# Britain's Got Talent meets Les Miserables **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 13, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906 "2009-04-13T01:39:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/181 "2009-04-20T16:32:23Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Someone with talent, stage presence, and a decent work ethic can always find some level of success if they don’t go nuts or get bitter when they experience the nasty business side of the entertainment business. At some point you can hopefully put the go and the bullshit aside and be grateful for a chance to do something you love and have a gift for and get paid fr it. I’m sure your right. I got bitter myself. I think it started because I saw how very much more you have to put into it than you can expect to get out. Just asking people to listen is asking a lot these days. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/182 "2009-05-04T03:26:11Z")
Bump. The newest out-of-nowhere Brit has success with Les Mis song contestant is male, [Jamie Pugh](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1KHRf02ups). He’s a van driver and a pizza delivery guy. I would have loved it if when Simon had asked “And what are you doing here?” he’d answered “someone ordered a pizza…”, but his stage fright was a major plus to reviewers it seems. He’s good but imho he’s not in the same league as Susan Boyle good. I think he has way too much vibrato (which is a complaint that I often get when I sing as well, though not as often as the complaint that 'he’s singing again"). Since the performance several tabloids have covered the sad story of his first marriage. The mother of his child died of cancer a few years back and he’s been a single dad since he was in his 20s, though he’s currently in a relationship. When a reporter called him he confirmed it was true but said he hadn’t wanted it mentioned because he didn’t want sympathy vote. (Pity he didn’t go Billy Bob and say “You were instructed not to talk about that shit” and then descend into a long harangue about plastic monster models.) What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/183 "2009-05-04T04:08:34Z")
Ooh I disagree that he’s not in Susan Boyle’s league, **Sampiro**. I think he has a _very_ good voice, just as good as Boyle, who benefited greatly from the low expectations and surprise factor. Sure Pugh’s vibrato is a bit Aaron Nevilley, but he’s petrified and not supporting as much as he could be. (Boyle was similarly shaky in her performance, but compare that to the recorded song from ten years ago and you can hear how much she can do when feeling confident.) I think when Pugh’s not scared shitless he could be excellent. Boy, he sure lowered this song quite a bit, though – this ain’t the original key by any stretch! But that’s okay, he’s not a tenor. ---
**Author:** ![Dublin11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dublin11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dublin11)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/184 "2009-05-10T21:29:32Z")
For your further delectation - people who don’t see British telly - I give you this week’s Britain’s Got Talent [star turn](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O88k4i6pF1A&feature=popular). I don’t quite know what I think about this lad, but I do know I was gobsmacked. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/185 "2009-05-10T21:36:12Z")
Wow. That’s a surprising voice indeed. You don’t hear countertenors much, for sure. And I love Simon’s genuinely shocked and entranced face-- not mocking like the dude on the left. And his “Like a dog meowing.” Heh. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/186 "2009-05-10T21:52:29Z")
Okay, what was that? Contralto? But he’s a guy, and sounds like it. Nice sound. But no market for it. Remember that guy who sang for Sarah Brightman on her (wonderful) concert in Vienna was it? Anyway, something like that. But if the guy can do that, he can almost surely do a nice tenor. Especially if you consider his speaking voice. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/187 "2009-05-10T21:52:57Z")
> [@Dublin11](#): > > For your further delectation - people who don’t see British telly - I give you this week’s Britain’s Got Talent [star turn](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O88k4i6pF1A&feature=popular). > > I don’t quite know what I think about this lad, but I do know I was gobsmacked. I thought castratos were illegal today. Damn… Farinelli couldn’t have hit those notes. “It was like a dog meowing” is one of the best lines Simon’s ever had. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/188 "2009-05-10T22:00:51Z")
I’m with Simon on the dog meowing!😃 I didn’t really like the performance - but the guy has charisma to burn! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/189 "2009-05-10T22:12:09Z")
[Fernando Lima](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM3UTJSqQug), a counter-tenor, was the guy in Brightman’s concert. Is that this guy’s voice? He sounds higher (than Lima) to me. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/190 "2009-05-10T22:15:24Z")
Simon didn’t say the guy _sounded_ like a dog meowing, he said the visual effect was like _seeing_ a dog meowing. Right? IOW, he was shocked. “It was like a dog meowing…It just should do that” ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/191 "2009-05-11T00:05:27Z")
I think we all got that mangeorge. But for something that is actually enjoyable to listen to check out this guy [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6zBwbIvq7U) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/192 "2009-05-11T00:12:24Z")
> [@maplekiwi](#): > > I think we all got that mangeorge. > > But for something that is actually enjoyable to listen to check out this guy > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6zBwbIvq7U](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6zBwbIvq7U) Good! That’s what I was asking. Didn’t mean to try to _tell_ you something, “we all”. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/193 "2009-05-11T00:27:04Z")
> [@maplekiwi](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6zBwbIvq7U](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6zBwbIvq7U) Well, he sure is cute. Nothing wrong with his singing or his voice. Maybe with some time he’ll develope his own unique style, or maybe with a song of his own? I’d send him to Elton John (and Bernie Taupin) for a song. Let be known that I don’t watch that talent show, so I don’t know the rules. Nice song. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/194 "2009-05-11T04:28:37Z")
Alessandro Moreschi (1858-1922) was the last castrato to sing in the papal choir. There’s a very grainy [recording of him singing Ave Maria](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmEamCkLlF8) when he was old and recording technology was very primitive but it’s the only recording made of an actual castrato. (Moreschi was castrated for medical reasons [actual medical reasons, not the 'he had mumps/got gored by a hog/got gored by a hog with mumps" excuses used in previous centuries.) When they made the movie _Farinelli_ they actually digitally synthesized the castrato sound based on descriptions by taking male sopranos and male tenors and fusing the range. I wonder what BGT guy’s range is, because if he can sing well in deeper octaves he’d be a shoe in if there’s ever a musical version of _Farinelli_ or _Cry to Heaven_ (a dreadful Anne Rice novel about the castrati that’s been considered for a musical) or an original piece. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/195 "2009-05-11T04:35:28Z")
So are “Ant and Dec” really popular in England or do they strike many as annoying? I’m trying to think of who they’d correspond to in U.S. television. Shaun Smith’s sounds much older than 17. I wonder how much training he has. I’ll confess wanting to knock him in the side during the “I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know” part as it sounded like he was having a technical problem. Cutie though; reminds me a bit of the new Chekhov. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/196 "2009-05-11T04:41:34Z")
Countertenors =/ castrati. The former is an “intact” guy singing in a falsetto, the latter’s voice has never had the chance to change. This guy reminded me very much of a male Charlotte Church. I’m curious about those two nimrods off in the backstage area too, **Sampiro**. They’re _sorta_ like Ryan Seacrest, if Ryan was crossed with Billy Bush. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/197 "2009-05-11T04:54:53Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Oh I think his style is unique as it is. I’ve never heard a guy sing like that. I’m not sure any have in [87 years](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmEamCkLlF8).😃 Plenty, plenty have: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yp_CzYkfx4s/hqdefault.jpg "Radu Marian") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp_CzYkfx4s) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/K7PTeoDDZNA/hqdefault.jpg "Philippe Jaroussky: Pianti Sospiri (Vivaldi)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7PTeoDDZNA) ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/E2liGFJFuGk/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/E2liGFJFuGk?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SKhty7VlPq0/hqdefault.jpg "Tomotaka Okamoto, "Eien"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKhty7VlPq0) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/H6h4Nic2Bro/hqdefault.jpg "Aris Christofellis - When times goes by") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6h4Nic2Bro) ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6OAr9N_-MtU/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/6OAr9N_-MtU?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TcMsaOdnWqU/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/TcMsaOdnWqU?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6vbIt8qmj7E/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/6vbIt8qmj7E?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/j2_mPkV4Ri8/hqdefault.jpg "Klaus Nomi - Total Eclipse") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2_mPkV4Ri8) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_OkFSCWe9oA/hqdefault.jpg "Russian super singer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OkFSCWe9oA) ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/C7F0haI-yhk/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/C7F0haI-yhk?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/198 "2009-05-11T05:49:35Z")
Erik Karol, formerly of Cirque du Soleil’s _Dralion_, is a fabulous counter-tenor. He sings throughout virtually the entire show and has tremendous stage presence. Check out his performance in [this beautiful act](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WINncTVBU0k) from the Cirque’s _Dralion_. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-TTEwc6CaY&feature=related) he’s joined by Agnès Sohier in _Stella Errans_ from the same show. Also check out the notes at 1:02 in [this performance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5HMSLDzlLs). Based upon what I’ve read, Cirque has been having a very hard time trying to find a replacement since he left. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/199 "2009-05-11T07:23:54Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > So are “Ant and Dec” really popular in England or do they strike many as annoying? I’m trying to think of who they’d correspond to in U.S. television. I sort of assumed that they were the reason why American Idol started with two hosts. I heard that they have been doing this act on such shows for a while. So they would correspond with Dunkelman(?) and Seacrest. I have never watched much of the show so I can’t comment on how they worked together. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906/200 "2009-05-11T07:31:06Z")
Yes Ant and Dec are annoying (at least to me). One newspaper critic described them as “talentless Munchkins”, a sentiment I heartily agree with. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-got-talent-meets-les-miserables/492906.md?page=9)