[ SEE and-in the media ]

While watching the Eurovision Song Contest on BBC last Saturday (yes I know, my life sounds sad, but it is just a temporary inability to move), I couldn't help but notice that the commentator was getting increasingly distressed about

a) nobody voting for the UK and
b) the - in his words - "Balkan"-voting.

One might say I am a bit over-sensitive when it comes to the use of the term 'Balkans', and he did mention other 'blocks' as well, but after I had heard a series of comments like 'another Balkan vote', 'Balkan friendship society' alongside with continuos predictions like 'Croatia are going to vote for Bosnia and Serbia' and after some nervous-hysterical laughter due to Albania giving full points to Spain (hope that didn't give him sleepless nights afterwards), I found the whole thing was rather inappropriate than funny. Either mock the whole event or take it seriously - but don't complain and be cranky about the UK not getting any votes while ridiculing other countries and their songs...(btw, the same applies to Lucy Porters column in the Guardian today...'the singer's lesbian prison-warder aesthetic' - and has she seriously not understood the whole voting-process and what's behind it, or did the conclusion

Maybe it's not so much a question of popularity as simple proximity. After all, you had countries voting for Serbia who only stopped being at war with Serbia about last Tuesday. What short memories they must have - Malta, take note.

Judging from readers' comments in the Guardian and elsewhere, most people agree on how awful the British song is - and the 'political' discussion following the event, like every year, is rather tiring. And for those who still think it's all unfair - just listen to the British Song (Commercial?). I think it is safe to say that Serbia would not have won with a song like this....