Carlytime's What's Hot and What's Not Vol 2
Volume 2: Descent of the Drag Queens
Oh we are a lucky bunch of europhiles this year, with not one but two men dressed as women to entertain us in ESC. Because, of course (come on now, everybody sing it together:) "Eurovision is all about fun and having a good time". Dressing up as a woman has not always been my idea of fun and I AM ONE. Fortunately, it's not necessary to run away just yet, as the two cross-dressing countries of 2007 fall beautifully under my two favourite labels...
HOT
Ukraine - Lasha Tumbai - Verka Serdyuchka
For the heated debate on the meaning of the song title, see Noogie's most recent posting. This has turned into quite the sensation of 07. Poor old Verka has brought us a rather amusing little turbo-folk ditty that harks back to Alf Poier's Austrian entry of 2003, with quirky costumes, the old accordian (Wogie loves his accordian) and some nice catawauling backing vocals. On first listen, it's the kind of thing you think you'd prefer to pull your own toenails out to than hear in its entireity, but if you stick with it you can suddenly imagine throwing a few shapes to it on some European dancefloor or other this summer. Because it's CLEVER fun, and in Carlytime's opinion that's the only kind that's allowed in euro (and in Carlytime's very self-controlled life). Anyway, it all sounds good for Verka. But some sillies in Ukraine now want to ban her from the contest! Oh! Gnashing of teeth and grinding of bones, we haven't stumbled across some homophobes have we? Actually, no, that would be too simple. The main reasons to complain about Verka are apparently that she makes fun of middle-aged women and will ruin the name of Ukraine in Europe by portraying a stereotypical Ukrainian villager. Hmm, yes, this won't do. Other comedy acts don't take the piss out of women or make characters out of stereotypes... Honest to God, though. Seriously, though. Well, any publicity is good publicity - expect to find Verka near the top of the scoreboard on May 12th. Ein! Zwei! Drei!
NOT
Denmark - Drama Queen - DQ
Still not as offensive as Scooch was the highest accolade we could offer this during our deliberations at Euromoments HQ. It's a turd sandwich, but with organic bread, or maybe with a little rocket and cress added for colour. I simply do not want to know about DQ's "I am what I am" style number telling me how dressing up in a big pink frock of an evening allows him to forget his daytime woes. I ain't no homophobe or nuffink - I just disagree with derivative schlager-machine foolishness supposedly being made more palatable by some sort of real life interest in the lyrics. I'm hopeful that this will not make it out of the semifinal, but anything is possible (and No Dream Impossible - cheers Lindsay) in Euro so I might just be force-fed that organic turd sandwich on two glorious and sorry occasions in May. For God's sake give Mahlene (2002) another chance - I wonder how she's getting on?
Oh we are a lucky bunch of europhiles this year, with not one but two men dressed as women to entertain us in ESC. Because, of course (come on now, everybody sing it together:) "Eurovision is all about fun and having a good time". Dressing up as a woman has not always been my idea of fun and I AM ONE. Fortunately, it's not necessary to run away just yet, as the two cross-dressing countries of 2007 fall beautifully under my two favourite labels...
HOT
Ukraine - Lasha Tumbai - Verka Serdyuchka
For the heated debate on the meaning of the song title, see Noogie's most recent posting. This has turned into quite the sensation of 07. Poor old Verka has brought us a rather amusing little turbo-folk ditty that harks back to Alf Poier's Austrian entry of 2003, with quirky costumes, the old accordian (Wogie loves his accordian) and some nice catawauling backing vocals. On first listen, it's the kind of thing you think you'd prefer to pull your own toenails out to than hear in its entireity, but if you stick with it you can suddenly imagine throwing a few shapes to it on some European dancefloor or other this summer. Because it's CLEVER fun, and in Carlytime's opinion that's the only kind that's allowed in euro (and in Carlytime's very self-controlled life). Anyway, it all sounds good for Verka. But some sillies in Ukraine now want to ban her from the contest! Oh! Gnashing of teeth and grinding of bones, we haven't stumbled across some homophobes have we? Actually, no, that would be too simple. The main reasons to complain about Verka are apparently that she makes fun of middle-aged women and will ruin the name of Ukraine in Europe by portraying a stereotypical Ukrainian villager. Hmm, yes, this won't do. Other comedy acts don't take the piss out of women or make characters out of stereotypes... Honest to God, though. Seriously, though. Well, any publicity is good publicity - expect to find Verka near the top of the scoreboard on May 12th. Ein! Zwei! Drei!
NOT
Denmark - Drama Queen - DQ
Still not as offensive as Scooch was the highest accolade we could offer this during our deliberations at Euromoments HQ. It's a turd sandwich, but with organic bread, or maybe with a little rocket and cress added for colour. I simply do not want to know about DQ's "I am what I am" style number telling me how dressing up in a big pink frock of an evening allows him to forget his daytime woes. I ain't no homophobe or nuffink - I just disagree with derivative schlager-machine foolishness supposedly being made more palatable by some sort of real life interest in the lyrics. I'm hopeful that this will not make it out of the semifinal, but anything is possible (and No Dream Impossible - cheers Lindsay) in Euro so I might just be force-fed that organic turd sandwich on two glorious and sorry occasions in May. For God's sake give Mahlene (2002) another chance - I wonder how she's getting on?
Comments