Eurovision 2011

[DaJoW]

I'm from Canada, so I've never even heard of Eurovision, what is it? Some sort of competition between different european countries I guess? Is it just musical, or can the performers do other things?

Every participating country select one song of no more than 3:00 minutes (usually by popular vote, jury groups or a mix of the two). There are then qualifiers for the final for everyone but the big 5 (the 5 countries who provide the largest funds for the organization that holds it) and the host (last years winners). In the qualifiers the participating countries of that qualifier can vote for any country but their own, and in the finals all countries taking part can vote even if they didn't make it past the qualifiers.

It's launched quite a few careers over the decades - ABBA for instance. Lately people have been taking it too seriously in a lot of countries and accusations of neighbours coming together to vote for eachother are all over the place - kinda forgetting Norway won two years ago and border a whopping 2 countries.

Still voting for this one for ever and ever:
I pity the Americans for not knowing the glory that is Eurovision.

This really is what ESC should be imo. Fun, silly and catchy.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Frankly it's become too political for me. I used to enjoy it when it was just silly. Now it's gone all serious.

There was a time when Eurovision wasn't the single most important annual event on the field of European foreign policy, and the only way to show respect for neighbouring countries? Get outta here.

There was a time when all the Baltic states didn't primarily vote for each other and against England, yeah.

 

[gibboss28]

I'm also thinking of egging Jedward.

Do it dude!!You'd be a legend to a lot of Irish people who can't stand those talentless twats

Can I ask, how do they decide who to send in Ireland? I can't believe that Jedward won a popular vote in a competition? Were they just picked because they're notable? :S

This year they had a competition with about 6 entries.The winner was decided by a combination of votes from "expert" panels around the country and a public vote.Jedward were in second place after the panels voted but won the public vote which unfortunately meant they won the competition overall.

Truthfully i'm loving the fact they were entered, because it's more than a hint that Ireland don't give a fuck about this contest anymore.
To be honest I wish the UK would do the same and either A) enter a comedy group or B) Ask Iron Maiden to play so we can win it...worked for Finland with good ol' Lordi. But no...we've got Blue...I'd rather N Dubz was entered on Britains behalf than those pricks.

 

[MetalDooley]

Truthfully i'm loving the fact they were entered, because it's more than a hint that Ireland don't give a fuck about this contest anymore.

I wish that was the case but there's a lot of people in this country that actually think Jedward are good and could win the damn thing

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

I´m rooting for Portugal!I dont expect them to win though...

 

[Smokej]

Don`t care much about the music thats being played there and my country fails miserably with their choices on who to send to eurovision, plus the voting system is unfair.

These guys didn't even bother making anything serious and it's the best place my country ever got:

this entry deserved a better place, come on that bald dancing guy was awesome

yeah the voting system isn't representative; population size doesn't matter and it's more or less all about nepotism between the countries (Balkan countries anyone?)

nevertheless last year an entry won again because of the performance (Germany usually only gets the good votes from austria, switzerland etc, if they send an average act...)

 

[Pilkingtube]

Eurovision:

One of the most accurate ways of determining current European political relationships.

This.

It doesn't matter what the songs are like, people just vote for whatever countries they like.

As a result the Eastern European countries ALWAYS win now.

To be fair, let's look at the last 3 years:
2008: Russia
2009: Norway
2010: Germany

It's not all doom and gloom! ;D