In the Year of our Lord of COVID Issue #22 Good Afternoon, internet!
Weight: 314.4
Days since efficacy: 10
Mood: Eurovisioned
Good afternoon, internet! Lisa calling from downtown Louisville where it’s 90F/32C and I’m ensconced in a dark room with a fan on me. (Our central air died, and AC peeps can’t get here till tomorrow.)
Last night was the grand finale of Eurovision! Ever since we saw it when we were in Amsterdam for our honeymoon back in 2010, and stoned to boot which made it more fun, it has become a must watched yearly event in our household.
If you haven’t seen it, or heard of it, I will describe it thusly: Imagine 39 European countries (Russia, Israel, and Australia also compete) sending their “best” singers and bands to compete in a show of pride and allegiance to their countries. Anything goes. To wit: Poland (2014), Romania (2013), Iceland (2019), Finland (2006), Montenegro (2013), and Latvia (2014). Vulture has also put together a list of some of the craziest Eurovision performances.
This year, Peacock TV has the semi-finals and grand finale available to watch, uncut and with no commercials for the premium subscribers. Totaling eight hours of music goodness, if you don’t have time for all eight hours, I recommend the grand finale which clocks in at four.
If you don’t have Peacock, or get your hands on a Peacock login, use a VPN to head over to BBC iPlayer for Eurovision hosted by Graham Norton. He’s always delightful.
And if you can’t get access to Peacock or a VPN (I do recommend SurfShark or NordVPN IKE if you’re looking for suggestions), then head over to Eurovision’s official YouTube channel where while you may be able to watch the individual entries.
There is also finding the semi-finals and grand finale via other means on the internet but I’ll let you work that one out yourself.
Brings alcohol, snacks, and get ready to shout “douze points” a lot.
FINALLY, but not lastly, hie thee over to Netflix for the Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdam’s 2020 smash hit: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga which will give you a taste of what Eurovision is all about. (A hilarious parody I tell you what.)
(Sadly, there was no version of “Ja-Ja Ding Dong” in the official contest this year. Pity.)
Eurovision just awesome, and awful, and spectacular, and joyful, and unicorn and rainbows all at once. Thank god the show doesn’t take itself too seriously but what really comes to the interesting bits is the geopolitics played when the voting is open to each of the countries who participated in the contest. It’s a mad dash of figuring out who is friends with who and who hates who. There is also some shock and awe in the mix.
Also, lots of drunk hosts to match the drunk viewers.
The winner is announced by the total combination of jury and public voting. There is no guarantee that a top act by the jury, who give their scores first, will win. It’s an anything goes situation.
Winning country hosts for the following year and the process is starts all over again.
(One thing is guaranteed is the UK typically never gets out of the bottom 5 and this year Europe gave a big fuck you to the UK via point distribution. We cackled with glee when the points were totaled (or in UKs situation, not totaled)).
So that’s Eurovision in a nutshell. I did not think I’d write over 700 words on my yearly joy but here we are.
And oh! Check out Cat Valente’s Space Opera if you’ve ever wondered what Eurovision would be like in space.
Finally, n.b. The gentlemen who was cold to the touch in the last week’s Blotter was indeed dead. Several of you asked about him and that is what my research tells me.
Wonderful Thing
Eurovision. Of course.
Interesting Things (or things to buy)
I’ve added computer parts and electronics (Chromebook, Google Mini, and so on) to my Pops collection on eBay.
Links to Read That are Not (Terribly) Depressing
Adult Swim Announces Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Metalocalypse, and Venture Bros. Movies
Michael Sheen reciting Dylan Thomas’ do not go gentle into that good night is sublime
Don’t be an ass. Wear a damned mask. Unless you’re fully vaxxed but don’t be stupid.
lisa x
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