Grandma was right...never judge a book by its cover

[Jimaz]

It looks like Paul Potts finally has some competition.

Attachment 592

Man impresses judges on talent show

This is a terrific story from the show Britain's Got Talent. The audience has little expectation for this cell phone salesman, Paul Potts, until he brings them to their feet with an amazing performance of an extremely difficult opera song - Puccinis Nessun Dorma. Within two minutes, Paul shows more emotion than all the contestants combined. I'm not into opera but even I had to watch this video a number of times.

Biography: Paul Potts was raised in Fishponds, Bristol, by his father Roland, a bus driver, and mother, Yvonne, a supermarket cashier. Paul has two brothers and one sister, and attended St. Mary Redcliffe school where he first developed his love of singing.

In the interview that was broadcast before his performance in the semi-final, Paul stated that he had trouble with being bullied in school, and that it may have had an influence on his lack of self-confidence.

Until June 19, 2007 Potts worked as a manager at the Bridgend Carphone Warehouse, a mobile phone store around 8 miles from his home town.

On June 9, 2007, Potts' audition of Simon Cowell's new search-for-a-star show Britain's Got Talent was televised on ITV in UK. The actual audition was held at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on March 17, 2007. Paul sang a condensed version of Giacomo Puccini's "Nessun dorma", which impressed the judges and received a standing ovation from the audience of 2,000 people.

In the semi-final on June 14, 2007, Potts performed main verses of "Con te partirò" with praise from the audience and judges.

Mr. Potts currently holds the top position in the All Time Best Category of BestofYouTube.com.

[gnome]

Thanx ErieDearie, that was wonderful, watched it several times. Just like the Paul Potts performance ... breathtaking.

She just needs a weed whacker to thin those eyebrows a tad.

[Jimaz]

So what do we mean by "never judge a book by its cover"?

I think it means that however meager we may appear, individually each one of us can excel far beyond expectations in some specialty. That's magic.

Let's go for it.

[Sstashmoo]

That Paul Potts is simply amazing...

[grumpyoldlady]

Gnome...those eyebrows have nothing to do with the vocal cords. That kind of comment is low and uncalled for. Show some class. There's always someone who has to find something to make a negative comment about. I hope you have a physical deformity that people have made fun of, but no, you must be perfect, or you would know how that sort of comment is hurtful and out of place, even if she will never see it. As a fatty that has suffered the verbal abuse of others all my life, I am sensitive about people pointing out the faults of others, and rightly so.

[gnome]

You're right GOL, my comment was insensitive and while intended to be a little joke, I can see my comment was ill-time and thoughlessly sarcastic.

That lady is a wonderful singer and my comment was uncalled for. Please forgive me as it was not my intention to cause you harm or to upset you in any way.

[gazhekwe]

You aren't by yourself with that kind of comment, Gnome, they are all over the 'net, criticizing Susan's gait, hair, amount of hair, perceived clumsiness, dowdiness, lonely lifestyle and on and on.

I don't know what it is in us that makes us think that is funny. I believe most of us have to beat that down on occasion. Ever notice how America's Funniest Home Videos shows a lot of people hurting themselves and we are supposed to laugh our collective butts off at their expense? Tsk tsk at us, I say. I heard a report on NPR yesterday about the concept of empathy. They studied people's brains while watching videos of things happening to other people. Most people's brains jumped right to empathy when watching something showing an obvious injury. The synapses took longer and longer the less obvious the physical injury, and took the longest, if they happened at all, with psychological injuries. I guess we are wired to help with physical injuries, but not with those hurtful mental ones.

[Maof]

Susan will be on Larry King tonight.

[ccbatson]

All I pointed out is that she invites the scrutiny...and she probably knows it and cares little...good for her, I commend that kind of individual ambition and disregard for the petty concerns of the masses [[or the collective, if you prefer)