Celebrating dodgy tunes and nil points

Apr 25 2008 by Karen Price, Western Mail

It was only a matter of time before a spoof musical about the Eurovision Song Contest was made. As Eurobeat prepares to visit Wales, one of its stars, Sally Lindsay, shares her thoughts with Karen Price about why we all secretly enjoy it.

Sir Terry Wogan IS the Eurovision Song Contest. Here the show’s presenter reveals his thoughts on...

...his love for the event

“I’ve always loved it. You can decry it for its foolishness, but it’s huge all over the world – they lap it up in Australia, for instance. It has a global audience of some 300m. We adore the competitive element and the voting. But above all in this country we love the Eurovision Song Contest because it’s the ideal opportunity to have a jolly good sneer at Johnny Foreigner and throw things at the telly. You can’t beat that sort of entertainment!”

...his irreverent, micky-taking remarks

“I say what I see just before the viewers do – ‘Have you ever seen teeth like that?’ Around 101 things occur to you when those clowns come on stage or when the local presenters start shrieking.”

...the UK’s attitude to Eurovision

“We sneer at the music, but across the continent that’s what they listen to all the time. Our music is so diverse – they're not open to as many different influences. In France, they love Johnny Halliday – please! And on German TV, whole hours are given over to people in lederhosen slapping their thighs and playing the tuba. While in Spain, they broadcast variety shows that go on for four hours and include jugglers and comic sketches. In Europe, variety isn’t dead. Different standards apply. We’re not superior, but that doesn’t stop us having a good old hoot at it all!”

...supporting Eurobeat

“I was more than happy to get involved with Eurobeat. It’s been a tremendous laugh. As you enter the theatre for Eurobeat, you’re given a country to represent and you can’t vote for that nation. Mind you, if you’re from Scandinavia or the Balkans, you might take an entirely different view! At this stage show, you get a great flavour of the fun and the enthusiasm of the real Eurovision Song Contest.”