Sweden on the brink of Eurovision war
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Everybody panic! The Local has inadvertently sparked what the Swedish press is referring to as the ‘Tingeling Crisis’.
Now as crises go, it’s hardly Cuba or the Berlin Blockade. But in a land such as Sweden, gripped with Eurovision fever, revelations that the Russians were less than pleased with an interval song and dance number at the Melodifestivalen final have quickly spread far and wide.
It started innocently enough: communist whores with red stars on their panties, rampant Russian gangsters, wild Cossack dancers and a bear on a chain… what could possibly go wrong?
“We do not react to eccentricity by some lunatics whose Russophobia should place them in an asylum rather than on Globen’s stage,” the embassy told The Local on Monday morning.
Oh, that.
Regional tabloid giant Aftonbladet led the charge with a front page splash and the rest of the Swedish papers soon followed.
Like political voting patterns at the Eurovision, the situation soon spiraled out of control:
State broadcaster SVT sent a bouquet of flowers to the Russian embassy as a gesture of goodwill. The embassy responded that, as far as it was concerned, the danger had passed and Euro-harmony could prevail.
Expressen said SVT was foolish to have apologised.
The state broadcaster said it never really had apologised and the retraction was retracted.
The comedian behind the skit said he might have to rethink a planned Trans-Siberian railroad trip this summer .
The Social Democrats’ foreign policy spokesman said the Swedish foreign ministry should stand up for freedom of expression.
Even Vladimir Lenin was dusted off and dragged into the debate.
Furthermore, the finer points of Russian sensibilities and Swedish humour have been discussed at length on television and radio talk shows.
The upshot: Nuclear war has been averted for now. But never again must we allow such a frightening array of outdated clichés to threaten our peace and security.
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In case you missed it, here’s the clip that almost pushed us to the brink:
March 19th, 2009 at 10:35 am
“Communist whores”? Well then the girls were probably Swedish, for compared with today’s Russia Sweden has much more of a “comminist” country :D
March 20th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Oh, well. Regardless of the quality of the evenings entertainment it’s looking more and more like picking on the touchy kid in class. Only that the touchy kid is this thirty foot giant with a long history of bullying.
I don’t really know how the brittish would react to a similair “parody” of the UK, but I would say nothing could compare to Little Brittain in crudeness.
Bottom line is that the Russians seem to be a bit insecure…
March 20th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Yes, welcome to the country that prides itself on fairness that is fictional and full of behind the back racism. In the 1960’s and earlier, supposed ‘minorities’ such as blacks were often kept down and made fun of – ie made to be seen as less than human – a caricature. Back in those days the white majority also stated that it was just good clean fun…oh yes instiutionalized racism and mob ignorance. Way to go Sweden. Instead of just being warm, open and smiling with each other and other cultures in this country which you cannot do because of your own fears that ’someone might take something from you’ you project your own fears on others in blatant inhuman satire and then say we were only joking.
Sad state of affairs in this country.
March 20th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
The same about whores, but they are just doing it for free.
March 21st, 2009 at 11:31 am
Russia, by cultural definition, has the highest score in “uncertainty avoidance”, which has a hard time to accept news ideas and things. Why even bother to call Sweden as a narrow minded country. One shall not throw the rocks at his own foot! Mind your own skinheads and prostitution problems first!
Russian’s complex is not a new story, its lost of power in the world stage and the breakdown of communism really stirred such kind of insecurity. With the similar racial features as the rest of Europe, its backwardness in social and economic development really made Russians start to reflect their own worth. Therefore, it is no surprise that they will take anything as an insult.
March 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 pm
http://vaziani.livejournal.com/20251.html
March 22nd, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Russia has killed for less.
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:08 pm
It’s sad that this has caused such a huge debate.
It is a spoof, that’s it. If Russia(’s ambassador) didn’t like it then SVT should apologize for offending them but not for doing it. It wasn’t even that good, and do we really think anyone outside of Sweden cares?
What does worry me though is the mud slinging on the comments above, now there is some serious nationalist fervor going here. THAT is scary and very very dangerous.
“Russia has killed for less” – whatever. It’s a joke talent contest. If you have a serious debate on Russian politics then organize a protest, write to the Russian Embassy or Riksdag with a reasoned debate, and one should not incite debased mudslinging over a song contest no one else cares about.
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Russians are just way too insecure, i mean with cold war politics and cold war history, no wonder someone take a piss out of it. The Georgians already had to withdraw because of political involvement in Eurovision, by Russia. P.s. Sweden is a lovely country, i’m a tottenham supporter, yet i still think that Larsson is better then Pavlyuchenko.
March 25th, 2009 at 10:19 am
@natt – it was a joke. just like the performance was a joke. just like the eurovision song contest is a joke.
whats funny is that you couldn’t see that. even after your comment pointing out just how much of a joke the whole thing is.
March 26th, 2009 at 10:53 am
I just watched this for the 30th time I guess and way,way funny I liked it and as far as a eurivishion war I say bring it on Sweden is funnyer just look who wone this year here lol
March 26th, 2009 at 10:55 am
My cats ran and went in to hiding when she sang
April 7th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Great song!
April 12th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
This should cause about as much upset as the skit “Värmlänningarna”. If you’ve seen it you know it makes fun of Americans but in doing so just as much of the Swedes that try so hard to impress. Being a Swede living in the US for the past 25 years I found it hilarious on both counts. The fact that everyone in the world seems to be over sensitive these days is just pathetic. Get a life and learn to laugh. As far as the post above regarding Swede’s and racism, look around the world…if you think racism is worse in Sweden than anywhere else in the world I guess you don’t travel much. Blacks being made fun of in the sixties, wow, at least they could get on the same bus as a white person…holy crap dude…you might wanna do a little compare and contrast with other nations at the time.