Eurovision tonight - gayest ever by far, but controversies.

 

In Malmo, Sweden (last year's winner) - Israel's participation, exacerbated by its winning a place in tonight's final has, as at now, clouded the event which promises (-ed?) such up-front 'gayish' fun like never before. However, though Russia has not been allowed in for the last two competitions following its invasion of Ukraine, one can hardly maintain that the Israel's government's recent acts have been any less egregious than that of President Putrid. Very large demonstrations in Malmo itself as well as around Europe and, indeed, the world, protesting against Israel's involvement in this show. Current betting odds puts Israel second-favourite to win, though I'd give the song a score of only 2/5). 

So, I'm conflicted - should I do an individual personal boycott and not watch the show? Shhhhhhh!.....but no! Sorry. Can't help it!

Added to which, now this morning there's a question over the Dutch act, which was/is (rightly, in my view) one of the most touted to win - a crazy earworm of a song with even crazier act. The singer has variously been reported as having had a physical confrontation with a photographer, with police involved - or having too aggressively addressed Israel's female singer on her country's participation. They might be linked. But this Dutch entry was excluded from yesterday's final dress rehearsal, a video of the song being relayed instead. At this time of writing we don't know what's going to happen. (Latest bulletin: Netherlands has now been disqualified from tonight's final - first time this has happened for any country in Eurovision's 68-year history. We still don't know the details of what had happened to bring this about but if it had be so, there it is. I can reveal now that the song/act would have been my number two choice of them all).

I've now three times heard all 26 songs in tonight's final and am pretty sure who'll get my vote. Excluded by having received inadequate votes in the heats were two openly gay participants, Denmark and Belgium among the eleven 'losers', but there's plenty more well worth watching out for among those left in the final. I just must point out Spain above all the others (8th in running order) where, if you're looking at the female singer performing, halfway through I guarantee that your attention will definitely turn to her two male backing dancers, both bearded. Talk about flaunting it in-yer-face - and I just love, love, LOVE it! Song's not at all bad too!

Apart from the preponderance of men in backing roles (dancing, some singing) for many of the acts - with clear gay 'signals' in some - several of the acts have eye-popping special effects, some trick camera-work but also some startlingly acrobatic in actual performance. Right up there and possibly best of all in that respect is the U.K. entry by one Olly Alexander who wanted to make his rendition "as gay as possible". Well. he's almost achieved it though I'd rate his song as only middling, maybe just slightly above.

So, with only 12 hours to go and, though I always watch the show, I've not for a long time felt such keen anticipation for the result. Go, go........but who?  Ah, that would be telling! Which I'll do tomorrow. 😃