Is this ...
really sillier than this?
The first picture is Austrian Conchita Wurst / Tom Neuwirth,
winner of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The second is Finnish band Lordi, winner in 2006.
But it’s the win by a bloke in a dress which stirred up the
most controversy. Populist, right wing Russian politician, Vladimir
Zhirinovsky, from the inappropriately named Liberal Democratic Party described this year’s winning entry:
“There’s no limit to our outrage.
It’s the end of Europe.”
Indeed, sir. Europe’s
decadence has rendered it a rudderless ship. What it needs is a firm hand.
Let’s resurrect that other Austrian who knew how to wow an audience.
In keeping the beard, Conchita Wurst is making a serious
statement about sexual and gender stereotyping. Perhaps the irony helped him /
her win. Not having seen the other entries, I don’t know whether this year’s
win was entirely due to talent. I’m certainly not convinced 2006’s was.
I think it’s a positive thing that sufficiently many people
can judge the performance on its artistic content, as opposed to not being able
to get past: “Fuck! Is that a bloke?”
Conchita Wurst isn’t the first drag act to do well in a big singing
competition. Australian Courtney Act
made the semi finals in Season 1 of Australian Idol (2003).
Here’s Conchita’s winning song and Courtney’s
… and Lordi’s for good
measure.
Clearly, none of them are as good as 1981 Eurovision winner,
Buck’s Fizz. Perhaps
that is the true lesson here … the world would be so much better if it was full
of blond haired, blue eyed people performing wholesome songs approved by the
government.
