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Elaine Paige's apology to Susan Boyle not good enough

By
NIALL O'DOWD
,
IrishCentral.com Publisher
Published Saturday, January 30, 2010, 9:07 AM
Updated Saturday, January 30, 2010, 12:45 PM
Read more: Susan Boyle


Superstar singer Susan Boyle
Superstar singer Susan Boyle

Elaine Paige's comments on Susan Boyle were too bad to be true, and she has now apologized.

She stated "I wasn’t referring to Susan herself; I was referring to the speed of her fame spreading as fast as a worldwide viral marketing campaign. I am a huge supporter of Susan Boyle and admire what she has achieved. 

“I have always said it’s very hard for someone to be fast-tracked to stardom without any prior experience – I know this as it happened to me when ‘Evita’ opened and I found it extremely difficult in the beginning.

“Today, of course, it’s much harder with the phenomenon of the internet – Facebook, YouTube, etc. - it seems it only takes minutes for fame to spread around the world - and that’s why I used the word ‘virus.'"

Why do I not believe her?

Because I think Paige, like many other major stars, has just not been able to accept the Susan Boyle story for what it is – a global phenomenon, built on the internet and whizzed around the world faster than the speed of sound. Paige probably genuinely believes that Boyle does not deserve the trappings of fame and fortune and believes they came to early and too soon for her.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

Susan Boyle struggled every day of her life – and continues to do, in a world that was often hostile to her.

Her early days were a battle against bullyings and beatings. Her later life was consumed with long-term care of her mother and trying to find a role for herself after she passed on.

Susan Boyle has had nothing handed to her, far from it – she has spent enough time at the table waiting for her aces to show up. When they did, she proved she could play with the best of them – including Ms. Paige.

I think Elaine and all those other performers who have voiced their criticism of Boyle should accept her for what she is – the first superstar of the new decade, an unlikely story where Cinderella became the princess. Maybe then they would calm down.
 

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Elaine Paige's apology to Susan Boyle not good enough | Entertainment in Ireland and Around the World | IrishCentral


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Posted by TwoStep on Feb 24, 2010, 10:17 AM EST
Poor *old* Elaine Paige. Someone should tell her that jealousy will just increase those lines.
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Posted by Watereskhill on Feb 07, 2010, 11:22 PM EST
The superb styled coif of 'Evita' that gave Elaine Paige class in London's West End Theatre district now comes across an Elvira wig with 'Cats' claws. I am not convinced of her 'apology'.
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Posted by Temerity on Feb 06, 2010, 05:52 AM EST
roseofengland I read your comment with interest. In actually fact no one has ever come to world fame as mindbogglingly swifty and as easily as Susan Boyle.I saw Elaine Paige and Susan Boyle singing together and Elaine Paige couldn't have been warmer or more gracious even as Susan Boyle was given extra applause when she appeared and started to sing. If Elaine Paige at 64 years of age doesn't appreciate that because of Susan Boyle's admiration her career has been given a shot in the arm with world wide free publicity right at the time when her career could have been about to decline she would have to be a fool.She may have sung with Susan expecting her expertise and stage craft and singing would out shine Susan. That didn't happen. Susan was not intimidated and her voice was purer and sweeter than Elaine Paiges and her natural good will towards Elaine Paige showed. The duet was successful because of that. But has Susan got enough toughness and stamina to continue to survive in the Entertainment world that still remains to be seen.
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Posted by KathyMu on Feb 05, 2010, 05:45 PM EST
OldSchoolFan, come on, in that duet Elaine sounded like a nasal Mimmie Mouse. She can act and has experience, but certainly she certainly doesn't have the best voice out there.
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Posted by OldSchoolFan on Feb 04, 2010, 08:04 PM EST
I think Elaine was right and needs to stop apologizing. She spoke the truth. You may like Susan's voice, but she has zero performing skills. She's not a professional. And if she's the first superstar of the new decade then we are in for a lot of substandard entertainment. There's nothing wrong with striving for excellence or demanding it of the people you pay to see perform.
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Posted by MalcomAC on Feb 04, 2010, 12:55 PM EST
Do we know if Paige has talked directly to Boyle?


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