Lite Beer Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Sweden wins Eurovision Song Contest while Russia is booedGEORGE JAHN, Associated PressVIENNA (AP) — Sweden beat Russia to win the 60th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, in an event described by organisers as beyond politics but marred by boos for the Russian that were apparently prompted by the Ukraine conflict and the Kremlin's anti-gay policies.Italy took third in Europe's iconic songfest, which this year carried the extra attraction of an entry by Australia. Many were hoping its candidate, Guy Sebastian, would take home the trophy, giving it a place in next year's contest. But Australia, given a wild-card entry this year due to its enthusiastic fan base, came fifth, not enough to secure a spot in 2016.The race between Russian star Polina Gagarina and Sweden's Mans Zelmerlow went back and forth for most of the balloting as jurors from 40 countries voted along a worldwide audience submitting their preference by phone and app.Zelmerlow finally triumphed with 365 points, with Gagarina receiving 303.Sweden's sixth Eurovision victory came 41 years after Swedish group Abba's triumph with "Waterloo" launched their world career. Only Ireland has been more successful, with seven triumphs.In his pop number "Heroes," the Swede chose to forego the usual elaborate stage effects, relying instead on his strong singing and an innovative backdrop.Cheers greeted his win. But the crowd's reaction to Gagarina struck a jarring note for those who believed in the contest's slogan, "Building Bridges."Kiev did not send a candidate this year. With many in the West viewing Moscow as the aggressor in Ukraine, the Russian's song, "A Million Voices," and its message of peace and understanding raised some eyebrows during the qualifiers leading up to Saturday's final.As scattered boos rang out after points were given to her Saturday, one of the hosts reminded the audience that "music should stand over politics tonight."With many Russians critical of last year's winner, the bearded cross-dressing Austrian diva Conchita Wurst, some of the negative reaction may also have been directed at Russia's generally repressive official climate against homosexuality.Wurst rejected the boos, calling them "incomprehensible," and noted that Gagarina "cannot be blamed for the rules" in her home country.Promoting homosexuality is against the law in Russia. Many there view Wurst as a threat to traditional family values, and a win by Gagarina would have brought the event to Moscow, a scenario viewed with alarm by the Orthodox Church.Patriarch Kirill, in comments to Russian news agencies, warned ahead of the event of "all those bearded female singers," declaring that acts such as Wurst's promote values "repulsive to our soul and culture."The Austrian star took such comments in stride Saturday, saying, "I would have come" had Russia won.About 200 million people watched on TV on Saturday as the 27 finalists, the most ever, battled it out musically. Approximately 10,000 people followed the contest live in Vienna's mammoth Stadthalle, with 25,000 others crowding the main public viewing venue in front of Vienna's City Hall.Beyond Abba, other Eurovision winners who went on to pop fame are Celine Dion and Johnny Logan, who triumphed three times as a performer and songwriter.The hosts of Saturday's spectacle announced that the event had been officially inducted into the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-running annual TV music competition. -- (c) Associated Press 2015-05-24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Transparent arse licking and arse kicking contest. Blatant racism and bigotry set to music. Who cares any more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Transparent arse licking and arse kicking contest. Blatant racism and bigotry set to music. Who cares any more? About 200 million people watched on TV on Saturday as the 27 finalists, the most ever, battled it out musically. Approximately 10,000 people followed the contest live in Vienna's mammoth Stadthalle, with 25,000 others crowding the main public viewing venue in front of Vienna's City Hall. Seems it was quite popular.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novo58 Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I have to laugh at Australia getting a spot in a EUROvision song contest. whilst I will admit the tv coverage of Eurovision is very popular in Australia.........................it is only because us Aussies love bad taste humour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MockingJay Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I have to laugh at Australia getting a spot in a EUROvision song contest. whilst I will admit the tv coverage of Eurovision is very popular in Australia.........................it is only because us Aussies love bad taste humour. Whereas the Eurovision contest is an unnecessary farce, I have to say that some of the best bands ever came from Australia, i.e. AC/DC, Midnight Oil, Men at Work, Crowded House, just to name a few... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crickets Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Euro trash contest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishJohn Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 The contest is ultra-political and the strange weirdness of the whole things sums up just what I don't like about Europe. Brits like me and the EU are a forced match. Yet I do enjoy listening to the bizarre variety of the music. And I also used to enjoy listening to the sarcasm and p*ss taking of Wogan while he got drunk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertthebruce Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Transparent arse licking and arse kicking contest. Blatant racism and bigotry set to music. Who cares any more? Calm down mate, it's only a silly show, been Naff for years, but people seem to like it. I stopped watching it when Cliff Richard won..., now that's a dodgy guy.... "young Ones"..... A mate of Jimmy Saville me thinks,... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertthebruce Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 The contest is ultra-political and the strange weirdness of the whole things sums up just what I don't like about Europe. Brits like me and the EU are a forced match. Yet I do enjoy listening to the bizarre variety of the music. And I also used to enjoy listening to the sarcasm and p*ss taking of Wogan while he got drunk. Terry Wogan, now that's a right pain, annoying voice and silly comments, bring back Tony Blackburn,... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prbkk Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Tasteless but fun. Always has been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Was it the girl with the beard again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernphil Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Oz in the Eurovision Song Contest. Looking forward to Thailand's entry next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil B Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Next time the DG goes "cap in hand" to the government asking for a licence fee increase I hope the appropriate minister suggests some cost cutting like opting out of EV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusty Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I have to laugh at Australia getting a spot in a EUROvision song contest. whilst I will admit the tv coverage of Eurovision is very popular in Australia.........................it is only because us Aussies love bad taste humour. Whereas the Eurovision contest is an unnecessary farce, I have to say that some of the best bands ever came from Australia, i.e. AC/DC, Midnight Oil, Men at Work, Crowded House, just to name a few... plus the greatest band of all time INXS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulic Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Really it is a LGTB travelling festival. Nothing wrong with that, but that is what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 (edited) My understanding is that it is not determined yet whether Australia will continue in the contest, or not. Something to do with ratings. Yes, there was booing at Russia, but it really wasn't that loud compared to previous years, and you have to understand the crowds at the Eurovision events have lots of gay men, and their dictator Putin is using gays as a political scapegoat. No it isn't their singer's fault. Interestingly, Ukraine didn't compete this year but they hoping to enter again next year. Russia does very well in the voting ... coming in 2nd isn't too shabby. There are always some awkward moments. Like when Austria was bragging about Freud being Austrian, considering what that infamous son of Austria did to Freud's people. Now he's Austrian. Edited May 24, 2015 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alwyn Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I have to laugh at Australia getting a spot in a EUROvision song contest. whilst I will admit the tv coverage of Eurovision is very popular in Australia.........................it is only because us Aussies love bad taste humour. Whereas the Eurovision contest is an unnecessary farce, I have to say that some of the best bands ever came from Australia, i.e. AC/DC, Midnight Oil, Men at Work, Crowded House, just to name a few... you managed to name a few.... out of a few. Even ac/dc's core is from Scotland! But you failed to mention your best musical exports, Kylie Mynogue and Rolf Harris.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rijit Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Not sure about booing but personally i think Russia should be banned from entering all international events Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfill Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Transparent arse licking and arse kicking contest. Blatant racism and bigotry set to music. Who cares any more? Calm down mate, it's only a silly show, been Naff for years, but people seem to like it. I stopped watching it when Cliff Richard won..., now that's a dodgy guy.... "young Ones"..... A mate of Jimmy Saville me thinks,... Derr.... Cliff Richard never won. He came 2nd in 1968. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil B Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 (edited) Russia second... Say's it all, we know how corrupt the voting in this event has been for decades with political interventions that would make any election in Thailand look beyond reproach. BBC should pull out of this farce... Forget the referendum on EU membership, lets have one on the BBC's (British) continued participation in Eurovision. Edited May 24, 2015 by Basil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfill Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 The contest is ultra-political and the strange weirdness of the whole things sums up just what I don't like about Europe. Brits like me and the EU are a forced match. Yet I do enjoy listening to the bizarre variety of the music. And I also used to enjoy listening to the sarcasm and p*ss taking of Wogan while he got drunk. Terry Wogan, now that's a right pain, annoying voice and silly comments, bring back Tony Blackburn,... And Tony Blackburn has never done the link job for contest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 The politics of the contest are part of the entertainment value. Obviously, it isn't a pure talent contest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winstonc Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I have to laugh at Australia getting a spot in a EUROvision song contest. whilst I will admit the tv coverage of Eurovision is very popular in Australia.........................it is only because us Aussies love bad taste humour. a bit like israel in the euro football tournament.. ..europe will cover half the globe in 10 years hahahahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 (edited) I have to laugh at Australia getting a spot in a EUROvision song contest. whilst I will admit the tv coverage of Eurovision is very popular in Australia.........................it is only because us Aussies love bad taste humour. a bit like israel in the euro football tournament.. ..europe will cover half the globe in 10 years hahahahaha Europe should be so lucky. Where is Israel supposed to play? Their past in the Asian tournament was erased from history. Israel hosted and won the Cup in 1964 and was runner up twice. Edited May 24, 2015 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exsexyman Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I have to laugh at Australia getting a spot in a EUROvision song contest. whilst I will admit the tv coverage of Eurovision is very popular in Australia.........................it is only because us Aussies love bad taste humour. Whereas the Eurovision contest is an unnecessary farce, I have to say that some of the best bands ever came from Australia, i.e. AC/DC, Midnight Oil, Men at Work, Crowded House, just to name a few... you managed to name a few.... out of a few. Even ac/dc's core is from Scotland! But you failed to mention your best musical exports, Kylie Mynogue and Rolf Harris.. I see he claimed Crowded house as well. I thought they were from New Zealand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKBobby Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 (edited) A contest that we Swedes are pretty good at (And Ice Hockey off course.) Heja Måns! Edited May 24, 2015 by BKKBobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barin Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Not sure about booing but personally i think Russia should be banned from entering all international events Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 If Russia had won they would have had a flood of foreign homos coming. Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil B Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Maybe some one should set him up with a Thai Lady... boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rijit Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 (edited) If Russia had won they would have had a flood of foreign homos coming. Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app Homos? what are you some sort of social retard?, if you must bracket someone by their sex, gay is the acceptable term . Edited May 24, 2015 by rijit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now