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Original poster

U.K. Eurovision entry! A lot of pearl clutching

519 replies

Colourofspring · 11/05/2024 08:27

The outrage and comments I have seen about Olly Alexander’s performance is baffling to be honest. So much pearl clutching! Eurovision has always been completely camp and outrageous and yet suddenly he has been portrayed as some kind of disgrace and not representative of the UKs ‘values’ (what the fuck does that mean anyway?)

I like the song, I have seen him perform live at Glastonbury with years and years, he’s good live. Yes he’s openly gay - so what? Surely UK values should be based around tolerance and acceptance and not hysteria because his performance is considered risqué. Would it be considered the same if it was a load of half naked female dancers?

I am heterosexual but not offended by it - it’s just a performance - I hope he wins as he’s a nice guy!

So much pearl clutching!

OP posts:
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FedUpAndTiredToday · 11/05/2024 14:41

hedgehoglet · 11/05/2024 14:36

Homosexuality wasn't decriminalised in the whole of Britain in the 60's. It wasn't until the 80's in Scotland and Ireland. It didnt apply to anyone in the navy or armed forces for another And it was introduced with a whole host of 'rules'. The age of consent was also 5 years higher than for hetro relationships. To keep banging on about how 'being gay was decriminalised in the 60's' is completely disingenuous to how society still saw gay people, of both sexes, in those days. It was a good 20-30 years before society became more tolerable.
'Male rape' was not considered to exist until the 90's. The age of consent wasn't bought in line with hetrosexual couples until 2000. The vast majority of the 1967 Sexual Offences act was rewritten in 2003 because of how outdated it was. It wasn't all sunshine and lovely acceptance as soon as the bill came out in the 60's.

Sorry to day or, but the 90s is still a very long time ago. Things moved on and now they are regressing.

hedgehoglet · 11/05/2024 14:36

Homosexuality wasn't decriminalised in the whole of Britain in the 60's. It wasn't until the 80's in Scotland and Ireland. It didnt apply to anyone in the navy or armed forces for another And it was introduced with a whole host of 'rules'. The age of consent was also 5 years higher than for hetro relationships. To keep banging on about how 'being gay was decriminalised in the 60's' is completely disingenuous to how society still saw gay people, of both sexes, in those days. It was a good 20-30 years before society became more tolerable.
'Male rape' was not considered to exist until the 90's. The age of consent wasn't bought in line with hetrosexual couples until 2000. The vast majority of the 1967 Sexual Offences act was rewritten in 2003 because of how outdated it was. It wasn't all sunshine and lovely acceptance as soon as the bill came out in the 60's.

UniversalAunt · 11/05/2024 14:35

Colourofspring · 11/05/2024 09:18

Yea, the problem is tho that if Israel do win, they will, as a country, see it as support to continue their bombing of Rafah.

I agree re the bullying of the young girl tho- it’s shit and totally wrong.

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Whatever the outcome of the event, I very much doubt that Israel will take it as either an endorsement or criticism of the war in Gaza.

Treelichen · 11/05/2024 14:32

Colourofspring · 11/05/2024 08:34

Christ, if my kids turn out to be gay, I hope they can feel happy being themselves in a an accepting society 🤪

Two of my kids are gay and they think this is performative bs but not as bad as Sam Smiths efforts. They also feel totally accepted and have no issue with people disliking shit like this.

Sloejelly · 11/05/2024 14:31

Colourofspring · 11/05/2024 08:33

Surely it’s just more representative of all sections of the population now than in the Bucks Fizz days? Gay men got prosecuted and put in prison back in the day. Isn’t a society where everyone can be themselves a bit nicer?

Nonsense. Eurovision doesn’t represent all sections of the population anymore now than it did back in the day. A different section to then may be, but not all.

FlakyPoet · 11/05/2024 14:23

Colourofspring · 11/05/2024 08:33

Surely it’s just more representative of all sections of the population now than in the Bucks Fizz days? Gay men got prosecuted and put in prison back in the day. Isn’t a society where everyone can be themselves a bit nicer?

Sorry, didn’t rtft. However, your timeline for goodness sake.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been around for nearly 70 years, homosexuality has been decriminalised for nearly 60 of those. That’s the vast majority of years It’s been going. The ironic camp following has only really been since the 90s.

ifIwerenotanandroid · 11/05/2024 14:22

I first became aware of Eurovision with Sandie Shaw, Lulu, Dana, etc. winning. No, it wasn't camp in those days.

hedgehoglet · 11/05/2024 14:21

@Cluelessaf you're right they did. While also flashing their matching knickers...

U.K. Eurovision entry! A lot of pearl clutching
Tryingtokeepgoing · 11/05/2024 14:21

PassingStranger · 11/05/2024 12:00

Agree. Used to watch as a child, there was nothing outlandish or camp.
Bucks Fizz, Abba, Johnny Logan etc.
Not sure it's family viewing today.

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Well I’m only in my early 50s, and Bucks Fizz was definitely a camp performance. And that was obvious to me and my friends in the 80’s. Eurovision has been camp for at least 40 years, and probably longer!

Cluelessaf · 11/05/2024 14:19

hedgehoglet · 11/05/2024 14:13

Nothing outlandish or camp about the Bucks Fizz ladies doing a spin and having their skirts ripped off and flashing their knickers? Sure.

They went from long skirts to shorter skirts.

ifIwerenotanandroid · 11/05/2024 14:17

@LakieLady 'I'm so ancient that I can remember people complaining about Tom Jones being indecently sexual when he first appeared on tv.'

I was just too young to be aware of this aspect of Tom Jones at the time, but I recently saw an old video of him singing & Oh. My. Word!😜

Johannalaw · 11/05/2024 14:17

Talentless performance trying to hide it's awfulness by claiming to be edgy or pearl clutching.

hedgehoglet · 11/05/2024 14:15

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I can't believe someone would seriously write this comment and think it's an acceptable thing to say. Would you rather POC weren't shown on the tv again?

hedgehoglet · 11/05/2024 14:13

Nothing outlandish or camp about the Bucks Fizz ladies doing a spin and having their skirts ripped off and flashing their knickers? Sure.

LakeTiticaca · 11/05/2024 14:11

AliceKyteler · 11/05/2024 12:54

There's only two famous people that I genuinely felt extremely sad when they died and that's Tezza and Victoria Wood.

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Yes me too, and Caroline Aherne. More of a shock because I don't think.anyone knew they were ill xx

therealcookiemonster · 11/05/2024 13:57

eurovision is where music goes to die

yellous · 11/05/2024 13:44

PassingStranger · 11/05/2024 12:00

Agree. Used to watch as a child, there was nothing outlandish or camp.
Bucks Fizz, Abba, Johnny Logan etc.
Not sure it's family viewing today.

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It certainly isn’t family viewing outside of the Malmö Arena either, with snipers on the roof and just general hate. The lovely food truck outside had to close down because people threatened to kill the owner. Will be nice when it’s all over actually.

RuthW · 11/05/2024 13:22

I like Olly Alexander. The song is ok. The staging is awful and inappropriate. Wouldn't make any difference if they were all female or a mixture of both.

Myteenhatesme · 11/05/2024 13:12

It's homophobic to dislike ott gay stereotypes? I have several gay friends who are offended by it too. It's offensive to equate all gay people with this parody. Marco Mengoni managed to be flamboyant and tasteful. It's not difficult.

ThisNoisyTealLurker · 11/05/2024 12:55

I think a lot of this ‘it’s too seedy’, ‘it’s too camp’ ‘I don’t need to see this’ and the classic ‘think about the children!’ Is just homophobia. It’s theatre, Eurovision has always been colourful and a bit ott it’s part of the fun.

AliceKyteler · 11/05/2024 12:54

LakeTiticaca · 11/05/2024 12:48

It went down the toilet when Terry Wogan retired. I only watched for his sarky comments 🤣

There's only two famous people that I genuinely felt extremely sad when they died and that's Tezza and Victoria Wood.

Elebag · 11/05/2024 12:49

The song is OK but the staging has really let it down. Dirty toilet blocks are not disco. He could have done better.

LakeTiticaca · 11/05/2024 12:48

It went down the toilet when Terry Wogan retired. I only watched for his sarky comments 🤣

NeverEnoughPants · 11/05/2024 12:46

PassingStranger · 11/05/2024 12:00

Agree. Used to watch as a child, there was nothing outlandish or camp.
Bucks Fizz, Abba, Johnny Logan etc.
Not sure it's family viewing today.

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You are using Abba to make the point that Eurovision wasn't camp? That gay icon of a band? 70s Disco was the epitome of camp, and there was no shortage of it in Eurovision.

Cliff Richard with his frilly shirt in the 60s - camp.

How camp presents has changed over the years, and just because the Eurovision version of camp in the 60s and 70s might have been more family friendly, doesn't mean it wasn't camp. It was just camp 'of it's time'.

KnittedCardi · 11/05/2024 12:45

We all know Eurovision is a camp fest, but the BBC don't help by having a 100% male gay set of presenters. No women available? No lesbians? Is there no other flavour at the BBC other than gay men?