The Off Topic Topic

[Sheilbh]

Is the actual show has much fun to watch then the Netflix movie makes it look like?

I love it - both ironically and unironically at the same time.

Also I see Belarus' second entry has also been disqualified for politics

[Syt]

Is the actual show has much fun to watch then the Netflix movie makes it look like?

Usually not. It's just a succession of performances with little moderation in between. However, it often turns out that a song that some performers aren't nearly as good live as they were in the studio. And some performances with dance etc. leave you wondering WTF? The days of the ironic comedy entries in the 00s is sadly over.

It used to be an interminable evening, with a lot of time dedicated to collecting all the scores from all the countries.

It's since been restructured. There's two semi-finals with 16 and 17 countries respectively. Out of those, 20 will make it to the final round, where they're joined by the biggest financiers of Eurovision (NL, FR, DE, IT, ES, UK).

Scores used to be given by country juries, but that led to, uhm, questionable results sometimes. Then a lot of countries switched to telephone votes. But that also skews results, because there's certain "voting blocs" where people vote for a country's entrance regardless of artistic merit. E.g. Germany sends a lot of votes to Turkey, Cyprus and Greece exchange top scores etc. Not sure how it is these days, but last I watched (years ago) many countries had a hybrid jury/phone vote system, I think?

A lot of the entertainment can come from the commentary. In Germany, it used to be super serious, but loosened up over the years. In Austria, there's the TV commentator, but in the past they had a comedic duo do a parallel commentary on the radio (so you'd watch on muted TV, and turn on the radio). They revived that a few years ago where the comedians commentated on an alternate audio channel.

[Syt]

Also, Slovenia and Austria both have songs called "Amen" this year. Not confusing at all. 

[Admiral Yi]

I really enjoyed that video you linked a while back of the worst acts of all time.  The Greek guys in the platform boots were my personal fave.

I've mentioned this before, but the one time I kinda watched I was struck by the uniform, slightly off, Americanized accents of all the various hosts.

[Syt]

Finland (this sounds like it could have been a WWE entrance theme ca. 1999 ).

Even the lyrics fit the Attitude Era:

[Josephus]

I see the maltese brought in ringers as song writers.

When are the finals this year?

[Liep]

I see the maltese brought in ringers as song writers.

When are the finals this year?

Usually in May.

Surprised that Russia sends a singer who campaigned against domestic violence and support LGBT rights.

Same trick as with the wheelchair singer? To keep people from booing them.

[celedhring]

Because it's Monday and I don't want to work.

Just saw this on twitter:



I'm posting it because in Spain the cliché for "people sitting on the sidelines telling workers how to do their jobs" is pensioners, rather than middle aged dads. How is it in other countries?

[The Larch]

I'm posting it because in Spain the cliché for "people sitting on the sidelines telling workers how to do their jobs" is pensioners, rather than middle aged dads. How is it in other countries?

Apparently in Italy (also pensioners) they even have a word for those kind of guys. 

[Syt]

In Germany, you have pensioners looking out the window, preferably with a pillow to rest on. Though I feel it's not as common any more.

[Sheilbh]

In Italy it's apparently building sites - and this must be like Christmas and Easter together for them


In the UK I'd say it's definitely any tight parking situation - you will get a collection of middle aged men with (of course) opinions, normally offering to help wave you out or in.

[Syt]

In Italy it's apparently building sites - and this must be like Christmas and Easter together for them

"Pff, look at the youth today! Back in my day we did HALF the work in DOUBLE the time!"

[The Larch]

Found the Italian word, it's umarell (it's in Bolognese dialect): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umarell

In Italy it's apparently building sites - and this must be like Christmas and Easter together for them

Check this picture, in some Italian building sites they even place windows in the barriers to allow pensioners to check the work. 

[Maladict]

How is it in other countries?

The best navigators are on the shore 

[garbon]

In Italy it's apparently building sites - and this must be like Christmas and Easter together for them


In the UK I'd say it's definitely any tight parking situation - you will get a collection of middle aged men with (of course) opinions, normally offering to help wave you out or in.

When my mother was trying to parallel park in NYC once, and elderly couple came by and insisted that the old man park the car for her.