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EuroBlog Round-up: New Year Edition (1st January)
On Euroblogger's "best" side of the annual balance sheet:
+ Joy Fleming's iconic green dress reappeared during the German national final although Joy said that she'd always hated that dress and tore it to pieces after her performance for Germany in 1975.
+ Euroblogger scored a press pass to the first semi-final dress rehearsal in Athens where Carola was almost decapitated by one of her flag-twirling dancers who stepped left when he was meant to step right. Carola ducked just in time, or of course this item would go in the "worst" section.
+ Lordi achieved new levels publicity and opened new doors for the Song Contest with their win
+ Finland has so-far executed their duties as the new host with style.
IT WAS THE WORST OF 2006
On the flip side:
- After being misdirected by an over-enthusiastic Greek event volunteer, EuroBlogger found himself standing - like Borat on the MTV Music awards - at the edge of the stage during Kate Ryan's number during the first semi-final dress rehearsal. That's when Euroblogger met the equally over-enthusiastic Greek event security.
- Euroblogger totally respects Carola's beliefs and gives her the benefit of the doubt regarding those comments. But, someone has got to say it. That blue glitter body paint was kinda creepy.
- An aggressive camera-man knocked Euroblogger to the ground and nearly trampled him in an effort to capture video of Lordi in the Euroclub.
- Angelica Agurbash withdrew from the Belarus national final despite previous promises to provide lots of EuroBlog fodder.
But 2006 is officially over and done, so moving right along, Euroblogger resolves not to abuse Kate Ryan in 2007. Euroblogger also resolves to chase down even more rumours and gossip on the Internet, remember that DJ BoBo spells his name with two capital B's, ask probing questions in Song Contest press conferences, and find a ticket somewhere in the first twenty-five rows for the final in Helsinki.
What? You want predictions? Ok. Euroblogger predicts:
- Someone will find grounds to complain that that the new German selection should be disqualified. The same thing will happen in Slovenia. After a few days these scandals will resolve themselves of their own accord.
- Shortly after, a German tabloid-style newspaper will uncover XXX-rated photos of another country's singer and plaster them across the front page. Ironically, the photos will not belong to the singer causing controversy for planning to perform wearing only a string thong-bikini in the final. Euroblogger's crystal ball is unclear on the identity of the singer who will be seen in pictures you can't show your grandma. But, chances are it won't be Switzerland's.
- Melodifestivalen will be a smashing success, but many people will complain about the result none-the-less.
- Greece and Cyprus will exchange high points.
- Several Euro-hits will emerge out of the 2007 edition of the Contest. One of the hit remixes will be so long that several people - including the Schlagerboys - will actually pass out on dance floors across Europe.
- Fans around Europe - but mostly those spurred on by Terry Wogan in the United Kingdom - will charge that the Song Contest final result was fixed by political voting. A careful analysis of the votes will reveal that "bloc" voting patterns may have played a role, but that they didn't determine the winner.
When I was a kid the Euroblogger family had a New Year's Week tradition. We would lock all the doors and play endlessly long games of Parker Brother's Monopoly. But now I've found something better thanks to Whoops Dragovic. The game - which is loosely based on Monopoly - is a bit complicated, however you can find the full rules here. Basically each player is the new head of a country's Eurovision delegation. To win each player moves around a game board where each square represents a participating Eurovision country. However, instead of buying property (as in Monopoly) the player "bribes" points out of the jury for each "country" where the player lands. The "bribes" are payed into the "EBU Christmas Club". Oh, good grief. Am I even allowed to write that?
You can printout the game board from here.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
What are your Eurovision predictions and resolutions for 2007? Reply in the reactions section below.
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Reactions
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i predict the following:
* that the Finn allocate the Swedes a very favorable position in the draw.
* the ESC will refer to how great Sweden is many times.
* the word's 'dear neighbours' will be uttered by many voters
* FYROM and Croatia will both make the final, but be placed in the mid teens in the final.
* the Finns will have a successful ESC for 2 years straight, before returning to the same crumbs
* The stage will be better than last years
* The big four will still take up positions in the last 10.
* the tradition of a new country winning ESC will continue
Cheers
I can see Dervish surprising many and doing impossibly badly...
No comment...
Let us hope that Edsilia will bring the Netherlands to a good result in 2007 !
I have absolutely no grounds for my prediction but here it is: the 2007 winner will be from western Europe (and indeed the EU) yet again. Hopefully shutting lots of people up.
My other prediction is not a prediction at all but rather a wish, for much the same reason - that the countries who qualify for the final are only western European and/or those who have so far failed to qualify every time they've tried, and that none of the countries that are seen to do well thanks primarily to 'friendly/neighbour/diaspora/block' voting actually do. Not that I have anything against them.
lets hope uk can be in the top 5 this year!!!
I think sweden will send the best song again an not win and the U.K will come bottom of the board again.
XAXAXA ... Greece and Cyprus will exchange high points.
How do you know 
very good article - I laughed alot thanks 
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