Watching Eurovision 2008

[Dave the OAP]

But then we'd be forced to enter the semi-final and I hardly think we'd get enough votes there to qualify for the final anyway!

then we say ok...sod you..like the italians did

 

[Robot Chicken]

53rd edition of this shit, my god have we ever one once?! How the hell did Russia win?

Kev, surely you remember Katrina and the Waves in 1997?

Although she became more famous after the New Orleans gig in 2005.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Kev, surely you remember Katrina and the Waves in 1995?

Although she became more famous after the New Orleans gig in 2005.

Nope I don't I'm affraid, hold on a minute. Conservatives were in power then. Eleven years of Labour and we still haven't won, maybe when Cameron comes into power we might have a winner!

 

[Robot Chicken]

Nope I don't I'm affraid, hold on a minute. Conservatives were in power then. Eleven years of Labour and we still haven't won, maybe when Cameron comes into power we might have a winner!

Sigh(!)

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I have no problem with finishing last or the blatant favouritism in voting. The reason I watch it annually is you get a vast array of acts, Eastern Bloc pop, beautiful ladies in skimpy outfits, Terry Wogan's commentary and a evening of mindless entertainment. I couldn't really care less who wins. It is refreshingly different to the tripe such as X-Factor, Pop Idol etc.

 

[Knightsworld]

UK Winners:

1997 Love shine a light Katrina and the Waves United Kingdom 227 (+70)

1981 Making Your Mind Up Bucks Fizz United Kingdom

1976 Save Your Kisses For Me Brotherhood of Man United Kingdom

1969 Boom Bang-A-Bang Lulu United Kingdom

1967 Puppet On A String Sandie Shaw United Kingdom

 

[Theatre of Trees]

It's very little to do with political voting, and everything to do with the ethnic make up of countries, the language being used and the cultural patterns of Eastern Europe where local Russian or Ukrainian pop stars can sell bucketloads without ever touching the market in the West. One of the few exceptions were TATU who were huge in Russia, the ex-Soviet states and in countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic before they even crossed over into the West - they hit big in the UK about 2 years after their initial success in the East. The Eastern European countries also take the competition very seriously and will send their best known stars (like we did in the 60s and 70s) and tend to look down on the silly or unknown entries sent in by the West.

If we sent in separate entries for Scotland, N.Ireland, Wales and England and accepted televoting from each you can guarentee that each would get high points from each other because their are large proportions of each living in the other's countries who able to vote. Latvia and Estonia gave Russia 12 points this evening, neither actually like the Russians very much for political reasons. However, both countries contain a significant Russian minority (45% of Latvian population and 36% of the Estonian) who will naturally gravitate towards a Russian entry. If you understand that then you will understand the voting patterns of Eastern Europe.

 

[Nemesis]

We have an automatic route into the final, I reckon we should hijack the Irish turkey for next year and enter him to sing a song ridiculing the voting system...might as well have a laugh, and make a point, we are going to finish last regardless.

Sounds like a plan....now, where's Wogan's email address?

 

[Seagulltonian]

And the winning entry was produced by Timbaland! One of the most in demand music producers at the moment

 

[Gully]

Sounds like a plan....now, where's Wogan's email address?

I meant turkey as in gobble, not as in Terry!!!

 

[Nemesis]

I meant turkey as in gobble, not as in Terry!!!

I knew that-was going to contact the other Irish turkey (Wogan) to suggest it to him

It definitely needs a total piss-take entry from the UK next year and a withdrawal of the funding.

 

[itszamora]

I can't believe nobody's mentioned the Greek girl yet. She was STUNNING

 

[Djmiles]

I can't believe nobody's mentioned the Greek girl yet. She was STUNNING

She's American unfortunately. Well, born there at least!

 

[Cian]

You did notice they gave the only country behind us more points than us?

If the televoting didn't all end at the same time, that'd be a wonderful conspiracy theory

The Irish 8/10/12 is *not* guaranteed. We didn't give you anything for Jemini!

Well, make that guaranteed any time you enter some singers rather than poor mimers, actually.

 

[Brovion]

Yes you can blame political voting for the fact we didn't actually win, but the reason we came last is because the 'song' was shocking; truly, truly shocking.

At least unlike Jemeni (sp) the bloke gave an ok performance which avoided 'nul points', but our poor performnances aren't all down to the fact that everybody hates us (they're not too fond of the Russians in eastern Europe either), we've actually got to have an entry that sounds like a Euro pop-song and not a sub-sub-standard Lionel Ritchie b-side.

 

[dougdeep]

We can't win so we should take our ball home.

 

[Frutos]

Yes you can blame political voting for the fact we didn't actually win, but the reason we came last is because the 'song' was shocking; truly, truly shocking.

It wasn't great, but there was a lot worse on display there which got far more points than we did (Bosnia, for a start off).

 

[jonny.rainbow]

They should scrap the semi's and bring in regional based qualifying groups.

That would eliminate the voting for your neighbour aspect as you would be competing against them to get into the main show.

Either that or scrap phone votes and have a panel.

 

[Giraffe]

What we need to do is divide up the UK and enter in about twenty different divided units. Perhaps regionally or county? San Marino and Andorra entered for christs sakes so for a month the Isle of Wight should declare independance and several other logical geographical areas such as Wales, Scotland, Isle of Man, Northern Island, each of the Hebrides etc etc. That way we can all vote for each other and combat the balkan nonsense.

 

[drew]

Let's face it, the Balkans, Baltics and eastern Europeans tend all to stick together. It's no longer a competition. However, whilst I think we should still enter, I don't think the BBC should be stumping up a large proportion of the funding. If we didn't bankroll the event then it might just fade into history, especially as old Wogan is now threatening to quit.

Who in this country would watch the programme without his commentary.