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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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7
alittleprivacy · 13/05/2024 11:43

Look at the countries that had the most seediness/nudity for the sake of nudity on stage. UK, Spain, Finland and Slovenia. They all did really badly. I think overall the audiences are falling between finding it off-putting or just really bored of it.

AhBiscuits · 13/05/2024 11:31

I didn't think the staging was great but the biggest problem was clearly the vocals. He sounded awful. Nemo sounded absolutely fantastic. A flawless vocal performance and we'd have done better.

MollyButton · 13/05/2024 11:29

My problem with the staging wasn't "campiness" but the Prison shower vibe. Even one of the looks one of the guys gave seemed to indicate shock or "I don't want to be doing this". So a performance that seemed to hint at rape I did find unpleasant and probably didn't earn votes.
On the other hand Switzerland's was clever and impressive.

NeverEnoughPants · 13/05/2024 11:24

"Don’t guy men get frustrated by being portrayed as outrageously camp?"

I'm not a gay man, but as a straight woman, I get frustrated at being portrayed as tall, slim and gorgeous with a great singing voice. It happens every year at Eurovision, it's really annoying.

Pliudev · 13/05/2024 11:20

If we're talking about what kids learn from watching TV etc., as some people are on here, I'd hope for more positive role models. Don’t guy men get frustrated by being portrayed as outrageously camp? I couldn't care less about who sleeps with who, it really is no-one else's business but all the screaming sequin stuff is very boring. Might there be some young people attracted to the same sex who don't identify with it and are therefore being let down by tedious stereotypes.

ArseholeCatIsABlackAndWhiteCat · 13/05/2024 07:28

Hiz257 · 13/05/2024 07:24

For me it's more how the UK was the only act to make it about identity. Just stop it it's so played out like we f*inh get it. If they had just made it about the song he'd have probably got some votes.

Well the winning act was about Nemo being non binary soo...

Of course that was a great song incorporating many skills and amazing vocals.

Hiz257 · 13/05/2024 07:24

For me it's more how the UK was the only act to make it about identity. Just stop it it's so played out like we f*inh get it. If they had just made it about the song he'd have probably got some votes.

Bumble6 · 13/05/2024 07:09

It was just a terrible song and a bad performance. I heard it for the first time when he did it at the actual final and I wasn't sure if there was a problem with the sound or if his vocals were just that weak.

NeverEnoughPants · 13/05/2024 05:54

DeeCee7 · 12/05/2024 22:25

You disagreed with my comment about it being a vote for Ukraine in the circumstances.

And using an anecdote (who your wee group of five went for) as an argument, really? I'll allow it...but your anecdote is trumped by the British public who bought Sam's song to put it #2 in the chart, while the Ukraine song was bought by you and your mates? and maybe a few hundred Eurovision aficionados/collectors to get it to a whopping #38.

You're not very good at this are you?

I'll let you off with the fiver. Now about that bridge, interested?

Edited

I disagreed that it wasn't more a vote for Ukraine. By which I mean I think more people voted for it because of the song, rather than because of the war.

And ok, let's talk chat success, if you really want to push the point.

Stefania charted in 26 countries. The top five positions were:
1 - Ukraine (UK didn't chart)
1 - Lithuania (UK 15)
2 - US (UK 93)
2 - Finland (UK didn't chart)
5 - Hungary (UK didn't chart)

Spaceman charted in 15 countries. The top five positions were:
2 - UK (Ukraine 38)
5 - Iceland (Ukraine 7)
12 - Germany (Ukraine 22)
13 - Lithuania (Ukraine 1)
15 - Sweden (Ukraine 7)

Of the 26, Ukraine was top 40 in 22 countries. 84%

Of the 15, UK was top 40 in 9. 63%

I feel like your wee argument about how Sam wuz robbed is trumped by the European public, who put Ukraine at number one in two countries, while Sam couldn't make number one in his own - or any other for that matter.

GoodAfternoonGoodEveningAndGoodnight · 13/05/2024 00:15

ShyPoet · 13/05/2024 00:11

A song corrupting! FFS.

I used to run around singing into my hairbrush at the age of 8.singing Like A Virgin, and touching me for the very first time -, thinking back my parents probably shrieked too 😁

ShyPoet · 13/05/2024 00:11

A song corrupting! FFS.

OldPerson · 12/05/2024 23:05

He's deliberately offensive and provocative.

If you want to cheer for your country - you're either cheering for "one of us" or a "one of us we cherish"

This country bends over backwards to be inclusive.

But if you're going to represent us - very few of us have had a sexual encounter in a public toilet. Even George Michael, gifted songwriter, would have told you, you can get arrested for that - It breaks this country's laws and tolerance levels.

We don't want our teenage or younger sons going into public toilets where sex acts are occurring.

It's corrupting. The same way we don't want our children accessing porn on phones.

The BBC is completely bonkers and distressingly influenced by extremists.

What I would like to see is our Eurovision contestant voted for by the British public like X Factor. Being British, we are inclusive, judgemental, love an underdog, willing to engage, support, cheer .... I would absolutely consider the Eurovision the most important event of the year, IF the British public decided who should represent us.

SprigatitoYouAndIKnow · 12/05/2024 22:55

I do find it a bit sad that it is all getting less family friendly. I don't give a monkeys that it is more gay and gender neutral. Lots of the straight singers had virtually no clothes on them or their dancers too. I was quite pleased that ds2 flaked out before Bambi Thug, as it was rather scary. Baby Lasagne should have won, but i did enjoythe Switzerland song.

I love Ollie in other things, but the song was bland. If he had done the it's a sin with Elton song, he would have come much higher. Shame they can't do covers!

Ger1atricMillennial · 12/05/2024 22:40

The song was mid-range at best. The performance was dire. He simply does not have a voice for this type of arena against people who clearly do. This covered up by the staging which was too complicated for him, to maintain a good performance. In addition, most of it was performed away from the live crowd, and more for the audience at home.

There was nothing camp or playful about the performance. The winner from Swiss was more camp. The dancing was aggressively and overtly sexual. Unlike other i.e. Spain this was put in a closed intimate space rather than on the massive stage which is where it crossed the line. I suspect for this reason it's about selling records to the niche market rather than winning the competition.

DeeCee7 · 12/05/2024 22:25

NeverEnoughPants · 12/05/2024 21:40

If you can find where I said that Ukraine didn't win in part because of the war, I'll give you a fiver.

I said that I'm sure that they did get some sympathy votes.

I also said that the song was better than Sam Ryder's, and that view was shared by the whole group that I watched the show with that year.

Sam Ryder didn't deserve to win, or come second, imo. There were better songs (plural), including Ukraine's. It was decent. I put it in my top ten. Where it charted is irrelevant. As I implied, the charts don't tell us anything except what is popular. It doesn't tell us what is good.

You disagreed with my comment about it being a vote for Ukraine in the circumstances.

And using an anecdote (who your wee group of five went for) as an argument, really? I'll allow it...but your anecdote is trumped by the British public who bought Sam's song to put it #2 in the chart, while the Ukraine song was bought by you and your mates? and maybe a few hundred Eurovision aficionados/collectors to get it to a whopping #38.

You're not very good at this are you?

I'll let you off with the fiver. Now about that bridge, interested?

JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods · 12/05/2024 22:12

JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods · 12/05/2024 22:11

Well you were making the comparison about people being outraged 🤷🏻‍♀️

@ilovepixie & my point was that it's not the same. It's really not strange.

JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods · 12/05/2024 22:11

Well you were making the comparison about people being outraged 🤷🏻‍♀️

GoodAfternoonGoodEveningAndGoodnight · 12/05/2024 21:49

kierenthecommunity · 12/05/2024 21:34

I was definitely doing some pearl clutching at the naked from the waist down bloke, the dancers wearing leather nappies and the women dancers in pants that only covered one bum cheek 🙈

Ollie and his boxer pals looked about as outrageous as Brian Cant and Derek Griffiths on Playaway in comparison 😳

I agree 😁
I was watching with my 16 year old, I'm like "he's forgot his feckin trousers!" 😂
I actually went "put some pants on!" at the telly lol
Olly on the other hand just like any other pop video MTV thang of sexual thrusty stuff, seen it all before

NeverEnoughPants · 12/05/2024 21:40

DeeCee7 · 12/05/2024 21:15

If you seriously think the Ukraine entry didn't win because of the sympathy vote, while their country had just started being subjected to an appalling invasion, I've got a bridge to sell you.

I may have even voted for them myself.

Regards your chart comment. The previous year's UK entry reached #47 on the UK charts, so it's not a case of it's in English (or a UK act) so people just buy it. Sam's reaching #2 was the best from a UK act in decades. The Ukraine entry got #38 in the UK charts, the previous year's win in Italian reached #17.

As I said, it was a contest for who finished 2nd, and Sam won.

Edited

If you can find where I said that Ukraine didn't win in part because of the war, I'll give you a fiver.

I said that I'm sure that they did get some sympathy votes.

I also said that the song was better than Sam Ryder's, and that view was shared by the whole group that I watched the show with that year.

Sam Ryder didn't deserve to win, or come second, imo. There were better songs (plural), including Ukraine's. It was decent. I put it in my top ten. Where it charted is irrelevant. As I implied, the charts don't tell us anything except what is popular. It doesn't tell us what is good.

kierenthecommunity · 12/05/2024 21:34

I was definitely doing some pearl clutching at the naked from the waist down bloke, the dancers wearing leather nappies and the women dancers in pants that only covered one bum cheek 🙈

Ollie and his boxer pals looked about as outrageous as Brian Cant and Derek Griffiths on Playaway in comparison 😳

ilovepixie · 12/05/2024 21:31

JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods · 12/05/2024 21:19

Really not comparable 😂

Strange answer! Who said I was comparing anything? I was merely stating that people throughout time have been offended by different things!

JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods · 12/05/2024 21:23

Screamingabdabz
No-one gives a shit if people are gay anymore but could we not, for once, have something a little more edifying that speaks to our common humanity and hope and joy rather than this grubby singular obsession with thrusting dicks and casual male promiscuity?

I would chain myself to a railing for gay rights so it’s not about ‘homophobia’, it’s about wanting to be represented by something, frankly, a bit better.

100 x this!!!!

JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods · 12/05/2024 21:21

JammyJellyfish · 12/05/2024 17:41

Just note that the winning song was about someone accepting their non binary status (without shoving their gender in your face).

UK had the wrong song, completely failed to read the audience in terms of stage performance.

even if you felt the Irish entry was awful it scored its best Eurovision result in 25 years.

The winning song was better.
Oli was shite.
Ireland was trying to lose. Surely!
It's a shame.

Camp is fine. But crap is crap.
Cringe is cringe.
Just. Embarrassing.

JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods · 12/05/2024 21:19

ilovepixie · 12/05/2024 18:06

When Cliff Richard first came on the scene the headline were Is this boy to sexy for television! People have always been outraged by something!

Really not comparable 😂

velvetydogtoy · 12/05/2024 21:19

Nain5 · 12/05/2024 20:40

Not bothered by Olly's sexual preferences and certainly not shocked by his performance. However not impressed by bad mannered audience members who booed Israel and having voted for Israel was delighted they came 4th.

Yes I agree. The audience behaved like little children. Pathetic.

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