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

[Colourofspring]

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!

Personally I think it’s time that Wales, Scotland and NI were allowed to compete as individual nations just as they do in the football Euros. A Welsh singer has composed an entry which I think is nice and would certainly hold its own.

https://nation.cymru/culture/wales-puts-forward-eurovision-entry-campaign-for-wales-to-compete-as-a-nation-begins/#

Camp often isn’t supposed to be funny, it’s just how the people are.

Indeed - Sam Smith only losing out to Ukraine (obvious why they won, come on) proved that.

I got dizzy from the camera work reminded me of how I felt after an4D ride at Universal

Nothing wrong with the performance, I enjoyed it, didn't think the song suited his voice but whatevs.

The only resurgence in homophobia I see in the UK at the moment is from TRAs trying to redefine same sex relationships as same gender...profoundly homophobic.

They'd almost certainly, if allowed, have to go in the semi-final heats, however - UK gets a bye into the final as one of the 5 nations whose broadcasters pay a load into the cost of the competition.

Will not be surprised if he comes close to the bottom of the list but nothing to do with the way they are dressed and dancing but more around his performance (if it’s like his performance on Tuesday’s semi final)

He was really out of tune and it wasn’t great. Even last year’s song was better and that’s saying a lot

Hoping to be proved wrong and he has had some more rehearsals and does it better tonight

Do you mean Sam Ryder? Don’t think Sam Smith has done Eurovision

I don’t know why being a gay Eurovision performer means being overtly sexual?
I mean, why not just sing your song in a nice suit ?
It’s totally unnecessary and boring quite frankly.

It was the same at the New Years Eve thing. He can't just dance, cavort and sing he has to try and shock but ends up looking stupid.

Simulated sex acts would not be appropriate for either sex imo

This is my view. Nothing to do with homophobia. The performance was seedy AF. It wasn’t “camp” I have no issue with camp performances. And yes I absolutely would and have said the same about some female performers.

I didn’t know who he was. Haven’t seen him act in anything and don’t follow modern music. But I’m certainly not going to be a fan based on that performance. I love the Swiss song and it was an amazing performance. Apparently that artist is non binary and the song is about their “journey”. It was brilliant. So if I was oh so prejudiced would I feel that way?

I just do not like our entries sleazy performance. The fact it’s a gay sleazy performance isn’t the point.

YANBU OP. Eurovision has been camp as a row of tents for years and not all of it from gay entrants either.

I don't mind the UK entry. I love Estonia's though.

We are because at the moment it is about having to accept one strata of society’s views and if not you are branded homophobic. That is far from accepting of everyone views - women aren’t allowed to speak up without the fear of being labelled

it isn’t homophobic to think that the Eurovision is getting to overtly sexual that acts are now outdoing each other in shock value and it is far from the colourful family friendly competition it used to be. Madonna did it simply to shock that would now be mainstream - worrying about the implications of that (the rise in porn/choking etc). Coming to a PP point 7 I would want to see this heterosexual either (indeed for me it would be even more worrying.

You lost me at ‘most important Eurovision winners’.
It’s a song, that’s all. Olly is just singing a song.
The fact that the OP insults people by calling them ‘pearl clutchers’ and their actions are ‘hysteria’ speaks more about her bigotry than theirs.
People are allowed a different opinion. Personally, I loathe Eurovision as it generally has second rate singers singing bland, second rate songs. It’s formulaic, unoriginal and boring. Olly is a great singer and performer but why oh why does he have to make it all about his sexuality? Everyone knows he’s gay, most of us don’t care. I know plenty of gay people, both male and female, who despise forced campness.

I didn't like it.
All looked a bit 'me too' for me. I always feel sorry for actors/dancers in overly sexual performances.

Yeah its the sleaze/seediness for me too. I couldnt give a toss about contestant's sexuality but its supposed to be a singing and performing show, not shoving it down your throat that a lot of young gay men do risky group chem sex. Up to them of course but nothing to do with eurovsion and not a part of a particular lifestylye that he is into that I really want to be explaining to my kids on a saturday night.

I also dont think that that side of male sexuality should really be promoted or celebrated, we see on here all the time how damaging it is to women and I think thr gay bath house scene is probably ultimately not that great for young gay men's mental and physical health. I know from my nephew who's in his mid twenties that he felt a lot of pressure to take part in that lifestyle when he came out at uni and wasn't comfortable with it.

I guess we're all old and boring, that'll be the retort, but its also not a great song. I dont know why, with all the singer/songwriter talent in the UK, we consistently put up mediocre and forgettable songs.

i don't watch it, but Olly seems really nice and I hope he does well.

I think the song is catchy, the staging is good, I really don't get what all the fuss is about. Olly's voice however isn't strong enough. He hasn't got a great live vocal and that will ultimately let him down. The crowd seemed to like him though judging by the semi final performance. We'll see!

To quote a famous cartoon dog, 'it's just monkeys singing songs mate'. I think some people really overthink Eurovision and forget that it's meant to be fun!

Anyway! Ireland to win! Crown The Witch! 👍🏻👍🏻

That's the other thing that puzzles me. He's had a successful career as a pop singer in Years and Years who had some good songs and he's performed at festivals etc multiple times. He's a talented actor (as anyone thats seen Its a Sin will know, it was an incredibly moving performance). He comes across as really sweet and likeable in interviews. So why is this not a winning entry?

Yes I do call that music. It's also pretty tame compared to a lot of metal. There are plenty of very popular music genres that aren't 'mainstream' pop. Not everyone is vanilla thank god.

I dont think the song is that good.
couldn’t care less about the singer.
2 years ago spaceman was a catchy song well performed

I haven’t seen anyone complaining about it’s being camp or homophobic.

The only thing I have seen is people not being comfortable with the staging, especially a still that seemed to simulate a sexual assault in a bathroom.

the singer appeared to be pretending to be distressed as he was pinned to a wall. I haven’t seen it, but can understand why people aren’t happy with that, if that’s the case.

Are people really that bothered about a gay man singing at Eurovision?

I looked it up on YouTube.

I hope he sings better on the night because that was shit.

The thrusting and strip club vibe was just silly but his voice? That was bad.

But tbh at this point I simply assume the UK is annually trolling Eurovision.

“The fact that the OP insults people by calling them ‘pearl clutchers’ and their actions are ‘hysteria’ speaks more about her bigotry than theirs”

Yea, whatever 🙄

Can you give an example of these bigoted comments? The ones that are happening in large amounts that suggest acceptance is going reducing?

Mmm… but the TRAs have been busily conflating trans with gay all over the place - no LGB without the T, resurgence of the word “queer” as an umbrella term and no longer a slur, no debate etc.

So while you and I might agree the two are not the same at all, the issues have been blurred in the minds of many people. Hence the backlash. Which I deplore, obviously.