Eurovision, Nil Points

[localzuk]

I hate the Eurovision wailing contest, but we didn't come last. We came 17th. France was last.

[Grey-gear]

26 entries, 25 sang in English, 24 sang in a Lanauge that is foregin to them and we still can't come first . Maybe next year the UK entry should sing in French.

[synaesthesia]

Eurovision, for me, serves only as a reminder as to how immature and childish humans in large groups are. It's abominable, watching supposedly grown people behave like playground kiddies, ignoring the supposed "bring us all togetherness" and "music" for the sake of money and politics. The event itself can be a bit of fun, seeing some of the outfits, a few actual hints of talent, the sarcasm from Terry (or Norton, but I haven't seen any EV with Graham yet). Laughable even more as this year they had apparently changed the voting rules and yet nothing actually changed?

[teejay]

The voting rules were the same as the last few years, with the public having 50% of the vote and a 50% to a jury. What happened this year is that they've actually published the voting results individually, which showed the public had Poland winning and the Jury had Austria winning, with Poland in last place. This doesn't show a stitch up, it just shows there were a lot of very drunk blokes hitting redial (if you watched it you'd understand why:rolleyes:)

[Zoom7000]

Why hasn't "Eurotrash" been relegated to BBC4 yet?

[rickjames]

People care about this?

[CAM]

I don't know what's worse, Eurovision or the killjoys complaining about it every year. It entertained me for the evening (with Twitter's help!) so I call it a success. I guess next we shouldn't have an extensive football league because it's blokes kicking a ball around or never should have had the Olympics as it is just people running round a track.

 

Some of the stage acts are pathetic but that along with the politics is part of the show. As for the music, I think it was much higher quality this year. Netherlands were excellent.

[superatticman]

Eurovision, for me, serves only as a reminder as to how immature and childish humans in large groups are. It's abominable, watching supposedly grown people behave like playground kiddies, ignoring the supposed "bring us all togetherness" and "music" for the sake of money and politics. The event itself can be a bit of fun, seeing some of the outfits, a few actual hints of talent, the sarcasm from Terry (or Norton, but I haven't seen any EV with Graham yet). Laughable even more as this year they had apparently changed the voting rules and yet nothing actually changed?

 

I think you need to get the 'spirit' of the Eurovision Song Contest to appreciate it. Its the ultimate in pithy and sarcy entertainment. I don't think anyone on there is really taking it seriously. Personally I can't stand it.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Netherlands were excellent! I picked them as my non-british nation this year (on account of me happening to be wearing an orange t-shirt on the night) and I was suitably chuffed.

 

It's definitely a love-hate event. I love it because I find it genuinely funny, and just occasionally you get a Lordi moment.

 

I also enjoyed the fact that the audience was clued up enough to boo Russia this year (they deserve it for sending a pair of 17 year old girls to sing 'just give us some love' shortly after destabilising a chunk of the world)

 

All in a pretty good night.

[rickjames]

The highlight of the evening was Michael Barrymore's attempts at livetweeting it

[LosOjos]

Did it irritate anyone else that France was the only country not to deliver their votes in English? The point of everyone using English is a good chunk of the population of Europe understand it, the French bucking the trend stank of arrogance to me.

[featured_spectre]

In my personal opinion, Austria only won because of the stance they have now with Russia, how they feel about LGBT issues and got sympathy votes in a contest that really doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.

 

Honestly, Poland of Netherlands should have won based on performance alone.

[SiliconAlley_Sam]

Did it irritate anyone else that France was the only country not to deliver their votes in English? The point of everyone using English is a good chunk of the population of Europe understand it, the French bucking the trend stank of arrogance to me.

 

Wound me up too... and then they finished with a grand total of 2.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Did it irritate anyone else that France was the only country not to deliver their votes in English? The point of everyone using English is a good chunk of the population of Europe understand it, the French bucking the trend stank of arrogance to me.

Not really, France just annoy me in general. We had fun noting how many more points than france the UK got. What did annoy me was that most acts avoided singing in their native tongue. I much prefer that as they're usually able to carry more emotion or at the very least understanding of what it is they're singing about.

 

In my personal opinion, Austria only won because of the stance they have now with Russia, how they feel about LGBT issues and got sympathy votes in a contest that really doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.

 

Honestly, Poland of Netherlands should have won based on performance alone.

 

Netherlands were great. For me the best song, but then I think Austria were brill too. It could've been a Bond theme! Poland? Don't make me laugh, suggestively churning butter whilst some woman shouts lots and winks at the camera, definitely a load of rubbish (and that woman had clearly never used a washboard in her life!)

Edited May 12, 2014 by ICTDirect_Dave

[LosOjos]

In my personal opinion, Austria only won because of the stance they have now with Russia, how they feel about LGBT issues and got sympathy votes in a contest that really doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.

 

Eurovision is primarily politics and I have to say, I think it was good that Austria won. The performance wasn't the best by a long shot, but in a political game showing support for LGBT is positive. It's not going to change the world but it is a sign that things are progressing at least, especially after somecountires talked about pulling out of the competition all together in protest at having a transgender contestant.

 

Honestly, Poland of Netherlands should have won based on performance alone.

 

Poland's entry was disgraceful, the polar opposite of progress!

[X-13]

the French bucking the trend stank of arrogance to me.

 

Is that better or worse than stinking of cheese, garlic and surrender?

 

[it's a joke. Calm down.]

[SiliconAlley_Sam]

Eurovision is primarily politics and I have to say, I think it was good that Austria won. The performance wasn't the best by a long shot, but in a political game showing support for LGBT is positive. It's not going to change the world but it is a sign that things are progressing at least, especially after somecountires talked about pulling out of the competition all together in protest at having a transgender contestant.

 

This. So much this. It was amazing to see Europe get behind a transgender contestant in such a big way. Fantastic not just for the LGBT community but for equality in general. That's progress for you. The song may not have been the best (loved The Netherlands) but the win for Austria put a huge smile on my face!

[witch]

Interesting, but if you go and look around the internet there are some LGBT communities who are not happy that the Austrian describes her/himself as transgender. They are saying that a true transgender wants to be the opposite sex to the one they were born as - and so, why does s/he have a beard? Women don't generally have beards and if you want to be a woman, why would you have one?

I only saw the song after she had won - presumably she sang it better the first time around?

Why the female presented was wearing a dress that didn't fit her and was supremely unflattering, I can't imagine

[Grey-gear]

One of the funniest part of the night is when the host ambush Graham Norton.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Forgot to mention that the very funniest part of the night for me was the little sketch about the museum of eurovision, and Lordii incinerating a room full of children. That bit had us all in stiches.

 

I did enjoy the ambush of Graham Norton, and liked the idea that the host was talking chineese all night primarily to sitch up Graham.

[SiliconAlley_Sam]

Isn't the whole point, though, that you can be whoever you want to be? The fact that there are LGBT communities complaining that she doesn't exactly conform to a transgender stereotype makes me facepalm.

[LosOjos]

Interesting, but if you go and look around the internet there are some LGBT communities who are not happy that the Austrian describes her/himself as transgender. They are saying that a true transgender wants to be the opposite sex to the one they were born as - and so, why does s/he have a beard? Women don't generally have beards and if you want to be a woman, why would you have one?

 

Dictionary definition of transgender: denoting or relating to a person whose self-identity does not conform unambiguously to conventional notions of male or female gender

 

I think she fits that bill perfectly!

 

She says she grew the beard as a statement that you don't have to conform to social norms, you can be who you want to be and people should accept that. (struggling to find a direct quote right now, will post source when I do)

 

There are nay-sayers in all walks of life but overall, I don't see how this can be anything but positive for the LGBT community...

 

I only saw the song after she had won - presumably she sang it better the first time around?

 

Not really but as has already been said, Eurovision is political, it's not about talent.

 

Why the female presented was wearing a dress that didn't fit her and was supremely unflattering, I can't imagine

 

Meow!

Edited May 12, 2014 by LosOjos
"Update" bug

[witch]

That definition is interesting. This from a dictionary of contempory English:

"a general word for people who feel that they belong to the other sex, and not the sex they were born with"

 

I can see why they would be confused if they are going by that definition.

As for people complaining that she doesn't fit a stereotype - why should LGBT communities be any the less likely to behave differently to the rest of us

[superatticman]

Isn't the whole point, though, that you can be whoever you want to be? The fact that there are LGBT communities complaining that she doesn't exactly conform to a transgender stereotype makes me facepalm.

 

Maybe they should be a bit more tolerant of how the rest of the World does its business.

[LosOjos]

As for people complaining that she doesn't fit a stereotype - why should LGBT communities be any the less likely to behave differently to the rest of us

 

They shouldn't necessarily, you just live in hope that a person who has been subject to prejudice would be a little more open-minded about others... it's like one group of people complaining about racism aimed at them whilst simultaneously directing racism at a third group of people; you'd hope that empathy would prevail but unfortunately we humans are a complicated bunch!

 

That said, you can't take the complaints of a few as the opinion of many...