Music and weddings were the themes dominating Gayle’s TV watching last week…
Lots of people get very excited about Eurovision. I am not one of them. However, as official (temporary) Tellybox columnist, I felt duty-bound to watch at least some of this year’s show, hosted by Israel and screened on BBC1 last Saturday night (May 25). I missed most of it but what I did see was fairly awful.
Viewers were warned by host Graham Norton that Iceland’s offering was “terribly shouty” and to “put a blanket over the budgie cage”. I don’t own a budgie but the dog exited the room with his tail between his legs as soon as leather-clad bondage punk trio Hatari came on. Horrible is the only way of describing them. “They do have very long winters,” reasoned Graham. True.
Organisers say Eurovision is supposed to be a “non-political” event but come on! Who are they trying to fool?
Hatari broke the rules by displaying Palestinian flags during their performance and Queen of Pop Madonna was another one to flout the rules – no surprise there then!
Having defied calls from activists to cancel her guest appearance in the light of Israeli-Palestine conflict, she went ahead anyway with an unapproved political stunt which involved her backing dancers revealing Israeli and Palestinian flags and hugging.
The words “Wake Up” were beamed on to the stage, with Madonna whispering them and doing a peace sign.
Okay, so we got the message – she wants unity and that’s to be celebrated, but as for Madonna’s two-song performance itself – it was utterly excruciating.
Sporting black cape, conical bra and eye patch, the star had a bash at singing 1989 hit Like A Prayer and new single Future, featuring US rapper Quavo.
What a cacophony! Madonna was woefully out of tune and she struggled to reach the high notes. Oh, Madge!
Whether the performance will be remembered for its politics or its
cringe-factor remains to be seen.
Earlier in the evening, I’d caught up with ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, a habit I seem unable to break.
Acts included comedy impressionist Tony Rudd – who did a decent Michael McIntyre rendition – and barber Jacob Jones, who sang You Are So Beautiful and then proposed to his girlfriend on stage. Thank goodness she said yes.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old magician Dan Rhodes appeared to saw judge Amanda Holden in half with his “very special magic wand”.
On Sunday night, I laughed my way through Channel 5’s My Crazy Rich Asian Wedding which focused on the underwater-themed wedding of Rachel and Ken from Singapore.
No expense was spared as Rachel, the daughter of a beauty mogul, and Ken, a financial analyst, went about the costly business of tying the knot.
The craziest (and most extravagant) thing was the giant custom-made clamshell which mermaid-obsessed Rachel emerged from. It cost an eye-watering £3,000. How the other half live, eh!
