The finals of Eurovision Song Contest are only two weeks away and I am really really looking forward to the contest this year. Norway is sending Alexander Rybak with Fairytale. It's a decent song I guess, but personally I wanted Publiners with Te Stein to represent us. Somehow I think Fairytale will fail to live up to the great performance of Maria Haukaas Storeng last year with Hold On Be Strong.

I'm still ambivalent towards most countries. The only thing I know that makes me sad is that Georgia isn't participating this year due to politics. It's a real pity. Diana Gurtskaya had one of the most powerful performances I've ever seen with Peace will come. Political, sure. But I'm a sucker for romance and double meanings. I love the concept of a blind woman calling out "why are they still blind to ask me why?".

Anyone else here sharing my passion for ESC?

Coming from the heart of europe: No one under the age of 60 does, sorry

Maybe I would if I knew what it was. I'm not from Europe, but I do like music (depending on what kind, but I still dig general interest stuff), so please, tell me.

You GUESS?! This song is beautiful! I absolutely love it!

Though I haven't been watching ESC to be honest.

The only times I ever hear about this thing is when that singer from Israel wins

So yes, you are the only one

No way. He can't sing. It sounds like he's got a whole frog family in his throat the way he's croaking.

Anyway, Eurovision Song Contest is a once a year event where several countries in and around europe send a singer (or a group of singers) to compete in a... well song contest. The contest is broadcast all over Europe, and the countries vote for the song they want to win. There really isn't much more to it than that, and the fun of watching the semi-finals and finals.

So it's essentially European Idol.

Personally, I don't like American Idol, but the music from this one sounds a bit more interesting. Plus, it looks like I can just watch the YouTube clips of the songs and skip all the filler drama. Which is a huge plus.

I sprained my back in a couple of places this weekend. Been signed off work for a week and all I can do is lie down. It's not great when I have to lie in positions that mean I can't be on the computer. Bored already and it's only been one afternoon!

lol, is Eurovision synonymous with ranting?

I have no idea how my post got to this thread. I posted in LoR.

I am confused :S

No. Idol is something completely else. Please don't compare this to Idol.

Do people, uh, really take it seriously? I kinda thought the Eurovision song contest was a laughable popularity contest with some of the worst music in the world coming home to roost.

Hrm. It seems comparable to American Idle, but not as shoddy. Since it isn't from my country.

No, it's way worse. At least in American Idol the crappy singers get laughed at and it's cathartic. In Eurovision the crap singers get applauded. Because they're all crap.

Yes, they are derided by the judges. And families all along the neighborhood groan and laugh, and curse the names "Simon" and "the English" while I am trying to read. No, American Idol is decidedly more evil.

I demand you look at past Eurovision entries on YooToob in order to fully realize the scale of the horrors therein.

Thanks for the heads-up, time to get some earmuffs.

It has waay more sequins and pirates than American Idol.

It's funny in a "omg is this the best that country can do" sort of way, but I wouldn't miss it.

It's not just you! While there is a -whole lot- of hilarious, you get some songs each year that are really quite good and which I, at least, wouldn't have otherwise heard. Visionary Dream, from a couple of years ago, or Rändajad this year.

For the contest itself, I root for the most ridiculous. I think the Netherlands has it locked up this year. Sorry Romania.

It sounds like a bunch of you know about American idol, but not the actual original series it spawned from, Pop Idol (English.) That would be an actual European equivalent, heh. This is quite different.