I hadn’t realised things had become so nasty on the Israeli side in 2024: Revealed: The EBU's warning letter to Israel's Eurovision delegation
Can the contest even survive, I wonder.
Get rid of Israel - and weren’t Australia invited? - and stick to mainland Europe, plus the UK, Ireland and Iceland. It might stand a chance then but it has become very factional.
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I think it has outlived its usefulness.
It was started to supposedly help bring the countries of Europe together after the war, and at a time when there was no internet and TV etc was in its infancy.
But it’s always been quite factional in terms of voting (e.g. Greece and Cyprus always giving each other “douze points” and nul to Turkey), and also is so expensive to stage that national broadcasters tend to cross their fingers that their nation won’t win!
It also seems daft that non-European nations like Israel and Australia are allowed to compete. If they want to have everybody they need to change the name to Globalvision!
And some of the acts have been pretty weird - I know we are supposed to be politically correct these days but the sight of a bearded bloke in a frock competing for Israel was a bit much!
I confess though that I haven’t watched it for years, pretty much the only reason for watching was the sardonic remarks from Graham Norton (and Terry Wogan before him).
I remember in the late 90s we had my brother Andy’s American wife and father-in-law over here (we were all going on to the Red Sea to go scuba diving) and I’m ashamed to say we subjected them to watching the Song Contest. 
They sat there open mouthed that such a thing would be broadcast in its entirety and without commercial breaks of any kind!
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Do you remember the episode of Father Ted which was based on the idea that Ireland’s entry had to be so bad there was no risk of its winning?
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Yes that was fabulous! “My Lovely Horse”!!
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We love Father Ted. I don’t remember that episode though, will have to have a look for it on Youtube.
Father Jack should be the MC this year.
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I don’t think his limited vocabulary is up to it. 
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Imagine his reaction to Dana International (I think that was the name, not that I’ve ever watched the programme of course)
And Conchita Wurst. Who is the one I was thinking of above - Austrian not Israeli. But Dana Wotsit ws Israeli I think?
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Same as the Eurovision film, the government didn’t want Will Ferrel to win because of the cost and. the elves killed him, the government man that is.
The Wikipaedia entry for Craggy Island reads like a plotline for Father Ted…
“The real Craggy Island”
'A dispute between the three constituent Aran Islands in Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland, began in early 2007. Inishmore, Inishmaan and Inisheer engaged in a battle, aiming to be labelled as ‘the real Craggy Island’. The battle for tourist revenues and a quest for authenticity has been pursued by fans through Father Ted film clips since. A three-day Father Ted festival, staged on Inishmore, prompted inhabitants of the island to claim kinship with the genuine Craggy Island.[3] The event, known as Ted Fest, or The Friends of Father Ted Festival, has since taken place on the island every year since,[4] and events include Priest’s Dance Off, The Lovely Girls competition and Ted’s Got Talent.[5]
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Last year’s winner has returned their trophy.
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That was true. Having been delighted to win in ‘94, the State broadcaster, RTE, was very worried that it could win again in ‘95 and that the cost of hosting it two years in a row would clobber its finances. The whole Country breathed a sigh of relief when Ireland came in 14th. Then gasped in horror the following year when they won again. I think “feck Euovision” was the dominant sentiment.
The gay community would be devastated if Eurovision went. My gay friends dress up in outlandish costumes and ‘party like it’s 1999’. They don’t actually like Eurovision itself, but it is a gay institution now.
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