Eurovision

So there is this (mostly) European song contest called Eurovision.  We don't have anything like it the US, and that is truly sad.  It is a completely camp clash of cultures, and it is absolutely awesome.  Awkward choreographic choices and strange costumes rule the day. You have to see it to believe it.  Each country makes an entry.  The winners are picked by voters calling in (mostly), but callers cannot vote for the country they are calling from.  So in the UK, we can vote for anyone but the UK entry.

The BBC definitely give the impression that they genuinely want to win, but their strategy seems to be at odds with this desire.  This year, they sent Bonnie Tyler.  Last year, Engelbert Humperdinck.  Two years before, they exhumed Andrew Lloyd Webber to compose the song. Have the BBC offices relocated to Gamma Pavonis?  That would explain why the 'Europe' they are seeing is from 30 years ago… because it took that long for the light to reach them.

Ah, but the English do enjoy a good whinge…so as expected, when the UK entry comes on with their 'new' out-of-date song, well, the BBC presenter is already indignant that no one is going to vote for it even before the voting starts.  That's funny enough, but the best part is his constant string of sarcastic quips poking fun at the other entries in between songs. It's hilarious.  By the way, you wouldn't know it by all the tetchy BBC commentary, but the UK is one of the most successful Eurovision countries with five wins: second only to Ireland with seven.

All videos from Eurovision:
Greece (finished 6th)
Romania (finished 13th)
Belgium (finished 12th)