Susan Boyle: Medium as Message

Susan Boyle: Is the medium conveying her message effectively?

Susan Boyle singing “I Dreamed A Dream.”
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“The medium is the message.” Marshall McLuhan
Susan Boyle: Does the medium truly dictate or convey the message?
Through all the hoopla that has been Susan Boyle’s lot, I’ve been curiously watching to see how well this unabashed song maven holds up to the media messages filtering through our collective psyches.

Susan belted out “I dreamed a dream…” and instantly became the symbol of fait accompli for every day dreamer (or for that matter – night dreamer) that imagined the impossible and got it. It was just a matter of time before the stylistas zoomed in, took their rose tinted glasses off and declared “MAKEOVER!”

Susan retorted, “I know what they are thinking but why should it matter as long as I can sing? It’s not a beauty contest…” Precisely. It should not matter but in many circles it does… Why? Why do we care if Susan stays the same or saunters off into the horizon in leather and a new hairdo?

Nevertheless, as the winds carried the Susan Boyle message through the powerful medium
we call the mass media, Suzy got a makeover. Tsk, tsk you might say, “She fell for the hype!”

Well, how many people have watched a video of you singing 43,682,423 times and counting on YouTube? How many have formed instant fan clubs and chanted your name like a mantra in anticipation of a quick song and definitely not in sotto voce? Do you care about her wardrobe? Which side of the fence are you sitting on and why? I’d really like to know… Be my guest.

Sometimes, I wonder how difficult it must be to live under that dizzying spell called “celebrity.” The intoxicating vibe of the clamoring crowds clawing at you, holding on to every word, seeking the favored glance, could make even the most modest believe their own press… Suzy, we understand.

The road to fame is perilous; it can lift you up and tear you down. Many want a piece of the action. Many say to embrace it with clarity of mind and enjoy the ride; because when your 15 minutes is up, you want to look back and recall the way you touched other people’s lives. hmmm

I trust Susan will touch more lives… even though for now, she has conceded to the wardrobe concerns of the powerful medium that dictates the message.

She did mull it over before switching gears… “Maybe I’ll consider a makeover later on,” she laughs. “For now I’m happy the way I am — short and plump. I would not go in for Botox or anything like that. I’m content with the way I look. What’s wrong with looking like Susan Boyle? What’s the matter with that?”

Exactly my dear, you’ve moved millions of people to get off their …. and take charge of their dreams; at least, for one more time! What do You think?

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Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

PHOTO CREDITS:
Susan Boyle Photos ~ via Google Images

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank