Posted on 06/17/2007 3:35:31 PM PDT by dennisw
HAVING been out of the country for 10 days I came back to find Britain obsessed with a chubby, snaggle-toothed mobile phone salesman from Port Talbot who sings like Pavarotti.
I was determined not to watch Britain's Got Talent because I'd decided it was just another tedious reality show full of no-hopers. But a colleague sat me down and forced me to watch Paul Potts singing Nessun Dorma. And my heart did a back-flip. Within five seconds I was blubbing like a baby, within 10 I was praying with every fibre of my being that he'd hit all the high notes and not give Simon Cowell the chance to say "Good effort but don't give up the day job."
You just have to look at Paul Potts to know that life hasn't been easy. He's overweight, he's shy and he's got zero confidence because since he was a boy he's been bullied by people who didn't see his talent, just his bad teeth and his 40-inch waist. He has the look of a little lad who's been smacked once too often and who desperately needs approval. And then he opens that mouth full of broken teeth and out of it comes a voice so magnificent, so magical, it could melt ice. It's a voice that rips at your heart and reminds you that miracles really DO happen.
Advertisement And Paul Potts' arrival - not to mention all the other fantastic acts - is timely, because we're getting weary of living in a celebrity-obsessed world where people become famous for just appearing on a reality TV show, for kicking a football around or just getting wasted on drugs Which is why Paul is more than just a breath of fresh air. He's a glorious reminder that see mingly ordinary people living ordinary lives are hiding extraordinary talents - the kind of talent that can inspire us, humble us and make us jump for joy all at the same time.
And the best thing about a show like Britain's Got Talent is that the people on it put our already established, so-called celebrities to shame. I'm talking about those celebrities who've earned bucketloads of money, have off-the-map fame, a life bursting with perks and privileges yet all they do is moan about their lot.
Look at David Beckham. He's on £500,000 a week, he's got a bigger jewellery collection than Her Maj, he's got flash cars coming out of his earholes and mansions a-plenty, yet last week he did an interview whining about "My Year Of HELL." This is a man who wakes up every day safe in the knowledge that he and his family are financially secure for life yet he takes a few knocks on the football field and it's "hell". Let me have his hell for five minutes - please. Then there's all those wannabe idiots on The Apprentice, some of who might be clever, but most of whom are so cut-throat and self-obsessed you wouldn't want to share air with them, let alone work with them. Yet still we hail them as celebrities, give them TV shows and six-figure salaries. Then there are those witches in the Big Brother House who believe the path to fame is to be as vulgar as possible and ram their butt-cheeks at the TV cameras every chance they get.
And let's not forget Michael Barrymore, who had the adoration and respect of an entire nation, yet threw it all away and spent time in a police cell last week at the centre of a grisly murder inquiry where a young man died in the most depraved of circumstances.
Where is the joy in these people? What do they add to our lives? Do they raise our spirits? Do they make our hearts soar? Does their talent leave us breathless? The answer is a resounding "No!".
But Paul Potts does. After years of being bullied, of being made to feel worthless the singer written off as just a little fat lad from Port Talbot is finally living the dream, and everyone in this country is willing him on.
And while it's true not all of us have a God-given talent like Paul's, this chubby Colossus has reminded us that not only must we dare to dream, we have a positive responsibility to do it. He's an inspirational reminder that REAL talent isn't about Size 8 rich birds with endless legs. It isn't about monosyllabic footballers who think driving a Ferrari makes them special. It isn't about people thrown into the public eye courtesy of a TV show and who spend their lives splattered across the pages of Hello! magazine talking drivel.
What's happened to Paul Potts and all the other acts is not just good for them, it's fantastic for all of us. Because they've shown that if you want something enough, if you crave it, if you dream about it - it CAN happen.
With knobs on!
....I have watched that many times......goose bumps and tears.....the final was today against little Connie....did Paul Potts win the final???????
Have they had the finals yet? They were supposed to be today and after seeing the competition Potts is up against it should be a cakewalk for him. I’d have to say that he’s looking like the next Pavarotti.
He’s got talent.
I just looked it up in Google......Paul Potts wins the final.......PAUL WINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think Paul won the finals today
I’ve watched Paul’s YouTube performance about 10 times. I’m still amazed. I know nothing about opera and I’m sure most of the audience was the same. But something big happened
I watched the video ... amazzzing voice! I thought the woman judge almost had her soul leave her body when he hit that one amazing note! GREAT!
My sister sent this to me a day ago. My husband and I watched...over....and over...and over. I suddenly felt cleansed. I don’t know why but it was like an awakening of sorts. I watched and felt the honest emotion in the crowd and I kept waiting for the punch line. There wasn’t one. I was breathless. It was wonderful. It was moving. It was proof.
” make us jump for joy all at the same time.”
We all felt merry until she left, then we jumped for joy.
Well done, Mr Potts. I’ll buy your CD when it comes ‘round.
My eyes are still clouded. My GOD what a voice! I could picture Pavarotti next to him, and they hitting that note together tearing my heart out.
From The Sun: But yesterday angry viewers told how they felt DUPED after details of Paul’s classical training emerged.
Far from being a shy amateur, Paul has received extensive singing training.
He was a regular with Bath Opera, where roles included the lead in Verdi Don Carlos.
He spent two summers touring northern Italy with a major opera school and took master classes with top stars.
He even got to sing in one hosted by his idol, Luciano Pavarotti.
Paul isn’t even a newcomer to TV talent shows. In 1999 he won £8,000 on Michael Barrymore’s My Kind Of Music.
Link here:
This is misleading. Potts has never been paid for singing except for a previous talent show — therefore he is a true amateur. When you tour with a schol and take master classes, YOU PAY THEM, you don’t get paid. The Bath Opera was a volunteer gig.
Simon Cowell always tells bad singers “come back after you’ve taken some more lessons” — it is OK to take lessons and retain amateur status! And the show does not say winning a previous unrelated talent show makes you ineligible.
? What is the point ? Tabloids out to kick someone down as soon as they rise up ?
He has paid 2000 GBP over his life on singing lessons. He took two courses he paid for where he got to “tour” italy, practicing singing with other amateurs - sort of dream vacations / classes.
Pavarotti was a “host” of one - Paul was paying tuition, I wonder how much the people who organized it paid Pavarotti for dropping by one day.
He has never song professionally. That means he IS an amateur...
I have sung in a musical in community theater. I even had the lead in one musical. I have sung karaoke and hosted karaoke shows. I have practiced some days 6 hours in a row singing because I love it. I have over 300 songs in my current repetoire I can sing off the cuff. People come up to me all the time and ask if I am a professional - do I sing for a living. No, I tell them, I’m just an inspired amateur who spends too much time in bars.
But haven’t had “the break” and don’t expect to, being in my mid-50’s.
I have been around friends in music all my life. Several of them have made their living in music - session musicians, write a few songs, tour locally, occasional opening acts, but none of them have ever “made it” per se.
There are tens of thousands of people with great talent making money or a living in music that never get the break.
He is not even there with them. He sells mobile phones the last 3 years, for gosh sakes. Music is his passion, BUT only could be considered a “hobby” under these circumstances
He has always dreamed of singing opera, and has practiced, and paid for courses, but not “looking” like an opera singer and being just a regular guy with a great voice, never got the break.
The old saying is luck is where preparation meets opportunity.
He is lucky, because when the opportunity arose,, over these last few weeks, by dint of his years of hard work and practice — with NO prospect of success — he was prepared.
He was most definitely prepared!
In fact, He Kicked A$$! Not bad for a little tubby guy!
Don't shoot the messenger...I just posted the article. Evidently some folks felt like they were mislead.
His voice is a gift from God.
Excellent retort! I couldn’t have said it any better myself and agree with you 100%
I watched the semi’s where Paul “went thru” and was amazed.
Of course, the next day or so, some of the papers were complaining that he had “professional training”. Somebody else, maybe you, pointed out that these are lessons paid for by the singer.
Now I am hoping I can find his act from Sunday and am very pleased that one of us “Walter Mities” made it to the winners ring.
“Don’t shoot the messenger...I just posted the article. Evidently some folks felt like they were mislead.”
I agree, they were mislead by the media not by the individual.
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