| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Rae
Joined: 10 Oct 2007
|
 Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:01 am Post subject: Russian disgust over Sweden Eurovision song |
 |
|
I've been hearing about the controversy of this song for days and the more I hear it, the more I seem to like it. I'm bewildered by the hype of Eurovision and had to endure watching a contest against those that didn't make the cut (while meeting "the parents"). Basically, this is one of the songs that didn't make it to represent Sweden for Eurovision 2009.
I want to Facebook the link so my best friend can see the comparison of this song (that lost) to the one that actually won BUT I don't want to risk offending my Russian friend.
I recall a few Russian posters on here, so I thought to ask. Is it offensive?
| Quote: |
The Russian embassy in Stockholm has launched a scathing critique of Sveriges Television (SVT) for what it sees as a �disgusting� portrayal of Russia during the weekend�s Melodifestivalen finals.
�It makes no sense to me why Sweden would show such ignorance in misinterpreting this image of Russia,� embassy spokesperson Anatoly Kargapolov told The Local.
�If Russians could see what happened on the stage of Globen on Saturday, I�m fairly certain it will reduce the number of votes they give to the Swedish singer [Malena Ernman].�
...
The taped comedy sketch ends with an agreement between the Swedes and the head of the Russian �Schlager Mafia� at which point the programme segues into a techno version of a tongue-in-cheek song entitled �Tingaling, tingaling� (�Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling�) performed live on the Globen stage and broadcast live across Sweden on SVT.
The live dance number included an array of Russian stereotypes, including Cossack dancers, matryoshka stacking dolls, and a chorus of men dressed like Russian soldiers. The choreography also featured several scantily clad women wearing tight-fitting shorts with a single red star splaying their legs toward the camera in unison.
�I didn�t know how to react,� said Kargapolov.
He explained that many staff members at the embassy were bewildered by what they saw as an �offensive� and �disconnected� portrayal of Russia and Russian culture.
�I�m really upset that the Swedish people don�t bother to see beyond its own borders and sticks to such narrow-minded and outdated stereotypes of Russia,� he said. |
Tingeling - MelodiFestivalen 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H53vw8MkgM
FYI, the song that won sounds like a drag queen sings it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
this is HILARIOUS in a kitschy sense.
usually the more "offended" someone becomes, the more ON THE MARK the stereotyping is.
anyways - this is good clean fun - I LOVED the red stars on the Daisy Dukes. NICE!!!
the insertion of the old Soviet anthem was also very very clever  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
samcheokguy
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
Location: Samcheok G-do
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
Euroevision and taste
=
Korea and multicultural
DOES NOT COMPUTE! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
| samcheokguy wrote: |
Euroevision and taste
=
Korea and multicultural
DOES NOT COMPUTE! |
sexy and plus sizes!
all true! all true!
hahahahaahaaa
funny, but in a very very very "kitschy" way. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
soviet_man
Joined: 23 Apr 2005
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| If they tried that in Russia, they would be killed / poisoned / slashed. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rae
Joined: 10 Oct 2007
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Yeh, OK ... I'm sending it through private message instead.  I kinda figured she would be offended, especially after I heard it's in Russian and the lyrics translate to something about "goodbye Putin".
For anyone interested on the "drag-queen" sounding winner I wanted to compare it to, here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swPY8P1VGzM
Oh, and a better version of the Tingaling song that doesn't cut. Damn it's catchy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYJwnCsMBfo |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rae
Joined: 10 Oct 2007
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Here it is with the complete skit + song. I think the skit was the reason why people thought it was so offensive, as if the song wasn't enough. But I still really like that song - much better than the other crap in Sweden for sure.
Complete Skit + Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVG57ROdRoU |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| soviet_man wrote: |
| If they tried that in Russia, they would be killed / poisoned / slashed. |
Which is exactly why that country is on the freeway to the third world, again. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
davai!
Joined: 04 Dec 2005
Location: Kuwait
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
wouldn't be the first time the Russians got upset with a Eurovision entry:
| Quote: |
Eurovision Song Contest 2007
Verka Serduchka with his ensemble in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007.Verka Serduchka was chosen to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki, Finland, with the song "Dancing Lasha Tumbai" [4], and finished in second place. Ukraine was guaranteed an appearance in the final, thanks to the top-ten finish of the previous year's Ukrainian representative Tina Karol with the song "Show Me Your Love".
The participation of Andriy Danylko in Eurovision was not without controversy in Ukraine. One of the nationwide FM radio stations organized a protest action in February 2007 to express their disapproval with the selection of Serduchka to represent the country [5]. Some Ukrainians and even members of the Ukrainian Parliament expressed their disapproval with Serduchka's participation in the contest, which they saw as "grotesque and vulgar."[6][7]
Serduchka's song "Dancing Lasha Tumbai" was sung in 5 languages: German, English, Ukrainian, Russian and the invented words "lasha tumbai". In early publicity, Serduchka claimed that "lasha tumbai" was an expression in the Mongolian language for "whipped cream". However, several Mongols on a talk show by Channel One (Russia), which was shown just before the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 stated that there is no phrase "lasha tumbai" in their language and one of them pronounced the correct Mongolian phrase for "whipped cream".[8] The Mongolian embassy in Moscow also said that "lasha tumbai" was total gibberish.[9]
The single for Dancing Lasha Tumbai reached #6 in the French charts and went on to be #28 on The Official UK Singles Chart on 20 May 2007. This was the first time a non-UK non-winning Eurovision entry charted in the UK since 1974.
Danylko then made a brief phone-in appearance on the BBCs The Graham Norton Show, in which his comments made no sense whatsoever. Another call was made, but with a translator in the audience, who told guest Andrew Lloyd Webber he was "rubbish". However, in an interview with Andrew Williams in the 60 Seconds column of metro.co.uk (30 July 2007), Danylko clarified his meaning:
AW: Why did you call Andrew Lloyd Webber �rubbish� on The Graham Norton Show? AD: Someone interpreted Serduchka wrongly. I meant I watched Cats the musical on TV. It was boring. You should watch a musical on the stage. Don�t watch Cats on TV.[10]
In the same interview, he admitted that "lasha tumbai" was a somewhat made-up phrase that sounds like the Mongolian phrase for "milkshake" and that many Russians nevertheless managed to interpret it as saying "Russia goodbye!", which caused somewhat of a controversy in Russia as well. |
source: Wikipedia
see the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9rJLtz64Hg |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rae
Joined: 10 Oct 2007
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
'Don't mess with the red star or Russia's national anthem'
Published: 19 Mar 09 22:35 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/18336/20090319/
Tingeling tingeling - It�s the song all of Sweden is singing. But laughing at Russia�s national anthem and emotionally charged symbols is just not funny, writes Sweden-based translator Anna Titova.
The song �Tingeling�, performed during the interval of the Melodifestivalen final on Saturday, was of course just a joke and Sveriges Television (SVT) had no intention of upsetting anybody. But the question that needs to be asked is: what was SVT�s intention? This so-called �humourous song� certainly wasn�t funny. At best, it displayed a very bad sense of humour.
I�m not going to bring up stereotypes such as Matryoshka dolls, Cossacks and dancing bears. We Russian have already become accustomed to these and no longer really care since they just bear witness to Swedes� lack of knowledge or interest when it comes to another country. There is no sign of any development when it comes to these stereotypes. Time passes, people and countries change, but Swedes are stuck with an outdated image of the world and are incredibly pleased with themselves.
But that�s not what has aggravated the Russian embassy or Russians who watched the performance on SVT. During the sketch, the Russian national anthem is played and the red star is placed on the backsides of tackily dressed dancers. SVT�s communications manager Helga Baag�e said SVT gives its full backing to the sketch and does not see any reason at all to apologise despite the Russian reaction.
I can actually understand why Saturday night�s events on the Globen stage seem completely unproblematic in Sweden. It�s hard to expect anybody in a country that �missed� the Second World War to understand the importance of the symbols.
So allow me to explain: The red star is an incredibly important symbol for every Russian. It stands for victory over fascism. At least ten million Russians sacrificed their lives in the fight against fascism under the red star flag. It is saddening to say the least to see this symbol used as it is in the Swedish context.
SVT also uses the Russian national anthem in the sketch. As far as I�m aware, national anthems are considered national symbols that ought to be respected. It�s no coincidence that people stand to attention when listening to a national anthem, as even every school child will be able to tell you.
It shouldn�t have been too hard to imagine that this might not strike all viewers as appropriate. And people who work for SVT, Sweden�s largest television broadcaster, should at least be educated enough to recognize certain nuances. At least I�d like to think so.
All the Russian people I know were entirely baffled by the SVT sketch. The production team at SVT needs to realize that it�s not a good idea to use symbols considered very important in another country just to satisfy an audience�s vulgar expectations. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
in sports terms this is a LAYUP!
phuck them if they're sensitive about the "Red Star"
The Red Star is a Soviet not a Russian symbol and is synonymous with the swastika in terms of the amount of human death and suffering caused in the 20th century.
Ask the 10 million starved Ukrainians in the 1930's. Oops. , ,can't, they're dead.
Ask Alexander Solzhenyitsin - oops he's now dead too, but the Gulag Archipelago remains.
ask all of central and Eastern Europe how "thrilled" they are with the Red Star.
and tell the "Russians" to phuck themselves.
it's only use these days is a fashion accessory. I still prefer it in military terms but if hot chicks want to plaster it on their ases, that's fine by me. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Beej
Joined: 05 Mar 2005
Location: Eungam Loop
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Better to poke fun dancing bears and red stars than Russia's true image around the world: gangsters, hookers, and premature alcohol caused death. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mole
Joined: 06 Feb 2003
Location: Act III
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
LOL
The whole contest looks like something rejected from the early 80's. What I remember of 'em.
If something can be that cheezy AND offend, I'm all for it~! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
samcheokguy
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
Location: Samcheok G-do
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Beej wrote: |
| Better to poke fun dancing bears and red stars than Russia's true image around the world: gangsters, hookers, and premature alcohol caused death. |
You forgot arms trafficking and pollution |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mark.walters2
Joined: 20 Apr 2009
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| That is just plain offensive. Why do they have to insult chewbacca like that? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
