As many of you know, last weekend I ran the London Marathon in support of Leukaemia Care. It was an amazing day - my final time was 03:29:27. It might have been even better if I hadn't gone out and got drunk at EuroFest on the Friday before... Still, I am happy with my time, despite the hot weather. Less than five weeks to go now until the Edinburgh Marathon!
Still smiling at mile 20 - before the cramp set in
With my cousin and aunt after the 2013 London Marathon
It was a particularly poignant day though, as last year I was cheered on by my aunt who sadly passed away in September. She was a truly remarkable lady and was on my mind throughout the course. A huge thank you to each and every one of you for your sponsorship, encouragement and kind words. I really really appreciate it. I raised over £1700.
My lovely friend Jude Habib came up with the idea of raffling off some old Eurovision CDs and kindly donated a huge pile. Thank you to you all for entering the raffle by donating money on my JustGiving page. I am truly blessed to know some lovely people. I am delighted to announce that the winner of the raffle, selected at random, is....
Drum roll...
SYLVIA ROOK!
Congratulations Sylvia - I'll need to work out how to get these CDs to you now!
After the marathon I went to the London Eurovision party which was superb as ever. It was great to see Nicki French and Paddy O'Connell strutting their stuff on stage along with so many acts on stage. A particular highlight for me was Ruth Lorenzo's stunning set - she's quite simply the best singer in the contest and I hope Spain are on the left hand side of the scoreboard this year! Molly did the UK proud, as she did in Amsterdam - so looking forward to seeing her again in Copenhagen, lovely girl! A huge congratulations to the organisers of this event, particularly Kabir. It really is such a special event and has a lovely, intimate feel to it. I hope you're all proud of your achievement, it was a night to remember!
It's finally happened - I've lost my virginity! (It's been a long time since I said that!) A huge congratulations to the team behind Eurovision in Concert which I attended for the first time. The event took place in Amsterdam last weekend. 25 acts, thousands of party goers and so much fun! Amsterdam is a great city anyway but it was the perfect choice to host such a huge sell-out concert - a testament to how well-organised it is and how popular Eurovision continues to be despite the detractors.
It was a pleasure to meet some of the acts from 2014 before the concert at a special press event prior to the concert. The highlights for me included two special ladies - Molly from the UK and Ruth Lorenzo from Spain (via X Factor!) Not only were both absolutely gorgeous, they were so nice too. It can't be easy putting up with Eurovisionistas for so long (that's why I drink!) and yet these two were consummate professionals.
The concert itself was great fun - Denmark's winner Emmelie De Forest opened the show with "Only Teardrops" and some scantily clad boys (which unsurprisingly went down well in the hall!) 25 acts is a huge number but it flew by! One of the more serious moments occurred when Aram from Armenia performed to a chorus of booing. There were reports that he had made derogatory comments about Conchita from Austria and was alleged to be homophobic. It might have been taken out of context, who knows, despite his protests and apologies, the crowd were unforgiving.
Apart from that, the atmosphere was brilliant. It was a pleasure to meet Maribelle the night before, who sang my favourite ever Eurovision song, "Ik Hou Van Jou" from 1984. She didn't seem to believe me when I told her how much I loved the song, oh how we laughed!
It is not easy to arrange such an event and a huge well done to the organisers! Fabulous time was had by all!
All eyes now turn to London and to the London Eurovision Party which has been going strong since 2008! London has a more intimate feel which makes it different to its Dutch sister. This year it's going to be held in a new venue, Cafe De Paris in Leicester Square. It's already sold out and there are over 20 acts performing!! That's not including the lovely Nicki French and her cheeky but adorable counterpart, Paddy O'Connell, who are both always so enthusiastic when it comes to Eurovision and it always shines through. Good luck to one and all!
It'll be there although I don't know how much dancing I'll be doing as I'm running the London Marathon earlier in the day. Hoping to beat my time of 3:38:24 from 2013!
On a serious note, many of you know that I'm running for Leukaemia Care, a small charity based in Worcester. My cousin previously ran for them and they do great work. It's going to be a very emotional run on Sunday as last year I was cheered on by my aunt who sadly passed away last year. I'm going to give it my all and will certainly raise a glass of prosecco or five to her after the race!
Now here's a special treat for you - my lovely friend Jude Habib has kindly donated all of her old Eurovision CDs for auction. All you have to do is go to my JustGiving page and donate a minimum of £5 and you'll be entered into a raffle and all the CDs can be yours! Please leave a note on the page though so that I know the donation is Eurovision-related!
A huge thanks to Jude and to you all for your generosity and support!
As many of you know, I've had a bit of a love affair with all things Estonian for a number of years. When it comes to Eurovision they're one of my favourite countries and I like the vast majority of their songs. I learned Estonian at university and whilst I'm not fluent, I can understand conversations (usually comes in handy when people think I don't understand!)
Estonia is a fascinating country with an interesting, often tragic history. Almost a third of Estonia's population are Russian speakers, the majority of which moved to the country after World War II. This coincided with mass deportations of Estonians by the Soviets, resulting in huge demographic shifts in the country. The restoration of independence in the 1990s saw tense times in Estonia as the government underwent a process of nation and state building, ensuring ethnic Estonian dominance whilst at the same time moving the country closer to the EU, which emphasised a more civic approach to nation building. Essentially Estonian political elites walked a tightrope between the two. It wasn't all plain sailing though as the riots in 2007 showed, tensions continue to bubble away under the surface.
This year Eesti will be represented by Tanja and her song "Amazing". Tanja is different from many Russian speakers in Estonia in that she wasn't born in the country and moved to Eesti from Kaliningrad. It's the first time that an ethnic Russian has represented Estonia (not including the backing group 2XL from 2001). Previous Estonian entrants have included two Swedes and Dave Benton, originally from Aruba. Given these tense times when many countries with large Russian speaking populations are cautiously watching events in Ukraine, it's a positive sign that Estonia will be represented by a Russian who calls Estonia home.
Initially I wasn't a fan of "Amazing" but it's a striking performance and I wish them well. Elagu Eesti!
As some of you know part of my PhD concentrated on Ukraine and I've spent a considerable amount of time there. The current developments between Ukraine and Russia are worrying to say the least. Some people have asked whether this will impact upon Eurovision this year. I think it almost certainly will. Even though Eurovision is not a political programme per se, politics comes into it from time to time, even though the organisers try not to let this happen.
2014 will be an interesting one for two reasons - Russia and Ukraine. Given that so many people that attend Eurovision are gay there has been interest in the anti-gay laws introduced in Russia last year. The Sochi Olympics shone a spotlight on LGBT and human rights issues in Russia and I dare say that many attending Eurovision in Copenhagen will voice their opinion on the situation in the country. In a way I almost feel sorry for The Tolmachevy Sisters since rightly or wrongly there is likely to be a backlash against the Russian entry this year. Of course, Russia may continue to do well in the voting, however, the audience might just use it as an opportunity to make their voices heard.
It'll be interesting to watch the reception that Ukraine gets in Copenhagen too. Will there be a show of solidarity? Will there be any political messages? Ukraine is no stranger to controversy in Eurovision - as their entries from 2005 and 2007 demonstrate. "Russia goodbye" anyone?
Geopolitics is never black and white. The actions of Putin's regime are worrying and given the developments in Crimea, I can understand why those in Georgia and the Baltic States are watching with deep concern. However the developments in Ukraine itself are cause for alarm - Putin is not wrong when he described some members of the interim government as neo-Nazis. Some of them are. Take the nationalist Svoboda party, whilst standing up for Ukraine in the face of hostility from Russia might be applauded, their far-right, neo-Nazi members intimidate and threaten democracy in the country. Interestingly enough, it was a Svoboda member of parliament that called for Gaitana (who represented Ukraine in Eurovision in 2012) to be disqualified as she "did not represent organic Ukrainian heritage". Basically, she wasn't white enough. Charming! Of course Russia's record on racism and human rights tells its own story too...
Last year Dina Garipova sang about love and peace when she represented Russia at Eurovision. The sentiment expressed in that song couldn't be further from the reality of the situation facing ordinary people in both Russia and Ukraine today.
Well after much speculation, rumour-mongering and quite frankly, myth-peddling, it turns out that everyone was wrong! Thankfully no Geri, Rylan, Petula or Cilla. This year the BBC has chosen a new act to represent the UK in Copenhagen. Amen to that.
What might have worked on paper with Blue, Engelbert and Bonnie did not translate into votes. Of course debates rage on about the quality of songs, the strength of performance or even the age of the singers. Whether or not fans like it, Eurovision, for the BBC, was first and foremost, a TV show. Having those "big" names meant that there was more interest. Simple but genius. Or was it?
The interest in the UK entry this year was phenomenal. The BBC played a blinder and did so well in keeping up the suspense. A friend told me that I was being criticised on one of the fan sites for not revealing the name of the UK act. I never knew who the act was, nor did I claim to know, I just enjoyed the fireworks!
So the UK act, Molly Smitten-Downes, will perform "Children of the Universe" at Eurovision in May. Molly was discovered by BBC Introducing, a way for new artists to break through. I applaud this decision by the BBC; Eurovision is a fantastic platform for launching new talent and boy do we have a lot of it in the UK.
"Children of the Universe" is an anthemic offering, and a rather unusual one at that. For me, the thing which stands out the most, is Molly's voice and stage presence. In her interview she was really positive and has a really healthy attitude, in my opinion, to an event which is surely a dream opportunity for a new star.
Already the entry is riding high in the betting odds and some are predicting that it will give the UK its best placing for years. I really hope that's true. Win, lose or draw though, we have a singer who will do us all proud.
Eurovision season is in full swing now with various national selections taking place across the continent. The BBC are still remaining tight-lipped as to who is representing the UK. Contrary to what some people might think, I don't know who this is. I do know that the name has been chosen though and that an announcement will be made in due course. Watch this space!
The Winter Olympics are about to get underway in Sochi. This is a huge moment not only for Russia, which will take centre stage over the coming weeks, but also Putin. The Russian leader has invested heavily in bringing these games to Sochi. Not only has he thrown money at it, as he did for Eurovision in 2009, even visiting the arena during rehearsals, Putin actively wooed the Olympic committee even delivering a speech in (mainly phonetic) English. These are interesting times for Russia, these games are an opportunity for the country to manage its own image on its own terms. However could the long list of controversies which have come to the foreground cast a shadow over the events in Sochi?
There is an argument that allowing countries with dubious democratic credentials offers legitimacy to regimes. Look at the Olympics in Beijing, Eurovision in Azerbaijan, and of course Sochi. There is a risk that in hosting such media spectacles serious questions concerning human rights and freedom of speech are all to often swept aside in a blizzard of glitter, pomp and ceremony. However, inversely, by hosting large-scale events, governments set themselves up for scrutiny. In the case of Russia, Azerbaijan, China (and many others) this means that a spotlight is shone on the issues in the country. If it wasn't for Eurovision taking place in Baku in 2012 the international community would not have engaged in such a robust dialogue about human rights and the state of democracy in Azerbaijan. Similarly, with Russia hosting the Winter Olympics, questions have been raised about the anti-gay laws which are now being enforced in Russia. Without Sochi those issues might not have come to the global, mainstream media to such an extent.
The issues facing LGBT people in Russia are serious and very alarming. By othering the gay community, linking them to peadophiles, it draws attention away from other issues. Where there's a scapegoat, governments can literally get away with murder, as the cruel hand of history has shown many many times. Many LGBT people in Russia welcome the Winter Olympics, it's opened up a dialogue among the international community on equality and freedom, really for the first time since the collapse of the USSR. Let's not forget that there are other challenges in Russia, and around the world; racism and Islamophobia is rife in the country, legitimised by Putin's crackdown in hotspots such as Chechnya as part of the global "war on terror".
Russia is a complex, fascinating and contradictory country. The laws in Russia, which are essentially fostering and legitimising hate crimes are causing real harm to LGBT people and their friends. Such laws are not befitting of the many wonderful and hospitable people I met in Russia. They're a downright embarrassment. However, there is a strong, albeit increasingly underground movement which is holding the Russian government accountable. There are also vibrant and strong gay scenes in many Russian cities, providing a safe haven for those under threat. In the UK, and other countries, where gay people are equal, in terms of the law, if not in practice, it's all too easy to forget the major struggles and freedoms which were hard won. What can be done? Should the international community boycott Sochi? Russia? I don't think so. Whilst I understand the arguments for this, by staying away, effectively dismissing the country, nothing really changes. In Azerbaijan I met with several human rights activists, who felt it was incredibly important that the international community visit the country to see things for themselves. Several campaigns have gone viral - the Canadian Institute for Diversity and Inclusion for example, as well as Google's rainbow flag colours, these will undoubtedly make Putin and his friends cringe. Good. Let's continue to support people fighting for freedom of equality. Anti-gay laws work by spreading fear and suspicion, let's show people that we aren't any different from anyone else. Let's shine that torch on these issues through the prism of large-scale events such as the Winter Olympics. Let's make them squirm!
Debates concerning homophobia are very much alive in the EU too of course. Recent developments in Ireland show that issues of representation, equality and freedom of speech continue to be a source of consternation. The well-known Dublin drag queen, Panti Bliss, gave a rousing speech last week and raised an point which is very much at the heart of the issue. How many gay people "check" themselves? Either making sure they don't act or look "too gay", or ensure that they don't show affection to partners in public, through fear that they might be hassled or get strange looks? I know I'm guilty of this. Psychologically such compartmentalised behaviour could be potentially damaging. It's oppression in a sense, it might not be the same as other countries, but it's still there. Worth bearing in mind when debates arise concerning the need for Gay Pride, or torrid tales emerge from Russia and other countries. Perhaps we need to think a little more about what's going on around us, and also, perhaps more difficultly, look a little closer to home.
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