Eurovision song contest is fucked up these days

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Today it were the semi-finals of Eurosong and "big suprise", almost every eastern-european country is selected for the finals. Don't get me wrong, it's good that they participate, but voting isn't fair anymore these days.

5 countries already were selected for the finals: France, the UK, Germany, Russia and Ireland I believe. But is it fair that those countries always are in the finals. I don't think so. For me it would be logical that the BeNeLux (Belgium-Netherlands-Luxembourg) would be allowed there too, because those are the countries who started Europe.
But yeah, that isn't fair either in the end. So why should not all the countries fight for a plce in the finals?

And also, why voting on bad songs? Not all eastern-european songs were good, some were bad, really bad! If people just voted for the songs they actually liked and not because that country is close too them, Eurosong would be more fair no?

The last years, Eurosong is starting to be bullshit, we don't get great groups out of it like Abba, Celine Dion, Johnny Logan and others anymore. Is Eurovision still a fair contest? In my opinion: NO

What do you think?

 

[maestro071]

Alexander Rybak, Norwigian, originally from Belorussia... Awesome and amaizing in every aspect, lol
Here, watch and listen him and enjoy in the fairytale:
YouTube - Norge 2009 Alexander Rybak

 

[koval]

Ireland has to participate in the 2nd semi-final due to last years entry with Dustin the turkey. However my vote goes to Sweden who is my odds on favourite to win.

 

[waynefysh]

Having just watched the semi final it was actually 5 western and 5 eastern countries that qualified so no majority. The voting in the final may be better this year cos we have the juries back and they get 50% of the vote!! The big 4 always qualify automatically to the final cos they pay the most to the EBU who run the contest so without their contribution there wouldn't be a song contest because the other countries wouldn't be able to afford it. I quite liked the semi final tonight the only thing I didn't like was the hosts, they were to eccentric but hey on Thursday we have another semi and on Saturday the final for another year... so come on Jade and the UK!!! Here's to London 2010.

 

[dongalong]

Politics and international relations count more than talent in the Eurovision song contest.
There have been many threads about it:

http://www.lpsg.org/120414-uk-eurovision-entry-2009-a.html
http://www.lpsg.org/118476-eurovision-song-contest-may-2009-a.html
http://www.lpsg.org/89314-fess-up-out-yourselves-eurovision.html
http://www.lpsg.org/89319-russian-wins-eurovision.html
http://www.lpsg.org/49657-eurovision-a-travesty.html
http://www.lpsg.org/26948-eurovision-song-contest.html
http://www.lpsg.org/18989-the-eurovision-song-contest.html

 

[carlton10]

Bosnia-Herzegovina might be the political favorite for the Eastern Block. Seems like the Russians think that the video of the song ,with all the red flags waving , somehow means that B/H longs for Soviet rule again. I hope Spain wins, but they are one of the big 4, so they don't don't seem to have a chance anymore.

 

[mitchymo]

Portugal, Finland, Turkey, Malta, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Israel, Iceland and Sweden all made it through tonight.....i would only consider 3 of these to be eastern.....Israel is not european and Finland is scandinavian, none of the remaining 3 have a culture of block voting and with UK, Spain, France, Germany and Russia auto-thru AND Greece and Norway faves in the 2nd semi then this year should definately see a fairer competition.....I expect Albania and hopefully Serbia and Estonia to also make it through on thursday!

 

[mitchymo]

Bosnia-Herzegovina might be the political favorite for the Eastern Block. Seems like the Russians think that the video of the song ,with all the red flags waving , somehow means that B/H longs for Soviet rule again. I hope Spain wins, but they are one of the big 4, so they don't don't seem to have a chance anymore.

Also happens to me my favorite...love Bosnia-H.

 

[morsecode]

Today it were the semi-finals of Eurosong and "big suprise", almost every eastern-european country is selected for the finals. Don't get me wrong, it's good that they participate, but voting isn't fair anymore these days.

5 countries already were selected for the finals: France, the UK, Germany, Russia and Ireland I believe. But is it fair that those countries always are in the finals. I don't think so. For me it would be logical that the BeNeLux (Belgium-Netherlands-Luxembourg) would be allowed there too, because those are the countries who started Europe.
But yeah, that isn't fair either in the end. So why should not all the countries fight for a plce in the finals?

And also, why voting on bad songs? Not all eastern-european songs were good, some were bad, really bad! If people just voted for the songs they actually liked and not because that country is close too them, Eurosong would be more fair no?

The last years, Eurosong is starting to be bullshit, we don't get great groups out of it like Abba, Celine Dion, Johnny Logan and others anymore. Is Eurovision still a fair contest? In my opinion: NO

What do you think?

Excuse me while I pick the pieces of my head from the floor.

 

[pym]

Excuse me while I pick the pieces of my head from the floor.

:biggrin1: Me Too.

 

[carlton10]

Oh Well, I am American and I have been following the Eurovision Contest for years. It's political, interesting. hokey- Just American Idol /X-Factor on a much larger scale.

 

[Xcuze]

It should have been put out of its misery 10-15 years ago. It has no relevance whatsoever to the commercial music scene.

It's not even funny anymore.

 

[maestro071]

Bosnia-Herzegovina might be the political favorite for the Eastern Block. Seems like the Russians think that the video of the song ,with all the red flags waving , somehow means that B/H longs for Soviet rule again. I hope Spain wins, but they are one of the big 4, so they don't don't seem to have a chance anymore.

Bosnia and Herzegovina was part od Yugoslavia, (as well as Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro) which was Non-aligned country... acctualy the one who formed the group of non-aligned countries (more than 120 countries of the world, when they were active as a alience). Therefore, never was a part of Soviet as well as Nato block division.
Though Yugoslavia was not very popular as a "third way" neither on West or East, it was well supported by the western countries at the time of cold war... ("better to be non alligned and close to west than to strive to east... and to keep all third world countries far from Soviet yard"). That, together with its other policies, allowed yugoslavia to record an incredible development at the time, as well an international influence that none of the small countries ever had...Yugoslav "Red passport" was the most accepted in the world at the time...Also Yugoslav socialism was also an experiment as such, (private ownership was allowed; companies were owned by workers -share holders not by the state), and has nothing in common with known socialism-comunism of the Eastern or any other countries...Still, it was not perfect country, as there is no such, but many would agree it was much better than now existing 6-7 countries.
Unfortunatelly, that country, who was unique in many ways, had such terrible end, pushing its countries back in history... and doesnt exist anymore... (many would argue that Yugoslavia went far ahead the time...)

So, to come back to the issue: Bosnia as well as none of the former Yugoslav countries, cant long for Soviet, simply as they were never been under or part of Soviet influence (and thankufully neither under Nato...)...
But yes, their ppl, could travel east and west, south and north, and in their school they learned equaly english and russian as well as french and german...read their literature, watched their movies and listened their songs...
Yugoslavia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 27 times, debuting in 1961.
And, BTW, look at the map...its Southern Europe......

 

[brody]

Coming from Scandinavia, I have to say that block voting, which all Scandinavians seem to practice, is so annoying. I always vote for the best song and i must admit that I usually prefer the contributions from Eastern Europe, easpecially the ballads from the Balcan states. This year Bosnia-Herzegovina is my favorite.
For the first time in decades the Danish song is another favorite of mine - sorry but one is not allowed to vote for your country! The song "Believe again" is written by Ronan Keating (former Boyzone)and it is sung by Brinck. He is so hot -check him out in the semi finals on Thursday.

 

[798686]

There did seem to be a lot of political voting last year (there always is) especially from the Eastern European countries.

It's a bit annoying, but the British entries have been crap since '97 anyway. The best song got voted out during the selection round last year. We're trying harder this year, w/Andrew Lloyd Webber writing it - but I still wish some genuinely great bands would join in and enter some kick-ass tunes. So it can actually be a competition about which country has the best, relevant music. Won't happen since it'd be career suicide...but it would be cool.

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Excuse me while I pick the pieces of my head from the floor.

Let them on the floor so I can step on it

 

[morsecode]

Leave them on the floor so I can step on them

Fixed

And has Dion even gone there?, she is Quebecois.

 

[798686]

She represented Switzerland in the 80s sometime - think she won?

 

[FleshlightMouth]

Yes, she won in 1988, a little pudgier than today, and OMG the dress and the hair!!!

YouTube - Ne partez pas sans moi - eurovision 1988 - Celine Dion

 

[morsecode]

So they let performers from other countries on the show?, what is the point in that?, you would think that it is a combination of the songwriter and performer from the country they are representing. Is it just me or death metal putrefied my brain?