Although this piece is about Susan Boyle it really does sum up how "celebrity' today is so vacuous.

I especially like the point about the odious Tony Blair-who with Alistair Campbell spun the 24 hr news cycle to sell off more state assets than Thatcher ever dreamed of and to flog war.

Sadly , I think this prediction about Boyle is correct-her first CD will sell a million but she will then be dumped by the public.

She couldn't possibly have a cabaret career-not with the demands from audiences who now expect the slickest of show-biz presentations ala Kylie or Madonna.

www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/tv--ra...5/1243708621134.html

I think people are either too gloomy or they look too high. Susan Boyle doesn't need a million dollar glitzy showbiz career to be successful as a singer. She could easily live quite happily off the smaller club circuits which don't have such high demands. I also believe she could fit into a well structured theatre musical, even if not as the lead part.

She loves to sing, and she'd like it to be her career. I've not heard her say she wants actual fame and fortune. If she gets a decent living wage out of singing, then she'll be happy. And if she does have a hit album on top of that it'll be a decent bonus for her.

I wish Susan every success and happiness.

I wish her success as well and she's bound to make a fortune.

I disagree though that she could do the smaller club circuit. That requires even a greater discipline and ability to entertain especially without all the bells and whistles a large stage show has.

She's not a natural performer-she's someone with a very nice voice but doesn't seem to have any sort of stage personality-not the kind that entertainers have who make it look all so easy and natural but often spend decades honing their craft.

I really can't see her in any sort of stage show that requires acting discipline. Her heroine Elaine Page is quite rare-with both a great singing and acting ability.

Often good actors can develop a stage singing career for musicals as well because they can act so well and get away with a not so brilliant voice.

At best she will be an oddity and interest will peter out. She may go on to have a sort of media career though-the ups and downs of her life as it goes on. She may end up on "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here" sooner rather than later.

But I'd be delighted to be proved wrong.

Agree. Susan Boyle is a lovely wonderful woman who has had more than 15 minutes of fame. She is the most famous singer in the world who has never had a hit.

Her first album will sell over 10 million worldwide and that alone will set her up for the rest of her life and good luck to her.

From that point onwards I would hope that she tours very infrequently making her appearances very special. I agree small theatres and big TV events are where she will shine. Musical theatre has a host of big ballads and with the best vocal coaches she will have an inexhaustible catalogue of material to choose from.

She deserves a long and successful career - and I for one will support her career over the coming years because I think she has a lovely voice and the main thing is that she genuinely has the passion about music which marks out the greats from the also rans.

I hope she does well.

It seems reasonable they she'll be a bit of a one hit wonder but it should be a good hit/wonder.

My opinion is she not that ugly and she not the best singer ever... she is "good enough" (I don't mean that sarcastically)

I've never thought of her as ugly. Funny looking but very loveabe. Ugliness comes from within and she's certainly wacky but not an ugly person.

One of my greatest friends was the late singer Peter Allen who died of AIDS. Very plain looking as even he admitted..not the best singing voice but wrote some great songs..but in a live act when he leapt on the piano with maraccas and sequin shirts and pants and did his mad dance routines, or rode onto the stage an a camel he made Elton John look dull. No wonder Bette Midler claims him as an inspiration.

Susan Boyle is very good singer..she's a far better singer than say Kylie Minouge who has the tiniest voice that is a marvel of technical support.

But Kylie is great with fabulous dancers and great stage production. But she's been doing it since she was 8. (popbitch has a very unkind report of a friend having dinner with her and saying she's looking more like Joan Rivers every day )

I can't see Susan doing any kind of stage act apart from 1 or 2 songs. The patter, humour..she can't suddenly develop these skills and that sexy wiggle will only get her so far.

I hope she has good management who will look after her. I can see the vultures circling already.