Topic: Eurovision

[Critter]

I know there are a few Europeans in this forum and I was wondering if any of them are fans of this whole song contest thing. Or even what their views are of it from a European perspective. Despite not competing it airs every year here on Australian TV and I just love it. I only wish there was some way that Australia could compete as well. I find it strange though the idea that one entire country can pick just one, or a couple of certain people to represent them. That must be hard.

And this was awesome.

[Najemikon]

Yeah, it's a fairly big deal, with a lot of airtime given to it, but it's generally seen as a bit silly by us in the UK. But then that's probably because we always do sooooo well.  We really have no idea how to play the game any more and send over this pathetic pop shite. If we let Lilly Allen ahve a crack, we'd walk it.

In fact it's unusual for Germany to win and it proves the point because their song was a very up-to-date modern one. Ours was dated, badly, before they even entered.

Our song is chosen by a televised voting process. Think Pop Idol or X Factor, but just for a few weeks to work out the guaranteed winner.

I don't watch it, but caught the last half hour and I heard a bit of Graham Norton's commentary and he was very funny. Good successor to Terry Wogan. They both have the tongue in cheek attitude that works so well.

I had to laugh when we were in second with 7 points and one of the last voters gave us 3, finally putting us into double figures, then they gave the country behind us a full 12 points! That dumped us into last! Norton said that was just too cruel; "she gives with one hand..."

[Critter]

I was watching it with two quite funny hilarious Australian commentators and we were rooting for the UK not to be last. Like the UK I was shocked when that country gave 12 points to Belarus. I mean sure the UK may not have been the best, but Belarus had butterfly wings... I mean really.

The country I was most surprised by was Russia. Their performance was the one that gave me the most laughs, and for all the wrong reasons. It was like something straight out of the 70's. I could not take Russia seriously at all yet it it managed to get into the top half! That to me is the biggest mystery of the night.

I like your idea of Lily Allen performing in it, I have a feeling that the UK would get quite a few more votes then, I mean really, how can you not just love her.

I do admit to quite liking Germany's performance. There was just something about Lena's accent that had me hooked. It was like some strange combination of about 20 other accents but it just worked.

[Najemikon]

Lily has just swept up at some awards actually. Can't remember which now, but I think she actually lacks a little bit of self-worth so it left her dumbstruck, bless her.

Wogan in his last couple of years became frustrated at the bloc voting. It's very predictable how countries vote for neighbours, so it's surprise why Germany did so well.

Norton is less cynical, saying that countries vote for what they know. He pointed out that if we sent Elton John, Elton John would win. It's simple. It's no surprise really that the UK's most consistent successes have generally been with established artists.

We first won with Sandie Shaw, then Cliff Richard came close. His sometime band The Shadows did well too. Later we won with Bucks Fizz!

I remember when Russia first entered. Their song was like a drinking tune! Reminded me of Hagar...

[Critter]

The main thing I didn't understand about Russia was why they entered an all-male band. After actually visiting the country myself I must say, Russian men are not really known for their looks, especially the younger generations who all sport the awful army haircut, that or a mullet. Yet almost creepily all Russian women, especially the younger ones are stunning.

I just have to ask though as I am a little unclear on one part. Is it the winning country of each year who will host it the next year?

[Najemikon]

The winning country does host it the following year, so destination Germany! Being as our host is German, I dread to think how cheesy a makeover this forum will get!

Yeah. Russian women. Riiiggghhhttt...



 

Actually, I know what you mean...

(click to show/hide)

And she makes such interesting noises too.  

[Critter]

Bahaha, Russian women of the now I mean. It's actually amazing when you are there becuase there are very distinct and notacable differences between Russian women of different ages. One thing we noticed was that almost 100% of all older Russian women were all quite large (weight wise). The fact is that these woman lived through some of the toughest Russian times when food was scarce and they were living off the bare neccesities. Now however the situation in Russia is better in many ways that it was during the revolution and they have found themselves with food a plenty, something they never knew before, hence the size.

Young Russian women on the other hand are starving themselves for entirley different reasons to the generations before them. One of our tour guides informed us that to young Russian girls at the moment the pressure of appearance is so important that anorexia is a major issue in Russia, more so than many other countries at the moment. And you can tell to, considering it is such a cold country it is almost odd to see these stick figures of women walking around... but there are hundreds of them. And they do it all to impress the ugly, mullet-toting Russian men 

[Najemikon]

Excuse me one moment. Entirely unrelated to this subject, but I've just remembered I need to book a ticket to Moscow. Don't know why I just thought that Russia is suddenly top of my essential destinations, but anyway, must be off. See you soon.


 

It's the accent too. There's something about accents with me that can cause non-essential brain functions to just freeze. Dublin is an absolute killer.

So I'm shallow! Shoot me. 

[Critter]

Haha, I'm the same. Of all the tour guides we had while I was in France/Russia I distinctly remember one of my favourites. She was a young college-aged Russian girl. Blonde, and an accent to die for. She was of course one of the worst tour guides we had, we hardly learnt anything about our destinations while we were with her, and one time she turned up about 40 minutes late. But hell... these things didn't bother me very much in the end  .

[snowcat]

As much as i think this program is funny, I think its also unfair.

Come on... Germany won with a multi platinum selling single  we get some guy who I have never heard of to sing a song.

I also love how the UK were second to last, and we got like 8 points and Graham Norton was like "YES THANK YOU!" .... but then they gave the country below us 12 and we got last place XD and Graham was like "NO! THEY GIVE AND THEY TAKE AWAY!"