- published: 05 Nov 2015
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Francis Martin Patrick "Frankie" Boyle (born 16 August 1972) is a Scottish comedian and writer, well known for his pessimistic and often controversial sense of humour. He was a permanent panelist on the comedy panel show Mock the Week until 2009 and made guest appearances on several other panel shows, as well as writing for Jimmy Carr's Distraction and Sean Lock's TV Heaven, Telly Hell.
Boyle was born and raised in Glasgow to Irish parents from the Crolly area of County Donegal. He attended Holyrood Secondary school in Glasgow. After leaving school, he studied Urban Planning at Aston University for a year before leaving and beginning a BA in English Literature at the University of Sussex. His first job was working in a Mental Health Hospital. He gained his big break after performing at The Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh, a venue that has also helped launch the careers of Stewart Lee, Johnny Vegas, Dara Ó Briain and Michael McIntyre.
Susan Magdalane Boyle (born 1 April 1961) is a Scottish singer who came to international attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables. Her first album was released in November 2009 and debuted as the number one best-selling album on charts around the globe.
Boyle's initial appearance on the talent show fired public imagination when her modest stage introduction left audience, viewers and judges alike unprepared for the power and expression of her mezzo-soprano voice. Before she had finished the song's opening phrase a standing ovation for Boyle had erupted. An international media and Internet response coincided. Within nine days of the audition, videos of Boyle—from the show, various interviews and her 1999 rendition of "Cry Me a River"—had been watched over 100 million times. She eventually finished in second place on the show behind dance troupe Diversity.
Boyle's debut album, I Dreamed a Dream (2009), instantly became the UK's best-selling debut album of all time, beating the previous record held by Spirit by Leona Lewis.I Dreamed a Dream is ranked fourth in its first week sales according to the Official Chart Company in the United Kingdom. Topping the Billboard 200 for six weeks, it was the second best-selling album of 2009 in the US. In her first year of fame, Boyle made £5 million with the release of I Dreamed a Dream and its lead-off singles, "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Wild Horses". The success was continued with her second album, The Gift (2010), where she became only the third act ever to top both the UK and US album charts twice in the same year, and was followed by Boyle's third album, Someone to Watch Over Me, released on 31 October 2011. Boyle subsequently released her fourth album "Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs from the Stage" in 2012, her fifth album "Home for Christmas" in 2013, and her sixth album "Hope" in 2014.
William "Bill" Maher (/ˈmɑːr/; born January 20, 1956) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, media critic, and television host. As a television host, he is well known for the HBO political talk show Real Time with Bill Maher (2003–present). Maher previously hosted a similar late-night show called Politically Incorrect, originally on Comedy Central and later on ABC.
Maher is known for his sarcastic attitude,political satire and sociopolitical commentary. He targets many topics including religion, politics, bureaucracies, political correctness, and the mass media.
Maher supports the legalization of cannabis and same-sex marriage. His critical views of religion were the basis for the 2008 documentary film Religulous. He is a supporter of animal rights, having served on the board of PETA since 1997, and is an advisory board member of Project Reason. In 2005, Maher ranked at number 38 on Comedy Central's 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time. He received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star on September 14, 2010.