Eurovision Song Contest 2018

crispybug2

Anyone else planning on watching this shitfest?

The natural blonde is a big fan and somehow or another I always seem to get drawn into watching it

The UK of course have absolutely no chance of winning it but by the same token neither do Russia who failed to qualify, the natural blonde is hoping Ireland win to go with Leinster winning the rugby.

gethinceri

The natural blonde enjoys rugby as well does he?

Pross

I think the stage invasion will work in the UK’s favour. Anyone going on stage at Eurovision and stealing the mic should be rewarded!

cougie

Well I thought our song was quite good.

Shows how much I know. I think it will be a result of we aren't last. Our singer did incredibly well.

crispybug2

Well that was the usual shower of shite!!

British song was pretty poor and the singer didn't deserve the idiot ripping the microphone out of her hand

The winning song was shockingly awful but I suppose it was the only one I remembered, the rest were just wallpaper

Obviously I will not be watching it ever again, so I suspect that I'll be grudgingly watching it again next year

redvee

Missed 99% of it and only caught the last few mins cause I wanted to watch the news when I got home from work.

robert88

Gethinceri wrote:

The natural blonde enjoys rugby as well does he?

On a technical issue, a blonde is inevitably female. That's all I have to say about Eurovision.

DeVlaeminck

The whole show is embarassing and serves only to reinforce the idea that Brexit was the right call. I look forwards to the Commonwealth version of this in 2019 where our lute players and morris dancers will go up against african tribal drums, digeridoos and Quebecois fiddles.

If not can we not just stick a guitar band or a grime artist in and at least lose with dignity rather than kowtowing to their ridiculous europop version of music whilst still getting our censored handed to us in the judging.

veronese68

DeVlaeminck wrote:

If not can we not just stick a guitar band or a grime artist in and at least lose with dignity rather than kowtowing to their ridiculous europop version of music whilst still getting our ars* handed to us in the judging.

Obviously a fan of the Norwegian model for Brexit.

Matthewfalle

Will Britain be not competing in Eurovision after Brexit or is that one of the facets that Brexiteers still want to keep?

awavey

when you switch channels over to watch the result and theres a Bjorkalike channelling ska levels of music doing the chicken dance surrounded by waving cat ornaments...and thats the winner...Just about sums the whole competition up.

mrfpb

Matthewfalle wrote:

Will Britain be not competing in Eurovision after Brexit or is that one of the facets that Brexiteers still want to keep?

Of course we'll be out of the EU next year and so won't be allowed into the great EU state of Israel.

cougie

Yeah we can't get out of Eurovision as "easy" as brexiting.

capt_slog

awavey wrote:

when you switch channels over to watch the result and theres a Bjorkalike channelling ska levels of music doing the chicken dance surrounded by waving cat ornaments...and thats the winner...Just about sums the whole competition up.

I watched most of the 'contest', and this was the only act that I switched off because it so was buttock clenchingly p1ss poor. I found it depressing that so many people think that was good music, and were convinced enough of that to bother voting for it.

Apparently we pay a lot of money into this every year, which is why we are always in the final. We are one of the Big Five, along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain who do the same. I'm sure there is some resentment amongst the other competing countries over this, but they somehow conveniently don't apply that level of resentment to the other four!

It's time we withdrew from it, and took our chances along with the rest. We could then fail with dignity in the first round.

kingstongraham

I only saw the Moldova entry. That was truly appalling. Surely our entry can't have been worse than that?

dabber

Capt Slog wrote:

awavey wrote:

when you switch channels over to watch the result and theres a Bjorkalike channelling ska levels of music doing the chicken dance surrounded by waving cat ornaments...and thats the winner...Just about sums the whole competition up.

I watched most of the 'contest', and this was the only act that I switched off because it so was buttock clenchingly p1ss poor. I found it depressing that so many people think that was good music, and were convinced enough of that to bother voting for it.

Apparently we pay a lot of money into this every year, which is why we are always in the final. We are one of the Big Five, along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain who do the same. I'm sure there is some resentment amongst the other competing countries over this, but they somehow conveniently don't apply that level of resentment to the other four!

It's time we withdrew from it, and took our chances along with the rest. We could then fail with dignity in the first round.

Who is the "we" in this... the government spending the UK taxpayer's money or the BBC via the licence fee?

capt_slog

Dabber wrote:

Capt Slog wrote:

Apparently we pay a lot of money into this every year, which is why we are always in the final. We are one of the Big Five, along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain who do the same. I'm sure there is some resentment amongst the other competing countries over this, but they somehow conveniently don't apply that level of resentment to the other four!

It's time we withdrew from it, and took our chances along with the rest. We could then fail with dignity in the first round.

Who is the "we" in this... the government spending the UK taxpayer's money or the BBC via the licence fee?

Not sure. I should think it's BBC as part of the Eurovision network (European Broadcasting Union).

mrfpb

Capt Slog wrote:

Dabber wrote:

Capt Slog wrote:

Apparently we pay a lot of money into this every year, which is why we are always in the final. We are one of the Big Five, along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain who do the same. I'm sure there is some resentment amongst the other competing countries over this, but they somehow conveniently don't apply that level of resentment to the other four!

It's time we withdrew from it, and took our chances along with the rest. We could then fail with dignity in the first round.

Who is the "we" in this... the government spending the UK taxpayer's money or the BBC via the licence fee?

Not sure. I should think it's BBC as part of the Eurovision network (European Broadcasting Union).

Yes, it's the BBC, who are members of the EBU. I think ITV might also be members. The organisation exists to make TV coverage of international events more streamlined. E.g. sports so that the host country do the main coverage and members use that coverage and supplement it with their own pundits etc.

That's why our commentators at TdF can only comment on what French TV are showing, but that's better than 50+ TV stations trying to put their own motos on the course. The EBU predates modern pro sports though, so I'm not sure what's it's power is in sports coverage now.

However I think Eurovision still represents only a tiny slice of its activity. UK media would still pour money into the EBU, even if we didn't take part or broadcast the show.

kingstongraham

KingstonGraham wrote:

I only saw the Moldova entry. That was truly appalling. Surely our entry can't have been worse than that?

Apparently they came 10th. I'd urge you to take a look.

I tell a lie - I did also see one other act, who appeared on stage singing while rotating on a board, like someone was about to do a knife throwing act. A stage invasion just can't be expected to compete with that.

fenix

Capt Slog wrote:

[
Apparently we pay a lot of money into this every year

I think it's about 300k per year.

An hour of Saturday Night Entertainment on BBC costs around 750k - so Eurovision was a hell of a lot cheaper than what would have been shown anyway.

We had 4 hours on Saturday and the semi finals on BBC earlier in the week ? It's cheap.

If it's not for you - then just watch something else or read a book or have a nap.

We don't actually want to WIN the thing as then we have to hold the show in the UK and that's really expensive.

arthur_scrimshaw

DeVlaeminck wrote:

If not can we not just stick a guitar band or a grime artist in and at least lose with dignity rather than kowtowing to their ridiculous europop version of music whilst still getting our ars* handed to us in the judging.

If it was up to 'us' I'm sure we would however any decent artist would not want to risk their reputation or future prospects by appearing on it (and coming near to last not because of the quality of the music but because we're from the UK)

mrfpb

We've sent Blue (boy band), Englebert Humperdink, Bonnie Tyler and even Andrew Lloyd Webber with a grand piano backing a decent singer. There's nothing we can do that will make Europe vote for us. We could bring John Lennon and George Harrison back from the grave and send The Beatles but even that would just get a collective shrug.

verylonglegs

I remember the UK finishing around the bottom of the pile in this a few months after the Iraq war which Blair took us into. I think that was a reflection of sentiment towards the UK which hasn't recovered since, not helped with censored songs no doubt.

mrfpb

verylonglegs wrote:

I remember the UK finishing around the bottom of the pile in this a few months after the Iraq war which Blair took us into. I think that was a reflection of sentiment towards the UK which hasn't recovered since, not helped with censored songs no doubt.

Also that year, our act (Jemini) found themselves singing live without autotune for the first time in the process. It didn't sound good. We got a total of zero, nul, nil and nought points.

morstar

Personally I think it's censored because it is trying to be a serious music competition. The entertainment was the quirky acts with decidedly random presentation. You genuinely didn't know what was up next.
The semi finals now weed all the randomness out and you're left with a thoroughly bland europop bonanza.
Even the daughter left before the acts were over and the wife turned off before all the results were half way through.
We've had a right good laugh and singalong at some acts in the past which we've joked about years later. That hasn't happened for a good while now.
Viva La France for at least stubbornly sticking to their own language. Again, another USP was hearing all the different languages and wondering what they were singing about. As opposed to them all singing in the language that will be most marketable.

knedlicky

mrfpb wrote:

There's nothing we can do that will make Europe vote for us.

Years ago, all countries which could speak a reasonable amount of English and looked towards the UK as a leader in pop music (irrespective of how good the UK entry was) usually voted to a good degree for the UK – Ireland, all of Scandinavia, the Netherlands, often Germany. The overall results then showed the UK to be better than the quality of the UK entry.
In recent years, the extra countries and their variety, with their different musical tastes and cultural overlaps, has meant the awe in which the UK was (mostly falsely) held has gone, while areas like Scandinavia have realised, they produce easily as good music, so don't see the UK in the same light.
I don't think it's a matter of anti-UK-bias, rather, simply said, the Empire has gone!

awavey

my impression is the Uk is still looked at as a leader in the pop music world from Europe, dont forget Germany won one year with a very Lily Allen style song. The problem is we dont send anything remotely that matches that expectation anymore,no disrespect to SuRie but Im not expecting her to be remembered other than for the stage invasion, much in the same way as youd struggle to name last years UK entrant without googling it. sending failed Xfactor contestants, heck even sending the winners none of these are groups or singers are making any consistent dent on popular music conciousness in the UK, why would they appeal across Europe, its just bland music that appeals neither to the public vote which seems the more significant component now, or the nation judges.

and Israel won that on the public vote for a song that lets face it, feels like everyone in the UK thinks is a complete joke, so while its popular meme to claim theres some anti UK bias in the votes, I genuinely dont think there is

rjsterry

Can't help thinking that everyone is taking this far too seriously. It all being a bit rubbish is part of the fun. I did quite like the fact that after Chinese TV censored two of the acts for showing a same sex relationship and for having too many tattoos, the EBU said, "right, in that case you can't show any of it." and withdrew the Chinese broadcasting rights.

rick_chasey

I love how Brits say Britain is the centre for pop when pretty much all the big songwriting businesses, who write for all the proper a list stars are based in Scandinavia (and more specifically Sweden), with most of the rest in the US.

Stevo_666

Rick Chasey wrote:

I love how Brits say Britain is the centre for pop when pretty much all the big songwriting businesses, who write for all the proper a list stars are based in Scandinavia (and more specifically Sweden), with most of the rest in the US.

Not sure where you get that from. Here are a few facts which suggest otherwise:
http://www.statista.com/topics/3903/music-industry-in-europe
Then you just need to look at how well British artists do round the world. Apart from the US, which country has the sort of music output that the UK has?

crispybug2

I’ve read a few people saying we should withdraw from the song contest due our lack of success and the fact that we are one of the largest financial contributors to the contest (I kind of suspect that they also cited Brexit but I couldn’t be arsed to scroll all the way down!)
It’s worth pointing out that of the five major contributing countries (UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy) only Germany (2010) have won a contest since the UK’s last win (1997) Italy last won in 1990, France in 1977 and Spain haven’t won since 1969!!!
We’re hardly being picked on here!