Nice People Thread No. 14, all Nice and Proper

silvercar

vivatifosi wrote: »

People under estimate the size of the Eurovision audience in the UK. I don't think the numbers for this year are in yet, but last year Eurovision was watched by 9m in the UK, not much less than 11m for the FA Cup. Plus its only once a year, like the FA Cup. That's a huge audience compared to the biggest shows on C4 or 5. The only channels big enough to broadcast at BBC1 and ITV 1.

I think the definition of "watched" is lose. We had the TV on Eurovision. I wouldn't say we watched it. More like Background noise.

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'd ban both. Individuals/companies for life - and the country for 5 years as they must have had some part of the choosing/hiring and culture of those people that believe that's acceptable.

I might also broadcast, on each of those 5 years, "And here we would have had the entry from XXXX but due to them being rotten team players they are on their 5 year ban" so people don't forget.

Please remember it is Eurovision, not a general election. It's a bit of fun.

kabayiri

lostinrates wrote: »

O, I don't underestimate it. And watch it myself for a hoot many years

The numbers watching it is and money involved is where my sadness rests really. ( a complaint of a philosophical and social nature as much or more than a practical one )

I underestimate it completely I'm afraid.

Doesn't it need a Simon Cowl figure to deride each act; an Amanda Holden figure to cry at each gut wrenching story behind the travails each contestant had to go through to compete (e.g selling their shoes for the bus money); a David Walliams figure to camp it up with innuendos for each act.

It needs big red crosses and buzzers to vote someone off after 10s.

There needs to be a bootcamp stage where stories will emanate suggesting that the Irish contestant has been a lothario bedding anyone they can.

Yeah, baby, "Big Brother EuroVision Talent, Get me outta here on Ice"

silvercar

kabayiri wrote: »

The voting scale for Eurovision is broken I would suggest.

It should go negative as well as positive; so that voters can indicate which acts they particularly detest.

The spread betting for the UK vote would generate a lot of interest. I think we would score between -70 and -85.

To make the voting even quicker, you could start from a pre-voting stage, where all the +12 and -12 votes are entered into the system, so we don't need to sit through the painful process where by neighbours give each other top points.

silvercar

vivatifosi wrote: »

If countries actively cheat, they should be banned from contests from a number of years, just as drug cheats are banned from sport. It isn't as though there aren't plenty of other countries who could fill the void.

That definition of "Europe" being so fluid that political negotiators are wondering what skill they missed.

kabayiri

silvercar wrote: »

To make the voting even quicker, you could start from a pre-voting stage, where all the +12 and -12 votes are entered into the system, so we don't need to sit through the painful process where by neighbours give each other top points.

Now we are getting somewhere

How about "in play voting".

Let's imagine Estonia is the hot fave, until a really early -12 from UK upsets them and they walk off after half a minute!

vivatifosi

I do like the idea of the + and - votes. That would be fun. Unless of course it got so nasty that it became a precursor to WW 3.

vivatifosi

silvercar wrote: »

That definition of "Europe" being so fluid that political negotiators are wondering what skill they missed.

I heard a radio interview with someone from the EBU on R4 the other day. It definitely got me thinking that they have expansionist aims. Talking about inviting other countries to attend, like Japan. Geography aside, I can see that Australia has ties to Europe, but Japan.

GDB2222

Spirit wrote: »

I remeber you awaiting delivery of that tree and that you had bought a quite a mature tree. We want a spreading flowering cherry but it is going to replace a very spread hazel so we want something that is a few years old when planted. As we will miss the shade and space filling.We have been looking on line but would welcome any info on your supplier.

Sadly, I shall have to cut down a cherry tree that has taken root in the foundations of our patio. If I could work out how to get it out in one piece, you would be welcome to it.

PasturesNew

silvercar wrote: »

Please remember it is Eurovision, not a general election. It's a bit of fun.

It's not fair fun if somebody's cheating - and the message has to go out that there's no cheating.

PasturesNew

silvercar wrote: »

To make the voting even quicker, you could start from a pre-voting stage, where all the +12 and -12 votes are entered into the system, so we don't need to sit through the painful process where by neighbours give each other top points.

It's always been too long-winded. Years ago, before there were so many acts, they'd vote more points. Not sure how many they do now (5 sets or so?), but they used to give out the full range of points, so you had to sit through 12 (or whatever) ....cue shot back to the board as they were added each time.