They were totally throwing the girl a bone just to keep her from crying on television. She was not very good and flubbed several times. He was amazing of course. I hope she was just nervous and they do well as the show continues.

there are of course more people who are not attractive who are good at xxxx than there are people who are attractive who are good at xxxxx, whether it's singing, finance, you name it. It's just that you usually only see, or are shown, the attractive ones...

So, once and a while they parade a talented schlub as contrast to the parade of the pretty. It changes nothing about the social dynamic that biases the evaluation of worth or talent in favor of people perceived to be attractive. This isn't particularly different than the token black in other contexts.

@2: Because it's a television show designed to create this type of a reaction.

It's Britian, I mean watch the BBC. Great actors but ugly ass faces to go with that talent.

Aww, that was sweet. Thank you for posting!

And, David, I'd take you up on that fiddy-dolla bet in a NY minute if there was any way we could determine what role producers played in this presentation... Because if you're referring to the way the guy is dressed, I'm as certain as an internet stranger can be that that's how he dresses every day. If you're meaning the times that the gal messed up her singing, well, I still doubt that the producers had anything to do with that...

tl;dr version of this post: I don't think there's any artifice here with these two young people in this, their initial presentation/audition. That's what the REST of the series is for.... ;)

@6: rubbish! benedict cumberbatch is hawt, not to mention all that hawt guys in costume dramas. get yer glasses cleaned.

@8 - Word!

And he's ALMOST AS CUTE AS AN OTTER: http://tinyurl.com/7brbku8

I don't understand how BGT works, I don't think. Simon seems flabbergasted, and yet OBVIOUSLY these people have been vetted before they're allowed to go on that stage. Do the producers occasionally send out people who suck just to fuck with them? I mean (see Susan Boyle) it's not like this hasnt happened before.

I find the crowd reaction a little galling and not at all touching, to be honest. OMFGod in heaven. That fat, schlubby boy can sing! On a singing show! WELL I NEVER.

I'm pushing 50. I should be immune to this kind stuff. But dammit, there's those damned tears (again).

Daaaamn...

I mean, sure, it wasn't a total surprise since you posted it with that setup. But he seemed painfully shy in the introduction, and he was so soft spoken, I was not expecting that voice to come out when he sang. Holy shit! Dude has some pipes!

hey that title is offensive

i'm kind of fat but i kick ass at my job and can make computers do magic

can't sing for shit though

I love it when a person defies all my expectations.

I don't agree that she's not good. I thought she was great.

Um, put him in a tux and do something about that hair, and he doesn't look all that different than at least 30% of the population of male operatic singers. Good on him for his performance, but it wouldn't surprise people if he didn't look like such a slob.

She definitely fucked up a couple of times, but her voice is good enough that I chalked it up to nerves. That guy, though. Man, I couldn't believe how this little shy "oh, well, hello then" voice transformed into that giant opera voice. Good gravy, it was unreal.
Oh and, yeah, the producers do throw out some stinkers to keep things interesting. It's just like all the other talent contest shows.

Jonathan is a huge talent. An incredible voice at 17 years old, still largely untrained. Just wait.

Charlotte is talented and has a great heart. Impressive at 16 years old. She'll do well in life.

And Simon Cowell never fails to deliver: He's a massive prick, always.