Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
May 27th 2012, 2:20 am
#1
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
............ we didn't finish last............ 
May 27th 2012, 3:04 am
#3
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Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
Nail biting finish for last place that, almost.
Still, double digits, better than expected I suppose...
Still, double digits, better than expected I suppose...
May 28th 2012, 3:47 pm
#4
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Joined: Jun 2008
Location: Abu Dhabi
Posts: 1,633
Re: Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
Amazing what passes for Europe these days though! The competition is a complete farce and the voting was as predictable as always from some countries. Graham Norton did a good job reporting it all!
May 29th 2012, 5:03 am
#5
You read these things?
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,261
Re: Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
I wonder if the BBC pulled the funding for the Eurovision, whether it would be able to continue.
May 29th 2012, 6:11 am
#6
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,107
Re: Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
Seriously, this nonsense about political voting and some conspiracy against the UK arises every year stoked by various commentators, many with some other agenda, but based on no substance whatsoever.
The UK did badly because they treat the whole thing with obvious contempt and submitted a horrible song poorly performed. The Eurovision song contest is a load of camp silliness, but it always has been. Bear in mind that among Britain's most successful entries have been: Congratulations, Puppet on a String, Save All your Kisses for me, Making Your Mind up and that awful Katrina and the Waves dirge... Not exactly Lennon/McCartney or Jagger/Richards there.
This idea that Eurovision has latterly become some sinister expression of Eastern manipulation is not substantiated by any facts. Among the last five winners have been Sweden, Germany and Finland for chrissakes. Newer entrants have done conspicuously well but that is largely because, having joined the EBU more recently, they usually put more effort in because this is part of their validation as members of the European family. That is a good thing surely.
And as for whether the participants are European, well, look at a map. The Caucasus is and always has part of Europe. Same with Turkey. Nobody seems to question whether Russia is a European country yet most of it is in Asia also. Israel is the anomaly but has been in Eurovision since the 1970s so hardly the indicator of some recent slippage in acceptance standards. On this score, by the way, UEFA, for example, is far more questionable than the EBU (Kazakhstan is clearly not in Europe no matter how you look at it).
Sure neighbouring countries tend to vote for each other - quelle surprise! They speak the same or similar language, have related tastes in popular culture, may have large ethnic minorities from adjacent countries etc. The idea that the youth of Macedonia are poised by their phones in some orchestrated attempt to cut the UK down to size is just too ludicrous. I can only attribute it to the usual anti-European reflex of so much of the British media though Terry Wogan has a lot to answer for by probably originating the myth.
Often not mentioned is that the UK is one of the "big 5" EBU members that gets an automatic pass to the final. Most other countries have to compete in a semi-final stage also. That would surely have weeded out many recent UK entries.
And does anybody really think that BBC money is propping up the EBU? Wow, imperial delusions really do persist far beyond the horizon of plausibility...
The UK did badly because they treat the whole thing with obvious contempt and submitted a horrible song poorly performed. The Eurovision song contest is a load of camp silliness, but it always has been. Bear in mind that among Britain's most successful entries have been: Congratulations, Puppet on a String, Save All your Kisses for me, Making Your Mind up and that awful Katrina and the Waves dirge... Not exactly Lennon/McCartney or Jagger/Richards there.
This idea that Eurovision has latterly become some sinister expression of Eastern manipulation is not substantiated by any facts. Among the last five winners have been Sweden, Germany and Finland for chrissakes. Newer entrants have done conspicuously well but that is largely because, having joined the EBU more recently, they usually put more effort in because this is part of their validation as members of the European family. That is a good thing surely.
And as for whether the participants are European, well, look at a map. The Caucasus is and always has part of Europe. Same with Turkey. Nobody seems to question whether Russia is a European country yet most of it is in Asia also. Israel is the anomaly but has been in Eurovision since the 1970s so hardly the indicator of some recent slippage in acceptance standards. On this score, by the way, UEFA, for example, is far more questionable than the EBU (Kazakhstan is clearly not in Europe no matter how you look at it).
Sure neighbouring countries tend to vote for each other - quelle surprise! They speak the same or similar language, have related tastes in popular culture, may have large ethnic minorities from adjacent countries etc. The idea that the youth of Macedonia are poised by their phones in some orchestrated attempt to cut the UK down to size is just too ludicrous. I can only attribute it to the usual anti-European reflex of so much of the British media though Terry Wogan has a lot to answer for by probably originating the myth.
Often not mentioned is that the UK is one of the "big 5" EBU members that gets an automatic pass to the final. Most other countries have to compete in a semi-final stage also. That would surely have weeded out many recent UK entries.
And does anybody really think that BBC money is propping up the EBU? Wow, imperial delusions really do persist far beyond the horizon of plausibility...
May 29th 2012, 7:43 am
#7
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
Seriously, this nonsense about political voting and some conspiracy against the UK arises every year stoked by various commentators, many with some other agenda, but based on no substance whatsoever.
The UK did badly because they treat the whole thing with obvious contempt and submitted a horrible song poorly performed. The Eurovision song contest is a load of camp silliness, but it always has been. Bear in mind that among Britain's most successful entries have been: Congratulations, Puppet on a String, Save All your Kisses for me, Making Your Mind up and that awful Katrina and the Waves dirge... Not exactly Lennon/McCartney or Jagger/Richards there.
This idea that Eurovision has latterly become some sinister expression of Eastern manipulation is not substantiated by any facts. Among the last five winners have been Sweden, Germany and Finland for chrissakes. Newer entrants have done conspicuously well but that is largely because, having joined the EBU more recently, they usually put more effort in because this is part of their validation as members of the European family. That is a good thing surely.
And as for whether the participants are European, well, look at a map. The Caucasus is and always has part of Europe. Same with Turkey. Nobody seems to question whether Russia is a European country yet most of it is in Asia also. Israel is the anomaly but has been in Eurovision since the 1970s so hardly the indicator of some recent slippage in acceptance standards. On this score, by the way, UEFA, for example, is far more questionable than the EBU (Kazakhstan is clearly not in Europe no matter how you look at it).
Sure neighbouring countries tend to vote for each other - quelle surprise! They speak the same or similar language, have related tastes in popular culture, may have large ethnic minorities from adjacent countries etc. The idea that the youth of Macedonia are poised by their phones in some orchestrated attempt to cut the UK down to size is just too ludicrous. I can only attribute it to the usual anti-European reflex of so much of the British media though Terry Wogan has a lot to answer for by probably originating the myth.
Often not mentioned is that the UK is one of the "big 5" EBU members that gets an automatic pass to the final. Most other countries have to compete in a semi-final stage also. That would surely have weeded out many recent UK entries.
And does anybody really think that BBC money is propping up the EBU? Wow, imperial delusions really do persist far beyond the horizon of plausibility...
The UK did badly because they treat the whole thing with obvious contempt and submitted a horrible song poorly performed. The Eurovision song contest is a load of camp silliness, but it always has been. Bear in mind that among Britain's most successful entries have been: Congratulations, Puppet on a String, Save All your Kisses for me, Making Your Mind up and that awful Katrina and the Waves dirge... Not exactly Lennon/McCartney or Jagger/Richards there.
This idea that Eurovision has latterly become some sinister expression of Eastern manipulation is not substantiated by any facts. Among the last five winners have been Sweden, Germany and Finland for chrissakes. Newer entrants have done conspicuously well but that is largely because, having joined the EBU more recently, they usually put more effort in because this is part of their validation as members of the European family. That is a good thing surely.
And as for whether the participants are European, well, look at a map. The Caucasus is and always has part of Europe. Same with Turkey. Nobody seems to question whether Russia is a European country yet most of it is in Asia also. Israel is the anomaly but has been in Eurovision since the 1970s so hardly the indicator of some recent slippage in acceptance standards. On this score, by the way, UEFA, for example, is far more questionable than the EBU (Kazakhstan is clearly not in Europe no matter how you look at it).
Sure neighbouring countries tend to vote for each other - quelle surprise! They speak the same or similar language, have related tastes in popular culture, may have large ethnic minorities from adjacent countries etc. The idea that the youth of Macedonia are poised by their phones in some orchestrated attempt to cut the UK down to size is just too ludicrous. I can only attribute it to the usual anti-European reflex of so much of the British media though Terry Wogan has a lot to answer for by probably originating the myth.
Often not mentioned is that the UK is one of the "big 5" EBU members that gets an automatic pass to the final. Most other countries have to compete in a semi-final stage also. That would surely have weeded out many recent UK entries.
And does anybody really think that BBC money is propping up the EBU? Wow, imperial delusions really do persist far beyond the horizon of plausibility...
May 29th 2012, 11:57 am
#8
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,107
Re: Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
Actually, one of our favourite parts of the Eurovision as tweenie kids was checking to ensure that the immutable law of voting trends between Ireland and the UK was maintained. The UK would invariably give Ireland 10 or 12 points even when we had a crap song (I'm talking to you Red Hurly, Cathal Dunne, Sheeba et al) while we would only ever condescend to give you 2 or 4 points, even in the years when you had a half-decent offering (struggling to think of an example here though...).
Look, sucking up to us with Eurovision points wasn't going to make up for everything you know!
May 29th 2012, 12:06 pm
#9
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
And Serbia for Montenegro etc.
Actually, one of our favourite parts of the Eurovision as tweenie kids was checking to ensure that the immutable law of voting trends between Ireland and the UK was maintained. The UK would invariably give Ireland 10 or 12 points even when we had a crap song (I'm talking to you Red Hurly, Cathal Dunne, Sheeba et al) while we would only ever condescend to give you 2 or 4 points, even in the years when you had a half-decent offering (struggling to think of an example here though...).
Look, sucking up to us with Eurovision points wasn't going to make up for everything you know!
Actually, one of our favourite parts of the Eurovision as tweenie kids was checking to ensure that the immutable law of voting trends between Ireland and the UK was maintained. The UK would invariably give Ireland 10 or 12 points even when we had a crap song (I'm talking to you Red Hurly, Cathal Dunne, Sheeba et al) while we would only ever condescend to give you 2 or 4 points, even in the years when you had a half-decent offering (struggling to think of an example here though...).
Look, sucking up to us with Eurovision points wasn't going to make up for everything you know!
May 30th 2012, 7:11 am
#10
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,107
Re: Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
When we started to win it every year in the '90s people just voted for us for a laugh even when we put up the most halacious crap: let those eejits host the bloody thing again.
Well we had our revenge: Ladies & Gentlemen - Riverdance! The best selling video in UK history...
And as for our recent submissions, well they could barely even get a pity vote: a tinker, Dustin the Turkey, and now endless Jedward (who are really your fault anyway). At least we're not moaning about some evil Euro-conspiracy against us because Moldova didn't vote for our shite song (actually, maybe they did).
Last edited by Miss Anne Thrope; May 30th 2012 at 7:22 am. Reason: sausage fingers
May 30th 2012, 7:15 am
#11
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Superb Eurovision Song Contest news for the UK.......
A kind act of regular generosity. A peaceful offer of a handshake. A white dove released in your direction....
