Eurovision Song Contest

[lethargic_man]

If it hadn't been for a single comment by aviva_m, I would have been completely unaware that the Eurovision Song Contest was happening this year. I'm quite impressed by that; but it sets a high standard to beat for next year!

Comments

[curious-reader.livejournal.com]

I watched it last week and yesterday recorded on BBC iplayer. Azerbaidjan won. I found the comment pretty stupid and ignorant from the commenter. I was not just told by my parents but also got the news from online TV that all former sowjet countries are still poor although they have oil. It does not mean they have means to access the oil. They are just sitting on it as my parents would put it. So well done Azerbaidjan although I personally was not that impressed by their song choice nor were the crowd. I expected that it would the Turkish will vote for it as it was the only Turkish option on the list. The only thing that strikes me is that Azerbaidjan is not a European country at all. They could have included all countries in Asia. There were also other Sowjet countries which are again not European like Kasachstan and Turkemistan but they were not in at all. They had Armenian though. I am not quiet sure if any part of it is in Europe. Israel is not in Europe either but lots of Jews in Israel have European heritage or came directly from Europe. It does not surprise me that they are always included.
You told me ages ago that Israel won Eurovision with Halleluya. I have that song on one of my tapes I think. I did not know that this Eurovision was in 1979. I was 4 years old. I guess you were old enough to understand and remember what was going on. Youtube has it recorded. It looked like a private small rehearsal for amateurs not a proper huge professional performance with thousands of people. I could not see anybody but I guess their were a few watchers behind the camera. That was nothing compared to the huge stadium and the special effect and some odd dance movements.

[curious-reader.livejournal.com]

Oh, sorry. Forgot to say.
The comment was:"Azerbaidjan, they have oil."

[curious-reader.livejournal.com]

I don't know if actually watched Eurovision at all. It takes ages to get through all this. I know the representer Anke Engelke (supposed to be a commedian) and Stephan Raab (supposed to be an entertainer). They always behaved silly like stupid clowns and only they laughed about their jokes. Nobody else ever did. I have not seen them for ages. I do not believe there is any programme with them on German TV. I guess the British commenter meant it cynical:"One of them is a comedian. Watch out for the jokes!" I would have added when they laugh you know it is a joke.

[ewx.livejournal.com]

AIUI the contest is open to members of the European Broadcasting Union, which despite the name has a number of non-European members.

[curious-reader.livejournal.com]

Does that mean not every former Sowjet country can watch Eurovision? I know they had not everyone in it and they only took votes from countries that were in the competition.

[ewx.livejournal.com]

Not all the former Soviet republics are in the EBU, so no.

[ewx.livejournal.com]

…assuming you mean “participate in”. Obviously anyone can watch it, in principle at least.

[lethargic-man.livejournal.com]

Regardless, the southern border of Europe is normally taken as the Caucasus, and, though Azerbaidzhan is mostly on the Asian side of the Caucasus, a small part of it is on the European side; and given that Turkey is seeking EU membership based on a small part of it being in Europe, I reckon that would give Azerbaidzhan sufficient status to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest regardless of EBU membership.

[aviva-m.livejournal.com]

I know of people who are already getting nervous, as next year it will be on Erev Shavuot... For devoted fans this is a problem, and hard to argue that watching it is an important contribution to a learning night ;-)

[curious-reader.livejournal.com]

I wish the Germans would introduce something like bbciplayer but for German channels. You can watch programmes any time you want. I do not have a TV nor a license but it is legal in the UK to watch recorded TV such as bbciplayer and channel4od for free. However it means you cannot vote as you watch it recorded and they have already closed the line when the actually show time is finished.

[curious-reader.livejournal.com]

I did not know that. The internet map does not show clearly where everything is and border between Europe and Asia.

[lethargic-man.livejournal.com]

But Shavuos comes in late, and surely if it's in Azerbaidzhan, it's going to be starting and finishing three hours earlier than if it were in Germany; so oughtn't that to solve the problem?

[curious-reader.livejournal.com]

The whole show was in Duesseldorf. That is Germany in Westphalia. We get it an hour later and other countries later or earlier depending on their time zone.

[lethargic-man.livejournal.com]

Yes, but next year it will be in Azerbaidzhan, because they won it this year.