From the LA Times:
Potts' performance was another online sensation, with more than 43 million views to date. Bullying at school undermined his confidence, he said in interviews. Boyle also told a British newspaper that she was bullied at school for her frizzy hair and for having learning difficulties.
Susan Boyle has been an inspiration to millions in the past several days. Paul Potts' story is every bit as inspiring, given his downtrodden, miserable demeanor. In both cases, bullying in their early school years helped to squelch their talents. Bullying can haunt people for their entire lives-- why on earth do we tolerate it? What gifts are we collectively throwing into the trash bin by allowing children to be bullied?
For more on Potts try this (his early performances on Britain's Got Talent) and this (the final -- which he won). Even as a woman who has watched the Susan Boyle YouTube clip approximately 597 times in the past 48 hours, I have to say that Paul Potts is every bit her equal in surprising and wonderful talent. And unlike Susan Boyle, he seems to wear an expression of pain on his face, even when the judges are exclaiming that they're blown away by his abilities. This poor guy was seriously damaged by bullying.
Incidentally, Potts didn't go to a music school to learn to sing opera. He took some prize winnings and went straight to Italy. As an unschooler, I love that!
Comments