Eurovision 2024: Malmö Arena

But yes, their official line was that they objected to it becoming ’a homosexual flotilla’

Hungary will not participate in next year’s Eurovision song contest, amid speculation the decision was taken because the competition is “too gay” for the taste of the country’s far-right government and public media bosses.

While no official reason has been given for the withdrawal, the move comes amid an increase in homophobic rhetoric in Hungary, where the anti-migration prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has launched a “family first” policy aimed at helping traditional families and boosting birth rates.

Earlier this year, the speaker of the Hungarian parliament compared same-sex adoption to paedophilia, while a pro-government television commentator referred to Eurovision as “a homosexual flotilla” and said not participating would benefit the nation’s mental health.
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:disco:
 
I'm friends with a Hungarian girl here in Reykjavík. I once asked her about the general mood her home country and instead she decided to tell me a story as a response..."Me and my sister were checking out at a supermarket and laughing about an inside joke. The cashier looked at us and said..'and why exactly are you so happy??" :D but also :(
 
The running orders will be revealed "shortly" INCLUDING the Big 5 and Sweden's performance positions in the semi-finals.

I'm dripping.
 
Pingu said:
The running orders will be revealed "shortly" INCLUDING the Big 5 and Sweden's performance positions in the semi-finals.

I'm dripping.
Click to expand...
I guess this means we are going to see the Big 5 and Sweden earlier than usual from a rehearsal perspective also.

Poisoned lanyards at the ready girls!
 
Last minute predictions, anyone?

Semi One

1. Cyprus
2. Ireland
3. Lithuania
4. Poland
5. Ukraine
6. United Kingdom
7. Croatia
8. Serbia
9. Iceland
10. Azerbaijan
11. Finland
12. Germany
13. Slovenia
14. Australia
15. Portugal
16. Moldova
17. Luxembourg
18. Sweden

Semi Two

1. Malta
2. Czechia
3. Denmark
4. Albania
5. Armenia
6. France
7. Switzerland
8. Greece
9. Austria
10. San Marino
11. Estonia
12. Spain
13. Israel
14. Norway
15. Belgium
16. Georgia
17. Latvia
18. Netherlands
19. Italy
 
Predictions

Semi 1
1. Cyprus
2. Poland
3. Serbia
4. Lithuania
5. Ireland
GERMANY
6. Ukraine
7. Croatia
8. Australia
9. Slovenia
10. Iceland
SWEDEN
11. Azerbaijan
12. Portugal
13. Finland
14. Moldova
15. Luxembourg
UNITED KINGDOM

Semi 2
1. Austria
2. Albania
3. Czechia
4. Switzerland
5. Malta
FRANCE
6. Armenia
7. Denmark
8. Greece
9. Latvia
10. Estonia
11. Israel
ITALY
12. San Marino
13. Georgia
14. Belgium
15. Norway
16. The Netherlands
SPAIN
 
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Semi-final 1
01. Cyprus
02. Poland
03. Lithuania
04. Serbia
05. Germany
06. Ireland
07. Ukraine
08. Croatia
09. Australia
10. United Kingdom
11. Moldova
12. Luxembourg
13. Portugal
14. Iceland
15. Sweden
16. Azerbaijan
17. Slovenia
18. Finland

Semi-final 2
01. Austria
02. Albania
03. Czechia
04. Malta
05. Spain
06. Denmark
07. Armenia
08. Switzerland
09. Greece
10. France
11. Estonia
12. Latvia
13. Georgia
14. Netherlands
15. Italy
16. Israel
17. San Marino
18. Belgium
19. Norway
 
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The first pre-party took place in Madrid yesterday, love the group photo with Kaleen in fluorescent orange stealing focus :disco:


VChB2HH.jpeg


UmcAKR9.jpeg
 
So today the hysteria can start about which previously hotly-tipped entry can’t sing a note live?
 
VoR said:
a pro-government television commentator referred to Eurovision as “a homosexual flotilla” and said not participating would benefit the nation’s mental health.
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I mean, they’re not completely wrong. We’ve seen the devastating effects of some national finals on people’s sanity :eyes:
 
Bambie Thug dressed as a boozy Capri-Sun. It's fashion!
 
That guy from Latvia looks like when you and your friends take a group photo on a night out, and then the next morning none of you have a clue who he was or how he got into your picture.
 
He has the energy of someone who’s travelled from another dimension to give you a dire warning.
 
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I think the concert's actually tonight, everything so far has been pre-event build up.
 
Yes I’m in Madrid and last night we had most of the artists coming out and waving their flags (Sarah Bonnici gained a thousand dignity points for being bored and going back to her hotel before that bit), then a performance from Nebulossa followed by two hours of Benidorm Fest acts that people didn’t like as much.
 
Madrid party was tonight. My top three:

1. Switzerland (stole the show)
2. Italy (absolute class act)
3. Armenia (big crowd pleaser)

Flop three:
1. Ireland (the self-belief outstrips the talent)
2. Belgium (there’s just something unsettling about him, and he thinks he’s Freddy Mercury)
3. Albania (boring)
 
I assume this is the other "big change"... and I can see some people being really pissed off but not quite being able to articulate why:

eurovision.tv

Malmö 2024: Producers to get more “choice” in deciding Grand Final running order

The 68th Eurovision Song Contest introduces a change in how the Grand Final running order is decided. Artists can draw a performance in the First Half, in the Second Half, or there's now a brand-new third option!
eurovision.tv eurovision.tv
 
It’s hard to object to a measure that prevents another El and Nikki. But leaving something as important as running order to the whim of producers still feels icky. The branding ‘producers choice’ bizarrely leans into this.

I wished they would say that there are strict guidelines from the EBU on what should be and should not be taken into account (or better still publish the guidelines), and/or stress that independent people from the EBU will be part of the process of signing off the running order.
 
To be honest it's an entertainment show and it's not good for anyone to have to sit through five randomly selected no-hopers in a row, but I don't see much point in having a handful picked out of a hat still.
 
I’m not sure what the benefit of this change is

The producers will continue to bury the no hopers, and the favourites will surely continue to get decent positions nearer the end of each half of the draw. It will simply be more noticeable.
 
Do we not remember the VERY DULL second half of the 2022 final?
 
Pingu said:
I assume this is the other "big change"... and I can see some people being really pissed off but not quite being able to articulate why:

eurovision.tv

Malmö 2024: Producers to get more “choice” in deciding Grand Final running order

The 68th Eurovision Song Contest introduces a change in how the Grand Final running order is decided. Artists can draw a performance in the First Half, in the Second Half, or there's now a brand-new third option!
eurovision.tv eurovision.tv
Click to expand...
I can articulate why....there's a balance to be struck between creating an entertaining and interesting show, and a small number of individuals having control over which song goes where and shafting others in the process(whether intentional or not).

This creeps over the line I feel.
 
It's very tiring that a man has been given that much authority to do whatever he wants with the contest for such a long time. It would be quicker and simpler if he appointed himself as the supreme authority to decide the winner from the start and get done with it.
 
In essence that's already happened, but it's the reasons he makes up everytime that are very tiring for me. Just own your decisions, don't try to sell it, it's not like we have a saying.
 
I suppose it’s another LAYER of DISCUSSION to add to the mindless WITTERING ON we partake in between the semi and the finals, so I’m GRATEFUL for that AT LEAST.
 
I suppose another benefit is that we don’t run the risks of all the favourites being piled up in the first half.
 
Lucille said:
I suppose it’s another LAYER of DISCUSSION to add to the mindless WITTERING ON we partake in between the semi and the finals, so I’m GRATEFUL for that AT LEAST.
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At least last year we had Peppa Pig to pull us through. Who’s the Swedish version of Peppa, Anna Book?
 
Björkman definitely has a habit of this sort of overreach but to be fair I think it's fairly academic. The favourites will still be the favourites and will likely do well from wherever. He's never going to shove Switzerland or Croatia out in second.

It will be interesting to see where the favourites do land, since it's so open this year. I would assume they'd quite like a Swiss win for an über safe pair of hands next year. Croatia are obviously lobbying hard as well, so it depends how credible their case for hosting is, whereas they may try to subtly undermine Italy and Ukraine as the former fumbled the ball a bit in 2022 and the latter brings a whole extra layer of complication.
 
Soldi said:
I suppose another benefit is that we don’t run the risks of all the favourites being piled up in the first half.
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True, but it really doesn’t feel right that’s it’s now in the hands of production which of those favourites gets a plum spot.
 
VoR said:
Björkman definitely has a habit of this sort of overreach but to be fair I think it's fairly academic. The favourites will still be the favourites and will likely do well from wherever. He's never going to shove Switzerland or Croatia out in second.

It will be interesting to see where the favourites do land, since it's so open this year. I would assume they'd quite like a Swiss win for an über safe pair of hands next year. Croatia are obviously lobbying hard as well, so it depends how credible their case for hosting is, whereas they may try to subtly undermine Italy and Ukraine as the former fumbled the ball a bit in 2022 and the latter brings a whole extra layer of complication.
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Which host was it that first brought us the dreadful spectacle of announcing the winner before the voting was concluded? I’m pretty sure it happened in 2014 but did Sweden first pull the stunt in 2013? One of the very worst production innovations we have seen (and thankfully not really feasible with the current voting format).
 
Yes they did that from 2013-2015. I can't quite believe it took them three years to walk it back :D
 
It’s just another element that moves it away from a totally fair playing field and that doesn’t really sit right, although I suppose it’s not massively different to what we had previously. I’m not sure why we have to have changes every time Sweden hosts :confused: It feels like a change for the sake of it
 
I think it was initially a logistical decision due to the greenroom in Malmö being about a mile away from the stage, so we wouldn’t have an interminable amount of dead time while they made their way to the stage, but it somehow stuck.
 
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