SUSAN BOYLE? STILL NEWSWORTHY?

One of the things I have the (pleasurable?) job of doing on my daily radio show is reading the one o'clock news, supplied by (read this in radio voice) Newsflash News Agency. Today's 1 o'clock news cast carried the story of Susan Boyle, who has been named a 'singing sensation' by... well... everyone. In this story, I told the greater public of the Eastern Cape, and those listening via audio streaming and satellite radio, that "Susan Boyle has been released from the London clinic she was admitted to, and is feeling better."

So here's my question: Do YOU care?

In case you've forgotten... Susan Boyle stepped into our lives about 8 weeks ago... a fat, (am I allowed to use that term?) unattractive, single, rather simple woman who amazed the world when she opened her mouth and sang on Britain's got talent. Can she sing? YES! Does she sing well enough to earn 2nd place in one of the biggest tallent contests in the world? NO! Can we even begin to compare her to to previous winner, Paul Potts? And may I remind you that shows like this one have produced people like the incredible Leona Lewis, not to mention all the American Idol types.

Don't get me wrong, I, like 220 million other people on this planet, loved her audition. I loved seeing Simon Cowell's reaction. I loved that the under-dog got a chance. I loved that she got her few minutes (8 weeks) of fame and someone who didn't have much going for her got to enjoy the limelight for a while, and that she's been made to feel like she has value. But I feel like a hypocrite... Because, deep down I know that the only reason I've been following her story, is because she's the under-dog, because she doesn't fit the typical 'star' profile, and because a fat, ugly, single women sang pretty well and wow'd the crowd. It had nothing to do with her "incredible voice" (it's good, it's not incredible). And, I won't be buying her album when some producer takes her ''under his wing" (rumour has it, Simon Cowell's the lucky guy) and helps her release a 'pretty good' covers album.

But I digress... Susan Boyle has continued to make the news, and I ask myself, (and you -), do we really care that 'Susan Boyle has left the London Clinic to which she was admitted after coming 2nd on Britain's got talent?'