I barely follow the “Idol”-type shows, because I find nearly all of the music to be complete and utter rehashes of existing things. On the other hand, practically everything about those shows is already predetermined or, at least, media-fabricated. Thus, in such a context, isn’t it at least slightly OK that a relatively “normal”-looking, middle-aged woman (Scotland’s Susan Boyle) was even allowed to appear, as opposed to exclusively “well-above-average-looking” 19ish-year-old “girls” and “boys”? You can’t even audition for most of the “Idol” shows if you’re over something like 27, but I suppose the producers and judges of this particular show were just “covering their middle-aged asses” (in a sad, politically-correct kind of way) by letting her through to that point. I never expected such producers to have any reasonable amount of artistic or social integrity in the first place, so why should this particular “stunt” offend me? Besides, if the general public is looking for “gifted musicians” on such shows, they deserve exactly what they usually get. Everyone who deserves better than that should instead watch the excellent 2006 documentary “Before the Music Dies.” See http://beforethemusicdies.com/