Fiona McCade: Scots have love-hate thing with success

Published on Thursday 1 December 2011 01:36

ALL THE L’Oreal adverts tell us that we should reward ourselves “Because you’re worth it”. But how many of us really believe that we are?

For instance, you might think that after working hard to earn around £8 million, Scotland’s latest musical export, Susan Boyle, would aspire to more than a new hairdo and a trip to Primark. You might be wrong, though.

Boyle has just given an interview to The Big Issue in which she showed them around her gleaming, new, custom-built, £300,000 house. So far, so starry, but in fact this was less Hello! than goodbye. Boyle has lived in “The Posh House”, as she calls it with self-effacing awkwardness, for barely a year, but she says she’s not comfortable there. So she’s giving it to her family and moving back one whole mile to her previous home – the ex-council semi where she grew up.

From what I’ve seen of Susan Boyle, she seems like a quite fragile personality, and so I can easily imagine her feeling more secure in familiar surroundings. There’s also no doubt that she can do what she likes with her money and she’s obviously hugely generous, but I still can’t get my head around how someone can be uncomfortable with something lovely that they purposely created for themselves and to their personal specifications.

After all, it’s not like she moved to Los Angeles, is it? She’s still only a short walk from “home”. Same people, same surroundings, practically the same address; just bigger rooms and more hanging space for the gold discs. What’s not to like?

“Why,” I wondered aloud to my saturnine friend from Alloa, “Can’t she simply enjoy the good life? Why can’t she wholeheartedly embrace what she’s earned?”

“Because,” he replied, “She’s Scottish.”

It’s a convincing theory. Scots can certainly be dismissive of people who are ostentatiously successful. Sean Connery still gets stick for living in sunnier climes, as though he should resign himself to a lifetime of vitamin D deficiency in the name of solidarity with the masses.

One of Billy Connolly’s homes is a castle, but even though it’s in Scotland, and probably leaks, some people still see him as a traitor to his working-class roots. Whenever someone Scottish makes it in the world, there’s always a honeymoon period, when we all bask in the reflected glory – “Look, they’re one of us. The pride of Scotland!” – but when they inevitably start looking like they’re having a genuinely good time, it’s suddenly: “Where y’ off tae ye ugly sumph? Too guid for us, are ye?”

What worries me about SuBo is that she might be leaving her lovely, big house not because she really wants to, but because she fears our resentment.

Feeling embarrassed about outgrowing your origins isn’t exclusively Scottish, of course. Multi-millionairess Jennifer Lopez sang that although she’d “make the money, get the mansion,” she’d always “bring [her] homies” with her – but nobody believed it. In America, they prefer their success big, fat and unapologetic. Here, we like our celebrities humble, and I think this is what has scared Boyle from properly enjoying her rightful rewards. If JLo thought she could kid us she was still Jenny from the block, it must be very tempting for Boyle to reassure us that she’s still Suzie from the scheme.

But she’s not; she’s an internationally celebrated recording star, so why can’t she relax and relish her good fortune, while still being a good, working-class Scot? Surely it’s possible to be Scottish, famous and happy, all at the same time? Isn’t it?

Although Boyle’s family must be thrilled at getting The Posh House, they should do a kind of Good Will Hunting-style intervention and tell her: “Look, don’t take this the wrong way but in 20 years, if you’re still livin’ in a semi, we’ll f****n’ kill ya. You’re sittin’ on a winnin’ lottery ticket and you’re too much of a p***y to cash it in, and that’s b******t. It’d be an insult to us if you’re still here in 20 years.”

Or, to avoid the expletives, how about: “Susan, we love you, so just enjoy yourself. Because you’re worth it.”

Comments

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MrWicked

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 10:51 AM

If Susan Boyle is that proud her pride would not have allowed her to walk out on that stage looking like she did. Pride cannot be turned on and off like that.

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MrWicked

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 09:03 AM

At 50 she all of a sudden has the bestest karaoke voice to earn her millions? She's selling something which is not even half true. What I make is none of your business but at least keeping my dignity.

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J S

Friday, December 2, 2011 at 07:14 PM

One more thing MrWicked, I suppose you don't like any successful artist because they've all done what Susan's done. Made millions. The same applies to actors and everyone in the entertainment industry, athletes, successful business people, etc. Is she the only one who's not allowed to earn good money? Do you now see how biased your comment is?

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J S

Friday, December 2, 2011 at 04:19 PM

MrWicked, if you could figure out how to make millions overnight, I suppose you wouldn't do it, right? Please! To begin with she never said she was going to give the house away. Also you have no idea how much of her money she's giving away but with a personality like yours I'm sure she much more generous than you are.

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MrWicked

Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 02:53 PM

When her family moves into the Posh house then i'll believe it. Anyone who can figure how to make millions overnight is neither humble or generous. And everyone knows how el cheapo the Scots are. You watch way too much Walt Disney and It's A Wonderful Life.

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Mercutio

Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 06:54 AM

"Because you're worth it " is surely the ultimate in crassness from an advertising "profession" which specialises in gross vulgarity.

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J S

Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 02:01 AM

Boyle has never lived in the new house, she never even spent a full night there. She bought it shortly after that kid broke into her house and scared her badly. Also, she didn't design the house, it was completed when she bought it, all she had to add was flooring and window treatments. The new house was more secluded, she likes her old neighbors and her house holds a lot of memories for her. It's the only home she's ever known. She's comfortable there, so what's the big deal? It's her life.

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