The Wapping Psycho

Thanks be to Jeebus for YouTube. I missed this edition of 'Have I got news for you', but was able to watch the whole on the net a few days later. And now, I share it with you. I won't bother explaining the object of this game to US readers, as for this episode, the guest host takes the whole thing off on a manic (very loud) tangent.

Brian Blessed. You may remember his from such films as "Flash Gordon"....

Pure genius. He deserves his own chat-show. It'd be cheap too, as there would be no need for any guests - he would do all the talking. Enjoy. But be warned - there are some naughty words...

Here's another musical offering from the Balkans. (Incidentally, am I the only person that pictures a weird alien race from Star Trek every time they hear the word 'Balkans'? As in "The Balkans have launched a quantum torpedo at us - raise sheilds!". No? Just me then.)

So Croatia is most definitely going for the Eastern Bloc vote here. And the grey vote too, judging by the average age of these performers. I think it's nice they allowed their grandfather to take part though, despite the fact he looks as if he's not entirely sure what he should be doing at any point during the performance.

Bless.

Help the aged, indeed.

Empty

Apologies to the two people that actually read this - I've been neglecting the blog of late. Nothing intentional, just events. I promise to post with more regularity this month (or what's left of it).

I'm sure there'll be plenty of things to rant about in the coming weeks. 

The Eurovision throws up some strange sh!t every year. We've already seen some of this year's crop (Ireland and Spain still stand out, not to mention the Baltic pirates...).

However, this year's entry from Bosnia-Herzegovina really takes the biscuit. Seriously - it's batshit-crazy. And yet, strangle endearing.

I'd actually heard the song before seeing this video clip. And no, the track in no prepared me for what I saw.

Something to look forward to on the night, I suppose.

Not long now...

Portly, frequently tongue-tied and occasionally violent. Inspiration for comedians and talk-show pundits all over the UK. All attributes of the former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott. But bulemic? Prescott? Sure, he looked like enjoyed the odd deep-fried Mars bar, but don't bulemics em...how to put this delicately? Don't they 'purge' once they've binged? Aren't they usually young women? Misconceptions.

Okay, on the one hand, it's easy to poke fun at Prescott. But I think he should be patted on the back for going public statement on this. Yes, we could be cynical and link it to his upcoming book. But I'd like to focus on all the other men out there with easting eating disorders. If this goes just a little way towards removing some of the stigma associated with this, then he'll have done something useful.

Almost as useful as when he decked a protester who threw an egg at him. For your enjoyment once more... iiiiiin the red corner...

Derren_brown

Yes indeed, he is. And who cares? I mean, good for him and everything. But I wasn't sitting on the very edge of my seat waiting to find out. I do like Brown and really enjoyed his book "Tricks of the Mind", particular when he debunks various peddlers of hocus-pocus.

I hope this story just dies a death and he doesn't end up being viewed as "Gay Illusionist, Derren Brown". You know what I mean? He's good at what he does. Let's acknowledge him for that.

Predictably, the knuckle-draggers at The Sun had their moment with this headline. Scumbags.

I like Brown's attitude to all this, though:

"Coming out when you are in the public eye is one of those things that isn't an issue to yourself, your friends or your family. But you have to make a statement about it. You have to be open and up front – or you end up turning it into a dark secret in your mind."

Be open and up front - exactly. If everyone was able to do this, there would be a lot less mystery, less hypocrisy, and sexual preference would just be another demographic variable.

This just in: Wapping Psycho is also gay. I wonder if I'll be labelled a "gay psychologist" from now on...

Yay! Gavin and Stacey have won at the TV BAFTAs. Sadly, it was the last episode of the current season. I won't ruin it for anyone, but it was fantastic. Nessa gets better and better. And so, here's Nessa and Smithy and....corn on the cob.

Here's Slovenia's Rebeka Dremelj with Vrag Naj Vzame. She's doing well here, ticking several Eurovision cliche boxes. For instance, she's got the fans directing wind in her hair and she's looking sternly at the camera at every opportunity.

She also appears to have the Nolan Sisters acting as her backing group (Google them!)

More significantly, she's got a pair of gormless dancers acting out a routine that may well have sounded like a great idea when they were down the pub one evening, but on stage....meh.

I loved it when she struck a blow for feminists everywhere and cut the chains connecting the dancers. Very symbolic.

Sigh.

Turkey's entries have consistently improved since the mid-90's - once they realised they didn't have to put on the equivalent of a "Come, visit Turkey" show, complete with belly-dancers.

Though I'm not sure about this one. Perhaps it'll grow on me. 

This song has really grown on me since first hearing it. I can't explain why. She has a decent voice - fair enough. But I think it's the arrangement...nice and punchy. No idea how this will fare on the night.

So this is Maria Haukaas Storeng with 'Hold On, Be Strong'. She'll be performing in the first semi-final, so if things don't go her way, most viewers won't get to see her at all. Fingers crossed for Norway, then.