Eurovision 2006

[EHM-1199 Philip]

OK ... forget Euro 2004 ... forget World Cup. This is where the action really is! Eurovision ... this Saturday ... Daz Sampson sings 'Teenage Life' for the Untied Kingdom. The song doesn't rock proper but it has the sort of catchy tune that will for sure have you whistling along.

So, will you be watching? Will you be expecting to win? Will you enjoy Greece and Turkey's voting? Will you smile at the way history colours national voting and cry at the bizarre entries including Lordi from Finland who to be honest look like a bunch of Orcs from Lord of the Rings. (See the website at:
http://www.eurovision.tv/english to enjoy the full overview.)

Me ... I'll be getting slowly hammered and finding Terry Wogan ever so slightly funnier with each glass!

[EHM-E4S]

I think EuroVision has gone weird. Everyone votes for the country neighbours, and not the songs. Britain will never win if it's like that, because we're an island, so we've got no neighbours, except Ireland and France, and they hate us!

[EHM-1671 Ben]

Wow, looks like fun... a shame New Zealand isn't that lively!

[EHM-1199 Philip]

Well, who would of thought Lordi from Finland would win. Pardon me for saying so but there seemed to be a whole lot of tactical/political voting again. To say folks fought for the freedom from Russion the baltic states still bow down to the master. And I guess what we have to take away is that currently, Europe do not like the UK ... how else can you explain such a great song getting such low marks. Slightly bitter but enjoyed the evening.

[EHM-E4S]

I've figured something out about eurovision.

Everyone likes to vote for their neighbours. Russia has most neighbors, as they are all broken down bits of the russian federation, but they all get 12 points, so they'll waste that 12 points on russia, because it's their friend.

Russia would've won if finland didn't wear those costumes.

[EHM-1199 Philip]

You're so right Matt ... I just don't understand it though. You go to those 'neighbours' of Russia and find families depleted by the lives lost fighting to be independent of Russia and yet ... they sort of need the motherland as an international comfort blanket.

[EHM-0361 Karsten]

I agree with Matt, EuroVision has gone weird. It's no long about who has the best song. No it's about who put one the best stageshow or who has the most bizar costumes. Some years it's about who can most skin without being naked or thing like that.
I didn't see the show and haven't for years. So I don't know who had the best song. But I agree I think Finland would have won if it wasn't for those costumes.
As for the thing with the votes, and who votes for who and who don't. It's always been like that in a way. Denmark has almost always given points to Norway, Sweden, Finland. Not always top points, but at least midrangs points.  And there has always been a sort of voting block in southeurope Spain, Portugal and countrys in that area. But I agree that thing might have gotten more tactical/political since Russia, the baltic states and other what we call former eastblock countries joined the show. But I'm sure it would have been the same if we had gotten a bunch of countries from asia or if south america became a member. I know it's called EuroVision, but I'm still trying to figur out what a conutry like Israel is doing in this contest.

[EHM-E4S]

I think some of the voting has gone offshore of Europe. Israel and Turkey aren't really in Europe. Next it will be:

Steve Irwin, can we have the Australian vote please?

it'll be renamed notsoeuropeaneurovision

[EHM-1001 Robert]

Well,

last year the Hungarian band NOX was looking to win, according to British betting shops...and finally they finished at around 12th position. They performed the title song from their now best selling new album, but that was not enough for winning to other Europeans