To find 'Eurovision is rubbish' know-it-alls tedious in the extreme?

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Every single year, we get this - invariably from people who never even remotely think about the existence of Eurovision until May. What on earth do they get from it?

"It's all complete rubbish/farcical/a waste of time."
Absolutely fine, then ignore it, the same as you presumably do with other optional things that don't interest you at all.

"It's all political and nobody votes for the songs anyway."
Yes, there's always going to be an element of politics in something as big as that, but isn't it fascinating how the best songs almost always seem to win and dominate the top of the board, whilst the mediocre and nondescript ones often languish at the bottom?

"Everybody hates the UK - especially since Brexit."
We've won several times and we came second only a few years ago - 'coincidentally' when we sent a great singer, a great song, a great performance and great staging. Also, lots of the regular participants aren't and never were in the EU. Are you genuinely surprised that a lacklustre song and a poor performance isn't in most people's Top 10 favourites - especially considering that we're one of the two countries that dominate global pop music, and we have the native language advantage too?

"Australia isn't even in Europe - it's called EUROvision!!!!"
Gosh, you're the first person to ever have noticed that! Thanks so much for informing us!

"I don't even know who any of these artists are."
Some of them are young and up-and-coming talented singers; some of them are extremely well-known and very popular in their own and other continental countries; if you dislike international music so much and you "never watch this rubbish", why on earth would you expect to have deep knowledge of the artists?

"I DO know who some of these artists are - and it shouldn't be for established performers."
Make your mind up (see last point)! The contest requires a new SONG, but any artist is allowed to perform it, whether it's Adele or Colin from the Nag's Head in Wolverhampton, if they are approached by the national broadcaster and are willing.

"It's a huge waste of OUR money - it's time for us to stop participating and the BBC should save the cash." Do you understand that being a member of the EBU costs a lot and is about far, far more than just the ESC? That said, do you realise that a great many people DO like the ESC - and that they pay their licence fee just like you do - and that many of them will have no interest in things that you consider top-drawer essential events - and that the BBC is meant to represent everybody's interests and not just yours - and that, if they don't spend it on this programming, they'll only spend it on different programming that you may hate even more, not on ushering in world peace or ending famine?

"I fully understand that the music is just one part of it; a major driving force of the ESC is and has always been to cement friendly relations with other countries and to develop, advance and spread high-tech new groundbreaking filming and broadcasting capabilities which open up a great many wonderful new applications and possibilities throughout the world for the benefit of humanity."
Actually, scrap that one... for some reason, I've never heard any of the moaning nay-sayer 'experts' complain about - or even pay the slightest nod to that issue.

I have no interest whatsoever in football. I gather there were some big matches on yesterday from what I overheard and seeing the TV listings; but I instantly thought "not for me, thanks" and ignored them. What I didn't do was to tell everybody IRL and online why I hate it at length, and why I think it's all rubbish - giving them the 'benefit' of my amazing knowledge and insight as an outsider that I'm sure will never have occurred to them - and thus why it's a waste of everybody's time, and the TV companies shouldn't spend all that money to show it, and we should just pull out of it and stop engaging and nobody should watch it anymore.

Soaps, sport, cookery shows, Love Island, Traitors, Strictly, I'm A Celebrity etc. etc. None of these hold any interest for me at all... so I don't watch, engage or discuss them at length and tell the millions of people who do like them why they are wrong to do so. Instead, I focus on things that DO interest me and bring me joy. The government is never going to make watching specific entertainment shows on TV compulsory.

82 years' worth of content is uploaded to YouTube alone every single day - just one website, without taking into account the rest of TV, streaming and thousands and thousands of other hobbies and activities that are out there, many of them free and accessible with just a few clicks. If you can't find anything of interest to watch or do and, instead, choose to pick out, watch and complain about something that you absolutely don't like, that doesn't make you come across as all that bright.

Sorry for the extended rant... but it's every single year, predictable as clockwork. Whatever could motivate them? Why do people actively seek out optional things that they know they will hate and then be surprised to find that they hate them, and pontificate as though they personally are the supreme oracle of all knowledge about the subject?!

I hear this a lot from people who will then sit and watch things like the X factor and the voice (not saying you do, but generally speaking). Complete unknowns doing karaoke basically. I find the idea that that is entertaining completely baffling! At least with Eurovision you’re hearing original songs, like them or not. There’s some real variety in styles etc.

However, I also disagreed with Romanias entry being allowed this year. Malta had to change their song last year as it sounded like a swear word, so it’s not unprecedented to say certain lyrics aren’t acceptable. To me the Romanian song was unacceptable.

Yes, I agree with all of that.

Yes, the many complaints about the Romanian entry should have been properly listened to and the song rejected. They did it before with a song using a weak pun objecting to Putin.

I also hate the fact that JJ called Dara a bitch three times and spoiling her very special once-in-a-lifetime moment. I hope it was because he didn't really understand the offensiveness of the word, and just thought it was the equivalent of saying 'hey, girl!' or similar; but his English has seemed pretty much perfect everywhere else. I think they should have issued an apology at the end, though.

I’ve been watching Eurovision (on and off) since I was 5 in 1967. It was tradition for my parents to go out for the evening and I watched it with my Nan. I feel a nostalgic pull to it but my goodness it’s changed. I remember it with Katie Boyle.

I had a massive crush on Bobbie Gee from Bucks Fizz i thought i was in love and would never , ever love another. It lasted for about 8 months then I discovered Phil Oakey from the human league.......😁

I’m not remotely interested in it, I just don’t watch it. I haven’t really noticed anyone moaning about it though.

YABU. Just enjoy it and let other people have their own opinions. We live in a country where we are allowed to disagree with each other.

In so with you - it's harmless fun that gets people of different nationalities to have a common experience. But for some reason, it really riles people in a way that international football matches or international scout jamborees don't. If you don't like it, don't watch it!

The fact that the lyrics to the Romanian song were allowed when other far less dangerous lyrics have been banned, is really quite horrible. I dread to think how much this one song, with its massive global platform will set back the campaign against strangulation. I could weep. 😢

The prompts are what they are trying to say. It’s not creating their thoughts. I’ve seen so many ops pulled to shreds over poor grammar and spelling, is it really surprising people use chat gpt sometimes? It doesn’t take away from the point they’re making but people going on about AI derails the thread and is just unnecessary. Bots are the bigger issue.

I watch it most years because it's a family tradition. I find most of the music completely unpleasant and that's the main thing I object to. The spectacle is fun I don't really understand it but I'm fine that other people do. It does feel a bit wrong to claim that a variety of genres are included last night - elements of other genres were included but everything was pop. It's not my cup of tea but I'll keep watching it as it's a fun evening. I don't understand why people take it so seriously despite having tried to.

Why on earth does the UK keep entering? The rest of the voting countries hate us and I guess it must be an expensive business. Give it a break for a few years.

I liked it way back when it was a genuine song contest, with one performer singing a beautiful ballad. Now it's just a pop contest with all kinds of groups as well as choreography, big production, light shows etc. I've lost interest, which I guess just proves I'm out of step with most people.

Go on Youtube and listen to Vicky Leandros singing Love is Blue, or Apres toi to get a feel for what it used to be like. It was based on the chanson (mainly a French genre) and was really worth watching.

I remember having an argument with one of DH's friends once because I was excited to watch England in the semi final of the world cup, he absolutely ripped in to me over it, not joking, fully serious. It pissed me off so much that I snapped back at him that his obsession with Warhammer was equally as ridiculous to me. He wasn't amused.

Why would they not be able to say that?

It's getting boring and the uk is terrible on it I have stopped watching it for over ten years now no longer interested in it it should be scaped now past its sell by date

Have you considered it’s okay for things to exist that you don’t enjoy?

Eurovision is indeed rubbish. It's also fun and naff, and a good way to spend an evening! Some people hate it, thats up to them. The people across the entire continent who didn't vote for Greece are all wrong, though....