Eurovision's downfall so far 🧵:
-Looks like Netherlands have been DQd. Flags have been removed from their dressing room.
-Most reported *but unconfirmed* reason is that he got physical with Israeli media, who were heckling him about his dead parents.
-Press events all cancelled.
What's happened to Britney is awful and not something anyone should be subjected to but I'd like everyone to keep in mind that people in inpatient are regularly pressured to have an IUD installed if they don't have one and it can sometimes be used as a bargaining tool for release
-Some reports now of Spanish media *also* claiming that Israeli media became physical with them.
-Reports that arena staff are in absolute chaos.
-Italy gave impromptu, mournful speech outside venue and then sang 'Imagine.'
-Fans outside arena already protesting Dutch DQ.
-Eurovision have only provided statement that Netherlands were 'suspended' from rehearsals, reports indicate dancers left 'last minute' in full hair and makeup, seemed very last minute, suspension doesn't explain removed flags.
My favorite thing about Galaxy's Edge going to shit is that they apparently were so taken by the concept of Westworld that they actually consulted with the writers of the show to discuss the logistics of narratives at Westworld - which is a show about why Westworld is a bad idea.
(I will try and update with what has been confirmed as we go but please assume everything is unconfirmed until otherwise.)
Confirmed so far:
-Removal of Dutch flags
-Italy having a John Lennon moment
-Fan protests
-Dutch suspension from rehearsals
Eurovision 2024 Aftermath thread -
CONFIRMED: Nemo (Switzerland) had to smuggle their non-binary flag in as Eurovision refused to allow it. Nemo went on to win the contest. Has said 'Eurovision needs a little fixing, too' and calls it 'a double standard'.
UNCONFIRMED:
The EBU alongside Martin Osterdahl will be holding a private meeting to discuss today's events. This isnt confirmed, however multiple media sources alongside Aftonbladet and SVT have stated this.
So, no, I'm not surprised at all that Britney Spears was forced to have an IUD put in. One of the first thing that happens to people with psychosis is they have their reproductive rights taken away.
En once años que llevo cubriendo
#Eurovision
nunca me había sentido tan inseguro en el festival.
Varios periodistas israelíes han decidido intimidarme e increparme por haber gritado
#FreePalestine
tras el ensayo de Isra-hell.
No nos van a atemorizar. No nos van a callar.
Israel's delegation using their social media to insult other acts including Bambie Thug (Ireland.) Chinless behaviour, against the contest's official rules. Surely the EBU will also suspend them from performing until they finish an investigation, right?
FINAL UPDATE OF TODAY:
The Israeli Delegation have been insulting Bambie Thug from Ireland and other artists on Social Media, which violates the official rules of the contest.
Statement from RTVE (Spain)
"The Spanish delegation from
@eurovision_tve
has conveyed to
@EBU_HQ
its commitment to freedom of the press and opinion and has demanded that
@Eurovision
ensure its respect."
One last thing on the new Evangelion dub:
Kaworu no longer says "I love you."
He says "I like you."
If Netflix couldn't understand the fundamental importance of him saying "I love you," I don't know why they bothered to buy the IP. Awful scripting.
As an Australian, there are three things that make me patriotic:
1. Australians coming together to dog on the British every Olympics.
2. The song 'I Still Call Australia Home.'
3. WHAT IS THE CHARGE? ENJOYING A MEAL? A SUCCULENT CHINESE MEAL?
This is usually pushed as 'for the safety of the patient' because of 'hypersexual response' (lmao fuck off) but we all know what it is and it starts with an E.
TO ADD TO THIS: Another reason IUDs are pushed so hard in inpatient facilities is that a lot of them are underfunded or staffed and sexual assault between patients and also between patients and staff is common. There was a whole ass inquest into it here.
Also: the only reason I got out of having an IUD be part of my release agreement was because my father had to drive three hours to the hospital and have a meeting in which he told them I was not to have an IUD installed. It was my father's call. I was in my 20's.
Part of my 'agreement' when I was released from inpatient was that I had to start taking birth control. During my stay I was told numerous times that I had to get a Mirena IUD installed because it would 'balance my hormones and make me more stable.'
Correction about Spain - someone in our Eurovision discord has clarified that this may have been mistranslated and it was just an additional report on Spain being involved in an altercation.
5 years since I became absolutely and utterly disillusioned with the obsession so many story leads seem to have with 'subverting expectations' to the point where their obsession with being the smartest person in the room is detrimental to the rest of the creative process.
During my time in inpatient a male patient was following me around describing how he was going to assault me (out loud) and when i told the doctor i didn't feel safe, he said "I can't guarantee your safety on the ward. That's just not how it works."
People hated her for being a literal child reacting to extremely traumatic events in the way that a literal child would react to them, and then they hated her for playing the game to survive the way the boys in the show had since the first episode.
Rather than like, have separate facilities or better security, the approach taken is literally to just 'clean up as best as possible' after sexual assaults. I wish I was kidding.
What we know for a fact so far:
-Incident the Netherlands and they were suspended from rehearsals. Incident was a physical altercation involving media, different reports on WHAT media, though.
-Dutch flags removed from dressing rooms.
-Statement from EBU soon.
Take this one with a grain of salt but the fact this is something I've seen reported twice from different sources now is telling about the general vibe right now.
CONFIRMED: Ireland has confirmed that Bambie Thug has raised a complaint relating to the Israeli commentary about them, claiming is it a breach of the rules of the contest.
Malta making an update shortly, speculation in the community is that they will announce that they'll be filling Joost's spot. (SPECULATION being the key word here.)
Have seen several reports that the photographer in the Joost incident was NOT Israeli, still waiting for some kind of official statement (if we even get one confirming the photographer's nationality)
The state of the Eurovision community before I go to bed:
-Everyone was already mad but even the people who set it aside to try and watch anyway are seeing red right now.
-Poor comms on EBU's part has made this 700x worse.
-Not a single person has confidence in Eurovision anymore
If you are a journalist etc and would like to include any of these tweets in coverage regarding Britney, I ask that you give me a heads up and please keep in mind that this is a retelling of experiences that hold a lot of trauma for me.
Updating because this blew up: I'm currently doing ok, thankfully. Still on the quest to find mental healthcare as the Australian system is beyond capacity but I've been away from inpatient for about 4 years now.
Things that are speculated but seem to be the case (although unconfirmed:)
-Netherlands either DQ'd or withdrawn from Eurovision 2024.
-Malta possibly taking their spot in the finals.
I guess what I'm saying here is that I'm not shocked or surprised at all that they found a Dr/Gyaeno to install an IUD against Britney's wishes given how commonplace it is for people with mental health issues. That's my point.
Update: Jury show is meant to start but the stage director has come on stage and reportedly introduced a singer and then left. No additional info given, a bit weird, everyone is confused.
Italian voters weren't even just upset but furious. Allegations in the community are pretty spicy with the 39.9% vote towards Israel raising eyebrows in a country that's pretty vocal about their participation. This has lead to allegations of sim card farming.
Dutch news reporting all Dutch flags have been removed and taken backstage. I think we can safely say that we won't be seeing Joost in the finals. Only question left is WHY.
Can we talk about how good Annabel O'Hagan's performance is? Absolutely masterful acting. Every straight guy I know is like 'I dunno, she seems like she might be a good guy and might help Norm and Chett' and every woman I know is like 'NAH, SHE'S NOT RIGHT. I CAN JUST TELL.'
It also speaks volumes to how disconnected with the actual concept of interactive roleplay experiences Disney was, because the writers of Westworld were EXTREMELY open about how they visited and consulted with and participated in LARPs in order to research those logistics!
If we don't have an official statement or accouncement by the final rehearsal tonight then I don't know what to two you, I guess Eurovision has just given up.
Still no statement or news from the EBU about what is going on, audiences are entirely in the dark and speculation is running so rampant that every minute the EBU holds off on saying something, their image becomes more and more irreparably damaged.
Some in the community hoping that there's still hope Joost may still perform in the grand final, but if he's out of the running order during the Jury judging, I doubt that. Jury counts for 50% of your score.
Dutch media now saying that Joost has been removed from the Jury show performance but has not been officially been disqualified yet pending the investigation into the incident. Hope remains that he might make the grand final.
EBU HAVE MADE A STATEMENT: Joost not disqualified, investigation ongoing, footage from semifinal 2 will be used in lieu of performing in the jury show.
UPDATE, OFFICIAL: Norwegian media going sicko mode, states "in its struggle to remain apolitical, the EBU has become like a small fascist state in itself." Headline of article is "for et shitshow."
Despite refusing entry to non-binary flags as they're "too political," Eurovision has no issue using images of them to promote the contest on their own social media.
I'm tweeting this as it comes in order to record a timeline of reports, speculation etc as it happens. Things may remain speculation, others will be confirmed. Having a record of how information travels and how stories develop is important later on. :)
Disney could have just gone to some LARPs and maybe played some DnD and learned incredibly valuable information about how to provide that experience for a quarter of the cost! But they didn't!
UPDATE: Malmo police statement reports a complaint was made against Joost involving a female TV employee. Have "interrogated" both parties. Matter has now been passed on to public prosecutor.
The community is in uproar. Like, feral. I would not want to be working on the ground at Eurovision this year. These are terrible, terrible optics given the already atrocious vibes reported from the audience and the allegations surrounding that one country's delegation's behavior