So this summer I've been trying to get my reality-TV fix while watching clips of Britain's Got Talent on youtube. It helps me deal with having to wait another month for the American version (and by the way, Eli and Donald were robbed last season!). I of course have followed the Susan Boyle story from the start, though I do think she is overrated. In fact of all the finalists there is not one that I am really rooting for. I think my favorite is Aidan, the young dancer, which is odd since I usually root for singers on these shows. Yet the three S's- Susan, Shaun Smith, and Shaheen, do not excite me as singers. The one girl who I did sort of like, Hollie Steel, has become a controversial figure in her own right, which makes me not able to root for her anymore despite her talent.
In the middle of her semifinal performance, the 10-year-old Hollie forgot her words and began to cry in front of the audience and judges. They all seemed sympathetic to her, as did hosts Ant and Dec, who even offered her a drink of water. Some have suggested little Hollie was fake crying in order to get sympathy votes, but I do not feel that was the case- those were real tears of nerves up there, tears of a girl who feels like she just blew her shot to sing for the Queen. But I do think it was unfair for the judges to give her a second chance to sing. But they (specifically Simon) did, and she did sound impressive in her second attempt (actually, she sounded great the first time too until she forgot the words). No other contestant was given this luxury, not even favorite Susan Boyle, who was off on a few notes early in her semifinal performance. It's bad enough children with mediocre talent are sent to the finals on these shows just for being cute- Kaitlin Mayer from last year's America's Got Talent being a prime example. And while Hollie does not fall into this category, she did get a new form of special treatment last night by getting to start her song over again. Who knows? Maybe she would have made the finals even without the second chance. She certainly would have gotten sympathy votes, and the judges too may have put her through out of pity if she didn't win the audience vote outright. But despite her talent, I feel I can no longer root for after this incident. Sure, she is more talented than fellow semifinalist Greg Pritchard, but every time I see her I think of the unfairness of this moment and it ruins the whole experience. So I guess all I have to root for now is Aidan. Go little dancer go!!
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