I was dreading a Geneva venue. Good luck to Basle/Bâle/Basilea/Buslaraborg!
Lots of excitement here! My daughter told me we have to go.
Apparently already talk for Referendum to block f35 million public subsidy for event. It does make me wonder why a subsidy is necessary.
This type of thing should pay for itself. N’est pas?
Wait what?! Do people really take it as a serious music competition? I mean, people watch it in a totally non-ironic way?! I think I need to lie down…
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If that were the case there would not be any massive event at all.
What people pays in football, hockey or concert tickets does not cover at all for police costs. Cannot find now more recent numbers, but a budget of 250k CHF for a match is not nice at all
Don’t need police for Eurovision though I wouldn’t have thought.
And don’t forget we’ve had some good songs come out of Eurovision over the years. Waterloo, What’s Another Year, Nocturne to name just a few.
The C.I.A. provided intelligence to Austrian authorities that allowed them to disrupt a plot that could have killed thousands of people at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna this month, the agency’s deputy director said on Wednesday.
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Not sure is this is really appropriate in the Eurovision thread, but yeah, Ze Austrians have been dominated by russki spies for decades now and their intelligence service is close to useless. It has been a point of utter embarrassment for them as they apparently had no clue and it was not even a tip off, but rather a “guys, you’re in deep shit in general”.
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Oh you definitely do need police, any event of such scale needs lots of police and security.
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Actually it makes a lot of sense due to its geography: close to the borders with France and Germany. It’s an European even after all and there will be lots of visitors from these countries (and not only).
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I laughed at the earlier suggestion here that Eurovision should be merged with Eurotrash. My 90s Friday nights were often spent watching Eurotrash, The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer and Father Ted. I also knew a girl back then who worked for Antoine de Caunes production company and she said it was horrible.
God I wish I was in my 30s again, I was having the best time as a mature undergraduate 
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Was that a show? What a funny name.
Yep, it sure was. A French guy called Antoine de Caunes presented it (he’d previously had a show on BBC called Rapido, which was the name of his TV production company). Eurotrash was a lot of fun when they brought in fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier as co presenter, he used to introduce himself by saying “allo ma British chums”. It was also notorious for regularly having the late Lolo Ferrari on, at that point famous for having the world’s biggest breast implants.
I think you might find it on YouTube.
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Once again the dark shadow of genocide looms over this ditzy contest.
If you want to make a complaint to the EBU here are the details.
Eurovision Song Contest
• For complaints or questions specifically about the Eurovision Song Contest, contact:
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: +41 22 717 2500
I did so and mentioned I would not watch unless they revoke their invitation.
Edited to add: Here is the text I used.
Subject: Concern Regarding Israel’s Participation in Eurovision Amid Ongoing Conflict
Dear Eurovision Organizers,
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest this year, given the ongoing and devastating military actions in the Gaza Strip. The humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict has led to significant loss of life and suffering among civilians.
Eurovision is a platform that celebrates unity, peace, and cultural exchange. I believe that allowing a country currently engaged in actions widely condemned as causing severe human rights violations contradicts these values.
I respectfully urge the organizers to reconsider Israel’s participation until a peaceful resolution is achieved and to use the platform to promote messages of peace and human rights for all affected populations.
I feel so strongly on this matter and I have decided not to watch any of the EBU broadcasts unless the invitation is withdrawn.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Regards.
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Cheers Bowlie, although it’d be a white lie to say I would watch it anyway.
E-mail for EBU DG Noel Curran
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You know I have a feeling that the whole Israel’s participation fiasco is bringing so much attention to this otherwise exhausted event that most people are tired of. In a way, the pro-palis are doing great service to the EBU.
To be honest this year’s Israel entry is pretty bland. I love Estonia’s one, it’s like a whole other level above the rest.
I looked at the UK entry on YouTube last night and halfway through thought “null points” 