Eurovision 2016

I know the article has many serious points, but I couldn't help laughing at this: Lazarev – who was formerly one half of a Russian boy band and runs a business that makes cakes and pastries for pets called Poodle-Strudel

The Bulgarian song and that Antique song sound bugger all like each other. I had forgotten that Antique had songs sung by the bloke as all the ones I like were sung by Elena.

Anyway I just got back from the jury final. Not too much has changed. Jamala wasn't quite as strong as last two nights. Dami was possibly even better tonight, really amazing how she's taken that repetitive chorus and made something good out of it, can't even listen to the studio version now as it is just so sterile and dull. Russia just seemed desperate and empty. Can't even judge Sweden but the reception to it was massive. Ditto Austria, France, Spain, and definitely Australia. Crowd did not give a shit about Poland and Azerbaijan, even less than Georgia.

Uh, here we go...

Graham Norton has just explained that the UK's points announcer wonk is Richard Osman - otherwise known as the co-presenter of BBC Quiz 'Pointless' - appropriate...

holland are an embarrassment

azeri competence here though

France at 16/1 would have been a decent e/w. He is actually pretty good and the song is strong.

yeah France was good, our announcers are predictably going nuts. they'll light up again for Austria

Competent but dull so far. Polish guy's jacket the closest we've got to anything weird.

im not sure if the stream i'm watching is actually live. there's a woman in a gigantic dress singing off key rn

You're about a minute or so behind.

Serbia's one was *excellent*

It was ok.

Sergey Lazarev nailed it. I'm still sceptical he will win but he couldn't really have done any more.

i'm on a delay, just saw the Russian one. wow @ that staging

Yeah, how did they do it?

Also, is this the year for Georgian indie? Y/N

wish i liked the ukranian riposte more, but i don't think it's so good

Hmm the UK one's pretty good except for the David Cameron/Simply Red quote

is this armenia in the bob mackie esque outfit?

Call me a curmudgeon but hugely successful American pop acts should not be allowed to be involved

I feel that as he has always worked with Swedish producers and has been ripped off by at least eight entrants per contest over the last ten years he has earned his place.

^fair

voted serbia

That's the worst Max Martin song in recent memory though, lol.

Best half-time ever

yeah srs

Jury votes are so dodgy. Four of them haven't placed Russia or Australia at all.

whaaaat

my top 6 was fwiw serbia, azerbaijan, russia, latvia, armenia, australia

not sure what the political ramifications of liking both azerbaijan and armenia are

so are there two sets of results, for jury and for audience?

Yes, it is designed to make it more dramatic but it only serves to highlight how ridiculous the juries are.

agh

I have to say, I wouldn't mind Australia winning. Despite the problems in the song, her performance was quite thrilling. And at least then we wouldn't have the usual complaints about neighbour countries voting for each other.

Though the local presenter said that even if Australia wins, the competition will not be held there, but in some European country... I don't get it?

Oh good because the voting is always the best bit

these jury votes are insane

The audience's results are announced at the end. Quickly, they promise. (They give each competitor's total in ascending order AFAIK)

on the one hand australia doesn't need to be storming into yet another international contest and just winning it.

on the other hand australia has become such a toxic racist shithole that a sth korean born woman winning a multicultural popularity contest that's nine tenths lgbt mardi gras would actually flatten the thumping brigade of self-serving bigots here, at least for a while.

LEE LIN

Fuck the UK. I'm on the first plane out.

who's on the jury?

Fuck the UK. I'm on the first plane out.

― On a Raqqa tip (ShariVari), Saturday, May 14, 2016 10:14 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

you generally are tbf

True!

Xp, Two producers, two no name singers and a coach from The Voice.

All of Russia's political enemies have given them no points, which is unlikely to be reflected by their public votes, but I can't see Australia being caught at this stage.

Wow, UK jury gave Georgia douze points? (Hope the public has more sense..!)

There'd be no practical problem with Australia actually hosting the contest, except it'd have to be afternoon European time, instead of prime time ad time -- ohh, right

georgia was real music made by real musicians m8

I missed that, so Britain gave 12 points to the Britpop pastiche? Lol!

Tense now

Poland a real example of jury/audience split there

I like not knowing what the max points are!

UK 12 points went to lithuania...

Glad Ukraine had the credibility of coming second in the popular vote but that was some of the worst political voting from the juries I have ever seen.

Had Bulgaria e/w though!

the emphasis on the popular vote has worked out pretty well