Yet again, the best Eurovision entries rose to the top on the night. Sweden, the Netherlands and Austria were the bookies’ favourites before the betting started, and no amount of ‘buddy voting’ upended that. What did disappoint me was the booing of the teenaged girls representing Russia. I felt desperately sorry for the Tolmachevy twins, who had a decent song and pulled off an impressive stage performance. I can’t remember the last time I heard a Eurovision audience boo anyone; during the Iraq war in 2003, no one booed Britain – we just came last with no votes from anyone. The acrimony should be in the voting: Poland didn’t have to say ‘nul points‘ to Russia, it just happened and everyone enjoyed it.
So what explains the viciousness? Even before Russia’s moves in Ukraine, Putin’s abridgement of gay rights won him fresh enemies in the West and made him a hate figure amongst LGBT audiences.
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