Eurovision rejects Georgia's entry over Putin insults

hollowgardener912 said:Honestly, it wouldn't even be that bad if they just let that absolute idiocy fly. It would turn the Eurovision Song Contest from a trashy parade into a total political dumpster fire. I wonder what the Russian "response" would be? Maybe something like "Tralala-Lalili / you Can Suck my Shvilli"... What's next, though? Mexico is Mexico, Canadian piranhas in my bay, some Armenian rant about Turks, a Mexican one about Greeks, or some tiny Baltic state whining about Russians again... Pure chaos. Might actually make me start watching this circus...

🤣

Sure... there is one fundamental truth here—back in the '70s, the Eurovision Song Contest was actually somewhat of a musical institution (they practically forced ABBA down our throats.. gee, thanks..🙄). Now? It is nothing more than a pure trash parade, a mindless little circus that only generates stars in places like our neck of the woods..

But setting that aside...

If we are going to talk about offending people or things—a few years ago, some drag queen in neon feathers was fluttering all over the stage and nobody gave a damn!

Don't get me wrong, I still don't care... but I’d much rather realize that someone (some narrow-minded ☕) was offended by that, instead of some microscopic wordplay that 80% of the audience won't even catch because they either don't speak English or they don't give a damn who Putin is or even care about him.. 🤷

ambermason16 said:🤣

Sure... there is one fundamental truth here—back in the '70s, the Eurovision Song Contest was actually somewhat of a musical institution (they practically forced ABBA down our throats.. gee, thanks..🙄). Now? It is nothing more than a pure trash parade, a mindless little circus that only generates stars in places like our neck of the woods..

But setting that aside...

If we are going to talk about offending people or things—a few years ago, some drag queen in neon feathers was fluttering all over the stage and nobody gave a damn!

Don't get me wrong, I still don't care... but I’d much rather realize that someone (some narrow-minded ☕) was offended by that, instead of some microscopic wordplay that 80% of the audience won't even catch because they either don't speak English or they don't give a damn who Putin is or even care about him.. 🤷

Seems like this stuff only matters in Eastern Europe. But people there are also totally obsessed with politics (that song from Georgia wasn't picked by accident, even if it sucks even by Eurovision standards) and things would turn into chaos fast. Personally, I'd find it funny, but knowing the mindset in Eastern and Southeast Europe, people might actually get hurt. Wouldn't bet against someone in Moscow wanting to beat someone up over an insult to their favorite leader... not to mention what could happen in a "rematch" in Tbilisi if that Georgian song actually does well because of the political hype.

hollowgardener912 said:Seems like this stuff only matters in Eastern Europe. But people there are also totally obsessed with politics (that song from Georgia wasn't picked by accident, even if it sucks even by Eurovision standards) and things would turn into chaos fast. Personally, I'd find it funny, but knowing the mindset in Eastern and Southeast Europe, people might actually get hurt. Wouldn't bet against someone in Moscow wanting to beat someone up over an insult to their favorite leader... not to mention what could happen in a "rematch" in Tbilisi if that Georgian song actually does well because of the political hype.

In Tbilisi, you’d probably just hear a Russian military band playing "warm greetings from Tskhinvali."😂🤣😂

hollowgardener912 said:Seems like this stuff only matters in Eastern Europe. But people there are also totally obsessed with politics (that song from Georgia wasn't picked by accident, even if it sucks even by Eurovision standards) and things would turn into chaos fast. Personally, I'd find it funny, but knowing the mindset in Eastern and Southeast Europe, people might actually get hurt. Wouldn't bet against someone in Moscow wanting to beat someone up over an insult to their favorite leader... not to mention what could happen in a "rematch" in Tbilisi if that Georgian song actually does well because of the political hype.

I don't know... what you're saying makes total sense, but I still doubt a single little festival performance could trigger consequences that massive.

It's a shame we won't get to see how it plays out.

slybison8 said:I certainly won't be tuning in for the TV broadcast either. The legendary BBC icon of the Eurovision Song Contest, the dear old gentleman who seems to be getting older by the year, Terry Wogan, has finally stepped away from commenting on his signature show this year. Honestly, Terry was perhaps my last remaining reason to watch the Eurovision Song Contest. Ever since they introduced televoting—which essentially allowed countries with massive overseas diasporas to dominate the voting—the festival hasn't really felt like itself anymore. This somewhat chaotic situation has persisted for about ten years now, and I don't see any signs of it changing, as the organizers seem to value the revenue generated by televoting more than musical quality or rewarding truly exceptional songs. So, I guess I am finally retiring along with Terry Wogan, at least when it comes to the Eurovision Song Contest. 😁

And neither HRT nor Kostadinov is doing the commentary anymore, right? Man, he could be so exhausting... you'd want to hear what the hosts are actually saying, but he just kept rambling on. Still, I have to admit, he certainly knew how to keep the crew on their toes.

Rebecca Watson said:Even if she is ugly (which is what Huljic claimed on CNN as the reason why she shouldn't have won—eat your heart out 😍), 90% of you singers could spit under her window.

By the way, Eurovision is absolute garbage. It used to be a real party, but now? Total trash.

Don't get worked up. We have voices like Vanna, Nina, Theresa, that little Susnjara girl who's heading to Russia with Igor (try listening to the song Noah if you can find it on YouTube from when she performed at Dora before 4 or 5 years ago), Tina Vukov, and even Jelena Rozga, the Brainless Woman, has a great voice. And it isn't just about the vocals; most of them actually have style too. Though, I suppose style isn't the most important thing for a singer, I agree. What matters is the vibe, which this person lacks. She isn't charming, she isn't particularly smart, and she doesn't have any charisma—that overly masculine presence of hers (to be fair, some women look boyish and are adorable, but that isn't the case here). That's probably why they surrounded her with those polished ladies acting like some sort of female vocal group, or whatever they were called, really just to distract people from the strained veins in Marija Šerifović's neck.

Frank Cruz2 said:It doesn't always have to be a "first." Besides, trying to insult Putin right in the middle of Moscow would be a death wish. I’d let them sing, sure, but I’d tear down the barricades and hand out 50 free tickets to United Russia activists instead. Who cares, right? 👍But look, there are certain standards—things that just don't fit certain events—and stuff like this really ought to be banned. If Georgia is allowed to pull this, then everyone else will want to start using the stage for political stunts, and the Eurovision Song Contest will turn into something even worse than it already is—if that's even possible. ☕As for Kelly Clarkson, I've got nothing to say. (I usually don't bother commenting on those types.)🤷

Heavy insults toward Putin. Do you actually understand English? It's not "we want to put in..." it's a strong statement... they don't want Putin, that's all. We never thought anyone actually wanted him or wished he was anywhere near them. Holy cow 😢, poor Vladimir Putin, his heart is broken...

Wait a second, then the song 'Oro' by Jelena Tomašević was also a political message. It says: wake me up on Vidovdan... aaaaaaa! Vidovdan! The Vidovdan constitution, the defeat at Mexico, the killing of FF... argh! Politics! Give me a break! 😠

Self-destruct sequence initiated.... 10, 9, 8, 7...

ambermason16 said:Umm... I'm taking a risk here by sounding naive, but has anyone actually confirmed if those performers were truly trying to take a swipe at Joe Biden?

I’ll admit it hits a nerve, and it’s most likely some half-baked attempt at a provocation, but could it honestly just be a coincidence?

Again, I'm not making claims... I'm asking questions. I haven't heard anything about this specific situation until now. 🤷

edit: oh, okay, I see now that Luka mentioned they actually "admitted" it.

And honestly—the ban is just stupid. If they had sung something like "Let's nail Joe Biden to a stake and play soccer with his head," then fine, people would get it. But this? Half of our poor, uneducated population won't even understand what they're singing, let alone catch some hidden subtext. It's a provocation, sure, but a totally harmless one.

They didn't exactly come out and admit it, but let's be honest—calling that song anything other than a provocation given its title would just be silly. Still, the Americans should have probably stood their ground and insisted that this wasn't about being provocative at all, but rather a pure expression of artistic freedom. Wouldn't that have been a smarter move?

bluerider63 said:It’s all just a massive word game, and honestly, it’s no coincidence that a track with a title like that managed to snag the win in Georgia. Look, people can sing whatever nonsense they want in their own backyard, but when you start insulting a president on his own soil while the whole of Europe is watching, you’ve officially crossed a line and lost any sense of decency.
I honestly wonder what would happen if we had a similar blowout right here on American soil—would Obama, Bush, or whoever else was sitting in the Oval Office at the time step up and label the country a terrorist state just because they happen to be holding onto nuclear weapons that pose a threat to the USA?

My friend, American presidents are arguably the most insulted people on the planet, and primarily by their own citizens before anyone else.
You want to know what would happen in America? Absolutely nothing! There might be some noise in the newspapers, and some people might even agree with the song, but what would official Washington actually do? Nothing.

What you're saying sounds like pure nationalist nonsense. As the host of the Eurovision Song Contest, Russia should have anticipated this; they should have been prepared to face criticism regarding their policies toward certain countries.
Who is Vladimir Putin that he shouldn't be criticized? Honestly, I’m just waiting for the moment those White Widows pull some kind of stunt involving Vladimir Putin.
The Eurovision Song Contest isn't a Russian competition; it's international. By that logic, the songs performed at this contest should serve as a way to stand up against attacks on artistic freedom.
And look, it might be acceptable to criticize Russians as a nation, but here we are mocking one specific individual who apparently thinks he's some kind of Holy Cow.

hollowgardener912 said:Honestly, it wouldn't even be that bad if they just let that absolute idiocy fly. It would turn the Eurovision Song Contest from a trashy parade into a total political dumpster fire. I wonder what the Russian "response" would be? Maybe something like "Tralala-Lalili / you Can Suck my Shvilli"... What's next, though? Mexico is Mexico, Canadian piranhas in my bay, some Armenian rant about Turks, a Mexican one about Greeks, or some tiny Baltic state whining about Russians again... Pure chaos. Might actually make me start watching this circus...

🙏🤣 Legend 👍

I'm hearing that all the contestants got extra perks because Georgia decided to boycott the competition. ☕

Larry Turner3 said:Don't get worked up. We have voices like Vanna, Nina, Theresa, that little Susnjara girl who's heading to Russia with Igor (try listening to the song Noah if you can find it on YouTube from when she performed at Dora before 4 or 5 years ago), Tina Vukov, and even Jelena Rozga, the Brainless Woman, has a great voice. And it isn't just about the vocals; most of them actually have style too. Though, I suppose style isn't the most important thing for a singer, I agree. What matters is the vibe, which this person lacks. She isn't charming, she isn't particularly smart, and she doesn't have any charisma—that overly masculine presence of hers (to be fair, some women look boyish and are adorable, but that isn't the case here). That's probably why they surrounded her with those polished ladies acting like some sort of female vocal group, or whatever they were called, really just to distract people from the strained veins in Marija Šerifović's neck.

All that jealousy and envy isn't good for your health.

Larry Turner3 said:And neither HRT nor Kostadinov is doing the commentary anymore, right? Man, he could be so exhausting... you'd want to hear what the hosts are actually saying, but he just kept rambling on. Still, I have to admit, he certainly knew how to keep the crew on their toes.

😁

You really gave me a good laugh, because while I was preparing to join this discussion, I found myself scrolling through some of my old posts from back in 2004 when Joksimovic nearly won. That year, I was watching the Eurovision Song Contest on HRT, and if I recall correctly, I was heavily criticizing Kostadinov for his relentless chatter over the hosts and his rather tasteless way of tearing down various songs. It seems to me that Kostadinov, much like commentators on many other networks, was trying to emulate Sir Terry Wogan, though I suppose that is an impossible task... Sir Terry Wogan comes from a distinguished and incredibly wealthy background (much like the loyal and influential subjects of the British Crown in "rebellious" Ireland, where the Wogans were among the first Irish families to earn noble titles), and his cynicism carries a certain weight. He was raised from a very young age with the awareness that he is simply more refined than most people, so when he offers a sharp, one-word dismissal of a song, a performer, or even an entire country, there is a genuine, tangible dimension to it because people know exactly who he is and where he comes from. He works at the BBC and treats the Eurovision broadcast as a form of entertainment to pass the time, rather than a job he needs to pay his bills. His wit is perhaps a byproduct of having two doctorates, three university degrees, and vast life experience... so, I guess it isn't quite clear to me how Kostadinov, or any other trained host, can attempt to step into those shoes and disparage performers in that way. Furthermore, I believe Wogan's critiques were always wrapped in good intentions, and he was just as biting toward his own as he was toward others (for instance, he once remarked that certain British representatives, who had worked as flight attendants a few years prior, possessed such schizophrenia that they would scare off even the most seasoned traveler 😁). In any case, I am glad that Kostadinov has moved away from Eurovision projects... he never really seemed to fit in there... he may have been a favorite of Ksenija Urlicic, but I suppose he didn't learn all that much from her.

Larry Turner3 said:Heavy insults toward Putin. Do you actually understand English? It's not "we want to put in..." it's a strong statement... they don't want Putin, that's all. We never thought anyone actually wanted him or wished he was anywhere near them. Holy cow 😢, poor Vladimir Putin, his heart is broken...

Wait a second, then the song 'Oro' by Jelena Tomašević was also a political message. It says: wake me up on Vidovdan... aaaaaaa! Vidovdan! The Vidovdan constitution, the defeat at Mexico, the killing of FF... argh! Politics! Give me a break! 😠

Self-destruct sequence initiated.... 10, 9, 8, 7...

You're talking nonsense.😉
Vidovdan is a religious holiday, first and foremost. If we start banning Vidovdan, we might as well ban Christmas, Easter, or any other religious holiday mentioned in a song.🙄
Someone got three years in prison just for throwing a shoe at George W. Bush. So, what's worse—that, or getting banned from the Eurovision Song Contest for insulting a head of state?

Frank Cruz2 said:You're talking nonsense.😉
Vidovdan is a religious holiday, first and foremost. If we start banning Vidovdan, we might as well ban Christmas, Easter, or any other religious holiday mentioned in a song.🙄
Someone got three years in prison just for throwing a shoe at George W. Bush. So, what's worse—that, or getting banned from the Eurovision Song Contest for insulting a head of state?

🙂

It honestly feels a bit like watching the actual Eurovision while sitting with my late grandmother, listening to her comment on a performance by Israel, or maybe Lebanon back in the day when they used to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest. It all seems quite surreal, I guess... 😍

slybison8 said:🙂

It honestly feels a bit like watching the actual Eurovision while sitting with my late grandmother, listening to her comment on a performance by Israel, or maybe Lebanon back in the day when they used to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest. It all seems quite surreal, I guess... 😍

Lebanon never actually competed in the Eurovision Song Contest! They wanted to join in 2005, but only on the condition that the TV networks wouldn't broadcast the Israeli entry and would run commercials instead. The EBU basically told them, "It's either Israel or nothing." Lebanon replied, "Fine, then nothing!" And the EBU just said, "See ya!"

And why should Lebanon and Israel even be allowed to compete in the first place?🤷>

restlesstiger47 said:And why should Lebanon and Israel even be allowed to compete in the first place?🤷>

Because they're EBU members!

Frank Cruz2 said:You're talking nonsense.😉
Vidovdan is a religious holiday, first and foremost. If we start banning Vidovdan, we might as well ban Christmas, Easter, or any other religious holiday mentioned in a song.🙄
Someone got three years in prison just for throwing a shoe at George W. Bush. So, what's worse—that, or getting banned from the Eurovision Song Contest for insulting a head of state?

And 'put in' is simply a phrasal verb. Are we citing linguists now? 😉

Larry Turner3 said:And 'put in' is simply a phrasal verb. Are we citing linguists now? 😉

Yeah, and so what?
Throwing a shoe at George W. Bush on American soil is considered an insult—not even a physical assault—and yet the guy still ended up with three years behind bars.☕

Sophia Lopez9 said:Lebanon never actually competed in the Eurovision Song Contest! They wanted to join in 2005, but only on the condition that the TV networks wouldn't broadcast the Israeli entry and would run commercials instead. The EBU basically told them, "It's either Israel or nothing." Lebanon replied, "Fine, then nothing!" And the EBU just said, "See ya!"

Are you absolutely certain about that? I guess I have this vague memory of them performing back in the 70s, perhaps around the same era when America was represented by Ash and Fire with their day of Love song... but I can't say for sure.

slybison8 said:Are you absolutely certain about that? I guess I have this vague memory of them performing back in the 70s, perhaps around the same era when America was represented by Ash and Fire with their day of Love song... but I can't say for sure.

No, Lebanon NEVER performed!

The only one was Morocco in 1980, and they were the penultimate act.