Overall I was over the moon!!!! Can I just say one massive ...

*CONGRATULATIONS*
*NORWAY*

... because lets be honest, they were deserved winners! They got such a high amount of points nobody can deny their victory of them and their win was absolutely staggering! Although i'm not a fan of the song or performance, I can still say i'm more than happy Norway won. It was staring us in the face and we should have seen it coming, but lets not be bitter about it, again MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to all the Norwegians here!!!

So onto the rest of the results ....

ICELAND!!! I'm so glad they came 2nd! Its a ray of light in their economic meltdown, and Yohanna was superb. I feel really guilty now for thinking this song might not even qualify, because it was fantastic! Maybe the best performance of the night!?

THE UK!! TOP 5, TOP 5 YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAA!!!! I am soooooooooooooooooooo happy!!! It feels so strange for us to be in the left side of the leaderboard but i'm sooooo sooooo sooooo over the moon about it and thank you to everybody who voted for us I am so grateful!!! And OMFG 12 points from Greece, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE SHOW was absolutely immense! Everything about it was amazing, and as Grahame said, I doubt we'll ever see a eurovision again on the same scale. So ayayayayyayaay THANK YOU RUSSIA, and i'm confident NRK will do just a just as good job next year

THE SEMIS

> I just checked the semi results!! Finland was the jury choice!! Now THAT is a shock and a half!
> I'm soooo glad Ireland was 11th! Thats a respectable position and although they deserved higher i'm sooo happy for them
> FYROM missed out for the 2nd year in a row due to the jury vote, MEGA ROFL!
> Sweden qualified in a very very decent position, but then flopped in the final, whats that all about?
> Interesting note, in the semis, the UK only gave points to the qualifiers and nobody else.
> Sakis only came 4th in the semi, I was expecting him to have won!
> And Iceland proved the real surprise by not only finishing 2nd, but also winning their semi! For such a small country they did do absolutely AMAZING!

(QUICK NOTE, Grahame Norton was FANTASTIC! He didn't take the piss much, and he was respectful to all the songs (apart from Germany lol), and as he said at the end, "its become a song contest again". So many countries broke borders and gave their top points to Norway instead of their neighbours and that says alot!)

And to sum it up, it was THE BEST ESC EVER!!!!!!

Congratulations to Norway, yes, but I'm far from happy. There were much better songs and voices in this contest.
Anyway, I'm happy about Greece coming 7th considering this was a very difficult year and our song wasn't exactly strong..the placing we got we only owe it to Sakis..if any other Greek singer had that song, we would be outside the top 10 for sure.
I'm also happy that France and Bosnia were in the top 10 although I believe they deserved higher than 8th and 9th place.
Congratulations to the Uk, Iceland, Estonia and Azerbaijan, they all deserved their placings..and to Turkey, too, although in my opinion it should be lower.
I'm VERY disappointed in Spain's, Finland's and Sweden's placing..no way did those songs deserve 21, 23 and 25.
About the final it was one of the best I've ever watched..many good songs, good voices, good performances and no joke entries. I hope next year will be equally good.

Finally, I can't wait to see the jury results and the televoting results separately.
Did 50/50 work? Some would say it did since the Uk and France both made the top 10 but on the other hand if we compare last year's top 10 with this year's top 10 we will see that Norway, Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Bosnia were in the top 10 again.
That means 6 countries out of 10 (and considering Serbia wasn't in the final this year and Estonia wasn't in the final last year the number could be higher) are up there 2 years in a row.
Only the Uk, France and Iceland greatly improved their results and the 1st two sent a famous name whereas Iceland is one of the Scandinavian block.
I'm not saying those countries didn't deserve their placings, don't get me wrong..but I wonder..did 50/50 really help countries without many neighbours?
Portugal ended up 15th (lower than last year), Malta 22nd, Albania 17th (18th last year), Spain 23rd (not mentioning Germany because indeed that performance looked very bad)...and can anyone say that Chiara deserved being 22nd (just to mention one result of the above)?

I think only next year we will be able to understand fully the 50/50 implications and how it affects countries. I'll be back with more thoughts when I see the televoting results vs the jury resutls.

Tbh I think 50/50 did work. Mainly becuase it made the results more unpredictable (Norway would have won with juries or not). For example, Spain only gave 7 to Romania (instead of 12), and the UK only gave 5 to Greece (instead of 8+). Obviously there was still neighbourly voting here and there, but I think overall 50/50 has worked and what it will do, (which is VERY important) is re-install confidence on the contest, especially in the western countries.

For example as the closing credits were rolling, Grahame Norton said that eurovision is a song contest again, and countries were voting for the songs and not for their neighbours, which (whether we like it or not), showed with Norway getting nearly 400 points!

AS FOR Chiaras low placing, I think we should have seen it coming, even if it wasn't deserved. With ballads from the UK & Iceland both scoring very highly & France doing well, alot of the "ballad points" where already taken up. Had Chiara taken part last year with the same song she would have done alot better, but this year there was simply too many ballads in the final, and Chiara was a victim of that.

**********

Just out of interest ... Mark what are your opinions on Norway winning!?!?! rolf

Roflmfao-ol

I completely agree with your thoughts Jonny and there's soooo much to say so this is just a little list of all the people/things which are either LMFAO or can go suck lemons:

- Finland: jury choice and 25th - ouch...
- Spain: LOOOOOOOOL even Rodolfo got more points
- Lithuania: haha, suck it cunts, 23rd
- Serbia + FYR Macedonia: BIG BIG BIG "Haha and fuck you!!!" unlucky you scummy cunts !!! 10th was too good for you...
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: I KNEW IT - GIVE ME MY PRAISE!!! THEY DIDN'T WIN THE SEMI AND THEY DIDN'T WIN THE FINAL
- Czech Republic: mwuahahahahahahahaha, I don't think there is a more deserving 0 points out there.
- Bulgaria: Just LOL
- Greece: Serves. You. Right.
- Turkey: YES!!! Now the fucking spammers will shut the fuck up, go away and leave us proper ESC-loons in peace! Herpise for the bin!!!
- Malta: I know I shouldn't... but
- Sweden: I could see this coming but WTF big fall from grace
- Ukraine: "I'll show you to my nest - it's been repossessed"
- Germany: ...oh wait, they didn't come last suck it everyone!

Now, this is a really mean post, but for me this is utter vindication I'll be writing another post full of happy things so don't worry!

Which western countries though? Only 2 of them, like I said, made it in the top 10 and that was with 2 huge names.
Norway did great last year, too, with just televoting so it wasn't a surprise they reached #1.
Are you sure that if it wasn't ALW and Patricia Kaas, the Uk and France would have those results? Because I'm not.
That's why I said we should wait until next year.

Pre-Warning: If the first thing you say to me on msn is Rybak won etc. I block you. Current Toll - 11.

I am not bitter that Norway won, I can see why he won and how and as I always say, The best never do win ESC. I think the last time the best did win was 1973 However, I am not bothered about Norway winning because of one thing - The voting was fairer, okay there's still a lot of neighbour/diasporal voting, but it was a lot weaker and as Jonny said, the SONGS are doing better and the shows aren't, excluding Norway and Turkey.

Best Performances Of The Night
France: Simply breath-taking, one of the best performances on any stage.
Portgual: Adorable, sweet, innocent
Iceland: Amazing vocals and beautiful setting
Russia: Just amazing
Moldova: Great vocals and great dancing
Estonia: Beautiful in every way

Worst Performances Of The Night
Lithuania: Messy performance and vocals
Greece: Terrible vocals, strange dancing, very dull and boring
Albania: Annoying vocals, very strange and bad staging
Norway: Terrible singer, annoying standard average pop song
Ukraine: Just bad.
Finland: Bad vocals, static performance, and just looked like right losers
Spain: Very very very messy - what an awful dress !

I'm pleased that the UK is 5th - if we can come 5th with shit like that imagine what we could do with a great song !!! - I'm hoping it will show the british public and media, that we can still do well if we try. However response's so far seem "Well we did better than usual" and that's about it and then "Norway was terrible"

I'm really happy for France, Estonia and Iceland who deserved every point they got and more. Norway, Turkey, UK and Greece ranked too high. And I'm surprised how "bad" Bosnia did. I'm happy Ukraine didn't make top 10. I'm sad for Portugal only coming 15th with a great song and Israel I'm happy coming 16th, as everyone was saying they'll come last. I wish Chiara never entered with her bad song, 3rd, 2nd, 22nd .

Semi-Final 1
Surprised how well Sweden did, the jury must not have liked it in the final.
Sad for Czech Republic, they were certainly better than 0 points.
Surprised how low Armenia finished.
Surprised how low Switzerland finished, and recieving 0 from UK.
I thought Finland was ever one of 4 to be the jury.
Also surprised again how low Bosnia finished.

Semi-Final 2
Surprised how high Ireland did
Happy Serbia came 10th and didn't get jury
Surprised how well Poland did, considering it was very painful to listen to.
Nice to know France was the only country with sense to not give top 3 to Norway
Disappointing for Cyprus, who gave one of the best of the night
Azerbaijan 8 points to Hungary !?!?!
Surprised how low Sakis was - even if he deserved lower
Happy with Moldova
Albania though !?!?!
Ukraine only 80 points - hurah !
and Estonia 3rd - HURAH !!
Albania 10 pts to Holland !?!?!

Overall
Great year, songs overall did better than shows. However the winner is the worst of all times, but I can forget that as the voting was fairer. Eurovision has taken one step in the right direction. Can't wait for when we hopefully have good songs next year and I hope Rybak has less amount of time on the stage than Dima did. The Russians did a great job like I expected - Hopefully Norway can do the same and maybe people will start voting for songs even more now and sending songs more

Well maybe but the point is, that the average viewer watching sees the juries are back, and then sees countries that normally do badly, in the top 10, or top 5, they're gonna think it is more of a song contest again.

Even if you were a German last night, and although Germany did badly you saw the UK, France, Iceland & Norway in the top 10, you'd think its unusual to have 4 western countries in the top 10 let alone one winning, so you'd think maybe the contest is becoming more about the songs again. Coincedentally its the same year the juries have returned and in peoples minds, Juries + Western countries in the top 10 = Song contest perhaps!?!?!

Whether the juries actually had an impact or not isn't my point, but my point is that the average viewer will think (or be under the illusion!) that its becoming a song contest again and alot of them will put it down to the juries!

I will also say, the song which will always remind me of Eurovision 2009 is ... Israel...

Mainly because I have never been so touched by a song when I saw it in the Semi, plus it's a song of hope, and my hope has been put back into Eurovision this year...

Jonny, I know what you mean but like I said I think we can't draw conclusions based on one year..and of course we haven't seen the televoting results yet...that's where the real impact of the juries will be seen.
Btw when you say the average viewer you must mean the British viewer..because I'm sure that the Spanish or the Portuguese or the Maltese or the German viewer won't be thrilled.
lol

I do agree, this year has put faith back into eurovision again! The question thats on my mind now is ... whats the BBC gonna do for 2010!? Obviously they cannot withdraw now, and YCNY was a bit of a one off ... anybody up for Eurovision:Your decision!?!?!?! rofl


Mina
LOL No I don't think the average viewer in some countries will be too thrilled. BUT I think although its early days, last nights results will still install confidence in esc to some degree, especially in France which is one of the countries where only about 6 people watch each year

And another thing:
The semi's were televoting only. Norway, Azerbaijan, Iceland and Turkey were the winners of the 2 semis..and the 4 countries that made the top 4 of the final.
Uk got 5th and then Estonia (the 3rd country of the 2nd semi), Greece (the 4th country of the 2nd semi), France (not in semis), Bosnia (3rd in 1st semi) and Armenia (5th in 1st semi).
Only Sweden (4th in 1st semi) broke the....line.
So what did the juries do exactly? Apart from putting the Uk and France in the top 10?

Keep the terrible song from Sweden out of the top 10 !?

LOL Mark, I loved Sweden' song..don't be mean!

And I'm sure you know very well what my post meant

OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG!!!!

The UK itunes top 100:
23: Jade "Its my time"

But get this ....

24: Alexander Rybak "Fairytale"
76: Yohanna "Is it true?"!!!!

OK now I know that doesn't sound amazing but bare in mind most esc songs simply don't chart here, so the fact they entered out top 100 at that speed is fantastic!!! (See what I mean mina? )

Yes, you mean what I said before...that the British viewer is happy.
lol

Pffft well its a start!!!! I haven't checked the other charts yet anyway ...

RYBAK INVASION!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - I'm seriously thinking about moving to Este's house in the USA but it is actually good in a scary Rybak way ....


Also one of my biggest thoughts last night - How much make-up must Rybak wears, because he is butt ugly off stage - but when he is on - he looks less "normal human" and more better ... If you know what I mean ...

UK
23: Jade Ewen
24: Alexander Rybak
76: Yohanna

FRANCE
38: Alexander Rybak
87: Patricia Kaas

Germany (Bare in mind Germany did crap!)
11: Alexander Rybak
18: Alex Swings Oscar Sings
91: Jade Ewen
44: Yohanna

Spain (Spain didn't exactly storm to the top either)
9: Alexander Rybak
91: Jade Ewen
71: Malena Ernman
65: Urban Symphony
64: Yohanna
38 & 83 (don't ask why!): Soraya


And thats only the Big 4, for all these songs to enter the top 100 THAT quickly (at fairly decent places), is quite something.

EDIT: Ireland (Remember Ireland weren't in the final)
9: Alexander Rybak
55: Jade Ewen
22: Yohanna
92: Urban Symphony
3: SINEAD & BLACK DAISY YAYYAYAAY!! (well they would be high anyway!)
97: Slutlana (ROLFORFLROFRLFORFL I thought Ireland had taste!)

Holland (Failed epically in the semis)
2: Alexander Rybak
49: Aysel & Arash
66: Hadise
48: Jade Ewen
39: Malena Ernman
70: Nelly Ciou ... oh I can't spell it!
89: Patricia Kaas
40 : Urban Symphony
14: Yohana

Belgium
4: Alexander Rybak
2: Hadise
87: Jade Ewen
68: Malena Ernman
86: Patricia Kaas
33: Yohanna

Is my point becoming clearer now? For this many songs to chart this quickly in countries where ESC is seen as a bit of a laugh, really does say something!!

The fact that Fairytale will be successful in iTunes and/or other charts doesn't mean anything, of course the song is successful since all countries voted for it and I'm sure the same would happen with 100% televoting.
PS That goes for all the songs that we see in iTunes today.

No no no!!! Not just Rybak, but songs like La Voix which did relatively badly, still charted quite well, OVERNIGHT!! Even in countries which did badly!

In Greece or any other eurovision-addicted country thats probably quite normal, but in most western countries for so many songs to chart so quickly is unusual, and I think thats down to the fact people had more interest in the songs yesterday because it seemed more of a song contest than in recent years.