[LisaHafey]

Originally Posted by Eurostar

Good for you! The more Jedward fans there are in Baku, the better.....should be a fascinating place to visit too

Well this is what I'm thinking! And I was an ESC fan way before I was a Jedward fan - last year's ESC semi-final was my first real exposure to them & my daughter & I still remember discovering JedwardTV & the 200K video the day after the ESC final, while we were looking for the lyrics to Lipstick!

I seriously can't wait - I've just had an e-mail about possible accommodation, so it may all work out yet

[SecretPassage]

Originally Posted by MarcPaulB

So the twins have just confirmed they are performing Waterline at the Romanian national selection final for Eurovision. That's great news - Romania are in their semi

This is indeed great news! Romania are just the sort of country they should be going after for their Eurovision campaign - not a huge Jedfan country (like Germany or Sweden) but with the potential to become one.

Also: Lisa, thanks so much for sharing your Jepic experience! It really makes me realise how much of a community there is with Jedfans, even when the twins aren't around!

[Eurostar]

Originally Posted by LisaHafey

Well this is what I'm thinking! And I was an ESC fan way before I was a Jedward fan - last year's ESC semi-final was my first real exposure to them & my daughter & I still remember discovering JedwardTV & the 200K video the day after the ESC final, while we were looking for the lyrics to Lipstick!

I seriously can't wait - I've just had an e-mail about possible accommodation, so it may all work out yet

It's a pity in one sense that ESC isn't in somewhere like Sweden this year....I think the twins would have had a huge number of fans travelling to the contest to support them. But it's great that fans are making their way to Baku

[pithywitch]

Originally Posted by no1clothes

But at what cost? http://twitpic.com/8sv091

Azerbaijan is in the same situation that most countries find themselves when they host world-wide events. Yes, the publicity shines a spotlight on so many different problems... but this usually turns out to be a good thing in the end. The host country is forced to recognize its short-comings and usually, but not always, works, in the future, to correct them.

If a host country genuinely does not want to be 'uncovered' then they will not go after the international spotlight. So the fact Azerbaijan has welcomed the world's scrutiny should be viewed as a step in the right direction. Kudos to the Azeri government... I'm sure they took a big breath before 'going for it'. Welcome to the international community, Azerbaijan!

[LisaHafey]

Originally Posted by SecretPassage

This is indeed great news! Romania are just the sort of country they should be going after for their Eurovision campaign - not a huge Jedfan country (like Germany or Sweden) but with the potential to become one.

Also: Lisa, thanks so much for sharing your Jepic experience! It really makes me realise how much of a community there is with Jedfans, even when the twins aren't around!

Indeed, and Romania can vote in the 1st semi-final After they went to LA I was made aware that the Twins know exactly wht they're doing, even though it may *look* scatter-gun - and I've not worried about them since.

And as for the JedFan community, it really is. When I went to the Jed concerts in Offenbach, Dusseldorf & Gothenburg back in January, for me seeing the Twins was only part of the experience - I met up with sooo many fans I'd made friends with over the past 6 months, including Ilona, whom I describe as my first German - we've been tweeting each other since a reply session during the Twins' tour of Germany back in the summer, and she was the first of my now quite considerable number of German twitter friends - as well as people like Graf & Eva, both of whom contribute here It's amazing, because we all chat on a nearly daily basis on Twitter, when we met in real life it was as if we'd just picked up where we left off...In Sweden I met up with Anette, who I've now met in 3 different countries - we first met the day after the London concert, outside the Princess Studios, where the Twins were recording the Gaby Logan show! We hung out together in Dublin after Panto (we did the Dublin bus tour together!) & we've since met up again in Dublin for Eurosong. I love this fandom (have I said that before?)!

[SecretPassage]

Sad news - John and Edward's paternal granddad has died. From the obituary, it looks like he passed on Monday, which would explain J&E's quietness on Twitter lately, and it makes their recent tweets even more special. They really are so good to their fans.

We know how much both lots of their grandparents supported them in following their dreams. Granddad Grimes must have been so proud of them!

[rosemary]

Originally Posted by SecretPassage

Sad news - John and Edward's paternal granddad has died. From the obituary, it looks like he passed on Monday, which would explain J&E's quietness on Twitter lately, and it makes their recent tweets even more special. They really are so good to their fans.

We know how much both lots of their grandparents supported them in following their dreams. Granddad Grimes must have been so proud of them!

Very sad news..it explains their twitter absence and makes the few tweets they have made all the more special....I hope fans are respectful towards them and their family, the paper has unfortunatly printed details of the funereal..which is a little concerning...

My love and best wishes, as always, go to the boys and their family


On a brighter note..Lisa you accounts of meeting the twins last week are amazing, thank you for sharing them...although from some things I read..I'm surpised they didnt recoil in horror at the site of such elderly people I'm glad you had a fab time and clearly the twin enjoyed spending time with you

..and how exciting going to Baku!! I shall be living it through you fo course...I can't wait to hear all about it

[LonelySmile]

How dreadful about the news on their grandad. It must have been a big shock for them. It looks as though their paternal grandma is also no longer alive.

Sometimes in the midst of all the adventures and excitement you overlook the fact that at the heart of it all is a real family. I had no idea John Senior had six older sisters and is the only brother. Imagine growing up in a house of girls! It must have been such an experience for him having twin sons who do everything together.

I'm really really glad John and Edward have a big family and know that they belong somewhere. It makes a big difference. I'm also glad their parents support them in everything and still look after them even though they're always on the move.

[Floh]

Sad news about grandfather going. Interesting to see their paternal grandfather had 5 daughters and one son, John. Grandfather may have been dizzy with delight at John producing 3 sons.

Another passing in the large Grimes family, I'm very glad to see the twins name not mentioned in the obituary. I'm sure this grandfather — less publicly known — was as proud of the twins as he would be of all his grandchildren.

Those twins have a very large family, as would be expected for Irish Catholics.

[flyingcamel]

I'm so sorry for their loss that definitely explains how silent they were on Monday. I just hope we won't see any kind of pictures from the funeral like those that appeared when they lost their other Grandad The Grimes family deserves respect.
I don't know if they're going to go to the funeral, but one day later they have to perform in Romania. Strong boys

[Baby Katy]

Poor boys, they must be going through a tough time. I hope that there are no pictures taken of them, I was furious when photos were printed in newspapers of their other granddad's funeral. It is completely disrespectful.

[Who Am I?]

Like everyone else I was sorry to hear the sad news this morning. It hasn't helped having it talked about on twitter but I suppose when you're in the public eye its difficult for some things to remain private and it hasn't been malicious.

It makes the tweeting yesterday more poignant somehow.

[MarcPaulB]

OMG - Russia has chosen the Grannies to go to Baku!! So it looks as if Engelbert won't be the oldest there, after all!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAe8yfjfODQ

[flyingcamel]

Originally Posted by MarcPaulB

OMG - Russia has chosen the Grannies to go to Baku!! So it looks as if Engelbert won't be the oldest there, after all!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAe8yfjfODQ

I totally loved them, they were my favourite act of the Russian final. They're funny and cute.

They're in the twins' semifinal, in the second half as well, though competition here

[MarcPaulB]

Originally Posted by flyingcamel

I totally loved them, they were my favourite act of the Russian final. They're funny and cute.

They're in the twins' semifinal, in the second half as well, though competition here

I think they're a certainty to qualify from the semi.... I think they've got the eastern bloc vote sewn up.

I was sure they'd choose Dima Bilan again

[Eurostar]

Originally Posted by MarcPaulB

OMG - Russia has chosen the Grannies to go to Baku!! So it looks as if Engelbert won't be the oldest there, after all!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAe8yfjfODQ

I don't think their song is anywhere near as strong as their 2010 Russian NF entry : but they'll certainly be one of the big talking points of this year's contest

[pithywitch]

I have no idea what happened in Russia. When I saw the Granny thing this afternoon, I thought that it was cute and kind of a middle-finger to EV in general.

Later, when I saw the Dima Bilan entry, I somehow understood why Russia might have picked such a bizarre submission for 2012. Dima Bilan struck the perfect, and therefore inherently flawed, balance between Russia's 2011 entry, Alex Sparrow... (forgive me, if I have the name wrong) and the winning 2011 duet.

As I recall, last year, the Russian EV fans had really pinned their hopes on Sparrow... so this year's selection might really be simply a counterpoint.

Will it get attention? Yes.

Will it win? No.

Will it make it thru the semi? Yes... purely on its entertainment/novelty factor.

Should it make it thru the semi? No, not if EV is taking seriously its road-to-recovery.

[Eurostar]

Originally Posted by pithywitch

I have no idea what happened in Russia. When I saw the Granny thing this afternoon, I thought that it was cute and kind of a middle-finger to EV in general.

Later, when I saw the Dima Bilan entry, I somehow understood why Russia might have picked such a bizarre submission for 2012. Dima Bilan struck the perfect, and therefore inherently flawed, balance between Russia's 2011 entry, Alex Sparrow... (forgive me, if I have the name wrong) and the winning 2011 duet.

As I recall, last year, the Russian EV fans had really pinned their hopes on Sparrow... so this year's selection might really be simply a counterpoint.

Will it get attention? Yes.

Will it win? No.

Will it make it thru the semi? Yes... purely on its entertainment/novelty factor.

Should it make it thru the semi? No, not if EV is taking seriously its road-to-recovery.

The Grannies are actually quite well known in Russia pithywitch, though not as famous as someone like Dima Bilan.

They really should have won the NF in 2010 when they had a far stronger song, but they were nobbled by the juries (probably deliberately). This year's entry is a lot weaker and very much in the novelty song category.

They'll obviously sail through their semi but I think they have little chance of winning, not with the juries voting. I don't mind the grannies at all though....at least they will be a very colourful diversion in this year's contest (and they're obviously going to get a lot of media attention in coming weeks)

[pithywitch]

Originally Posted by Eurostar

The Grannies are actually quite well known in Russia pithywitch, though not as famous as someone like Dima Bilan.

They really should have won the NF in 2010 when they had a far stronger song, but they were nobbled by the juries (probably deliberately). This year's entry is a lot weaker and very much in the novelty song category.

They'll obviously sail through their semi but I think they have little chance of winning, not with the juries voting. I don't mind the grannies at all though....at least they will be a very colourful diversion in this year's contest (and they're obviously going to get a lot of media attention in coming weeks)

I guess I am approaching this from a non-Eurovision viewpoint. I had hoped EV was beginning to turn this latter-years/tired/circus-act back around to a serious discussion of song-writing. If participating nations continue to flip a bird at the contest and juries/public voters continue to promote inane acts, then there is no wonder why no one outside of the participating countries has ever heard of Eurovision.

I would like the competition to return to the day of seriously producing a song/act that can compete with the locked-up US market. It happened before, it can happen again... but only if all participating nations take it seriously.

[Eurostar]

Originally Posted by pithywitch

I guess I am approaching this from a non-Eurovision viewpoint. I had hoped EV was beginning to turn this latter-years/tired/circus-act back around to a serious discussion of song-writing. If participating nations continue to flip a bird at the contest and juries/public voters continue to promote inane acts, then there is no wonder why no one outside of the participating countries has ever heard of Eurovision.

I would like the competition to return to the day of seriously producing a song/act that can compete with the locked-up US market. It happened before, it can happen again... but only if all participating nations take it seriously.

Yes, but there has always been variety in Eurovision and a couple of novelty acts every year. I'd be reluctant to point the finger at the Russians either as they have sent a lot of contemporary and modern pop songs to the contest since 2000, probably far more so than many other countries.

The grannies are probably too much of a novelty act to win this year so people will just see them as a harmless and fun diversion.

[InVy]

Originally Posted by Eurostar

The grannies are probably too much of a novelty act to win this year so people will just see them as a harmless and fun diversion.

Verka Serduchka from Ukraine was 2 though but she was and is very popular in Russia and around. Grannies are less popular and songs of Serduchka are often good not the case with grannies.

[Schehera]

I am really surprised about the comments against the russia grannys, because the same kind of comments are spoken by people against Jedward especially against Lipstick(novelty act/joke/don´t take it serious...) .And don´t forget the grannys sing in their native language(like all countrys sung years ago as everybody had to sing in his native language) this means you don´t even know what they sing and sorry we live in Europe and Russia is a very big country , Europe must not always think about what USA like. Here are many people who like to be european and don´t want to be/or to sound like american(This is my reason why I don´t think that Waterline will get so many points like we hopped(Though I like/love Waterline and I love America especially Florida))

I am sure the grannys will get many sympathy points

[MarcPaulB]

The grannies will certainly get all the press attention, maybe taking a bit of pressure off the twins by doing so? I can also imagine plenty of photo opportunities with the 2 acts, especially as they're in the same half of the 1st semi.....grannies wearing jedheads maybe ? twins wearing traditional Russian costume?

There'll always be a couple of what might be termed novelty/comedy acts, but I don't think that by any means the twins were perceived as such last year by Europe in general. Wasn't Moldova the novelty act of last year?

I can see the grannies doing well in the televote throughout Europe - I could see the UK giving them a fair few points, we do tend to like anything remotely irreverent! The juries though will be a different matter - or they should be.

I thought I heard part of the grannies' song being sung in English? unless I was very much mistaken?

[River_Tam]

I thought some of the Russian song was in English. Everybody dance! At least pretty boy Dima isn't a threat to our boys! love the grannies, the song is dreadful though!

[rosemary]

Just spotted someone on twitter tweeting people telling them to vote in this to stop J&E winning it...so if you haven't voted for them yet..do it now You only have to put an answer (Jedward ) in the first box, so no need to think of any others if you don't want to

http://beautie.polldaddy.com/s/50-fi...nations?pop=10


Voting closes on the 10th http://beaut.ie/blog/50-fine-things-2/

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