Douze Pointes

Its the time of the year where people congregate in pubs and lounge rooms around the world [mostly Europe but other pockets celebrate it too] and discuss the highs and lows of this years Eurovision. Each year the winning song is met with howls of protest and a song that didn't make it through the finals is cheered.

Its the time of year when your learn who your real friends are [the ones who love Eurovision] and make new friends as people you felt you have nothing in common with confess their dirty little Eurovision-love secret.

This year was the 53rd competition and it definitely hasn't run out of steam.

For english speaking viewers, BBC radio and television broadcaster Terry Wogan's commentary makes it more entertaining as he makes scathing but honest comments about costumes, hosts, and songs . Hell, he comments discouraging about everything! Bjorn Erichsen, director of Eurovision television, criticised Sir Terry Wogan stating "Wogan is a problem because he makes it ridiculous". I'm pretty sure Milkcrate readers will agree Eurovision contestants do do that by themselves with no help from Wogan!

Here in Australia people love it for the bizarre, but in Europe its a very serious contest. Each country whether or not they make it to the finals, get to vote up to 12 points to their favourites [their favourites usually being their neighbouring countries and the occasional 'Please dont attack and take over our country' vote.] So it comes as little surprise Russia usually makes it into the top 3 songs each year.

Each year it becomes more political due to this voting trend, and you can spot which country will vote for who from a mile away. Like block voting between the eastern, Balkan, Baltic and Nordic countries.

The United Kingdom rarely present a song worthy of winning [though Scooch's queerer than queer Air Hostess last year was pretty fantastic] but they will always be in the final, along with Germany, Spain and France as they finance the whole thing.

Being a non-European I don't understand how exactly it could be taken seriously. It's always full of drag queens, amazing stripping costume changes and very bizarre novelty songs.

I personally love the semi-finals. This is where the cracktastic gems are found. Deemed to be too ridiculous to be a contender for the winning song but are loved around the world as an underdog.

This year's semi-finals favourite was Ireland's "Irelande Douze Pointe" by Dustin The Turkey.
Dustin, a hand puppet, mangles his way through a barely audible rant pleading for 12 points. One UK newspaper reported: "Strait-laced bosses at the European Broadcasting Union are checking the rules to see if Dustin can be BARRED. One highly placed source said: “A puppet on Eurovision would make a mockery of all that the contest stands for.”

Really? It certainly summed up Eurovision for me.

Milkcrate's picks were Spain's Baila el Chiki Chiki, (see right) with their Spanish middle-aged Elvis, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Pokušaj with their elderly brides and a washing line and Crotia's Romanca consisting of two elderly dementia-suffering rappers.

There was one song that was outstanding. Outstanding due to it being semi-serious yet amazing and looking like something that would be on the music channels in the english speaking world - Sebastien Tellier [and his golf cart and bearded ladies] with Divine

The song that did win was Dima Bilan with their song 'Believe' from Russia [surprise surprise!] . It had what seem to be the staple elements of a good Eurovision song - singer dressed in white, painful sincerity, a candle and at least one person rolling around on the floor [although it was missing a wind machine or some stripping]. It also had a violin player as well as an ice skater - that looked like Peter Tork from The Monkees - for no reason what so ever other than to take you're attention away from how boring the song was. Keep a look out for the terrifying Bob Downe-esque twist and smile at the camera from the skater.

The song that came third and SHOULD have won was a song called 'Secret Combination' by Kalomira from Greece. This presentation had a controversial shock in that the singer did not at all strip but but more clothes on!

It had the catchy chorus of:

My secret combination
It 's a mystery for you
Use your imagination
I'm not easy but I'm true

and ended with the dazzling lyrics of:

An open book
An open book
Well I'm sorry I am not
Sometimes I'm acting like a lady
Sometimes woman, sometimes baby

So that's Eurovision over for another year. I cant wait for 2009's strangeness hosted in Russia.

The Effect of Anthony Morgan on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

An hour with Anthony Morgan, is much like an hour with an uncle who doesn't visit the family much. He rambles and attempts to instil life lessons into you gently via stories all with fondness.

Anthony was a mainstay of the comedy circuit for ten years, and having a regular 'correspondent spot' on Channel 7's Denton before throwing it all in and running off to small town Tasmania to build sheds and feed chooks, woodworking and other farm activities before coming over on the ferry to Melbourne with his ute and dog for the Melbourne comedy festival.

Unlike other comedians where you can see them rehashing the 'stories' and you see the gag coming a mile away, Morgan starts on one topic, get distracted by another story before winding back to the original topic, usually with the help of the audience reminding him of what the first topic was.

In this year's show, 'Unrepentant' , Morgan started with taping his 'setlist' of topics to the microphone so the audience could remind him what he had missed and what was next. Topics such as his recent stabbing, Edmund Hiliary's death, travelling snake wranglers and Tidy Towns.

Much like an uncle he was disgusted and annoyed that the syllabus at school has now changed and we all hadn't read The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, and how some things have change in his lifetime and we all listened in wonder.

He also talked a lot about small town community life. And being a country boy myself, it was a pleasure to be reminded of how things work in the country. Morgan made it sound so good I almost wanted to catch the next train home to see my folks.

The promotional photos for the show were photos taken 12 years ago. He gave an opening announcement 'this guy in the photos isn't playing tonight' and apologised if anyone was disappointed. I don't think anyone was at all.

Morgan may claim memory loss but he's sharp as a tack.



Anthony Morgan's 'Unrepentant' plays until 13th of April at the
European Bier Cafe
Cnr Exhibition & Lt Collins Sts, Melbourne VIC 3000