Good Evening Dusseldorf! May 14, 2011 3:22 PM Subscribe
This is a huge Thank You to everyone who participated in and followed the Eurovision Song Contest thread.
It's wonderful feeling like I'm part of a global community with global interests. And while I know that live-blogging is kind of discouraged as a rule here on MetaFilter, the past week of following the Eurovision broadcasts and internet streams has been fabulous fun for myself and I'm sure for all concerned.
My shout-outs go primarily to LSK for getting the whole thing started early in the week, but also to everyone who was watching and commenting and following along during the broadcasts.
(with a bit of sadness about people who joined us early in the thread but who didn't appear later -- we love you and miss you!)
It was charming and delightful to sit alone in my living room with a virtual group of like-minded MeFites and follow the action, and to hear the feedback and be influenced by the views of people from all around the globe.
I hope we do this kind of thing every year. It's truly an example of the kind of life-blogging which MetaFilter does well, with the attention being focussed on the fun and shared experience and not much at all on the cynicism (except insofar as Eurovision deserves a cynical eye).
Bravo, and thank you again. MetaFilter are wonderful! (Or is that MetaFilter is wonderful? Either way, ich flippe aus!)
It's wonderful feeling like I'm part of a global community with global interests. And while I know that live-blogging is kind of discouraged as a rule here on MetaFilter, the past week of following the Eurovision broadcasts and internet streams has been fabulous fun for myself and I'm sure for all concerned.
My shout-outs go primarily to LSK for getting the whole thing started early in the week, but also to everyone who was watching and commenting and following along during the broadcasts.
(with a bit of sadness about people who joined us early in the thread but who didn't appear later -- we love you and miss you!)
It was charming and delightful to sit alone in my living room with a virtual group of like-minded MeFites and follow the action, and to hear the feedback and be influenced by the views of people from all around the globe.
I hope we do this kind of thing every year. It's truly an example of the kind of life-blogging which MetaFilter does well, with the attention being focussed on the fun and shared experience and not much at all on the cynicism (except insofar as Eurovision deserves a cynical eye).
Bravo, and thank you again. MetaFilter are wonderful! (Or is that MetaFilter is wonderful? Either way, ich flippe aus!)
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- Brandon Blatcher
Azerbaijan won the contest, but Moldova won our hearts.
(and iceland, too.)
posted by kaibutsu at 3:33 PM on May 14, 2011 [5 favorites]
(and iceland, too.)
posted by kaibutsu at 3:33 PM on May 14, 2011 [5 favorites]
I was thinking about dropping a thank-you note in thread to the mods for letting us chat in real time. I didn't think they'd let us, but they did, and it was ace. Cheers to you guys!
posted by Eumachia L F at 3:34 PM on May 14, 2011
posted by Eumachia L F at 3:34 PM on May 14, 2011
I believe you mean Azerbawesome
posted by The Whelk at 3:34 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 3:34 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Hippy bear, I feel you have an obligation to post pictures of the more interesting costume choices so those of us who did not partake can enjoy them.
Just sayin.
posted by The Whelk at 3:36 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Just sayin.
posted by The Whelk at 3:36 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Aw shucks, there was a Eurovision thread?!
This was my first Eurovision. My favorite part was Graham Norton talking back to France for not awarding the UK some points. "What?! We built a tunnel to your country????"
posted by iamkimiam at 3:43 PM on May 14, 2011 [3 favorites]
This was my first Eurovision. My favorite part was Graham Norton talking back to France for not awarding the UK some points. "What?! We built a tunnel to your country????"
posted by iamkimiam at 3:43 PM on May 14, 2011 [3 favorites]
Moldova had pointy hats and a unicycle. And a ska beat. To the amazement of around a dozen mefites they weren't runaway winners. Oil money bought a win for Azerbaijan (asterisked in my mind, even though the singer lives just up the road from me).
posted by tigrefacile at 3:44 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by tigrefacile at 3:44 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
MOLDOVIA WAS ROBBED! Jesus, what the fuck, that Azerbaijan entry was dire and had ZERO unicycle riding fairies in pointy hats as well.
posted by Artw at 3:46 PM on May 14, 2011 [8 favorites]
posted by Artw at 3:46 PM on May 14, 2011 [8 favorites]
Okay, looking.
Moldovia looks just like the scrappy kids from the poor camp across the lake who put together a show that blows the rich kids out of the water with spunk and verve and bonhomie.
I concur, Moldovia was robbed. ROBBED I SAY.
posted by The Whelk at 3:49 PM on May 14, 2011 [3 favorites]
Moldovia looks just like the scrappy kids from the poor camp across the lake who put together a show that blows the rich kids out of the water with spunk and verve and bonhomie.
I concur, Moldovia was robbed. ROBBED I SAY.
posted by The Whelk at 3:49 PM on May 14, 2011 [3 favorites]
Azerbaijan entry was dire and had ZERO unicycle riding fairies in pointy hats as well.
It's probably the fact that I'm on my third beer of the late afternoon here, but I read that as unicorn riding fairies, and was like WTF? Someone had unicorns in their act and didn't win?
'Cuz any Eurovision act with unicorns would likely be awesome sauce.
posted by never used baby shoes at 4:15 PM on May 14, 2011
It's probably the fact that I'm on my third beer of the late afternoon here, but I read that as unicorn riding fairies, and was like WTF? Someone had unicorns in their act and didn't win?
'Cuz any Eurovision act with unicorns would likely be awesome sauce.
posted by never used baby shoes at 4:15 PM on May 14, 2011
Yes! So much fun. I'm just sad I didn't get to play during the semi-finals. Stupid work.
The more I think about it (and I CAN'T STOP) I just don't understand why Azerbaijan won. If a big pop number was going to win there were several better choices. I have the grar. Luckily it is subdued by re-watching So Lucky!
posted by grapesaresour at 4:18 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
The more I think about it (and I CAN'T STOP) I just don't understand why Azerbaijan won. If a big pop number was going to win there were several better choices. I have the grar. Luckily it is subdued by re-watching So Lucky!
posted by grapesaresour at 4:18 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
The thread was a blast, and totally filled the Eurovision-party hole in my life this year. Can't wait for next year.
posted by asperity at 4:38 PM on May 14, 2011
posted by asperity at 4:38 PM on May 14, 2011
Also, I'm pretending that Azerbaijan won for their 2008 entry, "Day After Day."
posted by asperity at 4:40 PM on May 14, 2011
posted by asperity at 4:40 PM on May 14, 2011
Azerbaijan is in Europe?
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 4:51 PM on May 14, 2011
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 4:51 PM on May 14, 2011
No, but you can see Europe from there, hence Eurovision.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:53 PM on May 14, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:53 PM on May 14, 2011 [7 favorites]
Always like the Eurovision threads, always like a legitimate opportunity to snark my socks off. Next year, let's make an FPP in the hours before it starts, as there's not too many watching the semi-finals and readership just trails off from there on.
I'd like to say more, but my jacket is in rewind. Victory for the major seventh!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:03 PM on May 14, 2011
I'd like to say more, but my jacket is in rewind. Victory for the major seventh!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:03 PM on May 14, 2011
And while I know that live-blogging is kind of discouraged as a rule here on MetaFilter,
On closer reading, I'm not sure I agree. Some of the more memorable threads I've read have been effectively liveblogs: election* posts, Bin Laden's death*, 9/11, major sporting events (the World Cup comes to mind) and yes, silly things like Eurovision.
*WARNING: VERY LONG THREAD
I don't think posting "Hey, here's a thing that's going on, let's post play-by-plays" is exactly in the spirit of Metafilter, but as far as I'm concerned "This is going on; here are good and relevant links, and post your updates in the thread" is fine.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:27 PM on May 14, 2011
On closer reading, I'm not sure I agree. Some of the more memorable threads I've read have been effectively liveblogs: election* posts, Bin Laden's death*, 9/11, major sporting events (the World Cup comes to mind) and yes, silly things like Eurovision.
*WARNING: VERY LONG THREAD
I don't think posting "Hey, here's a thing that's going on, let's post play-by-plays" is exactly in the spirit of Metafilter, but as far as I'm concerned "This is going on; here are good and relevant links, and post your updates in the thread" is fine.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:27 PM on May 14, 2011
Yeah, policy is more "do not make crappy posts as an excuse to chat", with a side-helping of "and let's not make it a wink-wink nudge-nudge happens every day sort of thing". That some events (predictable or otherwise) tend to lead to silly or serious realtime chatter when there's a thread tied to them is not fundamentally a problem when it's kept to a dull roar and not treated like some unquestioned given or anything.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:35 PM on May 14, 2011
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:35 PM on May 14, 2011
My dad was probably the only person in Maine to play Azerbaijan's Eurovision candidate on the radio. Strangely, they were doing really super-nasal ultra-American accents, not singing in Azerbaijanii.
posted by dunkadunc at 6:03 PM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by dunkadunc at 6:03 PM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
All I know -- all I need to know -- about Eurovision this year is what a friend of mine in Wales tweeted earlier, which is:
"I think you need to be taller to really pull off a vagina ruffle."
(Ok, so who had the vagina ruffles?)
posted by bitter-girl.com at 9:10 PM on May 14, 2011
"I think you need to be taller to really pull off a vagina ruffle."
(Ok, so who had the vagina ruffles?)
posted by bitter-girl.com at 9:10 PM on May 14, 2011
Off the top of my head, I can recall at least seven vagina ruffles:
Georgia - which was more of a green vagina optical illusion vortex* square to distract you from Jennifer Love Hewitt screaming pop metal (sorry Georgia, A for effort though).
The host, in a black number that was 60% ruffle, with one sleeve donated to the cause. — It was amusing to see her struggle with the heels such that the other host took it up himself to hoist her up...over his shoulder, American football style. Then they took turns talking to the camera by rotating 180º.
Azerbaijan and the ~4 backup singers. Which was really more like tatters in the front, ballgown in the back. Also, I don't know if anybody noticed, but the lead singer's head seemed to be on an invisible string led by her hand. She got tangled up a bit at the beginning of the song, but then seemed to figure it out. (For the record, if that happened to me, I'd be running scared too)
*adjectives placed in semi-grammatical logical order; apologies for the Chomsky-esque use of green juxtaposed with vagina.
posted by iamkimiam at 12:36 AM on May 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
Georgia - which was more of a green vagina optical illusion vortex* square to distract you from Jennifer Love Hewitt screaming pop metal (sorry Georgia, A for effort though).
The host, in a black number that was 60% ruffle, with one sleeve donated to the cause. — It was amusing to see her struggle with the heels such that the other host took it up himself to hoist her up...over his shoulder, American football style. Then they took turns talking to the camera by rotating 180º.
Azerbaijan and the ~4 backup singers. Which was really more like tatters in the front, ballgown in the back. Also, I don't know if anybody noticed, but the lead singer's head seemed to be on an invisible string led by her hand. She got tangled up a bit at the beginning of the song, but then seemed to figure it out. (For the record, if that happened to me, I'd be running scared too)
*adjectives placed in semi-grammatical logical order; apologies for the Chomsky-esque use of green juxtaposed with vagina.
posted by iamkimiam at 12:36 AM on May 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
Sorry, that should read "Georgia's lead singer..." and "the Azerbaijan female lead singer and the ~4 backup singers...", most respectively. I didn't mean to imply that a country (or a woman) *is* a vagina ruffle. Moving along now...
posted by iamkimiam at 12:50 AM on May 15, 2011
posted by iamkimiam at 12:50 AM on May 15, 2011
Had no clear favorite last night, thought the lipstick twins would hack it, but voted for Denmark and Estonia in the end. Place 5 and 24, oh well.
So now both times Germany hosted the contest something rather crappy/forgettable won. Not sure what to make of that. The voting was all over the place at first too. Strange indeed.
posted by ZeroAmbition at 1:52 AM on May 15, 2011
So now both times Germany hosted the contest something rather crappy/forgettable won. Not sure what to make of that. The voting was all over the place at first too. Strange indeed.
posted by ZeroAmbition at 1:52 AM on May 15, 2011
I'm very sad to have missed Eurovision this year, but here's hoping that an annual chatty live-action thread can become a permanent feature of MetaFilter.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:28 AM on May 15, 2011
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:28 AM on May 15, 2011
Noo I totally missed the thread! I didn't think to go back a few pages and ended up making fun of the costumes on gaming age instead...
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 3:05 AM on May 15, 2011
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 3:05 AM on May 15, 2011
Aww, hippybear, we had a blast, didn't we? Mal ganz ausgeflippt! :)
Fairies on unicycles, sand paintings, vagina ruffles, whole and half Jedwards, pointy hats, rewinding jackets, scoreteasing Polish babes - we saw it all.
And an annual virtual Eurovision party would be a real asset... though not treated like some unquestioned given or anything, eh Cortex? ;)
posted by likeso at 4:07 AM on May 15, 2011
Fairies on unicycles, sand paintings, vagina ruffles, whole and half Jedwards, pointy hats, rewinding jackets, scoreteasing Polish babes - we saw it all.
And an annual virtual Eurovision party would be a real asset... though not treated like some unquestioned given or anything, eh Cortex? ;)
posted by likeso at 4:07 AM on May 15, 2011
I just turned on Eurovision and saw Moldova. WOW.
didn't realize it had already ended though. It's airing here now. Ah well
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 4:09 AM on May 15, 2011
didn't realize it had already ended though. It's airing here now. Ah well
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 4:09 AM on May 15, 2011
Viewers in Australia did get a shout-out from the presenters at the realtime beginning. :)
And yep, Modava was declared MeFi winner. Not forgetting Iceland! (or Kattullus will get murderous)
posted by likeso at 4:14 AM on May 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
And yep, Modava was declared MeFi winner. Not forgetting Iceland! (or Kattullus will get murderous)
posted by likeso at 4:14 AM on May 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
This was fun. It's the first time I've ever been afflicted with Eurovision Fever and it was fun to experience. My temperature got close to 41° there at some point. Yeah, that's Celsius. Deel viz eet, Amerikanski!
posted by Kattullus at 6:37 AM on May 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Kattullus at 6:37 AM on May 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
This was my first Eurovision. My favorite part was Graham Norton talking back to France for not awarding the UK some points. "What?! We built a tunnel to your country????"
Oh that you have missed the glory that was Wogan to which Norton is but a shade... in those dark days of pre mass participation via Twitter (as now is The Law) it was only his dry as the Sahara wit that got you through it. Or beer.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:55 AM on May 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Oh that you have missed the glory that was Wogan to which Norton is but a shade... in those dark days of pre mass participation via Twitter (as now is The Law) it was only his dry as the Sahara wit that got you through it. Or beer.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:55 AM on May 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Moldova was a total flash-back to the early days of Channel 4 and Club X when from out of no where some commie avart-garde circus act called The Stupids would crash onto the screed and play some oomp-pah with instruments made out of bath-tubs and other bits of plumbing. And there'd be some token girlfriend in a silly dress doing something poor but circus related to just get her in the band and all the other band members who were not shagging her would give her grumpy looks. Only good.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 7:01 AM on May 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 7:01 AM on May 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
It was a lot of fun. Too bad I couldn't be there on Saturday. I did get to see the voting. Did you know the Netherlands came last with 13 points ?
posted by Pendragon at 9:24 AM on May 15, 2011
posted by Pendragon at 9:24 AM on May 15, 2011
Eurovision is definitely one of the more harmless ways to learn about the political grudges of smaller countries, so I'm glad to see it discussed all over. (And if Asiavision could climb out of development hell, we might be one step closer to a one world government).
posted by rollick at 11:48 AM on May 15, 2011
posted by rollick at 11:48 AM on May 15, 2011
I could not watch live and therefore did not participate in the thread, but I did go back and read all the comments after I watched each segment and enjoyed them very much.
posted by JanetLand at 12:35 PM on May 15, 2011
posted by JanetLand at 12:35 PM on May 15, 2011
I wasn't allowed have the laptop open last night as we watched the Eurovision, but I read over the thread today and I'm glad you guys were enjoying it. I was glad Jedward did well even though I didn't think they deserved to win (Moldova did!). I have a bit of respect for Jedward since my wife's 11 year old niece met them recently at a signing and they were all "OMG I love your shoes", "Yeah, they are SO COOOOL". She was buzzing for about a week after - which is kind of a great thing for an 11 year old kid. When I was 16 I met Frank Black (or Black Francis as he was at the time) and I picked up the courage to go over to him and mumble out some words declaring I was his biggest fan, his response was "I appreciate you being a fan and all, but I'm trying to have my lunch." So yay Jedward and fuck you Black Francis.
posted by Elmore at 2:15 PM on May 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Elmore at 2:15 PM on May 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
I missed yesterday's broadcast sadly. Is there anyplace I can watch it at this point? I'm still curious!
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 7:57 PM on May 15, 2011
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 7:57 PM on May 15, 2011
Fuck yeah Moldova. Totally robbed.
Though I just ran into a friend (who purports to hate the whole thing) and she told me the Azerbeijani entry is a total ear-worm. So they probably did something right.
posted by From Bklyn at 3:41 AM on May 16, 2011
Though I just ran into a friend (who purports to hate the whole thing) and she told me the Azerbeijani entry is a total ear-worm. So they probably did something right.
posted by From Bklyn at 3:41 AM on May 16, 2011
I missed yesterday's broadcast sadly. Is there anyplace I can watch it at this point? I'm still curious!
Here - sans commentary, but with all of the whimsy. The semis are also available in the same place, in case you want to watch some of the songs that got brutally cut before their time *coughPolandNorwayIsraelcough*
posted by SNWidget at 6:52 AM on May 16, 2011
Here - sans commentary, but with all of the whimsy. The semis are also available in the same place, in case you want to watch some of the songs that got brutally cut before their time *coughPolandNorwayIsraelcough*
posted by SNWidget at 6:52 AM on May 16, 2011
It is a source of considerable sorrow that I did not think of checking MetaFilter to see if this was up and running. Also that the semi-final system weeds out most of the true madness in the final - Moldova being an honorable exception here, but themselves only a tribute to Lithuania's unbelievably cursory but extremely successful "We are the Winners (of Eurovision)".
posted by running order squabble fest at 6:53 AM on May 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by running order squabble fest at 6:53 AM on May 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
So do people think that the "show x new posts" functionally is encouraging people to live post more?
posted by smackfu at 6:56 AM on May 16, 2011
posted by smackfu at 6:56 AM on May 16, 2011
Also that the semi-final system weeds out most of the true madness in the final
Poor, poor Dustin the Turkey and "Irlande Douze Points."
posted by SNWidget at 6:58 AM on May 16, 2011
Poor, poor Dustin the Turkey and "Irlande Douze Points."
posted by SNWidget at 6:58 AM on May 16, 2011
Poor, poor Dustin the Turkey and "Irlande Douze Points."
That was a turkey? I was sure that was Bertie Ahern.
posted by Elmore at 10:00 AM on May 16, 2011
That was a turkey? I was sure that was Bertie Ahern.
posted by Elmore at 10:00 AM on May 16, 2011
In previous years, I obtained recordings of Eurovision from not-quite-legitimate sources after the fact and watched later. Now, I use other not-quite-legitimate sources to watch it live.
How Eurovision existed without Twitter and liveblogging, I'm not sure, but they go together like Moldova and brown acid.
posted by holgate at 11:52 AM on May 16, 2011
How Eurovision existed without Twitter and liveblogging, I'm not sure, but they go together like Moldova and brown acid.
posted by holgate at 11:52 AM on May 16, 2011
I now officially regret missing out.
posted by Space Kitty at 1:14 PM on May 16, 2011
posted by Space Kitty at 1:14 PM on May 16, 2011
"Moldova's Zdob si Zdub took to the stage in tall pointy hats. The group explained that the head garments were similar to a national costume. "With these hats we have contact with the cosmic spheres. They bring some positive energy to everybody," they explained."
YES!
posted by Blasdelb at 2:02 PM on May 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
YES!
posted by Blasdelb at 2:02 PM on May 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
Yes, that was great fun -- thanks everyone in that thread, and the standard tip of the hat to the mods for letting the liveblog roll on. This was my first Eurovision, and all my real life friends (scoff!) thought I was crazy for getting up at noon for 3.5 hours of mildly baffling European pop. Their loss, clearly. :)
posted by jess at 5:46 PM on May 16, 2011
posted by jess at 5:46 PM on May 16, 2011
God, I am always late... But I was on time for the Euro thread - huge thanks to hippybear. I absolutely cherished the community silliness of it all. I'd so love it if it accidentally sort of just happened to take place next year too. Not as a right, of course, just as a lovely accidental ad hoc privilege!
posted by Jody Tresidder at 2:25 PM on May 17, 2011
posted by Jody Tresidder at 2:25 PM on May 17, 2011
Every time Eurovision arrives I'm surprised that once again it's Eurovision time already.
Eurovision comes once a year but I'm convinced that the period between the contests is shorter than the year itself. I suspect it has something to do with communications satellites and gravitational time dilation.
posted by Anything at 3:52 AM on May 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
Eurovision comes once a year but I'm convinced that the period between the contests is shorter than the year itself. I suspect it has something to do with communications satellites and gravitational time dilation.
posted by Anything at 3:52 AM on May 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
Popbitch's theory on why Azerbaijan won:
"As Graham Norton said on the night there was disappointment in the stadium that it wasn't one of the crowd's favourite songs". So how did Azerbaijan win? Well we want to buy the crazier conspiracy theories going around that they bought it but the truth is probably a lot simpler than that. Two things did it.
"One - there was no Turkey in the final, therefore Azerbaijan got all the Turkish diaspora vote. Two - there was no stand-out song. The standard was high - with 20 out of 25 songs (inc UK) gaining top marks, but nothing was universally loved. So Azerbaijan's inoffensive camp-son-and-glam- mum-does-snow-patrol-meets-Disney-karaoke snuck through, albeit with the the lowest percentage of the vote since 1973. Bring it on, Baku!"
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:35 PM on May 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
"As Graham Norton said on the night there was disappointment in the stadium that it wasn't one of the crowd's favourite songs". So how did Azerbaijan win? Well we want to buy the crazier conspiracy theories going around that they bought it but the truth is probably a lot simpler than that. Two things did it.
"One - there was no Turkey in the final, therefore Azerbaijan got all the Turkish diaspora vote. Two - there was no stand-out song. The standard was high - with 20 out of 25 songs (inc UK) gaining top marks, but nothing was universally loved. So Azerbaijan's inoffensive camp-son-and-glam- mum-does-snow-patrol-meets-Disney-karaoke snuck through, albeit with the the lowest percentage of the vote since 1973. Bring it on, Baku!"
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:35 PM on May 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by The Whelk at 3:29 PM on May 14, 2011