Are you watching?
the whole thing is bullshit
another "weiner" is gonna win this one?
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I don't really care, i just dont get one thing and i have nothing against Australia or people from there but how the F***** is Australia participating in EUROvision?
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They were invited 4 years ago because there is a 2,7M audience there and selected them to celebrate the 60 aniversary, first as something only for that edition but now they are invited every year.
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Sure, I can ask the same question for that too, make that two things. :)
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The Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) is a member organisation of the European Broadcasting Union, which is responsible for the event.
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Israel participate in almost all sport and other events in the European group, mostly because they are really not liked in the logical middle-east group for some strange reason:P
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Eurovision is a network of state broadcasters first built in the 1950s by the privately run European Broadcasting Union to share programming. The contest was devised to promote the network. They said it was to promote peace and understanding among nations in the wake of the Second World War but that was just marketing gumph. Any country with a participating broadcaster is eligible to enter, regardless of geographic location. Israel have been participating since the 1970s. Morocco sent a song once. The contest is very popular in Australia despite it being shown in the middle of the night there so in recognition of their dedication Australia were invited to take part beginning a few years ago.
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I mean it's called Eurovision Song Contest but sure.
To answer your question though, I usually dislike 90% of the songs but idk, watching it kinda turned into a tradition at this point so I still watch it every year.
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Well the last 20 years turned into who got the best act instead of the songs, there's politics..
But yeah you still watch each year anyway.
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I mean you do seem to care about the results too? Why? If you say it's just politics, why do you even care at all?
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Well some countries do pollitics like Greece-Cyprus exchanging 12 points, and some others, not everyone does it.
And i am not much into soccer either, but it's always nice still if you see your country win, especially this after 44 years, be good at something and i must say we atleast try to bring in good songs (for the last few years) not counting this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vQUnjMMHXw or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDk05IMVnPk
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It's been ages since it has been about good music at all. It's a gay pride festival where they compete in camp and kitsch.
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Portugal's winning song in 2017 was absolutely wonderful, an unexpected triumph of genuine artistry.
But of course, most of them are always insane and/or terrible - that's part of the fun of it.
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I didnt watch because I didnt even know it was on and its a shit show. But I woke up when they where half done with the voting so I started to watch. Laughed real hard at what a joke of a shit show it really was. Dont know what they have done from last time I watched a couple of years ago. But funny how Norway went from almost last place to 5th. And Sweden went from first to 6th when I thought it was done. lol.
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I'm just glad that the jury didn't manage to fuck this up so much that Sweden wins at the end. Was already terrible enough how they betrayed Norway's party song.
And yes, it's a freakish show with lots of terrible music and crazy/biased voting. But I still wouldn't want to miss it. :)
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In my honest opinion, this was probably the best final in ages. Song quality was above average for most countries.
Also, the new voting system was a great success, so thrilling to the very end.
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Agreed, the little touch they gave the final round of the results was an immense success. So many surprises!
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The way it is broadcast in the UK really helps me to enjoy it because the commentator doesn't take it remotely seriously and just helps to magnify and celebrate the hilarious insanity of it all, and the genuine quality of some entries. It's always a fun night, watching the whole show.
That said, this year there were a good number of decent entries which I would have been happy to see win. My top 4 were Denmark, Sweden, Italy and Azerbaijan, so towards the end I was really happy that Sweden and Italy had a good chance of winning...
The Netherlands was definitely in my top 10 though, it was a pretty good song and well performed. Congrats :)
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I don't know how Mahmood managed to get second place. The song is utterly awful, borderline cacophonic.
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The Eurovision's popular here. For me though, literally every year for the past 10 years, I see the contest starting again and I think "Wait, didn't it just end?".
I have a huge distaste for the entire ordeal though as well. It's a political dramafest and it's as dull as dishwater.
The worst part is that winning is a punishment. If you win, you have the privilege of footing the bill. Most of the time, it's a total gamble if you'll even make your money back through all your revenue sources (like tourism and hospitality). When you're lucky enough to not lose money, then you'll also still have massive issues like increased crime, political tensions, increased infrastructural loads and corruption problems.
Doesn't help that the entire show's stacked against poorer countries who can't pull off visually appealing shows due to budgetary restrictions and the classic "We don't have political allies" thing.
I'm glad people have fun watching it. Personally, this is basically FIFA-lite with petty politics mixed in.
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This is just so wrong on so many levels. There is absolutely no need for some expensive "visually appealing show", for example. Did the winner have anything special? One man and his piano plus one spotlight. So expensive!
Most of the big and "rich" nations didn't provide any special show either. See UK, France, Germany. Instead it was often that those smaller and poorer nations relied on show effects, which barely improved their result. If at all. You can't blame the event if some participants are just misguided.
The political voting has become pretty irrelevant since they established the split voting, with the jury. This causes its own kind of problems, but the bigger one has been eliminated. Sure, "friends" still benefit to some extent but the list of winners from recent years is proof enough. Unless you want to suggest that nations as the Netherlands, Israel or Portugal have an insane network of buddies.
And about the costs ... the host has to provide up to €20 million. Or much less if they can't afford it. That's hardly a potential national budget wrecker, considering that you get to participate in the greatest show event of the world every year.
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This is just so wrong on so many levels. There is absolutely no need for some expensive "visually appealing show", for example. Did the winner have anything special? One man and his piano plus one spotlight. So expensive!
Well that's a lie right there. They had visual effects. Do you not see the light effects in the background? Those cost a fair amount of money. Also, did this just stop existing? I guess the specialized stage light brought in solely for them is a free venture that just doesn't exist.
Mind you, the point isn't that it's an absolute fact. The point is that richer countries with less political issues win way more often. Luxembourg, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands. Also the more liked European countries like France and the UK also won way more. Their productions have a large budget behind them. The Baltics barely win, Eastern Europe's also left in the dust all the time. It's not a coincidence that the poorer and less politically liked countries get left behind. Pure talent for singing doesn't have borders. Money and politics does though.
Take any popularity contest. The US election? Oh, the more richer campaign tends to win. The Oscars? Again, movies with higher budgets tend to win and in recent years, softer and more popular political topics help them win. This isn't new.
The political voting has become pretty irrelevant since they established the split voting, with the jury. This causes its own kind of problems, but the bigger one has been eliminated. Sure, "friends" still benefit to some extent but the list of winners from recent years is proof enough.
Yes, that's why Sweden gave Estonia 10 points (Estonia had a Swedish representative), Latvia gave 10 points (neighboring country), Denmark and Finland gave 8 (neighbor/northern), Lithuania gave 4 (Baltic), Iceland gave 3 (good diplomatic relations) and so on.
That's why Estonia gave 12 for Russia (neighbor and huge portion of the country)
The UK got points from Ireland, gave points to Australia and Norway, somehow no points to France or Germany... hmm, interesting timing here.
Point is that yeah, neighboring countries always get a load of points and so do politically friendly allies. This isn't new. Look at the detailed voting results on the official Eurovision page (something which they started showing only after 2014's backlash)
Unless you want to suggest that nations as the Netherlands, Israel or Portugal have an insane network of buddies.
Oh 100% they have buddies. Portugal had a load of support for and against thanks to the Catalonia referendum, The Netherlands is inoffensive and they're liked by most countries thanks to their relatively neutral stance. Same goes for Sweden, who you didn't mention, but also is rich and popular thanks to their neutral stance and friendly attitude towards all countries. They don't have hard stances when it comes to confrontation, which Germany, for example, does have. Not a big surprise that this year Germany didn't fare well at all, thanks to the EU scandal, while before this drama they tended to get better results overall.
Israel's extremely polarizing and they're even more polarizing now thanks to the once-again increased tensions in the region. Israel has the benefit of getting votes from both sides.
And about the costs ... the host has to provide up to €20 million.
Yes and the most successful situations have seen countries reap €28 million (Sweden). That €20 million doesn't include the reinforcement of infrastructure, which will be in the millions, beautification, extra law enforcement and other local events to be added to reap as much as possible and to support the event. So, yeah, lucky them, they got a whole €3 million profit from the ordeal, if we're generous with the margins. Was it an efficient way to spend time? I don't have the answer to that question, so I can't say.
That's hardly a potential national budget wrecker, considering that you get to participate in the greatest show event of the world every year.
KAN took a €16.5 million government loan to secure the budget for this year.
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Some clouds being displayed on existing digital displays. You've got to be kidding me if you claim that this is expensive for anyone.
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The nations you listed as so successful are mostly on top of that list because they participated for many decades, with a then very limited selection of participating nations. But sure, lets pretend it's because they are rich instead.
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Thanks for proving that my claim is correct. It still exists but it has become irrelevant. For the exception of someone like you, who doesn't seem to watch but also seems to bother where countries at the end of the sheet got their few points from. I have no idea why though.
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I don't consider this worth a reply at all.
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Yep, as I said up to €20m. And the loan is quite logical because that's no part of the usual planned yearly budget broadcasters have. So your point is? To prove me right?
And then you mention that Sweden made a profit and still manage to complain about how that was an efficient way to spend time? You seriously leave the impression that you are desperate to whine about the ESC for the sake of it.
I'll quit this debate for good, I can't imagine how this could end in something productive.
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On the one hand, I can understand where you're coming from - but you're seriously exaggerating.
Politics certainly can play a part in the voting, which is undoubtedly why despite having a very reasonable song the UK didn't get any points from the Irish jury, and virtually no points from anywhere else, heavily influenced by the interminable Brexit farce.
However, the top 5 countries receiving the highest points from the judges were Sweden, North Macedonia, The Netherlands, Italy and Azerbaijan. Genuinely, do you believe most of the countries who gave high points to North Macedonia and Azerbaijan are trying to score political brownie points via singing competition votes? How many European countries have remotely close ties to either of those two?
As for the public vote, by far the biggest winner was Norway - so are you implying people all over Europe were thinking, "I must protect my country's vital political ties with Norway! I will personally call a premium-rate phone number to make sure they feel appreciated!!"
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On the one hand, I can understand where you're coming from - but you're seriously exaggerating.
I think you're right that I'm exaggerating here. Eurovision's nowhere near as bad as the Olympic Events and FIFA. But I also won't pretend that Eurovision's blameless here. There's way worse, but that doesn't make bad stuff just not bad anymore. Eurovision just can't ever work perfectly. There's a reason some countries lose on purpose.
Genuinely, do you believe most of the countries who gave high points to North Macedonia and Azerbaijan are trying to score political brownie points via singing competition votes?
I think it's the other way around. They're not looking for brownie points, but instead are trying to avoid catching flak and also, for Azerbaijan, yes, they're actually a country with whom diplomacy is something to be interested in. Just like northern European countries have ties with countries like Mongolia and some random African nations. As to North Macedonia, I don't know.
so are you implying people all over Europe were thinking, "I must protect my country's vital political ties with Norway! I will personally call a premium-rate phone number to make sure they feel appreciated!!"
No. It's not a national agenda, it's a personal one. Swedes voted for Estonia because their countryman was representing Estonia. Estonia voted for Russia because Russians make up a huge portion of the country's demographic. Latvia voted for Estonia because neighbors. The Nordics always also vote for each other. It's nothing new. People like their wins to be close and they aren't unbiased. There are voters who would never vote for Israel or Russia. Not because they have bad songs or bad performances but because they dislike the country. It's politics, just not on a national scale, but more on a personal political scale.
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I never give a damn about Eurovision festival, but yesterday I watched it with my daughter.
I admit that the new voting system makes it entertaining.
the song quality was variable, as always.
I enjoyed seeing my country running for 1st, but maybe it was better we didn't win since the song was clearly insufficient.
the winner song was rather dull and repetitive imo, but it's a contest with people voting and these things happen.
my favourite was denmark.
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I haven't watched a thing of it. But, ehmm... Yay Holland!
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It all boils down which one has the most generic sounding song. One huge cringefest in my opinion. Looks like its popularity has dropped in my country anyhow (considering hockey championship is going on exactly at the same time and people are interested in that more)..
Not meant as an offense if you like it though. Just stating my honest opinion - cant stand it.
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Sometimes the most generic songs win through broad appeal, but Italy's second place entry this year was far from generic - and if you think last year's winner was generic we definitely have wildly different points of reference :D
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Yes, our points of reference do differ quite.
Both of the songs you mentioned for me where just obnoxious and as generic as it gets. That Italys song had no to nothing in sense of anything interesting. He sounds like every generic singer and the song was just..meh... Last years winner might be called interesting probably thanks to the show - still I havent heard more boring song in sense of melody and lyrics
All this is of course my own opinion and as I rarely listen to "pop" my stance is clear. But you know - I just dont see what you see in those songs. I can see the appeal in those mainstream songs that go on repeat on radio (katy perry, meghan trainor, one direction).. but these songs on eurovision - I just dont see that
ps. And its not that I dont like these songs for the sake of not liking them. There are songs I have liked from it over the years. I watched the contest several years back but havent watched it lately. So its not the principle of hating it just to be "against" what others like. I genuinely find it boring and most of the songs just plain sounding and boring
pps. also not to trigger anyone unnecessarily. Im not even referencing the talent - the singer from Netherlands, the Italys fellow - that chick who won last year. All seem to be talanted and bright musicians. My distaste is purely for the songs
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Interesting. For me if I was looking for acts which really define "generic", one direction and meghan trainor would probably be at the top of the list, whereas last year's winning act was like a fever dream of clucking, lucky cats and random trumpets in a disjointed chaos. To be clear, it is an almost entirely unbearable song, but "generic" is the furthest word from my mind watching that insanity.
edit: Also, I can really understand a general distaste for the songs, because almost every year around half of them are extremely boring or just plain awful - but I still find the competition to be great fun despite that, much like I can greatly enjoy sitting with friends laughing at a terrible film, often much more than watching technically "better" films...
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Oh yeah, Id put those radio songs on top of the generic list without thinking,but they have some kind of a "zing" that makes you listen, some catchy chorus or melody. Like that meghan trainors song - I just got paid. About the stupidest and most annoying piece of garbage that has been shat out by those idiots in hollywood. But for fucks sake - I downloaded that song, because it just kept crawling in my mind :D
Regarding performance - youve got a point. It wasnt generic at all, and in this instance I may be using the word incorrectly ;)
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Only care for the end results, but seems to be taking a long time... been 44 years since we last won, and we might finally have a chance again winning this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eztx7Wr8PtE
[Edit] We won, and so close between Sweden and the Netherlands in the end..
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