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Original poster

Eurovision Song Contest

60 replies

ThinWomansBrain · 25/02/2022 18:01

Is it me, or is the sanction of banning Russia from Eurovision not exactly going to have Putin quaking in his boots, let alone turning back tanks and fighter jets?

I'm not suggesting they should be able to compete - but the package of sanctions to date seem a bit feeble.

OP posts:
maddening · 25/02/2022 19:08

It speaks to the Russian people, really the only fix is the Russian people taking back power from the corrupt kgb, cold War dinosaur that is putin.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 25/02/2022 19:11

They could enter the shittest song ever, and would still win.

l'Ukraine....douze points!

loveisanopensore · 25/02/2022 19:12

And yet Israel are still there.

LeggyLinda · 25/02/2022 19:15

Not strictly speaking a sanction I think as it is a decision made by EBU.
That said, it may prove a more damming indication of how serious this is seen by the world than cancelling car racing and football.
Russia take Eurovision very seriously (the leadership for the political one upmanshiip against the west; which had substantially filtered down to the people who love it and feel it is their outlet away from the stricter purinesque regime).

I would recommend reading or watching (if still available) the secret history of Eurovision. How Eurovision shaped the political and social environment of Europe and vice versa is fascinating.

It is so much more than a song contest which aspires to be nothing less than a song contest.

Obviously, this has to be taken in context. It is small fry action really compared to what real sanctions should be imposed.

I don’t normally comment on these type of subjects about war - but Eurovision!

TimeToMakeACupofTea · 25/02/2022 19:40

On its own, no. But combine that with moving the Champions League final and cancelling the Russian Grand Prix and it helps to emphasise that Russia is now a Pariah state. The government derive a lot of prestige from these events.

ilovesooty · 25/02/2022 20:09

They should kick Belarus out as well.

chipshopElvis · 25/02/2022 20:14

I'm glad. They can't behave like this and still be friends. Yesterday Eurovision were still saying that Russia and Ukraine could still both compete alongside each other because it's cultural, not political!

SoManyQuestionsHere · 25/02/2022 20:19

Yeah, so, I've work stuff with Switzerland.

Turns out that, at some point roughly around the Cambrian explosion or something on the timeline, 🇨🇭 won the Eurovision with Celine Dion as their contestant.

Who would have thunk?! Show of hands: who thinks "Switzerland" when they hear "Celine Dion"?

No, OP, you're not wrong! It's not as though anyone cares.

KrisAkabusi · 25/02/2022 20:45

@ThinWomansBrain

But in the mean time, something meaningful, like cutting off the SWIFT payment system - is still being debated
One thing has got nothing to do with the other.
blubberyboo · 25/02/2022 20:52

It’s a sign of solidarity with Ukraine.

It would be a huge insult to the Ukrainian act to ask them to share the competition with Russia.

It’s not a government sanction but just one more way of showing the Russian people the rest of Europe is not accepting of this.

Forgetaboutme · 25/02/2022 20:55

I know the UK sees the Eurovision Song Contest as a joke but other countries love it and put in a massive effort....including Russia.

ChateauxNeufDePoop · 25/02/2022 20:58

@SoManyQuestionsHere

Yeah, so, I've work stuff with Switzerland.

Turns out that, at some point roughly around the Cambrian explosion or something on the timeline, 🇨🇭 won the Eurovision with Celine Dion as their contestant.

Who would have thunk?! Show of hands: who thinks "Switzerland" when they hear "Celine Dion"?

No, OP, you're not wrong! It's not as though anyone cares.

What are you even on about? It's nothing to do with the nationality of the singer as Katrina from Katrina and the Waves shows (and I think Gina G wasn't British either?) - it's a song writing contest.

And your last sentence has been more than coherently disputed by PP's.

Keep thunking.

blubberyboo · 25/02/2022 20:58

Plus if they had allowed them to compete many many countries would have withdrawn their acts in protest and many of the TV sponsors would have withdrawn money potentially causing the competition to collapse making Putin think he had succeeded in controlling a European competition.

This way the show goes on…with a pitiful Russia excluded and looking in… probably at a winning Ukraine.

TillyTopper · 25/02/2022 21:07

I think it's just one thing as part of a much wider package of things to try and cut off the supply of money and being part of the international community. Obviously 1 event is not going to have an event but no F1 on Sochi, no football in St Petersburg, etc + sanctions and blocking banks etc.

Classica · 25/02/2022 21:07

I don't get why some people are scoffing at this. Soft power matters. All the Eurovision honchos can do is ban Russia from their contest, so that's what they're doing. They don't claim it's going to solve the situation. Yes the Eurovision is a fluffy spectacle of camp but it's actually very popular in Eastern Europe/Russia in terms of portraying who they are as modern nations. So this move won't be without impact.

SoManyQuestionsHere · 25/02/2022 21:21

it's a song writing contest.

It's meant to be, but it really isn't. It's a popularity contest with bonus points categories for cultural affinity and for for quirkiness (among others). Cue neighbouring states giving each other max. points and acts like Conchita Wurst taking home the trophy.

I'm open towards any serious argument for why the Eurovision ought to be taken seriously on the political stage beyond "congeniality points", which, frankly, we're far beyond when we're at the point of armed conflict.

Nothing against Katrina and the Waves, though: I had the pleasure of interviewing her for a local paper way back in my teens and she was fucking lovely!

ChateauxNeufDePoop · 25/02/2022 21:51

@SoManyQuestionsHere

it's a song writing contest.

It's meant to be, but it really isn't. It's a popularity contest with bonus points categories for cultural affinity and for for quirkiness (among others). Cue neighbouring states giving each other max. points and acts like Conchita Wurst taking home the trophy.

I'm open towards any serious argument for why the Eurovision ought to be taken seriously on the political stage beyond "congeniality points", which, frankly, we're far beyond when we're at the point of armed conflict.

Nothing against Katrina and the Waves, though: I had the pleasure of interviewing her for a local paper way back in my teens and she was fucking lovely!

Well that's exactly why the OP is wrong then so I'm not sure why you backed her?!
DirectionToPerfection · 25/02/2022 22:16

OP do you actually think this was part of the EU sanctions? 😂

The organisers of the contest, the EBU (the European Broadcasting Union, not to be confused with the EU!) have made the perfectly rational and sensible decision to exclude Russia. What more do you think they could do?

DirectionToPerfection · 25/02/2022 22:19

@SoManyQuestionsHere

it's a song writing contest.

It's meant to be, but it really isn't. It's a popularity contest with bonus points categories for cultural affinity and for for quirkiness (among others). Cue neighbouring states giving each other max. points and acts like Conchita Wurst taking home the trophy.

I'm open towards any serious argument for why the Eurovision ought to be taken seriously on the political stage beyond "congeniality points", which, frankly, we're far beyond when we're at the point of armed conflict.

Nothing against Katrina and the Waves, though: I had the pleasure of interviewing her for a local paper way back in my teens and she was fucking lovely!

Sure, that's why Portugal and The Netherlands both had recent wins, after years in the wilderness. Nothing remotely gimmicky about those songs either.

If it was just neighbours voting for each other, the same countries would keep winning. That's not the case.

TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo · 26/02/2022 09:03

@Forgetaboutme

I know the UK sees the Eurovision Song Contest as a joke but other countries love it and put in a massive effort....including Russia.
Oh no me and DD(12) take Eurovision very seriously I'll have you know.

Scoresheets and the lot!

We both had a day of mourning when covid put the mockers on it in 2020.

StCharlotte · 26/02/2022 11:57

Cue neighbouring states giving each other max. points and acts like Conchita Wurst taking home the trophy.

Oh no you don't! That was a mighty performance of a mighty song. A well deserved win.

SantaHat · 26/02/2022 12:06

I haven’t found much to laugh about recently, but I am highly amused that anyone would think banning Russia from Eurovision is a formal sanction 🤣🤣

TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo · 26/02/2022 12:07

@StCharlotte

Cue neighbouring states giving each other max. points and acts like Conchita Wurst taking home the trophy.

Oh no you don't! That was a mighty performance of a mighty song. A well deserved win.

Oh no you didn't!!!

That was a fantastic song! And truly deserving of the win!

Maireas · 26/02/2022 18:42

I would imagine Putin must loathe Eurovision, it's so camp.

squirrelslikenuts · 26/02/2022 19:00

I think it's sad Russia won't get to perform. The Russian people aren't the warmongers, Pugin is.
Nobody worries about Palestine when Israel performs, because it's the people performing.
When we + the US invaded Iraq on supposed WMD, we still performed.
Eurovision is a cultural extravaganza. It shouldn't be political.

Wars will always happen, so humans must always have something apolitical and cultural to look forward to and enjoy. Even a short peace.