tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post2307069549626251497..comments2024-03-17T23:08:28.960-07:00Comments on Raybeard: Eurovision, the final (sad) results. Raybeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12424095016313843883noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-80063749994287862952018-05-15T21:44:44.897-07:002018-05-15T21:44:44.897-07:00I've no doubt that the relief I share at it be...I've no doubt that the relief I share at it being over would have been vastly different if the result had been more to my liking, but there you are.<br />I actually don't mind Australia being included. People shouldn't get too hung up on the 'Euro' part of 'Eurovision' - it takes in all countries which broadcast Eurovision programmes and there are very few of them (Eurovision programmes, that is). There was one year, 1980, when Morocco took part, a country which still broadcasts the contest annually. It hasn't participated since then mainly for political reasons - and specifically, because of the inclusion of Israel. <br />There has been talk in recent years about the U.S. joining in, which may be wild speculation, though if it does happen, I wouldn't mind as long as its inclusion doesn't dominate the agenda. Raybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424095016313843883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-58816813922025302062018-05-15T16:49:19.455-07:002018-05-15T16:49:19.455-07:00Thank god its over! On our TV all the time and why...Thank god its over! On our TV all the time and why Australia was in it I will never know!! Oh,I am Australian! LOL lady jickyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09013352537776588166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-53712616056067586682018-05-14T07:51:50.998-07:002018-05-14T07:51:50.998-07:00I get that, Yael, but I don't understand why y...I get that, Yael, but I don't understand why you should think that antipathy towards a particular song translates as hostility towards the country it represents. I can still remember Israel's 1979 winner, 'Hallelujah', without having to play it - and then it had been a worthy winner. If the contest had been about feelings towards another country I'd have been giving the thumbs down to the Russian entries every year since they started appearing, whereas some have been not bad at all, including this year's, despite it having failed to make the final. Raybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424095016313843883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-71954904973205589682018-05-14T05:39:04.210-07:002018-05-14T05:39:04.210-07:00I talk about feelings not about how others should ...I talk about feelings not about how others should vote.Yaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15181961536405061470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-11698595126752749872018-05-13T22:06:46.567-07:002018-05-13T22:06:46.567-07:00And I had thought that this was supposed to be a S...And I had thought that this was supposed to be a SONG competition! I've been clinging to that ideal (in vain, apparently) despite years of evidence that there's a significant political dimension to the votes - which is perhaps now all-consuming. Maybe they should just ditch all the songs and have countries just vote for the other country with which they feel the most sympathy.<br />Congratulations on the 'victory' which I'm sure you'll feel was well justified, on the grounds that in other respects you're so "vilified and criticised and isolated". I feel much the same way about the present attitude to the U.K. as regards Brexit (though, I admit, at least we are not "fighting for our lives") - and for that reason alone I think we deserve to win next year, whatever the song.<br />Thanks for your comment, Yael. Glad to receive it. XXXXX.Raybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424095016313843883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-67612170609980245212018-05-13T13:32:43.150-07:002018-05-13T13:32:43.150-07:00You will never be able to understand what it means...You will never be able to understand what it means to be an Israeli.Song competition is much more than that for us,We are always vilified and criticized and isolated in the world,For us winning a song competition is one moment of illusion that we are like everyone else. Tomorrow is another day, we still have to fight for our life here. May be it was not the best song, but we won.Yaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15181961536405061470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-72150032008014368672018-05-13T07:22:03.074-07:002018-05-13T07:22:03.074-07:00Taking your last point first, Paul, our commentato...Taking your last point first, Paul, our commentator was Graham Norton, as it has been for the last few years. His talk tends to be disappointingly flat compared with what we know he's capable of, and is not anything like as amusing as his predecessor's was, the late, great Terry Wogan, who could justifiably take the mickey out of all that deserved it (i.e. most) without being offensive. We all still miss him hugely.<br /> <br />As for last night's on-stage quartet of ladies, wearisome as they were, at least this year we were spared the endless cries to the audience of "Are you READY?" which usually plagues the show. <br /><br />Norway wasn't too bad, I thought, with Alexander still retaining his cheeky-chappie persona, though the song wasn't anywhere near as good as his 'Fairytale' which, quite rightly, won it for him in 2009.<br />I can't remember Spain now, singing in second song place, the only position from which a song has never won. (The U.K. won it in 1976 when it sang first! - and with the song which became Eurovision's biggest worldwide hit to date, 'Save Your Kisses For Me' which even outsold in disc sale numbers 'Waterloo'.<br />I wasn't too keen on Germany's act but I did like the French one - France can be guaranteed to provide a high standard in almost every year.<br /><br />I'm delighted you managed to watch it live, and you're still interested enough to return to see if your views have shifted. In my case the disappointment still feels too raw to do that yet, but I may do when I've come to terms with it. <br /><br /><br /><br />As for Israel winning, I'm still reeling from the shock! How on earth anyone could think so highly that this was the BEST song on offer is beyond perplexing. And when Netanyahu says, as he's just done, that Netta has brought 'honour' to Israel, all I can say is "And cluck, cluck to you!"Raybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424095016313843883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-44169057579955676992018-05-13T05:45:45.784-07:002018-05-13T05:45:45.784-07:00I think that last evening you and I had the WTF re...I think that last evening you and I had the WTF reaction at the same time! Could not believe that Israel won the popular vote. Huge disappointment!<br /><br />Because I am in the States, I was not able to vote. But if I were, I would have voted for Norway - "That's How You Write A Song." I also liked Spain, UK, Germany and France.<br /><br />The one thing that annoyed me during the show was the commentators we had. Got so sick of hearing "Oh honey" over and over again. I hope that the ones assigned to your country did better.<br /><br />All in all, I was happy to see the show at the same time Europe was watching it. Now, since I recorded the show, I am going back and review my picks and see as of this am they still hold up.paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02085842904367441128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-11320590843598967022018-05-13T04:23:50.778-07:002018-05-13T04:23:50.778-07:00The acts themselves are entertaining enough to wat...The acts themselves are entertaining enough to watch, Mitch, but when it comes to the votes being revealed a glass or to of something strong may help to cushion you against the WTF! reactions. Raybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424095016313843883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926347286766677626.post-50561468602054104682018-05-13T00:58:11.493-07:002018-05-13T00:58:11.493-07:00o dear god... your recap has now made me want to s...o dear god... your recap has now made me want to see it.Moving with Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12954028272162285597noreply@blogger.com