Eurovision will be celebration but eurofans live it so intensely that it would be nothing without its iconic eurodramas. contingencies; polemics; unexpected votes; epic enmities… going through the festival is not a path of roses but what entertainment always gives a good salseo. They give us life and, as much as Fangoria’s song says otherwise, we want more Eurodramas in our lives and not just entertaining comedies. Waiting to see if the grand final on Saturday in Turin leaves us with any new ones, these have been some of the most notorious of recent editions.
The spinning stage that doesn’t spin
The first semi-final was a few days away when Eurovision 2022 officially had its first major Eurodrama. The Turin stage had surprised by how amazing it looked in a model. The novelty was its revolving bows, that promised to bring greater dynamism to the performances. However, the organization realized, with the stage already set up, that the rotating arches (which, on the one hand, are lights and on the other are LED screens) took 15 minutes to complete the entire route.
So it was decided that all the artists, except those of the half-time, they will act with the part of the lights. Although this decision put in check the actions that depended on the led fund, a breakdown was still looming. Yesterday, after the first semi-final, a Twitter user posted a photo showing the half arch led screen without light: “The only main screen of Eurovision 2022 has just cracked“.
You just cracked the only main screen of #Eurovision #EuroSemi1 pic.twitter.com/8eyF0fYub7
– or Manu lercho 🛰️ (@JonacheMM) May 10, 2022
Frictions between Russia and Ukraine
Geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been making themselves felt at Eurovision for years. Already in 2016, Moscow protested and described as a “political victory” that of the Ukrainian Jamala, who snatched the glass microphone from the Russian contestant (who started as the big favorite). In addition, the song spoke of Stalin’s mass deportations and veiled condemnation of the annexation of Crimea and the pressures that the Tatars are currently experiencing. In response, a few weeks later, the Russian Polina Gagarina (second in the 2015 edition) appeared singing before Vladimir Putin at the ceremony commemorating the Russian annexation of the peninsula.
Damiano David’s non-line
Maneskin’s is not the typical staging that usually hits him at Eurovision but the public gave victory to the Italian rockers in 2021. However, prejudice and an unfortunate camera shot made many believe that her singer was using cocaine on the green room. It became the theme of the night despite the fact that those involved categorically denied the fact. France, which had been in second place, even asked for the disqualification of the band but Damiano David shut the mouth of all of Europe by voluntarily taking a drug test that came out negative.
The one from Italy just got a tremendous line? #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/23nIKYldsb
— Roger (@Rasps_) May 22, 2021
Daniel Diges feat. Jimmy Jump
In 2010, Daniel Diges experienced a difficult moment in Oslo. Everything was going well during her performance. something tiny until a spontaneous joined. It was about Jimmy Jump, a Catalan man expert in sneaking into sporting events and great cultural events. With a cap on his head, he placed himself between the dancers and in front of Diges himself. After a few seconds of uncertainty, three members of security kicked Jump off the stage and the organization gave the singer the opportunity to repeat the song at the end of the night. He thus became the second person in the festival’s history to sing twice without winning.
Hungary withdraws due to homophobia
If the 2020 edition had been held, Hungary would not have participated in Eurovision. Although MTVA public television did not want to explain the reasons for the withdrawal, the chain’s workers interpreted that the decision was related to the festival’s link to LGBTI culture. And it is that the festival was considered “too gay” among government leaders. Although the European Broadcasting Union denied it, András Bencsik, a commentator for a pro-government television channel, referred at the time to Eurovision as “a homosexual flotilla” and said that not participating benefits the mental health of the nation. The last time the country was part of the contest was in 2016.
Cover photo | gtres