Has Britain’s Got Talent done it again? It’s possible — as E! Online looks at the show’s newest phenomenon, 81-year-old Janey Cutler. Cutler, like Susan Boyle before her, was found in Glasgow, Scotland, and, like Boyle, brought the audience of Britain’s Got Talent to its feet and YouTube to its knees. Here’s more:

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Technically, this telephone press conference with Simon Cowell is a preview of the ninth season of “American Idol,” whose first live performances Tuesday start the season in earnest. But instead of focusing on beginnings, the acerbic Brit finds himself fielding questions about endings – specifically the end of Cowell’s tenure as the show’s go-to, no-nonsense judge of record.

“I want to go out on a high,” Cowell says. “This is my last season, and I want to be successful. We will do everything we can to make it happen.”

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LONDON (AP) — A British newspaper says singing sensation Susan Boyle was surprised by an intruder as she returned from recording a charity single for Haiti.

The Sun tabloid says Boyle, who shot to stardom on the back of her appearance on “Britain’s Got Talent” last spring, ran into the man as she returned to her home in the small Scottish village of Blackburn.

Local police did not directly confirm the report, but when asked about Boyle they said that they were called to Blackburn Tuesday night “following reports of a disturbance.”

Police said Wednesday that the unidentified man was detained and but has since been released. A representative for the singer could not immediately be reached.

Susan Boyle put up a strong challenge, but Taylor Swift ended 2009 with the year’s best-selling album.

Nielsen SoundScan, which tracks the nation’s album sales, says Swift’s “Fearless” sold 3.2 million copies last year. It was released in late 2008. Boyle’s “I Dreamed a Dream” sold 3.1 million copies — and it only came out in late November.

Michael Jackson’s “Number Ones” was No. 3 with 2.3 million sold. “The Fame” by Lady Gaga was No. 4 with 2.2 million copies and Andrea Bocelli’s “My Christmas” also sold about 2.2 million copies to come in at No. 5.

Jackson was the year’s top-selling artist, selling 8.2 million records to Swift’s 4.6 million.

Music sales overall were up 2.1 percent from 2008, but album sales continued their decline, down 12.7 percent.

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The year’s biggest hits on the Internet’s top video channel were anchored by an improbable singing sensation, a groggy boy nursing a sore mouth, a bride and groom dancing down the wedding aisle, supernatural heartthrobs and roller-skating babies.

The eclectic cast of characters starring in YouTube’s most-watched videos of 2009 served as a reminder of the quirky appeal of a Web site that accepts about 20 hours of new video every minute.

The list released Wednesday marks the first time that YouTube has ranked its most-watched videos in any year since its 2005 inception. Read the full story

In the contest, she finished second. But on the charts, she’s number one.

Susan Boyle’s debut record, “I Dreamed A Dream,” entered the British album chart in the top spot Sunday. The 48-year-old Scottish songstress famously finished second on “Britain’s Got Talent,” but the variety show launched a career that has seen her win success on both sides of the Atlantic.

According to the Official Charts Company, which tracks music sales in Britain, the more than 410,000 copies of “I Dreamed a Dream” sold since its release Nov. 23 make it the fastest selling album so far this year, and are the largest first-week sales for a debut album in U.K. chart history.

Millions of people have seen an online clip of Boyle auditioning for the judges. Wearing a somewhat dowdy frock and with a halo of untidy hair, Boyle told judge and producer Simon Cowell that her dream was to be a professional singer. “I’ve never been given the chance before, but here’s hoping it’ll change,” she said then.
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The artist: Susan Boyle

The album: I Dreamed a Dream (Sony)

The spin: The half-year since Susan Boyle’s Britain’s Got Talent debut has been a painful one for the fans who turned that Internet video into a worldwide phenomenon. Would Boyle fall apart under the pressure of instant fame? Would Simon Cowell and company give the Everywoman such a polish she’d no longer be recognizable?

It’s hard to imagine many of that group will be disappointed with I Dreamed a Dream, which comes close to delivering what’s expected and was clearly made by people who knew better than to try to change the singer’s style. But the record isn’t nearly as good as it might have been, and its sometimes monotonous vibe won’t persuade many listeners who aren’t already in the fan club.
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NEW YORK (AP) — TV Guide Channel says it will air a special program starring singing sensation Susan Boyle next month.

The one-hour documentary, “I Dreamed a Dream: The Susan Boyle Story,” will feature performances by Boyle, plus interviews with her as well as friends and celebrities including Simon Cowell, a producer of the special.

It was last January that the shy, dowdy 47-year-old Boyle stepped on stage to audition for “Britain’s Got Talent.” She electrified the judges and everyone else in earshot with her soaring rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream.”

The documentary, premiering Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. Eastern time, promises to track her journey from an obscure village in rural Scotland to that breakout performance and the global fame that has embraced her since.

Kevin Skinner flew the coop with the grand prize on “America’s Got Talent.”

The singing chicken farmer from Mayfield, Ky., was awarded the NBC talent competition’s $1 million grand prize and a headlining spot at a Las Vegas show. Skinner received the most viewer votes on Wednesday’s season finale, overcoming runner-up Barbara Padilla, an opera singer from Houston, and eight other finalists. The win brought Skinner to tears.

“I’ve always loved to perform,” he said. “I want to go out there, and give ‘em the best show I can.”

The humble country singer will headline an “America’s Got Talent” show at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino hosted by Jerry Springer in October. Skinner beat out music quartet Recycled Percussion from Goffstown, N.H.; crooning trio the Texas Tenors from Houston; and singing sibling act Voices of Glory from Highland, N.Y., to win the show’s fourth season.
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What was supposed to be a stand-up show at the Palm Beach Improv, felt more like a night of drinking and funny storytelling between friends at a downtown bar. Jim Norton’s show made one feel as if they were being entertained by that one really hilarious friend everyone has, not a professional comedian.

Norton, a New Jersey native, is best described as brutally honest. His humor has no boundaries and he has no shame in discussing personal matters. His very open persona makes his shows easy to connect with and keeps everyone entertained and laughing.

Friday’s show at the Improv was a mix of jokes that revolved around politics, sex, sports, and entertainment.

“Isn’t it amazing how shallow America is?” Norton said, “Susan Boyle, on Britain’s Got Talent became famous because she is ugly and sings!” Norton explained that people felt considerate and compassionate when appreciating and being moved by Boyle’s singing. “It’s as if we were amazed that an ugly person can sing! — Look everyone! The beast sings!”

Norton then went on to discuss the new Obama presidency, baseball and steroid use, keeping up sexually with his much younger girlfriend, David Carradine’s rather embarrassing way of dying, and taking an animal’s side when they attack humans.

“The more I hear about an animal attack, the more I hate the victims,” Norton said. “There was a recent attack at a zoo, where a tiger escaped and attacked three friends, killing one — turns out the guys were throwing rocks at the tiger — the tiger targeted and killed the one with a slingshot.” Norton argued that people should know not to mess with a huge animal with sharp teeth and claws, and that the tiger had every right to be “pissed off”.

Norton is also the best-selling author of the book Happy Endings: The Tales of a Meaty-Breasted Zilch, has had quite a few appearances on HBO, and is part of the “Opie & Anthony Radio Show”. If you want to check out his work, come out to the show at the Improv Saturday.