By MACKENZIE ROGER

Staff Reporter

Appearances are almost always deceiving. Most of us judge people based off their hair, shoes, and clothing. However, the world relearned last week that a person’s looks like don’t determine who they are.

Enter Susan Boyle, a 47 year-old contestant on Britain’s Got Talent, the predecessor to America’s similarly-named show, arrived in a crème-colored monstrosity of a dress, complete with a ribbon sash.

Boyle, who still lives in her family home, introduced herself on-camera, letting everyone watching know that she has never been kissed and lives alone with her cat, Pebbles, in Scotland. She then announced her singing ambitions, which left the audience and judges laughing.

“Let’s face it,” said judge Piers Morgan in a post-show blog. “Susan’s singing might be rather more akin to that of a noise made when a lobster is being slowly boiled alive.”

Seven million views later, Boyle has joined the elite ranks of YouTube celebrities, rivaling the infamous ‘Sneezing panda’ and ‘Charlie bit me!’ Even better than those, Boyle’s popularity and massive view-count have only come since last Saturday.

After belting out a version of ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from the musical Les Miserables, fellow judge, Simon Cowell was even moved enough to praise Boyle, but never mentioned her poor-clothing choice.

Why could that be? On American Idol each week, Cowell critiques the contestants’ song choice, outfit, and on-stage persona, all while smiling and half-draped over Paula Abdul’s chair.

I’ll be the first in line to join Boyle’s fan club, but her signature stage-move, the ‘arm-waving-like-a-conductor’ will get old. And fast. I was sick of it by the end of her performance, even though her vocals were stunning.

“She didn’t play or dress the part of a star on reality TV show…but within seconds of beginning to sing, the auditorium knew she was one,” said a report on cnn.com.

Yes, Boyle is indeed a star on the rise, with Cowell reportedly shopping around for a record deal for her already. Everyone knows though, that in order to be successful, Boyle must change her appearance, and fast!

“A tweeze and a pluck here and there, a new hair cut and color, she will look gorgeous,” said YouTube user JOJO’s comment. “She is not ugly! She just needs a makeover and a new look to go with her lovely voice.”

By the end of her performance, audience members were wiping tears off their faces, but Boyle only had one thing to say after seeing her performance on television.

“They say that television makes you look fat and it certainly did,” said Boyle. “I looked like a garage.”

No, Susan, you didn’t look like ‘a garage,” you just need a personal stylist, shopper, and haircutter. Welcome to Hollywood.