LETTERS

What a shame that the authors of the article on Susan Boyle [“When Talent Trumps It All,” by Scott Collins and Janet Stobart, April 17] felt the need to begin it by mocking its subject as a “stocky, beetle-browed” “virgin” “who would not ordinarily rate a second glance on the street.” Have we truly become so superficial as a culture that we are truly shocked when unglamorous people are talented, confident, interesting, impressive, entertaining or otherwise valuable?

The article is intended to be about the power of viral video, but the points about the Internet’s influence could have been made just as well with a respectful description of Susan Boyle as a small-town Scottish woman who prior to this had only sung in church, rather than as someone who barely had the right to get on stage, given her appearance. Shame on the authors for their snide patronizing of a woman who deserves only respect for her effort.

Jennifer Taw

San Marino

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Why did [the British media] refer to her as “ugly” and mention that she was a virgin, even though she said she’d never been kissed? Just sensationalism. How ugly of them to hurt this woman. I’d like to see how “beautiful” their families are.

Marcia Meyerson

Los Angeles

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Your writers said about Susan Boyle that she is a woman who would not ordinarily rate a second glance on the street. Reading it turned my stomach. It puts the readers on the same fourth-grade playground. It is something that I certainly would not want my child or grandchild to say about anybody.

Marjatta Luukas

Los Angeles