eurovision

what the modern European union has instead of gladiator fights or mortal kombat

an excuse for European countries to get (ahem, how to put this nicely..) creative.

well, you'd think just European countries. after all, it's in the name, right? --wrong.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest#Participants
(also: russia)
(also: israel)
(also: australia)
(also: turkey)

(also: pop music)
(also: geopolitics)
(also: block voting)

(btw here, 'my' means 'мы', ergo different pronunciation -- https://forvo.com/word/%D0%BC%D1%8B/)

(also: weirdness abounds)
(also: costume-heavy)
(also: twin-tastic)
(also: high notes)
(also: opera singers)
(also: cultural stereotypes)

and overthinking eurovision in all its glory:
2013: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7KDRg_scQSPtB2VoO0cpzg-VeHIsaZFB
2014: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7KDRg_scQSNvAwL8Gb6oKx2o68kTBRXR
2015: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7KDRg_scQSP_7Bd0rDLjNoLfpG-BuCTj
2016: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7KDRg_scQSNq04GQ_agpfBp7sV-V_Gog
2017: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7KDRg_scQSNFak9-d88kdTrfACAn7FqJ
2018: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7KDRg_scQSOxUEkWwIUp6q02p2IKzOX5