Microsoft spent two years trying to buy Activision Blizzard. For Xbox CEO, that was the easy part
After two years co-piloting the biggest acquisition in video game history past an onslaught of challenges, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer now moves on to his next quest: making Microsoft’s takeover of Activision Blizzard worth the hassle
2023-10-14 05:15
Arnold Schwarzenegger 'doesn't feel comfortable' talking about death, calls heaven a 'fantasy'
'It sounds so good, but the reality is that we won't see each other again after we're gone'
2023-06-06 20:59
'Jeopardy!' fans disappointed as the 'Next Ken Jennings' Daniel Moore loses champ title by $1
Daniel Moore seemed to play it safe by going for clues with smaller scores and letting the chance for a big win go to the other contestants
2023-07-19 16:18
Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet: Eagle-eyed fans unearth more ‘proof’ they are dating
The possibility of a relationship between Kylie Jenner, 25, and Timothee Chalamet, 27, has generated quite a buzz and debate among fans online
2023-05-30 21:18
'Never Have I Ever' Season 4 review: A sweet, satisfying goodbye to the series
Since its debut in 2020, Mindy Kaling's Never Have I Ever has grown a steady
2023-06-08 17:49
'Muted' Episode 1 Review: Aron Piper's Netflix crime thriller series introduces 'The Balcony Killer'
Netflix thriller 'Muted' begins with Sergio Ciscar murdering his parents by throwing them out of their apartment balcony
2023-05-19 15:29
Who is Baby Gronk? Olivia Dunne's TikTok video with 10-year-old football sensation goes viral
Dunne gave 'Baby Gronk' a big hug, exclaiming that he was 'so cute!'
2023-06-08 18:50
Who is Timothy Olyphant's wife? ‘Justified: City Primeval’ actor has been married to his college sweetheart Alexis Knief for 32 years
Timothy Olyphant and Alexis Knief have been married since 1991 after meeting each other at the University of Southern California
2023-06-02 14:18
Eurovision 2023: A homage to naffness or musical genius? Two writers battle it out
Millions will be watching as 26 countries go head to head to be crowned champions of the Eurovision Song Contest this weekend – but not everyone calls themselves a fan. The notoriously weird and wonderful event still divides opinion right down the middle – when it comes to Eurovision, you’re either all in or not. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter We pitched two writers against each other, one who loves Eurovision and one who can’t stand it. So, whose side are you on? Kate Plummer: Why I hate Eurovision What would happen if you brought together all the kinds of musicians who X Factor judges consider passing at the audition stage of the competition - but ultimately decide not to? What would happen if you asked cruise ship singers to come together and belt out hours of 'tunes' that resemble copyright-free hold music at best, or something your 10-year-old niece cooked up on GarageBand at worst? The answer, of course, is the gaudy Eurovision Song Contest, that homage to naffness, that yearly nightmare that we are forced to endure. "But it's fun!" the doltish masses cry. "Look at their outfits," the square-eyed cretins say. Save it. Like most organised fun and forced merriment (see hen dos, school reunions and anything to do with sport), Eurovision is absolutely awful. But unlike hen dos, school reunions and anything to do with sport, there is no escaping the tyrannical grip of its regime. It man spreads over the course of Saturday night telly, it bleeds into every pub, bar and group chat of excitable friends organising their cursed viewing parties. This year, it will even be screened in cinemas. Where is my respite? I didn't even vote for Brexit but surely the yearly congregation of the worst representatives of Europe is a dividend we could have gained from leaving the bloc? The 2023 contest is being held in the UK city of Liverpool this week, building up to the grand final on Saturday. Acts from 37 countries are taking part. So will I be tuning in to see which act has become this year's meme and what 'funny moments' have gone viral on social media? Absolutely not. After all, 66 contests and over 1,600 songs, there's a reason the only Eurovision act anyone can name is Abba... Eurovision is completely naff. Count me out. Harry Fletcher: Why I love Eurovision There aren’t many things that every single member of the family can sit down to watch together and genuinely look forward to. Eurovision is one of them. It’s a big event in our household, with family members spread around the country heading back up north to watch together. Why do we love it? The sheer strangeness is certainly a factor. The likes of Käärijä, representing Finland in 2023 with the bizarre 'Cha Cha Cha', are doing a good job keeping it weird and wonderful. But the sheer quality of the entries is more impressive year on year. The overall standard has increased inexorably and the quality of the songwriting in the strongest entries is always staggering. Crafting a good Eurovision song is an art form, and there are still entries from more than 10 years ago that pop into my head occasionally. Eurovision also has to be the most welcoming, accessible major event in the UK calendar. It’s for absolutely everyone; it’s a comfortable space, completely free of cynicism. With Eurovision, you take away all the nastiness that comes hand in hand with X Factor and other formats that invite people to sing before live audiences. Here, there’s none of the sneering at contestants or gawking at eccentric members of the public. Instead, with Eurovision it’s a celebration, and an invitation to be as weird as you like when representing your country. Eurovision can always be relied on to bring out the best in Twitter, too. When so much of social media is increasingly devoted to negativity and hate, it feels like a throwback to nicer times when it functioned more as a public forum for fans during events like Eurovision. The contest has changed a lot since I started watching around 15 years ago. There was an endearingly cheap feel about the contest back then, but the production values are outstanding these days. It’s far less of a niche interest than it used to be too; with the event coming to the UK this year, it’s attracted more and more attention. More eyes on this wonderfully odd event, which celebrates diversity, gives us genuinely brilliant songs every year and gives us something wholesome to get stuck into on social media can only be a good thing. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-05-13 14:23
'Jeopardy!' star Sam Buttrey reveals meaning of his signature catchphrase that won fans' hearts
Sam Buttrey's popular catchphrase 'Bring It' was recently used by two-day champ Ittai Sopher, much to fans' excitement
2023-07-16 17:45
Ronna McDaniel slammed after Fox News' Laura Ingraham grills her for dodging question on 'track record' as RNC Chair
Laura Ingraham questioned RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel about Vivek Ramaswamy's call for her resignation and the losses faced by the GOP in key elections
2023-11-11 16:17
Ariana Madix faked leaving house shared with Ex Tom Sandoval, Finserv company SoFi claims it was SponCon 'stunt'
Ariana Madix has acknowledged deceiving her Instagram followers by pretending to leave the Los Angeles house she shares with Tom Sandoval
2023-05-24 04:25
You Might Like...
Heather Armstrong: 'Queen of the mommy bloggers' who shared struggles with alcoholism and depression dies at 47
What to stream this week: The Rolling Stones, John le Carré, 'Living for the Dead' and Harry Bosch
Demetrious Johnson praises Andrew Tate's fighting speed and pledges to pay for Top G's MMA bouts over CM Punk: ‘He’s genetically gifted’
Did Lizzo's accusers want more work? 'Juice' singer's dancers signed up to return to the tour's third leg weeks after she 'sexually harassed' them
Megan Thee Stallion cancels Global Citizen Festival performance
'Special Forces: World's Toughest Test' Season 2 contestants face extreme training in frigid terrain
S Club 7 singer Paul Cattermole’s cause of death revealed
‘GMA’ star Lara Spencer visits London pub immortalized on 'Ted Lasso', fans say ‘Be a goldfish!’
