Amerivision song contest

[Gob]

Eurovision 2016 to be broadcast in the United States

Geneva, Switzerland The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is pleased to announce that it has signed a deal to broadcast the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final live in the United States for the first time! Logo, part of Viacom’s Music & Entertainment Group including VH1, MTV and Comedy Central, will air the Grand Final of the 61st Eurovision Song Contest live on Saturday 14th May at 1500 EST.
Logo, the United States’ lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cable network, is available in nearly 50 million homes.

The Grand Final will also be streamed exclusively in the U.S. on LogoTV.com and the LogoTV mobile app.

“We are thrilled that the world’s biggest entertainment show is being broadcast live in one of the biggest TV markets for the very first time,” said Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand.

“The Eurovision Song Contest is now a truly global phenomenon and we are extremely happy that U.S viewers now get to join those all over Europe, Australia and Asia in experiencing the Grand Final of world’s longest running annual TV music competition on May 14,” he added.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Words fail. "Logo"? Log Zero? Some kind of Bruce Jenner innuendo? Available in 50 million homes and watched by 4%?

The Eurovision Song Contest? I think the LGBT folks should protest this obvious insult

[oldr_n_wsr]

Never heard of it and doubt very much if I will be watching it live or recorded.
Nope.

[Sue U]

Why does the EBU hate the USA?

[Joe Guy]

Gob's trying to tell us that he entered one of his great musical scores in the contest and expects to win.

[Scooter]

Why does the EBU hate the USA?

Say what you will about it, it does create a platform for artists who might otherwise have remained unknown outside their home countries to launch international careers - ABBA, Celine Dion, Brotherhood of Man, Mocedades (one hit wonder, granted, but wouldn't have even had that)

[Gob]

The contest

Every year an estimated amount of some 180 million viewers watch the Eurovision Song Contest
In 2008 and 2011, a record number of 43 countries participated
Ireland has won 7 times, Sweden 6 and Luxembourg, France, and the United Kingdom 5 times.
Poland made the most impressive debute in 1994, when Edyta Gorniak came 2nd with To Nie Ja, closely followed by Serbia's victory in 2007. Although Serbia & Montenegro was represented twice before, it was the first time that Serbia took part as an independent country
Norway could be found at the bottom of the list as many as eleven times! The unfortunates came last in 1963, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1990, 1997, 2001, 2004 and in the Grand Final of 2012. Nevertheless, they also won thrice (in 1985, 1995 and 2009)
In 2001, the largest audience ever attended the Eurovision Song Contest. Almost 38,000 people gathered at Copenhagen's Parken Stadium to witness the first ever Estonian victory.
Most winning songs were performed in English - songs (mostly) in English won 26 times. French is also popular, with 14 victories. Dutch and Hebrew songs won 3 times each
Six different systems were used over the past decades to pick the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest
When Sweden hosted the contest in 2000 and 2013 - it was Denmark that took home the victory.

The legends

ABBA is the most successful Eurovision Song Contest winner. The Swedish pop band won the contest in 1974 and has enjoyed phenomenal success ever since
The most covered Eurovision Song Contest song is Domenico Mudugno's Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu, also known as Volare. The song has been covered by famous stars such as Dean Martin, Cliff Richard, David Bowie and many more
In 2014, Valentina Monetta took part for San Marino for the third time in a row and .. qualified for the Final!
Johnny Logan won the Eurovision Song Contest three times. In 1980 and 1987 he represented Ireland as performer and won both times, in 1992 he wrote Linda Martin's winning entry Why Me
in 2011, Lena, the winner of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, decided to defend her title on home ground - something only two people have done in the history of the contest.
Noel Kelehan conducted five winners (1980, 1987, 1992, 1993 and 1996)
Dutch conductor Dolf van der Linde conducted for seven different countries (Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland
German songwriter and composer Ralph Siegel has taken part 21 times, most lately in 2014, granting them their first qualification to the Grand Final. He also won the 1982 contest with Ein bißchen Frieden.
Only three women conducted the orchestra at the Eurovision Song Contest. Nurit Nirsch conducted the Israeli entries of 1973 and 1978, Monica Dominique conducted the Swedish 1973 entry and Anita KERR appeared in front of the orchestra for Switzerland in 1985

Eurovision's most batshit insane acts

[Daisy]

It's entertaining at best and toe curling at worst. We'll be watching it in our caravan on Saturday night

[Gob]

We'll be taping it and having a Eurovision afternoon party.

[Big RR]

Celine Dion

the EBU is responsible for her? Reason enough not to watch.

[Sue U]

Celine Dion

the EBU is responsible for her?

I blame Canada.

[Scooter]

Hey, I already warned people about dissing our Celine. That will have consequences.

[Big RR]

But I do like Leonard Cohen; that should buy me some reprieve. just don't sentence me to have to listen to her sing.

[MajGenl.Meade]

But I do like Leonard Cohen; that should buy me some reprieve. just don't sentence me to have to listen to her sing.

Oh... for a second there, I was confused. S'all right now.

[Lord Jim]

You didn't hear about Lennie becoming Lenora?

[MajGenl.Meade]

I thought Lennie was becoming Les?

[Scooter]

Because I know you have all been pulling your teeth out in anticipation, the final is now broadcasting live here.

[Lord Jim]

Oh, good news; apparently it's going back up:

Zimmerman told the Sentinel Saturday that he deleted the auction posting with United Gun Group that morning "to purge the false bidders."

"We will be reposting to [the auction listing] today, once we have corrected the infrastructure and security protocols," Zimmerman said.

That sounds like a challenge for hackers...

[Scooter]

I understand how you feel about the Eurovision song contest, but to the point of confusing it with the auction of Zimmerman's gun?

[Scooter]

It looks like the guy from Poland is trying to do a half-hearted version of Conchita Wurst.