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Asian 'Eurovision' to take place
One word: Awesome-tastic.
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ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus Suffering From Long Term Memory Loss
Ulvaeus, 58, (on the far right) has tried everything to cure his condition, including hypnosis, but nothing has helped him recover his lost memories.
The father of four composed the music for the Mamma Mia! stage music, the recently released film version of which has enjoyed the biggest film opening for a musical in the UK and been credited with generating an ABBA revival.
But for Ulvaeus, it will be as though seeing the band's popularity for the first time.
His condition has even made him forget their Eurovision victory in Brighton with their best-known song Waterloo - a victory that was instrumental in propelling them onto the world stage and making them one of the world's best selling bands, shifting almost 400 million records in total.
"It is like I was not even there," he said. Ulvaeus, 58, (on the far right) has tried everything to cure his condition, including hypnosis, but nothing has helped him recover his... more -
Eurovision Bomb Contest
2008's Eurovision Song Contest has come to an end, but the ridiculous song performances will live on forever on the internet, and help us all feel a little better about American music. 2008's Eurovision Song Contest has come to an end, but the ridiculous song performances will live on forever on the internet, and... more
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United Kingdom Talk Tuesday 3rd June 2008
Tuesday's edition of my three times a week talk show. Watch the show here on Current TV on Tues, Thurs & Sats.
In today's show :
Someone has stolen my apostrophe.
It goes down further and further.
Music breaks down boundaries.
Lighting.
Cats and how much they eat in the Summer.
The Eurovision Song Contest.
Chilly outside.
Searching.
Karaoke woes.
Hard drives.
What would it be like if we all looked the same ?
Sign language.
Terrible songs.
Some producers have more talent than others.
Voting for your friends.
Disappointment.
Welcome Connor.
Being ripped off in clubs.
Ironing board cover.
A fight.
http://unitedkingdomtalk.forums4free.org/
Email :
chris@unitedkingdomtalk.co.uk
www.chrisreardon.co.uk Tuesday's edition of my three times a week talk show. Watch the show here on Current TV on Tues, Thurs & Sats. ... more -
Bloc voting mars Eurovision song contest
Showbusiness stars and politicians yesterday joined Sir Terry Wogan's attack on the integrity of the Eurovision song contest after Russia romped home thanks to bloc voting from its near-neighbours. Wogan is threatening not to commentate on the show again and is suggesting that a musical iron curtain may fall on the competition, with western European countries breaking away from their eastern rivals.
Arriving back at Heathrow from Belgrade, where the 53rd contest was staged, Wogan said: "You have various blocs voting. We've got nobody to vote for us.
"I think the British music industry and the BBC really have to look at this and see how they can avoid this yearly debacle. At the very beginning of the year I said Russia would win for political reasons and they did."
He said Russia had "begun to be a bit bearish again" and added: "I think the former countries of the USSR are feeling a little nervous. The voting used to be about the songs. Now it's about national prejudices. We are on our own. We had a very good song, a very good singer. We came joint last. I don't want to be presiding over another debacle." Fellow stars backed Wogan, who has been involved in what some see as an annual cringefest since the 1970s. Bruce Forsyth said: "It's not a song contest any more, it's political. It's all so biased, it's developed into a farce. I've stopped watching it." Asked about Wogan's role in the show, he said: "As long as they don't ask me to do it, I don't care." Pop svengali Simon Cowell said: "If people enjoy it as entertainment, that's great, but it's all a bit empty and meaningless as a competition."
Public relations expert Max Clifford added: "It's like having a World Cup where the results are worked out in political terms and it's got nothing to do with who scores the most goals."
The Liberal Democrat MP Richard Younger-Ross has tabled a Commons motion condemning the voting as "a joke". He said: "It is clear that the voting system is based on countries either supporting their friends or not voting for those they dislike. The BBC is one of the four main funders of the competition, and should withdraw their contribution until a time when there is a fair voting system."
The BBC was not commenting on Wogan's remarks or the calls for it to withdraw its funding yesterday. But it is very unlikely to pull the plug on the contest, after revealing that 9.3 million viewers tuned in on Saturday night - an audience share of just under 50%.
Wogan's wry commentary is a highlight of the BBC's coverage but his irony turned to barely disguised anger as eastern European, Iberian and Nordic neighbours voted for each other. The Russian entry, Dima Bilan, accompanied by a manic fiddle player and an Olympic champion figure skater who pirouetted around the stage, won comfortably.
As it became clear that the British entry, Even If, by former dustman Andy Abraham, was going to finish joint last, Wogan said: "I'm afraid nobody loves the United Kingdom ... is it funny any more?"
Later he suggested it had been common knowledge that Russia was going to win. "The word went out it was Russia's turn," said Wogan.
When Ukraine awarded Russia the maximum 12 points, Wogan commented: "Ukraine want to be absolutely sure that the electricity and the oil flows through." As Latvia did the same he said it knew which side its bread was buttered on. Over the closing titles he said it could be "goodnight western Europe".
Naturally, the Russians were delighted. The prime minister, Vladimir Putin, sent the victor a telegram, calling the win "one more important triumph for all of Russia". Showbusiness stars and politicians yesterday joined Sir Terry Wogan's attack on the integrity of the Eurovision song contest afte... more -
Wogan backed over Eurovision attack
Eruovision Song Contest commentator Sir Terry Wogan has won support from prominent figures in showbusiness for his criticisms of the competition.
On Saturday night Sir Terry cast doubt on whether he would be involved in covering the event again, after doing so since the 1970s.
He said it was "no longer a music contest" and that prospects for Western European participants were "poor".
Showbusiness legend Bruce Forsyth said: "I agree with him. It's not a song contest any more, it's political. It's all so biased, it's developed into a farce. I've stopped watching it, the last couple of years."
Forsyth said he had always admired Sir Terry - "His radio show has been so successful." And asked about the future of the show and Sir Terry's role in it, he quipped: "As long as they don't ask me to do it, I don't care!" Eruovision Song Contest commentator Sir Terry Wogan has won support from prominent figures in showbusiness for his criticisms of the c... more -
The science behind Eurovision's voting
Eurovision has long been known as a festival of political fraudulence. True patriots attempt to flaunt the rules and all this is done using popmusic as the weapon of choice. Eurovision has long been known as a festival of political fraudulence. True patriots attempt to flaunt the rules and all this is done ... more
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Eurovision frenchman to sing in English?
Frenchman Sebastien Tellier is in the eye of a growing storm for planning to sing in English in the upcoming Eurovision contest, prompting political outrage and suggestions that he is a turncoat.
The 33-year-old electro sensation sparked ripples in his country by deciding to perform his song 'Divine' with almost exclusively English lyrics in the competition. Frenchman Sebastien Tellier is in the eye of a growing storm for planning to sing in English in the upcoming Eurovision contest, promp... more -
Cliff Miffed
It's not everyday that you hear Franco and Cliff Richard referred to in the same sentence, but here you have it.
It was claimed last night by Spanish TV director Fernandez Vila that Franco used his weight in the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest to push his country's entry 'La La La' to victory.
Vila announced that Spain's success was secured by Spanish TV execs bribing other countries in exchange for buying TV series from them. Franco is framed in this in wanting to "enhance Spain's international reputation", and Cliff lost to Spain by one point.
However, the last laugh is with Cliff as he continues to bask in the international success of 'Congratulations', as 'La La La' no longer features anywhere. It seems not even evil dictator Franco can keep down the might of Cliff. Nicely done Cliff. It's not everyday that you hear Franco and Cliff Richard referred to in the same sentence, but here you have it. ... more -
Sebastien Tellier for Eurovision
Sebastien Tellier, the electro-pop star who has been chosen to represent France at this year's kitsch sing-a-long, has incurred the wrath of the French establishment after it became clear that the song he is set to perform, Divine, contains some lyrics in English. Sebastien Tellier, the electro-pop star who has been chosen to represent France at this year's kitsch sing-a-long, has incurred t... more
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