The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

By The EuroWhat? PodcastMusic Music Commentary Music History

The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews episodes

August 18, 2020Episode 92: Americandom is Naujo!
We welcome Helen Groothuis back to the show to workshop how on earth the American Song Contest is supposed to work?
Americandom is Naujo! Episode Summary
This episode's conversation is a bit more freestyle than usual, so timestamps don't make a whole lotta sense. However, here are a number of topics that we touch on, more or less in order:
Variety publishes the first story about the American Song Contest announcement
Who is Ben Silverman and why is Mike jealous?
Are there any reality competitions we haven't watched? (Ed Note: No.)
What network(s) could broadcast this?
What are our hopes/dreams/fears/lingering questions on how this is supposed to work?
Can we come up with a better title than American Song Contest?
Links
Intro Clip: "Wells for Boys" (Saturday Night Live / YouTube)
Cover Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash
US Version of Eurovision Set for 2021 (C21 Media)
Helen Groothuis on Twitter | YouTube | Patreon
Special Guest: Helen Groothuis.
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
41 min
August 04, 2020Episode 91: A Brief History of the EBU
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) turns 70 this year! How did the EBU come into being? We dive into telecommunications history and evolution to find out.
A Brief History of the EBU Summary
Topic Intro (1:53)
Dueling Telegraphs in 1843 (4:20)
What do you know about Napoleon III? (10:29)
The Radio Makes Waves (17:18)
The International Broadcasting Union and Proto-Eurovision (31:58)
Telecommunications Needs Post World War II and the Birth of the EBU (38:50)
Links
Morse Code and the Telegraph (History)
The 1865 International Telegraph Conference (ITU)
International Broadcasting Union (Nature)
Suzanne Lommers, "The quality of high-culture broadcasting" (Inventing Europe)
Morten Michelsen, "European Music? The International Broadcasting Union's 1930s Concert Series Concerts Européens" (Transnationalizing Radio Research)
Suzanne Vega is the 'Mother of the mp3' (Observer)
International Radio Conference; Atlantic City, 1947 (ITU)
EBU - 70th Anniversary (EBU)
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
50 min
July 21, 2020Episode 90: Wine Aunt Energy
We open up our mailbag and a chilled bottle of pinot grigio as we get caught up on Eurovision news from the last month.
Wine Aunt Energy Episode Summary
Mailbag (1:27):
How to pronounce "Niamh"
Bucks Fizz boiled sweets
The worst Halloween candy
Bruno Toniolli

No, really, are "Husavik" and "Jaja Ding Dong" eligible for Oscars? (6:30)

#EurovisionAgain (13:10)
Copenhagen 2014
Jerusalem 1999

Eurovision Back for Good (20:43)

Returning artist updates (24:09)
Moldova
Greece
Israel
Slovenia
San Marino

Artists not returning (41:58)
Croatia
France
Italy
Albania
Germany

Links
Cover art photo by Stephanie Greene (Unsplash)
#60: Hallelujah
The Real Eurovision's Dadi Freyr Talks Netflix's 'Icelandic' (Vulture)
Hera Bjork's "Jaja Ding Dong" cover (Facebook)
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
52 min
July 03, 2020Episode 89: 12 Points to Fire Saga?
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga arrived on Netflix last week and 12 Points from America joins us to discuss the music in Will Ferrell's new comedy.
12 Points to Fire Saga? Episode Summary
Welcome, 12 Points from America! Erik, Danny, Sam, and Derek! (2:20)
What were your overall impressions of the music in the movie? (7:23)
Will non-Eurovision fans "get" the Song Along? (20:30)
Was there anything missing from the Eurovision music experience? (39:33)
Outro: We discuss The Story of Fire Saga as a movie on 12 Points from America! (46:30)
Links
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Music from the Netflix Film) (Spotify)
@12PointsUSA (Twitter)
Bulgaria's 2017 Postcard (Facebook Video)
#54: Madame X is Eurovision
Special Guest: 12 Points from America.
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
48 min
June 23, 2020I Am Confusion (Part 2)
We try our 12 Minutes from 2007 on a complete newbie to Eurovision. What does our guest Justin Ladia think of the festivities from Finland?
I Am Confusion Summary
Welcome, Justin! What do you know about Eurovision? (2:29)
Serbia - "Molitva" - Marija Šerifović (5:50)
What was that postcard? (10:18)
Ukraine - "Dancing Lasha Tumbai" - Verka Serduchka (14:13)
United Kingdom - "Flying the Flag (For You)" - Scooch (22:25)
What were the results? (26:19)
Links
Justin Ladia on Twitter | Twitch | Instagram
12 Minutes from the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest (YouTube)
Special Guest: Justin Ladia.
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
37 min
June 16, 2020Episode 88: 12 Minutes in 2007 (Part 1)
Chris King joins us to chat about UK quiz and panel shows—including Pointless Eurovision—and the rock block of Serbia, Ukraine, and the UK from Eurovision 2007.
12 Minutes in 2007 Summary
Called Into Questions and UK quiz shows (1:31)
News: Eurovision 2021 to take place May 18, 20, 22 (12:39)
#EurovisionAgain: 2018 and 1988 (14:24)
Main Topic: 12 Minutes from the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest (21:02)
Serbia - Molitva - Marija Šerifović (25:27)
Ukraine - Dancing Lasha Tumbai - Verka Serduchka (31:11)
United Kingdom - Flying the Flag (For You) - Scooch (38:41)

Links
Chris King on Twitter (@ckingsc)
Pointless Celebrities: Eurovision (YouTube)
#18: Indistinct Pterodactyl Squawking (2018 Post-Final Episode)
Special Guest: Chris King.
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
55 min
June 03, 2020Episode 87: AfriMusic, AI, and the Free European Song Contests
The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest did not happen. We discuss three Eurovision-adjacent song contests that did happen in the first half of 2020.
AfriMusic, AI, and the Free European Song Contests Summary
News: Andorra returns? Cyprus re-selects (2:09)
#EurovisionAgain: Riga 2003 and Italy 1991 (5:07)
What is the AfriMusic Song Contest? (17:13)
What is the AI Song Contest? (28:35)
What is the Free European Song Contest? (36:18)
Links
87 AfriMusic, AI, and the Free European Song Contests playlist (Spotify)
AI Song Contest Playlist (Spotify)
Uncanny Valley's Process Blog (RMIT University)
AI Songfestival Webseries (YouTube)
Free European Song Contest performance recap (YouTube)
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
48 min
May 19, 2020Episode 86: Shine a Light
The 2020 Eurovision Season comes to an end with Europe: Shine a Light. @dudepoints joins us to reminisce and set the record straight on the Riga Beaver.
Shine a Light Summary
Welcome, @dudepoints! (1:58)
The Riga Beaver and Kozmens (3:16)
Eurovision: The Saga of Fire Song announced by Netflix (12:01)
Eurovision 2020 Tribute Album drops (15:54)
Who "won" Eurovision 2020? (19:59)
Our 2021 Wishlist (42:23)
Europe: Shine a Light Epilogue (47:30)
Links
dudepoints.fun
"Volcano Man" teaser (YouTube)
Europe: Shine a Light full show (YouTube)
#EurovisionAgain 1974 (YouTube)
Special Guest: Dude Points.
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
1 hr 2 min
May 05, 2020Episode 85: Eurovision Again
#EurovisionAgain impresario Rob Holley speaks with us about the Eurovision Twitter time machine extravaganza.
#EurovisionAgain Summary
News Desk (1:58)
Eurostream 2020 Voting | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Alternate Programming for Eurovision Week ESCXtra Guide
Netflix Updates

#EurovisionAgain with Rob Holley (11:30)

Links
#60: Hallelujah (Eurovision 1979)
#EurovisionAgain Website | Twitter | Podcast
Fundraising Links for Terrence Higgins Trust, Mermaids, Stonewall UK
Throw Yourself into the Dorky World of Pop (Telegraph)
Special Guest: Rob Holley.
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
53 min
April 21, 2020Episode 84: What is Poptimism?
Music critic Ned Raggett joins us to discuss rockism, poptimism, and why Eurovision songs are worthy of critique.
What is Poptimism? Summary
Welcome, Ned! (1:00)
Newsdesk: Eurostream 2020, Eurovision in Concert, Europe Shine a Light, Blas Cantó duets with Kelly Clarkson (4:32)
What is "poptimism"? (12:36)
Poptimism vs. Rockism (23:56)
The Rise of Eurovision in the US (34:15)
Links
Where to find Ned: Twitter @nedraggett | Patreon | By-the-Bywater
333Sound (33 1/3 Project)
The Reconsideration of Abba, a Band Beyond Taste (Pitchfork)
Special Guest: Ned Raggett.
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
59 min

About The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

From the publisher's feed

The Eurowhat? Podcast launched in 2018 and features two Americans (Ben Smith and Mike McComb) attempting to make sense of the Eurovision Song Contest. The show tracks national selections and artist…