A Bit Of A Stretch...

[Pocket_Rocket]

I still think it's weird that Israel compete in Eurovision, but really, AUSTRALIA!!!
Apparently a one-off, and they can only return if they win.
Guess who's gonna win this year then?


http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/feb/10/eurovision-song-contest-invites-australia-to-join-worlds-biggest-party

[VHG]

Well the Tour de France started in England last year so anything is possible.

[Buenchico]

Several Australian broadcast organisations have long been Associate Members of the European Broadcasting Union (which organises the Eurovision Song Contest), so it might be seen as a nice gesture to allow Australia to enter the competition as a 'one-off'.

If the policy is continued, so that other Associate Members are occasionally invited to enter, we can look forward to watching entries from all of these countries!
http://www3.ebu.ch/about/members?type=associate

[mikey4444]

I passed caring what happened at the ruddy Eurovision Song Contest many, many years ago, Pocket Rocket, about the time Sandy Shore won, with "Puppet on a string" ( I wonder what happened to her ? )

But as a man, with a great big beard, pretending to be a woman, won last year, there is very little left that will surprise about this entirely unnecessary and vacuous annual event.

[ichkeria]

I can't wait for complaints about the "Antipodean block vote"

Anyway, the greatest night of the year is only 3 months away (and on this occasion I am not talking about the night Ed trounces Dave and boots him out of Number 10) :-)

[jno]

Sandy Shaw was on Jools Holland's New Year's Eve show a couple of years back. If you want to keep up with here you can find her here

http://www.sandieshaw.com/

[jno]

... in fact she first tried out Puppet on a String on the Rolf Harris show - I'm surprised you've forgotten that, mikey!

[mikey4444]

jno....I am trying to purge my memory of everything associated with Mr Harris !

[agchristie]

Funnily enough one of my all time favourite songs came from Eurovision! The 1988 Luxembourg entry 'Croire' (Trust) sung by Lara Fabian, who was touted by many to be the next Celine Dion who, incidentally, won the event that year singing for Switzerland!

Anyway, just a useless piece of information ;-)

[Hopkirk]

The Aussie Gina G sang in 1996.

[ichkeria]

There's actually some good stuff in Eurovision although the music isn't really the point of it. Last year's winner tested my patience but it's all part of the fun

[Pocket_Rocket]

But the point is, Australia isn't European - nor is Israel.

[mikey4444]

ichkeria....as I said, this daft song contest stopped "testing my patience" many years ago, but what exactly IS the point of it ?

Am I missing something here ?

[mallyh]

why do we bother to enter with the biased voting .wonder where we would have come if for instance girls aloud had entered with the promise or someother top group .

[andy-hughes]

Pocket_Rocket - "Question Author

But the point is, Australia isn't European - nor is Israel."

The eligibility for countries is not geographical - you don't need to be physically within the European borders to enter the contest.

The criteria is being a country that receives broadcasts from the Eurovision broadcast network, Israel does, and so does Australia - hence their inclusion.

[Pocket_Rocket]

Ah - I didn't know that AH.

[andy-hughes]

P_R - a lot of people don't.

Every time the Contest rolls round, we have a rash of posts about countries not being 'in Europe', but that's the reason why they are included.

[bhg481]

The Eurovision Song Contest was started to celebrate the fact that we could finally receive grainy black and white television pictures from outside our own countries. It has just evolved and matured. Perhaps it should be renamed.

[weecalf]

Guy went to doc with third listener ,doc said "What ?another ear"

[Hopkirk]

We'll give Australia 12 points, if they do the same for us.

[ichkeria]

"ichkeria....as I said, this daft song contest stopped "testing my patience" many years ago, but what exactly IS the point of it ?

Am I missing something here ? "

Well I am a fan, you aren't mikey. And I think we should leave it at that :-) Some like it some don't. I actually think it is a bit silly Australia being in it. But hopefully a one-off. If there was any chance of a "fix" I'd have thought it would be that Australia DIDN'T win it, as it would mean holding the context there presumably which I can't imagine anyone really wants.