc Fabregas scored a penalty (90+1) before Thomas Vermaelen tapped in (90+4), as Arsenal – still in third place – moved to only three points off Chelsea.

The Ugly Duckling

I came across photos of the new-look Susan Boyle, and was reminded of the Hans Christian Andersen story of The Ugly Duckling. I guess there is truth in this tale of an ugly duckling that matures into a beautiful swan.

In Susan Boyle’s case, she was transformed only when she found fame; this lady who has been described as the frumpy spinster turned global singing sensation.
 
Still, there is a moral to this story. No women are ugly...

Only poor ones are...That's the difference!


AFTER

BEFORE

And before I incur the wrath of feminists and everyone else for spewing juvenile gibberish – let me just say here that I am only referring to physical beauty.

By no means, is it the most important quality in a woman, but men being men – shallow creatures that we are – I guess, we are fascinated when we chance upon stunners. I am being honest here, even if it doesn’t reflect well on me!

I missed following this game, but in any case, I read in today’s papers that Liverpool did prevail over Unirea Urziceni with a 3-1 score, and in the process, eased into the last 16 of the Europa League (aggregate 4-1).

Woeful defending allowed Urziceni to draw first blood when Joao Bruno Fernandes converted Razvan Paduretu’s corner with a firm header in the 19th minute. Fortunately, the Reds drew level when Javier Mascherano dispatched a fierce 25-yard effort into the bottom-left corner (29). Then Ryan Babel completed the turnaround when he controlled and fired home a terrific second (40) before Steven Gerrard latched onto a loose ball and blasting a low shot under Giedrius Arlauskis (57).

Even with this victory and others to follow, there’s nothing to gloat about this second-rate tournament. Sigh!

There was a time when we faced Europe’s crème de la crème such as FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Internazionale, Manchester United and Real Madrid.

No, instead Rafa Benitez's boys can now look forward to entertaining the champions of Transylvania, FC Dracula (heavy sarcasm here!) and the like – names of clubs that I can’t even pronounce! Double sigh!