Eurovision Song Contest...

[Exiled in Exeter]

I think the time has now come for us to pull out of the Eurovision Song Contest because of the political voting.

Agree with that.

Political voting has turned a joke into a farce.

 

[Albion Edd]

I think the time has now come for us to pull out of the Eurovision Song Contest because of the political voting, just like Luxenburg did. Even if we get "nill points" like last year we are always going to be allowed to stay in it without having to qualify the following year because we put a lot of money towards it every time. There are about 4 other countries who have the same ruling. So if we were to pull out it would hopefully make them realise what the contest has become. We have got no chance of winning it ever again. Everybody hates us and the countries who vote for each other just on the basis of them being friends dont even try to disguise it. One country last night even told the other country they'd just given the 12 points to how much they loved them. Terry Wogan predicts every year who will vote for who and he's always right. It has become a joke and Terry takes this view when doing the commentary.
Even the "half time" show last night was a blatant rip off of Riverdance. Unbelievable.

I completely agree with all of that, if we pull out then they will lose all the money we put in. The voting gets more and more blatanly biased every year.

 

[Zebedee]

The contest is now all about making political statments rather than the strength of a singer or songs. It's a shame that, for once, most countries don't seem to be able to put politics behind them. Pathetic, me thinks.

 

[harry_h]

UK should boycott and the EBU will change the voting for the better

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The Yugoslavian voting was biased.

I don't think that the "Yugoslavian" nations were voting for their neighbours. I think it more likely that Macedonians living in Serbia were voting for themselves. And Slovenians living in Macedonia were voting for Slovenia. Just like Turks living in Germany always turn out to vote for Turkey and the guy who runs the best chip shop in Lewes will have voted for Cyprus.

The problem the UK has is that our ex-pats live mainly beyond the reach of Eurovision.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The contest is now all about making political statments rather than the strength of a singer or songs. It's a shame that, for once, most countries don't seem to be able to put politics behind them. Pathetic, me thinks.

I disagree.

Eurovision Song Contests, World Cup football and the Olympic Games seem to me to be a much healthier way of dealing with international tensions than sending Donald Rumsfeld in.

 

[Yoda]

I think the time has now come for us to pull out of the Eurovision Song Contest because of the political voting, just like Luxenburg did. Even if we get "nill points" like last year we are always going to be allowed to stay in it without having to qualify the following year because we put a lot of money towards it every time. There are about 4 other countries who have the same ruling. So if we were to pull out it would hopefully make them realise what the contest has become. We have got no chance of winning it ever again. Everybody hates us and the countries who vote for each other just on the basis of them being friends dont even try to disguise it. One country last night even told the other country they'd just given the 12 points to how much they loved them. Terry Wogan predicts every year who will vote for who and he's always right. It has become a joke and Terry takes this view when doing the commentary.
Even the "half time" show last night was a blatant rip off of Riverdance. Unbelievable.

With you on this one.

You could almost guess where the votes were going each time.

Get music critics doing the judging again! I’d love to hear the thoughts of the Pop Idol judges on the songs. The Icelandic bloke was out of tune on the chorus

 

[Wozza]

"We're looking forward to playing in Europe" - Jimmy Melia, interviewed after Albion drew the 1983 FA Cup Final.

"Hope you've got a good song then" - Manchester United Ron Aktinson in response.

 

[Zebedee]

I disagree.

Eurovision Song Contests, World Cup football and the Olympic Games seem to me to be a much healthier way of dealing with international tensions than sending Donald Rumsfeld in.

Fair point Lord B but it would only work if all sides play by the rules. The US has a lot to answer for but they aren't responsible for all the tensions in the world.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

ITS JUST A DISGRACE THAT SUCH A WELL ORGANISED AND WELL RESPECTED EVENT OF THE MUSIC CALENDER GETS DISRUPTED BY THIS. MAKES THE WHOLE COMPETITION ALMOST AN EMBARRESMENT AND THEREFORE PEOPLE DO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!!!!! THE GREAT MUSIC JUST GETS IGNORED BECAUSE OF THIS AND MUSIC LOVERS MUST FEEL DISTRAUGHT!

 

[Blackadder]

I don't think our singer did himself justice. His voice seemed a little weak to me.

Mind you, I only watched our song and the voting. If only to hear Terry's comments ("Mark my words the French will give us 12 points!")

With the Ukraine scoring so many points I thought "This must be good!" - It was dreadful !!!

I don't think we'll ever win again. Wouldn't mind pulling out for a couple of years and letting Greece and Cyprus foot the bill.

 

[Brovion]

I love Eurosong! (To give it it's Father Ted name). Most of the entries are cringingly embarrasing and that's what makes it so funny. This year I especially liked the dire German and Icelandic songs. Fair play to Serbia for doing a song that least paid some homage to the musical traditions of their country as opposed to being just a bit of sub-USA pop. My favorite entry though was Turkey - they looked like a sanitised version of The Exploited.

Why was the British entry sung by an American? We nod smugly when all the mittle-europeans sign in English as opposed to their own incomprehsible languages and then our chap sounds like he's just got of the plane from California. Sing in your own accent for crying out loud. It finished about where it deserved.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

James Fox is Welsh !

 

[Brovion]

James Fox is Welsh !

So why sing in 'American' then? What's wrong with sounding like that bird from Catatonia? Or even Tom Jones come to that.

 

[Lush]

I think next year the UK should also vote politically and explain WHY for each set of marks.

Suggestions?

 

[Brovion]

I love all the politcal voting! All of Europe voting for their friends and neighbours. Brilliant. Good job we don't have separate entries for England, Scotland and Wales; that would soon dispel the illusion of a Euorpean love-in. Can you imagine someone like Lorraine Kelly standing in the middle of Glasgow and saying "..and the 12 Scottish points go to our friends in England!"

 

[Razi]

My girlie and I had a great evening chilling out on the sofa with pizza, chips, garlic bread and wine to watch the event. She's obsessed with the Eurovision (the 2003 CD is permanently either in my car or on the stereo and we've already started downloading the 2004 ones).

Our top 4 (in no order) were Turkey, Ukraine, Sweden and Bosnia. She also liked the Greek entry, but I wasnt a fan of that guy "shaking it".