Susan Boyle pricks society's dark side...

A middle aged Scottish spinster with untamed hair and a plain-spoken manner has captivated millions of music lovers and confounded celebrity watchers with her rise to fame after appearing on a British TV talent show.

Susan Boyle, at 47, became one of the world's hottest celebrities virtually overnight after her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" on "Britain's Got Talent" this month.

She has appeared on Larry King Live in the United States and in countless newspaper and internet articles. The clip of her song has been viewed around 50 million times on website YouTube.

But while most people see her story as a fairytale, some say it casts an unflattering light on the public and its preconceived notions about beauty and fame. More...

See also:

1. A star is born but Susan Boyle remains cool and unfluttered...
2. Susan Boyle and how appearances can be deceiving…
3. The Britney Spears culture...
4. "Dumb UK heading back to the Dark Ages..."