SBS dismisses “irrelevant” criticism of Eurovision performance
"Australia is proud" of Jess Mauboy says SBS boss, after historian unleashes cutting comments.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under Eurovision
SBS CEO Michael Ebeid has hit back at comments by Eurovision historian John Kennedy O’Connor who told RN Breakfast, “I think the joke about Australia being in Eurovision is now over,” he said.
“There was enormous delight and welcoming when you came in as this once-off special guest. I think your welcome has now been rescinded and I don’t say that with any glee.”
He added, “I’m sorry. I thought, actually, she’d escaped from Wentworth and been let on stage. It was dreadful. She was describing herself in the media as Australia’s Beyonce. Clearly she’s never seen Beyonce.”
Ouch. So much for Europe sharin’ the love….
Luckily the people who matter in Europe all love having Aust in the competition and this crabby historian’s views are irrelevant on every level. Aust is proud of Jessica and her performance in what was a tough year and g8 competition. https://t.co/cFhbDGZFDv
— Michael Ebeid AM (@michaelebeid) May 14, 2018
Blink TV’s Paul Clarke who heads up the Australian delegation also defended Mauboy.
“It was disappointing that we didn’t score higher with the public vote, as by any standards Jessica was one of the best singers of the night,” he said. “I’m very proud of her, she couldn’t have represented us better, and I thank her for her generosity of spirit. In my eyes and the eyes of Australia she was a total winner, a total star”.
Source: Wiwibloggs
11 Responses
“John Kennedy O’Connor” was part of San Marino’s disastrous national selection this year… and he’s going to tell us that we’re a mess?
Other countries, although geographically closer but are, not in Europe are also in Eurovision. I understood this to be because they are part of the European Broadcasting Union, as SBS is, thus qualifying our involvement. This year’s Australian entry was, I think it’s fair to say, a little ordinary, but if we had done better this year, as in past years, these criticisms would no doubt be a bit quieter.
John Kennedy O’Connor has written several books about Eurovision and is widely regarded as a good friend of the contest. As much as SBS may like it to be, his opinion is not irrelevant.
My two cents is that we have stayed too long at the party and it’s time to exit gracefully.
Don’t know where you heard that from but he is not a ‘good friend of the contest’. He wrote an opinion piece for the Norwegian media just last week that received so many complaints that it was pulled from online and the publisher had to issue an apology. Also he is irrelevant, he comes across as someone who thinks he is big but then he has only 1400 twitter followers, less than some minor Australian celebrities.
I’m amazed they even bothered to respond. Eurovision generates wildly varying opinions every single year without fail.
I would expect that as soon as it is revealed that Asiavision concept is not going to happen (or the rights SBS paid for lapse), Australia’s regular Eurovision invitation will go with it.
Asiavision was never going to happen
Enough of Eurovision. Sick of hearing about it. It’s embarrassing that Australia performs in it.
Why would it be embarrassing for us to perform in an event that 200 million people watch every year and is the biggest non sport event in the world? Not to mention that Eurovision has contributed to Australian artists having chart success all over Europe, exposure which they wouldn’t have got without taking part in Eurovision
Haha OK.
You do realise most people laugh at it.
Some may laugh at it, many laugh with it, a subtle difference.
Some may laugh it. Doesn’t change the fact that everything I have written above is correct. Anyway the majority of this year’s songs were better than anything you would hear on the radio these days.