Susan Boyle really is a thing of wonder.

When the Scottish mentalist stepped on to the audition stage of Britain?s Got Talent, we all expected her to be a crazed lady who?d throw cats at the judges. After all, she looked like she'd been given styling tips off a tramp and had caked herself in dust in order to top off the chic appearance of weirdness.

But no, we were taken aback. The voice of an angel came out from the face of a gargoyle. OK, she didn't win the bloody thing – she got beaten by some kids who do somersaults in the air – but we love our Susan Boyle. Even better, our American friends have embraced her and oddly shelled out cold hard cash for her records. Americans don't want her, do they? They can't relate to a wobbly woman, but they can to a sickly sweet child.