231 Poop Chaos === [00:00:00] Ben: United by Stepping in it. Hello and welcome to the Eurowhat, episode 231, dropping on May 10th, 2024. We are a pair of Americans trying to make sense of the Eurovision Song Contest. I'm Ben Smith and I'm here with my co host, Mike McComb. Hey Mike! [00:00:29] Mike: Hi Ben. [00:00:30] Ben: This episode is our Eurovision 2024 grand final preview. I second that level of tiredness. I have watched so many rehearsals at this point this week but yes. [00:00:40] Mike: Yeah, my, my eyes need a nap. We shall persevere. It's, uh, as we say, the Eurovision Fortnite is a marathon, not a sprint, even though it is a marathon run at a sprint pace. [00:00:52] Corrections: Robyn Edition --- [00:00:52] Mike: Before we dive too deep into the last couple of days, we do have a correction, from our episode with Chris Melanthi. Chris W. wrote in to, tip us off that I had made the offhand comment that Robin would never write a song for Melfest. Uh, turns out Robin did write a song for Melfest in 1997. she co wrote Du Hormigal Ajen, uh, which finished fourth. Robin was 17 at the time, so that is like super, super impressive. [00:01:20] Ben: Yes. [00:01:20] Mike: I also want to stress that Chris sent us that note. Shortly after we had recorded our previous episode, which is why we didn't include it then, and it was before they had mentioned it in the second semi final, so yeah, weird timey wimey stuff is happening right now, so. [00:01:37] Ben: Yep. Yep. We found out about it before, so like, I was not surprised when we were watching that, although I was sitting there through that little history lesson just being like, this is some real podcast content stuff. [00:01:48] Mike: Oh man, yeah, as the person who presented the episode on, like, communications history that included Napoleon III, I found that super boring, so I don't know what Normies thought of that segment. [00:02:00] Ben: that was just like, pure podcast sickos content, and like, I'm sickos. I enjoyed it. [00:02:06] Mike: Yeah, it was actually kind of funny in the very first tech rehearsal, they played that segment and it was probably twice as long and they cut in the middle of that segment because it's just like, yeah, it's boring. [00:02:17] Ben: Just, [00:02:18] Mike: move this [00:02:18] Ben: the room was realizing, oh, we kept the draft? [00:02:22] Mike: Yeah. So, the final version that appeared on screen was better, but, yeah, sickos. Yes. Ha ha ha. Yes. So. [00:02:32] Eurovision Semi-Final 1 in Review --- [00:02:32] Ben: Let's dive into semi final one, let's start there, let's talk about this week. We have qualifiers, the, contestants from semi final one that will be in the grand final are Serbia. Portugal, Slovenia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland, and Luxembourg. Mike, exciting news, we now have a second, country that has always made it out of the semifinals into the final. [00:02:57] Mike: Sure. I, like, I feel like there's a big asterisk next to Luxembourg since this is their first semi final. Congratulations, Luxembourg, give Ukraine a run for their money, like, make them work for it. [00:03:07] Ben: Make them work for it, yeah. [00:03:10] Mike: Yeah, and you did pretty well with the predictions. You got 8 out of 10. I did okay. I got seven out of 10. Uh, we both thought Australia and Iceland were going to make it through, uh, pouring one out for Australia in particular. I also had Poland in my 10 and yeah, Poland did not make it, which I'm still a little surprised about, but if it's revealed that that one was in 11th place, I, yeah, that, that would [00:03:32] Ben: Yeah, like, I would agree, I still think that one was, just staging wise, it had Poland's brand of maximalism, but I think they were doing just like maybe a little too much because like, we had two outfit reveals by the start of the first chorus. [00:03:46] Mike: hmm. Yeah, like they were really trying to pack in all of the, practical effects, like they weren't really using the visual effects that, uh, I think we've grown accustomed to from, Poland, [00:03:56] Ben: Yeah, maybe their Windows Movie Maker subscription has lapsed. [00:04:00] Mike: budgets are tight this year. [00:04:01] Ben: Mm hmm. Yeah, oh, and then like, the fun thing I discovered, that I kinda wish I had found this in the lead up to all of this, but, Lyre, Subcyprus's entry, is the Greek entry that had legal issues in 2023. [00:04:15] Mike: Oh man, when you texted me this on Tuesday night, I was floored. It was like, oh man, because I was very curious what song was part of that litigation. And I'm glad that we got to experience it. But man, there is, I think there's a lot of behind the scenes drama happening between and Cyprus right now that I want all the dirt on. [00:04:36] Ben: The main reason that I unearthed this was just, I saw somebody on one of the social networks going, Has anybody checked in with Melissa Manzoukas? And I was like, what do you mean? And then I was like, well, surely it's just a different song called Liar, and then did some more digging. And he was like, oh, nope, this Cyprus's entry. [00:04:50] Mike: Oh man, that is wild. [00:04:52] Ben: just sort of like the whole Sinit vs. Azerbaijan moment. Cleopatra, there are some people who are very happy to sit on a song for a year. [00:05:01] Mike: Yep, that's where the fun in Semi Final 1 kinda ends. Uh, yeah, things are getting very serious in Malmo, uh, this week, as you might imagine. Erik Sade was one of the opening performers. it was three performances from Eleni Ferreira, Eric Sada, and Chanel. And during Eric Sada's performance, he was wearing a keffiyeh around his wrist as he was performing Popular. SVT and the EBU were not happy about that at all and of publicly admonished him after the fact he said on social media that he got this scarf from his father as a little boy to never forget where our people are from. Back then, I didn't know it would one day be called a political symbol. It's like calling Dalla Hasten, which is a Swedish traditional horse statue, calling that a political symbol. Uh, in my eyes, it's only racism. I just wanted to include and wear something that felt real to me. Yes! I, I completely agree with Eriksana on [00:06:04] Ben: Yeah! that, that is, part of his identity, he is a Swedish Palestinian singer, the reaction to it, to me, like, the fact that this performance hasn't been uploaded is kind of ridiculous, the fact that both the EBU and SVT are reacting the way they are is kind of ridiculous, so, there we go. [00:06:19] Mike: It was particularly galling during the second semi final, uh, and I will only mention this now because we have more galling stuff about the second semi final a little bit later, where they were, showing off the merch like, you get a t shirt! Or a trendy bucket hat. And it's like, hmm, have bucket hats been political symbols recently? I'm trying to remember Eurovision. so yeah, there's already a lot of double standards, triple standards. I, yeah, this has been a very frustrating couple of days. [00:06:46] Ben: Yes, well, especially because we're also getting word that, artists are being patted down to check to make sure they're not hiding flags, or changing their costume elements, or other symbols, because Bambi Thug talked about, during the press conference, that part of the makeup in AuGum was some text like ceasefire, and that was not allowed beyond Crown the Witch. Australia's Yidaki player, Fred Leone, added a watermelon after a patdown to his makeup. [00:07:11] Mike: We're trying to keep tabs on all of these, I don't even want to call them controversies, because that doesn't feel like the right word, but like all of these incidents that, are popping up this weekend. There are a lot of them and, uh, yeah, we are recording this not too long after the second semi final, so there's probably stuff that we will miss, between, uh, When we record and when this episode goes live. But we are doing a tying up loose ends episode in a couple weeks to really make sure that we capture as much of this as possible and the outcomes, if there are any. Because, yeah, it's, messy. Mess, [00:07:50] Ben: Yeah. Messy. United by stepping in it. Uh, [00:07:54] Mike: back to, like, the actual semi final one results, were there any other surprises beyond, not all of your picks getting through? [00:08:01] Ben: morning of, I watched the Family Show footage and was trying to put together a list and, like, ended up changing my mind, was still 8 for 10 between both lists. I had added Cyprus and dropped Slovenia, so I thought Slovenia was good. Slovenia seemed surprised that they made it through, like they had been feeling like, Oh, I think we went too minimal, so like they seemed pleasantly surprised that they're in the mix. [00:08:20] Mike: Yes, and it is kind of weird this season. It really does feel like there are matchups within the semi finals, where it's like, okay, you've got, like, Slovenia versus Ireland. which which? Will be [00:08:33] Ben: Mentally I'm just like, well, surely the Bad Witch gets through, surely, like, Cause like, that staging elevated that song so much. [00:08:40] Mike: Oh yeah, like I mean I still don't really care for the song and I don't really expect it to be on any playlists or really going back to it after this contest, but yeah, Ireland, Bambi Thug, absolutely did everything they needed to do to sell that entry, create a visually compelling performance, like hats off to Ireland, good job. [00:09:01] Ben: The person that helped with the staging was somebody that RTE brought in to do the music video, who they brought him in fairly last minute and was just like, hey, uh, I can also do the staging here, and like, worked on that, so like, his phone should be ringing off the hook. Honestly. [00:09:14] Mike: I'm really excited about whatever Ireland's process is going to be next year, because I think we're finally going to get a little bit more variety in whatever Euro song ends up looking like. [00:09:26] Ben: RTE has to be feeling some level of just, okay, cool, we can do this. [00:09:32] Mike: And Ireland has rocketed up the bookkeepers rankings. I don't know if there's enough there to win, but add more spoilers to the mix. This, this should be a contest of nothing but spoilers. [00:09:44] Ben: Iceland. I liked that performance a lot, like, I rewatched it, on Tuesday, as if I had not watched those performances enough by then. But just like, I was like, okay, it's maybe a little bit pitchy. on the night, but it was a solid performance. I loved seeing Yara Bjork, she was having a great time. [00:10:00] Mike: Yeah, that was another one where it really felt like it was going to be like, okay, is it going to be Iceland or Moldova? Turns out it was going to be neither, but it was another one of those matchups where it's like, okay, we've got two of the same very, like, a lot of overlap in that Venn diagram, which one is going to be the one that advances. also a lot of non English coming out of that field, which is, always appreciated. I'm, I'm really excited about that piece of it. [00:10:24] Ben: only other note I think I really have about Semi Final 1 is just like, uh, watching during the Semi Final and just having the, what do Azerbaijan's outfits look like? And realizing, oh, it's a backpack I've owned since 2006. That's what this looks [00:10:39] Mike: yeah, [00:10:39] Ben: Uh, and that, and like, that is now on our, Blue Sky account of just, like, the, the side by side, who wore it better. [00:10:46] Eurovision Semi-Final 2 in Review --- [00:10:46] Mike: on to semi final two. So the acts qualifying out of there were Latvia, Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Israel, Greece, Estonia, Switzerland, Georgia, and Belgium. and Armenia. so this is the first time that Georgia and Latvia have made it to the finals since 2016, so congratulations to them. Ben, you did pretty well, You got 8 out of 10, I did terribly. I only got 6 out of 10, which, you know, Is that mathematically the minimum? No, I think that's four, but still, like, not great, Mike. Uh, [00:11:22] Ben: Well, I mean, like, if it, if it helps, like, I changed my mind, like, three different times over the course of today, but I was still just, like, very confident on both Czechia and San Marino. [00:11:31] Mike: yes, Czechia, I am genuinely surprised because I really think that may be this year's most improved entry from where it started and where it ended up on stage. Like, I thought the staging was phenomenal. Ico sounded great. [00:11:46] Ben: Yes, would agree. [00:11:47] Mike: I'm hopeful that Czechia was the 11th place here. Um, yeah, San Marino, I loved that performance, but I think the performances were getting weaker as the rehearsals were going on, [00:12:00] Ben: would agree, and that was the thing we were concerned about. San Marino is just sort of starting with an uphill climb just because they are a micronation, and they don't technically have Televote, I think that's why I root for them, is that they sort of have the contest against them, but still, that, that was a very fun performance. [00:12:20] Mike: loved the overall concept of performance. Like when we, when we saw the first tech rehearsal, I had the stupidest smile on my face after it was done. And yeah, it just brought me so much joy and they added elements to it, uh, as well. Like there was more animations. added, um, as the rehearsals progressed. But unfortunately, the vocalists vocals were getting a little bit more tired, a little bit more scattered. talking with my husband about it, he's like, yeah, this is kind of the same problem as Akili Laro, where it's just like there's too much stuff happening on stage and camera just does not know what to look at. We both miss Czechia. We both miss San Marino. I had Belgium and Denmark, Belgium, I'm not surprised it didn't go through. Yeah, I was kind of bored by that. Performance [00:13:06] Ben: I like the idea of that performance, and then the actual performance is just like, yeah, it's just like, towards the end he's just kind of screaming at the crowd. [00:13:13] Mike: Mm-Hmm. [00:13:14] Ben: It's sort of just like a series of setups of, okay, we're in the back, we're in the center of the microphones, we're at the front of the stage. [00:13:20] Mike: And there's still no real story being told, or it's, it's such a subtle story. There's like, okay, like what I, I, I need you to gimme a hint as to what, what, what it is you're trying to, describe here. But Yeah. Denmark, I thought it was a great vocal. It just wasn't all enough to capture you in that performance, I didn't think. Though it was kind of funny because they've been piping in a lot of crowd noise, I believe that is part of the anti booing technology. during Denmark's performance, this happened in the rehearsals and I think it may have happened on the actual show. it sounds like the audience is going totally nuts while she's sprinkling the sand at the beginning of the performance. And it's just like, okay, is there really anybody in the audience going, yes, mama! Drop that grade! Like, I mean, that is just not happening, [00:14:09] Ben: mother, sand the house down. Thwarp. [00:14:15] Mike: Something something wig. So, um, yeah, any other surprises in the qualifiers? [00:14:23] Ben: I mean, not really. [00:14:24] Mike: any non obvious surprises, I guess, might be the better way. [00:14:27] Ben: Yeah, like, that's a good way to frame this. I kept going back and forth on Georgian if that was gonna do it. I kept kinda mentally going back and forth on Austrian. This one was secretly the tough one to figure out. [00:14:39] Mike: Of the four, girl bops with male dancers, if you had to pick three out of the four, I think the correct three were chosen. I'm still a little surprised about Austria. I'm underwhelmed by that performance, but I think the song itself, And I think I said this during the review series, where it's like, okay, yeah, it's gonna get through on televote. I don't think it's gonna have a great time on Saturday, but we'll see. [00:15:02] Ben: I'm so glad that, Besa was just sort of hiding her actual dress from us, and that she was doing it. song felt like it needed, like, that kind of Staging. Unfortunately, everything else with that staging. That was like three Eurovision stagings happening at once, which fits the song. I [00:15:21] Mike: like, during the first verse, it was a genuine jump scare for me every single time. Like, the way that you mentioned that, giant heads kind of freak you [00:15:29] Ben: was like, I was mostly joking about the giant faces just because it's a staging thing that we've seen the last couple years. I just don't understand. [00:15:35] Mike: the giant hands, which is like, when you, when you're not expecting them. [00:15:38] Ben: generally terrifying. [00:15:39] Mike: I was fine with Azerbaijan's giant hands, but I think that's just because, like, they were physical objects. They weren't just, like, Suddenly just popping up to like, kind of grab you or something. It's just like, ah, [00:15:52] Ben: It feels like that delegation did not know to say no, that they can say no to, it's like, here's a list of elements, they just said yes to everything. [00:16:00] Mike: I don't know, maybe they had a blank check, so it's like, let's just do it all. And [00:16:03] Ben: yeah, let's do it and be legends. [00:16:05] Mike: and I mean, considering how much maximalism there is at Eurovision, I can kind of understand that impulse. But yeah, so that one didn't quite work out. Um, yeah, I'm just kind of looking through the list. Uh, Netherlands? I think that one's going to be a big deal on Saturday. [00:16:19] Ben: When we got the first rehearsal footage, so not like the in camera stuff, just sort of like a brief clip of what was happening on the stage, something in the back of my brain just like lit up and like, this has the juice. [00:16:29] Mike: Yeah, but then see, like, the full performance, like, it kind of makes me carsick. [00:16:34] Ben: I fully understand that. Yeah, there are a lot of images. The thing I love is that all of the photographs we have gotten are capturing different moments of the backdrop, so you're never, so you're not like fully aware of how quickly it's iterating through like 30 different plates of spaghetti. [00:16:50] Mike: it kind of reminds me of, like, one of those gifts where it's just like, okay, click it to pause, and this is, like, going to be your fortune for, like, the next five years or whatever. [00:16:57] Ben: I got Doner Kebap, [00:16:58] Mike: Oh, lucky. Uh, [00:17:00] Ben: uh, but you know, I adore what they're doing with this performance. It is, the right kind of online for me. [00:17:08] Mike: yeah, well, that's the thing. Like, I think the, uh, my initial notes are like, Oh, this is like garbage days id. [00:17:15] Ben: Yep. That Windows loading screen of like, I lost this part of the footage. Uh, the rotating 3D models of some of the food just like tickled me this particular watch around. there is so much happening in a good way. [00:17:28] Mike: Yeah. I really does feel like it's one of those things where you would need to do like a second by second, frame by frame analysis of it just to see what all is happening in that one and that you would probably still miss stuff. I think pretty much all of the favorites have advanced. Like I think Belgium may have been the only shock elimination between the two semifinals. What, what, what would you think? [00:17:53] Ben: You know, like, I can see Belgium being in the conversation, just from a song, like, it feels like something that's like, okay, the jury's gonna like this thing, it could get just enough televote to, like, really be a spoiler, but then we saw the performance, and we're just like, oh, it's fine, and that can happen with the favorites, what goes in, Still has to meet with, like, whatever the staging is doing, and sometimes the staging is wrong. [00:18:14] Mike: in terms of other elements of the second semifinal, uh, I have a lot more opinions about this than I did in the first semifinal. So, uh, they had the sing along Peace of it, which, seemed really 2021 of them. So, [00:18:29] Ben: just like, we're doing a Zoom choir in the year of our lord 2024. If they had done that for, like, the 2021 contest, would've gotten it. Would've loved it. Probably would've cried during it. [00:18:38] Mike: Oh, yeah, absolutely. [00:18:40] Ben: honestly, like, if it was just sort of, like, a warming up to the crowd thing that they did before the show [00:18:44] Mike: Mm hmm. [00:18:44] Ben: Great! great way to warm up with that crowd. Just like, hey everybody, who wants to sing Take Me to Your Heaven? [00:18:49] Mike: Yeah. And I mean, they have done that at previous contests, like not to that level of production, like they didn't bring in past singers and stuff, but I think it was at the 2017 contest. They were just playing all sorts of Eurovision classics and everybody was singing along because that's what you do when you're like at a giant party waiting for a [00:19:05] Ben: with your people. [00:19:06] Mike: Exactly. So, I think, Was kind of surprised by the songs that were selected. I mean, they are Eurovision classics, but they also kind of predate the streaming era. So it's just kind of, yeah. [00:19:19] Ben: My number one we just had during the Dutch Rooftop thing, too, so like, it's closer to, like, front of mind. Helena has performed that song recently, Charlotte Pirelli, uh, just any time we're in Sweden. Like, they made a joke about that, and we'll get to that. Uh, and then, Every Way That I Can is, a bad sing along song. it's really easy to pick up Take Me to Your Heaven and My Number One, and that one felt trickier and like it's kinda all over the place vocally. [00:19:44] Mike: Yeah. And you also think of the dancing as being a real integral part of that. Particular entry, it's still a banger. there was that segment, which was fine. Then it got into the song we love Eurovision too much. [00:19:59] Ben: I did not like the vibe of that song. [00:20:03] Mike: When we were watching the rehearsals, like you, you were only watching the main performances and then dipping out, for the interval stuff. Um, and, I stuck around for the interval stuff, saw this during the first tech rehearsal, and yeah, it just seemed really Trying not to swear. I think the thing about this particular hosting of Eurovision this year, one, it doesn't seem like that there's like a real through line or story that is trying to be told with this contest. It's just going to be like, hey, we're here and it's in Sweden So it feels really kind of just disjointed in the hosting, but I'm also getting the sense that what we are seeing this year, I think is what we were expecting the UK to do when they were announced as hosts. And then the UK didn't do that. The UK were so gracious. [00:20:57] Ben: If you had told me like five years ago that the UK was going to be hosting Eurovision and it was going to set a benchmark that Sweden was going to have trouble clearing, I would assume that you're coming from a parallel universe where something has gone horribly wrong this year's hosting, there's just a, Snideness and smugness, which I think has always been like, there's been, there's always been archness to the way that Sweden presents itself at Eurovision, but it just seems particularly nasty this year. And also just being purposefully aloof about what is going on. [00:21:37] Mike: And I don't know, like the phrase small bean keeps popping into my head with a number of the issues that have been coming up with this year's contest, [00:21:45] Ben: Well, and just like all of like the kind of weird in memoriam segments to last place entries because like, some of them are actually relevant to, Hey, this person died in the last year, let's commemorate them. But then it's paired with like, a montage of, here's a bunch of last places, ha ha ha! [00:22:02] Mike: the clip selection overall has been very strange, like they had the montage of dancing, and it didn't really feature that much dancing or, like, dancing. Particularly notable dancing, or like the montage of winner's moments. And it's like, okay, this kind of apropos of nothing or like language at the contest. And it closes with the final note of Estonia's song in, 2018, where She's just going like, that's, that's not a language thing, even though it was in Italian, but still it's just like, what? And then like prior to the postcards, like the two songs that they pick, like sometimes it makes sense where it's like, Oh, this is their first entry and their most recent win or most recent best placement. Uh, other times it's just like, Oh, here's a random German entry from the mid eighties, not the one that they won with. Just. a song. And then, well, I guess they did go with German's most recent best placement, which was all the way back in 2010. But still, [00:23:00] Ben: Oh, even like the Sweden one is just like a Corolla song, but not the one you were expecting. [00:23:04] Mike: yeah, I don't know if it's the delegations that were in charge of making those picks. I'm thinking probably not, because I feel like the Denmark one was particularly shady. Like, why did they not use only teardrops? Like, that was in Malmo. Why are they using On the Wings of Love? Seriously. [00:23:21] Ben: I mean, my thought is that Sweden also doesn't want to talk about 2013, so like, that's fair. [00:23:25] Mike: Absolutely. [00:23:33] Ben: at least part of the same team that wrote Love, Love, Peace, Peace, writing that second Petra song, and I see the appeal of getting the gang back together. Hey, we're doing Eurovision in Sweden again. Everybody loved this, let's do it again, how do we do a song that's fun and meta about Eurovision, but like, Love Love Peace Peace is a love letter to the contest, and this felt like a middle finger to all of us. [00:23:54] Mike: Yeah. Especially like the things just like, oh, well you can boo us. It's like, no, we can't you're drowning out all of the booing and it was like, oh, and it's not a political contest. It's like, oh, are you really going to step there queen? Okay. Let's talk. [00:24:06] Ben: can, can we, can we cut to the cameras of the massive protests happening in Malmo right now? the vibe of a song that's repeatedly saying, please don't be angry at [00:24:14] Mike: Mm hmm. [00:24:15] Ben: being sung by Sarah, Don Finer as Linda Woodruff wearing a big dress that says EBU on it is a choice. [00:24:21] Mike: Yep. Yep. [00:24:23] Ben: They had announced that Kariya was involved somehow in the second semi final, and I had known this because I follow him on Instagram, and I had noticed in the background of his stories that he was at what looked like the dressing rooms, like, two weeks ago. So I'm like, he's probably in the show, so when he got announced, I'm like, yes, correct. It's not just a video. and then just at the end, Again, just like a massive middle finger to just be like, well, this is what the Finnish intro would have been. Look at all of these Finnish things. We got some moomins, we got the sauna. We have talked about the sort of big brother, little brother relationship between Sweden and Finland, and this was very much two children in the back of the car, one of them going, I'm not touching you, I'm not touching you, and just, I'm ready to turn this car around. [00:25:02] Mike: Absolutely. Yeah. And, shortly after the song, they played that winners clip thing, and one of the clips was, uh, Santa Kissing, Maria from Serbia after she won, with Mova. And it's like, yeah, the 2007 contest, which was hosted by Finland. That was amazing! That is a top tier Eurovision. It is certainly better than, this year's contest is shaping up to be. So, Sweden, maybe take all of the seats? I think there's a whole section that is still open because tickets have not sold out yet. [00:25:30] Ben: It is very much a choice in what is being presented. But yeah, just like, you can boo us, no we can't, no we can't, you guys have, you guys are paying so much sweetening over it, yeah, just because of all that's going on. [00:25:41] Mike: Yeah. Drop that sand, Queen! Alright. Uh, no. Hahahahaha! Oh, wait! We haven't even talked about the controversies coming out of the second semifinal [00:25:52] Ben: Yes, they should have put the Herets in suits that matched the color from the 1980s performance. Do I have to do everything around [00:25:59] Mike: Well, not only that, like, they put them in the credits. So it's like, oh, you mean like, after everybody is turned off? Like, Horace, you need to have a talk with your manager, because that is poor placement. Also, there was that really snide Horace joke in the opening monologue. So, uh, yeah, again, Sweden, what, what exactly are you doing? What, what, what is your point of view here? Cause, um, yeah, it, it, it's stinky. protests, have intensified, over the last couple of days in Malmo, Particularly because Israel was performing in the second semi final. They will be performing in, Saturday's grand final. if you are commuting at all in Malmo, definitely add some extra time. Like protesters have managed to shut down transit. the bridge has been shut down. Although there have been a couple of other, unrelated incidences that have caused the bridge, to shut down. So, yeah, it's, uh, sounds like a real mess over there at the moment. elsewhere, a trade union cut into Belgium's broadcast of the second semi-final, with a, call for a ceasefire, in Gaza, and then Italy. their broadcaster, RAI, released the televote results. if these results are accurate, uh, Israel received 39 percent of the televote, Netherlands was second with 7%. [00:27:10] Grand Final Preview --- [00:27:10] Mike: So yeah, let's let's talk [00:27:12] Ben: Yeah, let's talk about Saturday. So, the grand final is Saturday. Sweden will be opening the show. They drew that back in March during the delegation meeting. Amidst the first half, we will have the UK, Germany, Lithuania, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Greece. throughout the second half, we will have France, Slovenia, Finland, Cyprus, Austria, and Norway. And Producer's Choice will place everyone else. [00:27:37] Mike: If you're in the US, you'll be able to see the show on Peacock on Saturday. It starts at 3pm US Eastern. If you don't have Peacock or you're somewhere where YouTube's not an option, we do have a list on our website of available eurowhat. com slash watch. [00:27:58] Ben: With all of this, I'm just sort of making motions of just like, with all of the This. Happening. Like, this has still been, for all of the hiccups, there's been a lot to enjoy about this year's contest [00:28:11] Mike: Yes, like the performances are good and, despite our complaints about the tone of the show, the overall show was good. A lot of the jokes are landing quite well. So, uh, yeah. [00:28:23] Ben: have been some really good [00:28:25] Mike: Yes. Uh, yeah. I mean, Petra and Malin are both doing a good job as hosts. That is a thankless role. And they particularly this year, so they are navigating it as best they can. do we dare make predictions or [00:28:39] Ben: I mean, it's what the people crave, us being incorrect. Do you have any thoughts on what is going to win the jury? [00:28:45] Mike: Uh, um, [00:28:47] Ben: Yeah, like, I, I, yeah, that's the part, that's always the big question mark for me, is like, I don't know. [00:28:52] Mike: yeah, I mean, I'm thinking, I think Israel's in contention for that. I think France is in really good position for that. Those two feel like the most vocally friendly to the jury? I don't know. Like, I'm just thinking of like what the ones that are considered the overall favorites like Bambi Thug, Tough Cell, Oro Papa, Very Tough Cell, like even Rim Tim Doggy Dim. I don't think that's going to be everybody's cup of tea. [00:29:20] Ben: True, although his vocals have been really good, like, in terms of, a solid rock vocal, I have felt like that was an improvement from Dora. [00:29:27] Mike: Oh, absolutely. [00:29:28] Ben: they've done what they need to do with that song for the juries. It's, like, if they're, if they're approaching it purely from, like, a vocal sense. Switzerland? Switzerland sort of feels like when they give the best makeup, Oscar to the thing that had the most makeup. [00:29:42] Mike: Yeah. [00:29:43] Ben: there's a lot of vocal [00:29:45] Mike: it definitely has the most, uh, [00:29:48] Ben: Yes. [00:29:49] Mike: I think that's one of the Marcel Benceson awards, uh, which one is the most, but, um, but it's the most in a good way. Like I, enjoyed that performance and, uh, yeah, I want that like disc thing. Cause it looks like that's a really good workout. So I have no room to put it, uh, anywhere, but it looks like it would be fun. [00:30:09] Ben: Let's see, I mean, with, with the televote, I've been keeping an eye on the polls that, ESC Extra and like Eurowhat and like that whole crew that have been doing the fan media also do those sort of exit polls essentially with people. semi final one, very much, uh, Rim Tim Tagi Dim. clear winner, I want to say about the same number of people that were voting for that were split on semi final two roughly equally between Switzerland and the Netherlands. [00:30:35] Mike: I feel very confident that the Netherlands is going to end up winning the Televote judging by the crowd reaction, and the crowd interaction with that song. Like, it's going to be between that one and Croatia, for the Televote. [00:30:47] Ben: Agreed. I don't know who's going to win overall. I would love for it to beat Croatia just because that's, it's a country that hasn't won before, and they won it really badly. [00:30:57] Mike: Yeah. Yeah. Like that's the thing. It's like balancing. It's just like, okay, what do I want to win versus what I think will win? And I really, like with the televote, I think it is going to be a little bit lopsided. Like, I don't think it's going to be like, if you had asked me maybe two weeks ago, I think it would have been a little bit more spread at the top where it's like, oh, there's going to be like five or six songs that are going to score really, really well. I think that's now down to, you know, Two, three, maybe four songs that are going to do really, really well in the televote. But yeah, the jury is such a question mark. And I hate to say it, but I really think it's going to be the jury that is going to be determining the winner rather than the televote [00:31:35] Ben: Yeah. Yep. [00:31:37] Mike: And yeah, and I just, I do not have a sense of where it's going to [00:31:39] Ben: I never know where their head's at is, is like last year I remember feeling very confident that like Spain was going to be in the mix with a jury and it just was not. [00:31:49] Mike: I was trying to think. She's like, well, what, how many points is the winner going to have? And it's like, is this gonna be a year where the winner has fewer than 500 points? I don't, I think that the winner will have more than 500 points, but I, I think even five 50 might be a stretch. I, I think it might be a low 500 that ends up being the winning score. [00:32:07] Ben: But yeah, it's just a, it's just a weird end to a weird year. [00:32:10] Mike: Very weird year. I am ready for Sunday. You know, [00:32:15] Ben: I'm going to sleep so well. [00:32:17] Mike: my goodness, I can not wait, so [00:32:21] Ben: Okay, do we have anything else or should [00:32:22] Mike: Oh god, I hope not. Bring it home! Bring it [00:32:25] Ben: All right. [00:32:26] Mike: Turn this car around! [00:32:27] Ben: All right. The two of you have been behaving very badly. We are not going to the Bahamas or wherever this car is going. I'm so tired. That's going to do it for this episode of the Eurowhat. Thanks for listening. The Eurowhat podcast is hosted by Ben Smith, that's me, and Mike McComb. [00:32:45] Mike: That's me! If you'd like to help support the show and access a ton of bonus content, head on over to Patreon. com slash Eurowhat. [00:32:52] Ben: Our full coverage of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest can be found on our website at Eurowhat. com. You can also follow us on social media at Eurowhat. [00:33:00] Mike: Next time on the Eurowhat, we clean up the confetti and start making plans for next year once we find out who wins Eurovision 2024. [00:33:09] Ben: Piñata full of SIM cards!