RoadTurn: Reflections on the Paul Potts Story

I love creativity. Even when I don’t agree with the statement being made, I can admire the thought and effort that goes into a creative work. Especially, I enjoy seeing what folks can do with this relatively new medium called the world wide web. The possibilities are seemingly endless.

Take a subject like bed bugs, for instance. Do they even exist? The old before bed salute says, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” I envisioned them as large beetle-like insects when I was small, but never did find one under my covers…thank God. Bed bug aficionados, though, tell us that they look like this micro photo. Personally, I had begun to think that the bed bugs scare story is just a way to sell foam mattresses. It got me to buy foam for the kids. You can’t be too careful with your babies. Read the rest

Faryl Smith has announced that she will be recording her first album this fall. The statement, from an exclusive interview with the (U.K.) Evening Telegraph, is a bit enigmatic :

Faryl has revealed that, although she has not signed a recording deal yet, she has made plans with Simon Cowell to start recording her first CD in September.

I have previously saluted Faryl (and her father) for holding back and not rushing into a contract–and I still do so. Should she end up signing with Simon Cowell anyway, you can bet that she swung the best deal she could. Faryl exhibits some of that surprising level-headedness for a pre-teen, saying

They were talking about me going on next year’s Britain’s Got Talent as a guest and releasing my album then, so it’s going to be quite a long time, but I think that’s ok because I get a break…I want it to be a long-term career, not just a quick fix then back to normal…I want to have a career in singing.

No doubt, Faryl will get her wish.

A recording of Faryl and Andrew Johnston singing the Walking in the Air duet will likely be released on Andrew’s soon to be released album. And to top it off, Faryl says that her role-model, Katherine Jenkins, has invited her to tea!

Good for you, Faryl. We wish you the very best.

A poem in honor of those who have given of themselves to found and keep this “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

A Nation’s Strength
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

What makes a nation’s pillars high
And it’s foundations strong?
What makes it mighty to defy
The foes that round it throng?

It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand
Go down in battle shock;
Its shafts are laid on sinking sand,
Not on abiding rock.

Is it the sword? Ask the red dust
Of empires passed away;
The blood has turned their stones to rust,
Their glory to decay.

And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown
Has seemed to nations sweet;
But God has struck its luster down
In ashes at his feet.

Not gold but only men can make
A people great and strong;
Men who for truth and honor’s sake
Stand fast and suffer long.

Brave men who work while others sleep,
Who dare while others fly…
They build a nation’s pillars deep
And lift them to the sky.

God bless America!

We’ve seen Simon Cowell visit the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, greet the Queen, lunch with politicians, and generally hob-knob with anyone who is someone in British society. Simon, one might say, has pull. The (U.K.) TimesOnline made that point clear today with a headline story saying that “David Cameron has turned to Simon Cowell to bring a populist touch to the Conservatives’ presentation in the build-up to the next election.”

Simon, you see, engineered a private show by Britain’s Got Talent finalists at the Evelina Children’s Hospital. That event was followed by a fund-raising ball for the Conservatives–and further entertainment courtesy of Simon and some of the BGT Live cast. All told, the Liberals were not impressed.

Says the Times:

The idea of a children’s party featuring the stars of the popular talent show emerged from a dinner that Mr Cameron had with Mr Cowell last month. The music mogul is a friend of Andy Coulson, Mr Cameron’s press secretary. Senior Tories say the event was scheduled to coincide with the publication of the NHS Next Steps Review…

Laura Moffatt, parliamentary aide to Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, said that the event showed that Mr Cameron had nothing to say. “His health policy is a content-free zone – filled with birthday cakes and dancing,” she said.

Now this is an interesting parlay by Simon–a guy who seems to be bound for a political seat at some point–but what really caught my eye was the mention of Faryl Smith in that Times article. Faryl is taking her time deciding on a record label, management, and the rest. She is in no rush to grab the bucks and start working. Probably, her dad is keeping her cool and straight. It’s not just that, though, Faryl makes good moves when she makes one. Here’s how she reacted to all the hooplah:

The act was joined by another finalist, the 12-year-old opera singer Faryl Smith, who had not originally been booked but asked to appear.

Did you catch it? Simon had apparently tried to leave her out of the deal (my guess is that she isn’t signing with his label), but Faryl requested to perform…and perform, she can. Here’s another look at a young girl with the soul of a saint, Faryl Smith:

July is vacation time for me. It’s always been like that. My dad’s lumber mill shut down for two weeks every July so all the employees could celebrate Independence Day, go fishing, travel, and take a break. For us, that often meant driving cross country to visit family. I love this time of year.

My crew’s tradition is a trip to Disney World. Usually we get a room on property and focus on the parks, but there is no lack of things to do in Orlando .

If we lived on the West Coast, I guess we would be going to the original Disney Land park and worrying about things to do in Los Angeles, but we used to live near Orlando and have a pretty good grip on the scene there. I’ve never been to Disneyland and barely to Los Angeles. If we headed that way, I’d be calling up Trusted Tours and Attractions for a little help.

Disney World has pretty well grown on us. At first, I wasn’t too keen on the place–high prices and crowds. It didn’t take long strolling through the countries at Epcot, though, and sampling the amazing food available there to make me a believer. Now, I get about as excited as the kids about going. We discovered that Mexico is an ideal place from which to view the fireworks. My most memorable vacation was at the outdoor restaurant there watching the fireworks finale and holding one child by the hand and the other in my arms. Sweet.

If you’re heading into unknown parts this season, check out the Trusted Tours newsletter or check out their online travel guides.

Maybe you want to see the Metropolitan museum of art. Whatever your desire, Trusted Tours and Attractions is giving away a handheld GPS and the newsletter sign-up will qualify you for the drawing. Well, it would until June 30th–that offer may have changed by now. Check out the Trusted Tours newsletter to find out.

America’s Got Talent proved once again last night that America really does harbor a bevy of dancers, cowboys, acrobats, sword-swallowers, and singers. Here is how BuddyTV described one of those very special acts:

George the Giant is seven feet and three inches tall. His talent involves stringing a clear straw around an audience volunteer, then into his nose and out his mouth. He then proceeds to drink milk through the straw before ripping off his shirt. On his chest he has attached firecrackers that he then lights. Talk about talent. Piers found the act disturbing, but votes him through anyway. Sharon gives a no, but the Hoff gives a yes and George is on to Vegas.

“On to Vegas.” Incredible.

Heart-wrenching story of the night goes to Jessica Parker, a girl who can definitely sing with soul but is torn up over the loss of her dad. No, he didn’t die; he just left. Men, what are we thinking?

My recent emphasis on the importance to know what one is doing has led to a conversation on the value of being. Don’t grit your teeth and expect to engage a Socratic dialogue, though. This word on being is brought to you by a woman who says that the outer person is important to the inner person. She also gives you ladies over 35 a link to a makeover essay contest. Cheer up, men. Get to work. Read the rest

Welcome to July. I love first days. I love beginnings. My favorite parts of a trip are the planning and the journey. Usually, once the destination is gained I am ready to get back on the road again. No wonder my resume reads like an occupational classifications guide–I yearn for the adventure of moving on. The inspiration for this introspective thinking was reading the first chapter of Rene Godefroy’s excellent book, Kick Your Excuses Goodbye. It was my before bed reading last night and Rene’s insistence that “The first requirement of getting what you want in life is to know precisely what you want” (pg. 10). I was reminded of the beginnings of this blog–my desire was not to idolize Paul Potts, but to study how it was that he got his One Chance and began to live the life of his dreams. Is that possible for you and me? Read the rest

Anyone out there feeling like your One Chance either already passed by or maybe got snatched up by someone just a little quicker and a little brighter? I know that feeling well.

Here is a treat from Rene Godefroy. Born in extreme poverty, Rene didn’t dare dream that he could have a different life. Then someone spoke a word of encouragement to him. Now, his ambition is to speak that same word to others.

Rene Godefroy is the author of Kick Your Excuses Goodbye and No Condition Is Permanent!, two excellent books on turn-around theory.

Here is an audio link to Rene giving a short inspirational talk called Never Give UP.

Some of you know that I often go off on a semi-rant about the seeming give-a-hoot attitude exhibited by those responsible for the promotion and public relations efforts on the Paul Potts team. I have received several disgruntled emails from members of that team–who think that they are doing a bang-up job. And maybe they are–let’s face it, I’m just an amateur onlooker.

What I do have, though, is years of experience working for and with various agencies of the United States government. Suffice it to say that I have seen many examples of bureaucratic bumbling close-up and some of the stuff that Sony/Columbia/RCA (are all these guys now one conglomerate or what?) and the amazing Shore Fire Media have done and not done sure looks like a reasonable facsimile of incompetence. I mean; it’s scary to think that these companies are amongst the world’s best. God help us all.

Anyway, much of the feedback I get when I am off on this tangent says something like, “Well, public relations doesn’t make all that much difference anyway. Who cares if he is getting regular publicity?” Let’s get real, folks: If not for the huge PR garnered from that first YouTube video of Paul Potts at the Britain’s Got Talent semi-final, you would likely be asking, “Paul who?”

For example, listen to this report from one of our special readers, Smiley Sunrise, as she tells us about what an Oprah re-run did for Paul Potts recently:

When I heard that the Oprah show was going to be re-run, I thought I would see if the “Oprah bounce” would happen again. So I looked on the Amazon site the night before the show was re-run, and Paul’s album was #250. Before I went to bed last night (the day of the show) it had climbed to #3! That’s quite a jump!!

Quite a jump indeed, Smiley, and thank you for your thoughtfulness and hard work.

One more pertinent point: According to some of the whisper on the street, Shore Fire is no longer controlling the public relations for Paul Potts. At least his bio has been taken down from their client pages and inquiries to them about the move are reportedly getting snide, curt responses–hold it though, we’re talking about Shore Fire, and since the first agent who was handling Paul left their service, snide comments have been the rule there. To be fair, other whispers say that they are just backing off and waiting for the movie to come out before going back to work (nothing like picking your best shot, is there?)

Okay, Shore Fire is famous for Bruce Springsteen. My grandmother could have handled Springsteen and come out smelling like honeysuckle, but here I go again…knock it off, Don. Go to bed.

America’s Got Talent who 302 splashed the screens last night, and the line-up included: A bartender who does the grind, a fire-eating lady, dancing pseudo-cowboys, a couple of really good singers, and Elvis. Read the show review at Buddy TV, and see Elvis right here:

The word is out that the One Chance movie is proceeding. Screenwriter Justin Zackham has been selected to write the script, which The Hollywood Reporter says is expected to be a comedy-drama.

Simon Cowell, Michael Menchley, and Steve Whitney are producing the film. For a read of the entire article, just click here.