Opera singer. Phone company. Human interest story. Ordinary guy with extraordinary talent. Get ready for the Paul Potts cell phone with operatic ringtones.
He almost quit singing. A few years ago he had a burst appendix. They discovered a large tumor that was fortunately benign. While healing, he had a bike accident and broke his collarbone. This is such a great story. Go, Paul!
ping
Potts insists: I’m no opera pro
June 16, 2007
COMMENT ON THIS STORY
THE SUN was swamped with calls from furious readers last night after it emerged Britain’s Got Talent finalist Paul Potts is a trained opera singer who has been coached by PAVAROTTI.
Unassuming mobile phone salesman Paul won a standing ovation after he sailed through to the final gaining the largest share of the public vote.
Following his semi-final performance on Wednesday judge Piers Morgan gushed: “When we signed for this show we had a vision of finding someone doing an ordinary job, someone unassuming who quietly had this amazing talent that we could provide a platform for. You are that guy.”
But yesterday angry viewers told how they felt DUPED after details of Paul’s classical training emerged.
Far from being a shy amateur, Paul has received extensive singing training.
He was a regular with Bath Opera, where roles included the lead in Verdi Don Carlos.
He spent two summers touring northern Italy with a major opera school and took master classes with top stars.
He even got to sing in one hosted by his idol, Luciano Pavarotti.
Paul isn’t even a newcomer to TV talent shows. In 1999 he won £8,000 on Michael Barrymore’s My Kind Of Music.
The Sun was flooded with calls from readers who felt conned.
Matt Young, 33, said: “On the show there has been no mention that he performed in front of Pavarotti.
“It is dishonest of the programme makers. The show is supposed to be all about undiscovered talent but it seems Paul’s talent was recognised a long time ago.”
Julie Shepherd, 29, of East London, said: “My husband and I are absolutely fuming. We feel duped. We voted for Potts and are thinking about asking for our money back.”
Last night Paul defended himself, claiming he was just an “ordinary bloke.”
He said: “I am not a professional. I’ve never been paid for my singing, all the training I’ve received I paid for myself, and I grafted hard to do so.
In total I have spent about £2,000.
“The judges said I was an ordinary guy doing an ordinary job and that is absolutely true. I have worked at the Carphone Warehouse for three years.
“The tour I did in Italy was part of a course, it wasn’t professional.”
MIDI - La donna è mobile http://www.amato.org/amato0102/rigoletto02.html
Documents in his pants…Sandy took quite a chance
Several were there to see…felonies
Stealing some history…for Clinton’s legacy
He’s Sandy Burglar man…he would do all he can
Soon the commission meets…he would be feeling heat
Friends laughed at sloppiness…he lived in such a mess
What had he been stealing…about Clinton’s dealings
‘Though he had the chance…Osama would not be killed
Not today, not today…no, he would not be killed
Not todaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay…he would not be killed today
Documents in his socks…his excuse is a crock
It was an accident…no harm meant
Would Sandy pay the price…orange jump suits can look nice
Perp walks are fun to see…on pay per view TV
Everything would be fine…he’d do no jail time
He was a Clinton hack…he’d get his clearance back
What had he been stealing…about Clinton’s dealings
‘Though he had the chance…Osama would not be killed
Not today, not today…no, he would not be killed
Not todaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay…he would not be killed today
MIDI - La donna è mobile http://www.amato.org/amato0102/rigoletto02.html
Documents in his pants…Sandy took quite a chance
Several were there to see…felonies
Stealing some history…for Clinton’s legacy
He’s Sandy Burglar man…he would do all he can
Soon the commission meets…he would be feeling heat
Friends laughed at sloppiness…he lived in such a mess
What had he been stealing…about Clinton’s dealings
‘Though he had the chance…Osama would not be killed
Not today, not today…no, he would not be killed
Not todaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay…he would not be killed today
Documents in his socks…his excuse is a crock
It was an accident…no harm meant
Would Sandy pay the price…orange jump suits can look nice
Perp walks are fun to see…on pay per view TV
Everything would be fine…he’d do no jail time
He was a Clinton hack…he’d get his clearance back
What had he been stealing…about Clinton’s dealings
‘Though he had the chance…Osama would not be killed
Not today, not today…no, he would not be killed
Not todaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay…he would not be killed today
Many of the people who appear on “American Idol” have had professional training; some argue with the judges, saying that they have studied for years, while others are openly told by the judges to get some professional training before trying again or going on to another round. Some of them have even worked as professionals, by which I mean they have accepted money or even supported themselves as singers. There is nothing wrong with getting professional training and nothing about working with as a pro before one appears on American Idol or Britain’s Got Talent.
I don’t understand the outrage. Does anyone really think that you can sing opera like that without training of some sort?
Bravo!
My son teaches voice on Broadway and in an Ivy league school so would like to send him a link to see what he thinks.
Potts has a nice voice and a wonderful story, but he is not a first rate singer. (Disclosure - I am a classical musician)
His voice, even with the microphones, is small. His notes are shaky. And on the final vincero - his voice cracks on the high B.
Alas, singing standards (and musical tastes) have devolved so much in the past 50 years that ordinary people think the singers on these karaoke shows are good singers. Believe it or not, back in the 30s and 40s, each week more than 10 million people would tune in to the Saturday afternoon Metropolitan Opera broadcasts.
To hear the gulf between Potts and the top rung of opera singers, check out Jussi Bjorling:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPEG914GATk
It’s encouraging that this guy is getting all this support , but, you know, HE ISN’T THAT GOOD.
He’s OK, but he’s not spectacular. I can sing Nessum Dorma as well as he, and I don’t consider myself any great shakes.
I watched him on Youtube and expected the same “hair on the back of the neck tingling” performance that Bianca Ryan produce on the American show last season with “And I am Telling you I’m not Going” but, frankly, I was disappointed.
He sang Nessum Dorma like he like a dead fish, he just stood there, with his arms hanging limp by his side as he appeared to concentrate on his delivery.
A good rendition, but not inspiring.
Ping for later reference. Gotta love it. The guy is instantly famous. Here’s to him having more than 15 seconds of fame!!!
B T T T
SOUNDS LIKE A FREEPER TO ME
ancestralyuba (3 minutes ago) Marked as spam
Yeah, just think. Islamic fascists would love to see this guy dead along with the entire culture that created him.
(Reply) (Spam)
STUPID BUT FUNNY COMMENT
czargwar (15 minutes ago) Marked as spam
Paul Potts shares his name with Ron Paul... both are great
Coincidence??? I think not =P
(Reply) (Spam)
Nam Vet
Go Paul!!! Great performance of Nesu Dorma
I’ve been hearing about this for days and just took the time this morning to listen. Once, twice, listening now for the third time...still have goose bumps.
Extraordinary.
He has a great voice....too bad you can’t hear it through all the vibrato.
Fans of the cult indie movie Napoleon Dynamite will note some strong production parallels to the election speech dance scene: the apparent loser with bad hair and unfortunate teeth stands before a hostile audience posed to witness what everyone seems to sense will be the nadir of his shame and humiliation; the venue fittingly becomes quiet as a tomb; the sound technician presses a button on a tape machine; the first notes of fine music break the darkness, the apparent loser presses forward in complete faith beyond the point of no return. And he is transformed before their eyes into a preternaturally accomplished artist. The audience, dumbfounded, jumps to its feet and gives the apparent loser, now clearly a winner, a standing ovation.
What director Jared Hess tried accomplish in a light-hearted fictional sense in Napoleon Dynamite was in the case of Paul Potts accomplished in a real sense.
It's a great, timeless story.