The Boyle Effect

As it is known, Amber is the real pop culture buff, but I know my stuff as well. I may not know the minute details of certain celebrities, but I do know a hit when I see one.

This year we have seen many different artists become sensations overnight. Even though at the beginning of the year some of these artists had never even been heard of, they still somehow managed to captivate the world around them. The best example of this is Susan Boyle. If you have a computer and use Youtube, or even watch the news for that matter, then you at least have heard of this frumpy British singer.

Susan Boyle, a 47 year old single woman, was unknown globally until her performance on Britain's Got Talent. This ordinary, goofy looking woman stunned the audience with her spectacular vocal talent. Many were even brought to tears by this spunky lady. Within hours a video of her performance was posted to the web. That is when she became a real global hit. People around the world would log on and were astounded to find this unlikely star.

Her fame has continued to grow ever since. She has been on various shows around the world, she has been making international trips including a recent one to Japan, and people across the web continue to talk about her. People's infatuation with her stems from the fact that she has raw talent. Most celebrities you see today have to rely on eccentric behaviors, scandals, provocative clothes and choreography, and other gimmicks to gather attention. Boyle, on the other hand, is a simple woman who doesn't really perform according to today's standards. Her voice is enough to entertain people.

Boyle has even gathered fans that are celebrities. On Twitter, celebrities such as Moore and Kutcher praised her for her performances. Even recently, Lady Gaga came out admitting her admiration for Boyle. Gaga went as far as to say Boyle is "my woman of the year." This means quite a bit coming from the overnight sensation from the U.S. (EDIT from Amber: Lady Gaga was by NO MEANS, an overnight sensation in the U.S. She worked hard in the music industry, writing songs for other artists, such as Fergie and The Pussycat Dolls. She performed at clubs starting when she was a teenager. And now, at 23, she has risen to fame.)

I think this year has proven that Boyle is not a flash in the pan. Most likely her star power will continue to escalate the world over. This woman has also opened up opportunities to ordinary people. She has proven that substance is better than flash, and also that dreams can come true even if it is later in life. She has ultimately inspired hope. With the new year almost here, be sure to keep your eyes peeled and your ears open for this woman. Who knows what the next year holds for her?

-Colby

Facebook Memology

Facebook has released a list of the 15 most popular categories that users talked about in their statuses in 2009. According to Facebook, "memology" refers to the study of how "memes," or new ideas and trends, are spreading on Facebook.

The categories were:
1. Facebook Applications (such as Farmtown, Social Living, etc)
2. FML (Failing My Life, or *Expletive* My Life)
3. Swine Flu
4. Celebrity Deaths (Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze, see 2009 Pop Culture in a Nutshell)
5. Family
6. Movies
7. Sports
8. Health Care
9. FB (Facebook)
10. Twitter
11. Years
12. Lady Gaga
13. Yard
14. Religion
15. I

As a very active Facebook user, I can say I've talked about movies, Facebook, Lady Gaga, and religion quite a bit in my statuses. Can't forget category #15 either: myself.

To read more about how Facebook came up with these results, check out this link: http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=215076352130

-Amber